Two Golden Era-inspired Authentic dreadnoughts line up alongside a new-look Grand Performance cutaway and 16 Series StreetMaster model
(Image credit: Martin)
NAMM 2022: In a bid to kickstart its NAMM season, Martin has unveiled a quartet of new acoustic guitars.
The company’s first drop of this year’s event comprises a duo of fresh Authentic acoustics, a new-look auditorium-sized StreetMaster model and a burst-finished Road Series six-string.
According to Martin, each model aims to showcase the brand’s superior finishing techniques, and has been created in an effort to faithfully recreate the look and tone of historic guitars.
Notable offerings include 1937-inspired Authentic models, which promise accurate emulations of popular Golden Era Martin acoustics, as well as the Fishman MX-T loaded Grand Performance cutaway acoustic.
Read on to find out more about the latest additions to Martin’s Authentic, StreetMaster and Road Series offerings.
Martin D-18 Authentic 1937 and D-28 Authentic 1937
Martin Authentic D-18 1937 (Image credit: Martin)
As their names would imply, the Authentic 1937 D-18 and D-28 models are replicas of the original ‘37 acoustics of the same name.
For the D-18, that means genuine mahogany back and sides are paired with an Adirondack spruce top, with the guitar also boasting Forward Shifted X Adirondack spruce bracing. The model has also been treated to Martin’s Vintage Tone System, which aims to age the top and braces in an effort to capture authentic ‘30s-era tones.
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Other D-18 appointments include a more accurate body profile based on the genuine Golden Era acoustic, an authentic ‘37-profile mahogany neck and ebony fretboard, as well as an ebony bridge with black plastic bridge pins.
Elsewhere, the model also features Brown Tortoise Pattern binding, Madagascar rosewood back purfling and Old Style 18 fingerboard inlays. It’s also worth noting the Waverly nickel open back tuners, bone saddle and 25.4” scale length.
Martin Authentic D-28 1937 (Image credit: Martin)
The D-28, meanwhile, features Guatemalan rosewood back and sides, which line up alongside a Adirondack spruce top. Said to be an updated version of previous replications, the D-28 also flashes a more accurate body profile based on dreadnoughts from the ‘30s and ‘40s.
Again, the Vintage Tone System is used with the forward-shifted hand-scalloped X-bracing in a bid to harness genuine Golden Era tones.
D-28-specific appointments include grained ivoroid binding, zig-zag authentic back purfling and a multi-stripe back inlay, as well as a grained ivoroid endpiece and multi-strip soundhole rosette.
Otherwise, it features the expected mahogany neck, ebony fretboard, ebony bridge and bone saddle, and is capped off with Waverly nickel tuners, a 16” saddle radius and 25.4” scale length.
The latest Authentic models are the most expensive guitars included in the drop. While the D-18 Authentic 1937 weighs in at $6,299, the D-28 carries a price tag of $7,499.
Martin 000-16 StreetMaster
Martin 000-16 StreetMaster (Image credit: Martin)
The latest acoustic to receive Martin’s StreetMaster treatment – a finish that offers distressed, worn-in aesthetics – is the 000-16. The new offering marks the first time the StreetMaster finish has been applied to an East Indian rosewood and Adirondack spruce combo.
Aside from the heavily distressed back sides and top, the no-frills 000-16 features scalloped X-bracing composed from Sitka spruce – complete with the Vintage Tone System – along with a rosewood bridge, compensated bone nut and ebony bridge pins.
The 24.9”-scale model also features a modified low oval-profile select hardwood neck topped with a rosewood fingerboard, which in turn sports Ge Diamond and Square Short inlays and 20 frets.
The Martin 000-16 StreetMaster is available for $1,999.
Martin Road Series GPC-13E Burst
Martin GPC-13E Burst Road Series (Image credit: Martin)
Concluding the collection is the Road Series Grand Performance cutaway, the GPC-13E Burst, which features a burst-finished Sitka spruce top and ziricote fine veneer back and sides.
Other appointments include a select hardwood neck, Richlite fretboard, white corian nut and scalloped X bracing, as well as a Richlite bridge, black plastic bridge pins and a compensated white Tusq saddle.
The aesthetics are complemented by a mother of pearl multi-stripe rosette, black pickguard and white body binding. Under the hood, the GPC-13E also comes equipped with Fishman MX-T electronics.
The GPC-13E is the cheapest of the bunch, and available for $1,549.
To find out more about each model, head over to Martin.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
