C. F. Martin D-28 Herringbone Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1946)
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Item # 10074
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C. F. Martin D-28 Herringbone Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1946), made in Nazareth, PA, natural lacquer finish, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, period black hard shell case.
There are certain guitars that are simply the standard by which all others are judged;-the Martin D-28 "herringbone" is always one of them. The 1946 D-28 is one of the last "bones", made just after the war as Martin's supply of the namesake wood marquetry was running out. As this had long been sourced from Germany, there were unsurprisingly no supplies currently available at the time and Martin simply stopped using it on their instruments by mid-1947.
The other features are classic D-28 appointments. The top bracing in this postwar period is no longer scalloped but still lighter than the typical 1950's style. The back and sides are beautifully straight grained Brazilian rosewood, with a very tight-grained spruce top. The bridge and fingerboard are black ebony, with large pearl dots on the board in place of the prewar slotted diamonds. The tuners are still prewar style Waverly single units with metal buttons.
This example has a serial number dating to the second half of 1946, one of a total of 425 shipped that year. This was more than double any previous year's total, and shows a huge post-war demand for this pro-grade model. Still compared to modern production that is a paltry number. The mahogany-bodied D-18 cost just over half as much at $65 and sold in larger numbers, but for many the D-28 represented the ultimate stage guitar.
Cosmetically this guitar shows signs of long use but less abuse and repair than many have seen. many Country and Western performers of the period found the Martin D-28 was the best instrument available for this environment. Costing $144 in 1946 (without case!) the D-28 represented a sizable investment for a working performer, and once obtained was often played constantly as a tool to literally put food on the table.
In this period these instruments were judged by the way the rhythm they produced powered the whole group-the kind of solo hot pickin' that characterizes the modern aesthetic was a generation or two away. Although the D-28 is considered the ultimate Bluegrass guitar, the concept of "Bluegrass" as a musical style was just coalescing around the "classic" Monroe band with Lester Flatt on a D-28 right around the time this one was made.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 15 3/4 in. (40 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 5 in. (12.7 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is a very fine playing and sounding "herringbone" D-28, with plenty of volume and a somewhat brighter, more penetrating sound than some from this period without losing the tonal depth these are famous for. It has had a neck reset and refret, the saddle is newer but the guitar remains all original apart from this.
The original lacquer finish has no overspray or touch-up and shows its age with some typical checking, small dings, surface scratches, and compression marks. There is some pickwear on both sides of the sound hole, with one fairly concentrated spot above the upper back edge of the sound hole that goes through the finish. There are some fairly deep scratches on the back and much of the finish is worn off the spine of the neck. The back has some typical buckle wear and an area of deeper scratching towards the upper waist.
Amazingly there are no cracks anywhere, and this guitar, though well-played, must also have been well-cared for. Old D-28s from this period are real workhorse guitars; they were rarely coddled and often show the signs of very heavy use. This guitar wears its scars proudly, and remains not only a great piece of 20th century guitar history and artistry but an exceptionally fine player's instrument. It arrived with a somewhat worn period 16" hard shell case not specific to Martin, but one that appears to have been with the guitar since new. Overall Excellent - Condition.
There are certain guitars that are simply the standard by which all others are judged;-the Martin D-28 "herringbone" is always one of them. The 1946 D-28 is one of the last "bones", made just after the war as Martin's supply of the namesake wood marquetry was running out. As this had long been sourced from Germany, there were unsurprisingly no supplies currently available at the time and Martin simply stopped using it on their instruments by mid-1947.
The other features are classic D-28 appointments. The top bracing in this postwar period is no longer scalloped but still lighter than the typical 1950's style. The back and sides are beautifully straight grained Brazilian rosewood, with a very tight-grained spruce top. The bridge and fingerboard are black ebony, with large pearl dots on the board in place of the prewar slotted diamonds. The tuners are still prewar style Waverly single units with metal buttons.
This example has a serial number dating to the second half of 1946, one of a total of 425 shipped that year. This was more than double any previous year's total, and shows a huge post-war demand for this pro-grade model. Still compared to modern production that is a paltry number. The mahogany-bodied D-18 cost just over half as much at $65 and sold in larger numbers, but for many the D-28 represented the ultimate stage guitar.
Cosmetically this guitar shows signs of long use but less abuse and repair than many have seen. many Country and Western performers of the period found the Martin D-28 was the best instrument available for this environment. Costing $144 in 1946 (without case!) the D-28 represented a sizable investment for a working performer, and once obtained was often played constantly as a tool to literally put food on the table.
In this period these instruments were judged by the way the rhythm they produced powered the whole group-the kind of solo hot pickin' that characterizes the modern aesthetic was a generation or two away. Although the D-28 is considered the ultimate Bluegrass guitar, the concept of "Bluegrass" as a musical style was just coalescing around the "classic" Monroe band with Lester Flatt on a D-28 right around the time this one was made.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 15 3/4 in. (40 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 5 in. (12.7 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is a very fine playing and sounding "herringbone" D-28, with plenty of volume and a somewhat brighter, more penetrating sound than some from this period without losing the tonal depth these are famous for. It has had a neck reset and refret, the saddle is newer but the guitar remains all original apart from this.
The original lacquer finish has no overspray or touch-up and shows its age with some typical checking, small dings, surface scratches, and compression marks. There is some pickwear on both sides of the sound hole, with one fairly concentrated spot above the upper back edge of the sound hole that goes through the finish. There are some fairly deep scratches on the back and much of the finish is worn off the spine of the neck. The back has some typical buckle wear and an area of deeper scratching towards the upper waist.
Amazingly there are no cracks anywhere, and this guitar, though well-played, must also have been well-cared for. Old D-28s from this period are real workhorse guitars; they were rarely coddled and often show the signs of very heavy use. This guitar wears its scars proudly, and remains not only a great piece of 20th century guitar history and artistry but an exceptionally fine player's instrument. It arrived with a somewhat worn period 16" hard shell case not specific to Martin, but one that appears to have been with the guitar since new. Overall Excellent - Condition.