Martin and John Mayer celebrate 20 years of signature models by, quite literally, putting the silver in silverburst
The storied acoustic luthier is celebrating with two models: one of them is scarily expensive, the other is just regularly expensive...
Martin Guitars has announced two very special limited-edition John Mayer signature guitars to celebrate the guitar icon’s 20 years endorsing the firm, dubbed the OMJM and OM-45 John Mayer Anniversary.
Aside from the glittering Mayer associations, the acoustic guitars are notable for introducing a finish that will look somewhat familiar to Gibson fans – a silverburst-like paint job named Gray Sunburst.
The OM-45 then goes a considerable step further. Where Mayer’s first signature model used an inlaid aluminum border on the headstock and bridge, here Martin has splashed the cash on actual silver – and extended the pattern to include the fingerboard and pickguard.
In terms of more traditional guitar-building materials, the top is Engelmann spruce and the back and sides are Guatemalan Rosewood, while an ebony fingerboard makes a nice foil (geddit?) to the silver inlays.
As with Mayer’s other models, there’s a reduced 1 11/16th width at the nut (which we’re certain is the main reason he can play Neon so much better than the rest of us). That one comes in at $18,499 and comes complete with a label signed by Mayer himself.
Then there’s a more affordable option in the form of the OMJM. That’s still $3,999, but it does have that fetching Gray Sunburst finish and a nice combination of Engelmann spruce top and East Indian Rosewood on the back and sides.
It also shares the same neck measurements (25.4” scale-length and the 1 11/16th width at the nut) as it’s more expensive sibling, but it’s not inlaid with the Mayer family silver. You also get the excellent Fishman Gold Plus Natural I pickup system included.
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If the sparkling finishes of the Mayer Martins have left you blinking, then there are two more releases from the firm that might offer some respite.
The D-15E is a mahogany-topped, 14-fret (to body) dreadnought with sapele back and sides and non-scalloped bracing, which reportedly makes for “bright, airy trebles and a punchy midrange.”
Finally, the SC-10E-02 offers a similar build to the aforementioned D-15E (sapele and mahogany, non-scalloped bracing), but brings the option of a single-cut format and the firm’s clever Sure-Align neck construction.
The D-15E and SC-10E-02 will retail for $1,299 and $999, respectively. For more information on all the new models, head to Martin.
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Matt is Features Editor for GuitarWorld.com. Before that he spent 10 years as a freelance music journalist, interviewing artists for the likes of Total Guitar, Guitarist, Guitar World, MusicRadar, NME.com, DJ Mag and Electronic Sound. In 2020, he launched CreativeMoney.co.uk, which aims to share the ideas that make creative lifestyles more sustainable. He plays guitar, but should not be allowed near your delay pedals.
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