Martin Guitars

About Martin Guitars

There are many shapes and sizes of Martin guitars. Each delivers a unique blend of tone characteristics, yet all feature the unmistakable sound of a Martin acoustic guitar. From smallest to largest, they are 0, 00, 000, also known as the nought, double-nought and triple-nought. It continues with D (Dreadnought), M or 0000 (Grand Auditorium), and J (Jumbo). For the 0, 00 and 000 models, the two-digit number indicates whether the guitar features a 12- or 14-fret neck, or, more precisely, how many frets on the neck are clear of the body. For the others, the two-digit number indicates the style.

The most popular, and most often copied Martin guitar size are Martin dreadnought guitars. Of the dreadnoughts, three have risen to the top: the D-28, HD-28 and D-45. For many acoustic guitar players, the flagship dreadnought model Martin D-28 guitars are the standard by which all others are judged. Similar to the D-28 are Martin HD-28 guitars. The HD-28 is a pre-war model that features a herringbone top border (the H in HD stands for herringbone), and an attractive zipper or zigzag backstrip. Martin D-45 guitars were first produced in 1933 for Gene Autry, a singing cowboy who wanted to play the biggest, fanciest Martin guitar around. The most environmentally-friendly dreadnoughts are Martin DX guitars, which are made with environmentally-friendly alternative materials like Stratabond and Richlite.

Founded in 1833, C.F. Martin & Co. is one of the oldest guitar makers in the United States. Today, the company is still owned and run by the Martin family, and they go to great lengths to follow the tradition of quality and craftsmanship started by Christian Frederick Martin so many years ago. As you might expect from a luthier who's been in the business so long, Martin can take credit for a few design features that have become industry standards today. The two best examples are probably scalloped bracing and the dreadnought shape for acoustic guitars. If you want to go straight to the source to get a dreadnought from the very people who invented it in the first place, check out Martin's amazing lineup of guitars.

If you want the most versatile guitar you can get your hands on, one of Martin's acoustic-electric guitar models should fit the bill. Loaded with high-end Fishman electronics like the Sonitone system in the 6-string X Series 000X1AE, they're a sweet combination of Martin craftsmanship and top-shelf tech. There's nothing an acoustic-electric guitar can't do: unplug it and it's an acoustic; add an amplifier and it's an acoustic that can reach every corner of the largest venues. Musician's Friend is proud to have been the number one online retailer of Martin guitars for 2018 in the United States. We offer the widest selection of Martin instruments, so you should have no trouble finding the right one for you. In fact, it might take you a while just to narrow down the options. You'll find your dream Martin guitar size, shape and style, here at the guaranteed lowest price. If you have any questions, we're happy to help via online chat or over the phone.

Martin Guitar Styles

Style 18 Standard Martin guitars offer Sitka spruce soundboard and bracing with Big Leaf mahogany back and sides, an ebony fingerboard and bridge, mother of pearl dot markers, tortoise shell-color binding and pickguard, open-back tuners and aging top toner. Style 28 Standard Martin guitars typically feature a Sitka spruce top with vintage toner, Indian rosewood back and sides, and ebony fingerboard and bridge. Standard Martin guitars with Style 35 normally feature a Sitka spruce top with aging toner and forward-shifted, non-scalloped 1/4” bracing, Indian rosewood sides and three-piece back, ebony fingerboard and bridge. Martin Standard Style 45 guitars feature the highest grade Indian rosewood and Sitka spruce, as well as abalone trim on the top, sides and back, and abalone hex inlays.

Martin Guitar Series

There are many series of Martin guitars, each with a unique combination of features and tonewoods. The Martin X Series focuses on using traditional tonewoods responsibly, introducing alternative woods, and using alternative materials. The X Series uses Stratabond, Richlite and High-Pressure Laminates (HPLs) to build durable, affordable guitars. As the name implies, Martin Custom Series guitars are enhanced production guitar models. You'll find dreadnought, Grand Performance, OM, X Series and more. Each has special upgrades, and many of these guitars are available only from first-class Martin dealers.

Martin 15 Series guitars feature all-mahogany construction. This gives them incredibly rich tone. The 15 Series also offers details like authentic rosettes and antiqued pickguards. The Martin 16 Series offers unique wood pairings to complement each body shape. You'll find sycamore, cherry, koa, and others. All Martin 16 Series guitars have the 000 body depth for maximum playing comfort. Martin 17 Series guitars pair mahogany back and sides with a Sitka spruce top, typically on smaller guitar bodies. The result is well-balanced tone from a guitar that's easy to play.

Each Martin Modern Deluxe acoustic guitar features a Sitka spruce VTS top and Vintage Deluxe High Performance Taper neck shape. The ergonomic neck design makes the Modern Deluxe Series more comfortable to play, especially for long sessions. For the Authentic Series, Martin used exciting technology to analyze some of their oldest guitars, to see what gives them their special tone. They coupled that knowledge with an exclusive aging process. It makes Authentic Series guitar tonewoods even more special. The first Authentic lineup includes a guitar modeled after a 1919 OOO-30, and one based on a 1939 D-18. The Martin Performing Artist Series has a wide range of durable, stage-worthy instruments. They're designed for touring professional guitar players. But, anyone that plays live frequently will appreciate a Performing Artist guitar's dependability.

Martin Retro Series guitars infuse traditional designs with modern technology. This results in acoustic guitars with traditional looks that are armed with modern sound clarity and tonal balance. Like the Performing Artist, the Martin Road Series is built for touring musicians. But, the Road Series offers no-frills designs that give you Martin tone at a more affordable price. Finally, the Martin Standard Series encompasses Martin's core lineup. In it you'll find all of their most popular acoustic guitars, as well as some rising stars. You'll find most sizes and styles available, from OM to dreadnought and D-18 to HD-35.