Here at the Fellowship of Acoustics we get to see hundreds of guitars and yes, we love them all, because every instrument has its own charm. But every once in a while there's a guitar that is coming through our store that's just so unbelievably perfect, it has us holding our breath, trying to find the right words to describe it and drool a little.
Vintage Martin guitars
Martin developed the ‘dreadnought’ model at the beginning of the twentieth century and thus determined what the acoustic guitar looks like today. The dreadnought was bigger, badder and louder than all the other guitars and was therefore given the name of a battleship. It became popular very quickly and Martin would tinker with the model a little more in the years that followed in order to perfect it. In a lot of ways this vintage Martin D28 from 1943 is a living museum piece.
Golden Era guitars
Most guitargeeks agree that Martin came very close to perfection in the years just before and during the Second World War. Connoisseurs often talk about The Golden Era Guitars: the very best of the best. Here at the Fellows we totally agree and this D28 confirms that once again. This is primarily due to the available tonewood at that time. Martin chose Brazilian Rosewood for the back and sides. This type of wood gives an acoustic guitar crystal clear highs, without compromising on the low end and at the same time the mids stay present and warm. It is the perfect tonewood and by now very rare, endangered and strictly protected. In this guitar is Brazillian Rosewood has a straight grain and that is extremely rare, so that makes this vintage Martin a very unique specimen.
Martin chose adirondack spruce for the top, that is known for it’s loud and very direct sound. It can make you feel like the notes are popping off your guitar. Fresh adirondack can be a bit too much for some, but give it time and it slowly but surely develops until an acoustic guitar reaches that perfect balance. This might take a while, but this D28 has been around long enough to achieved that brilliant balance.
Unique to this model is the rigid strip of ebony in the neck. It replaces the metal truss rod, because metal was hard to get and expensive during the war. Somewhat of an experiment made out of necessity , but one that happens to turn out well. The guitar is exceptionally resonant and we think the all-wooden neck contributes to that. The neck also slightly narrower bracing was placed a little further to the back (rear shifted) for a little more emphasis on the mids.
Enchanting acoustic guitar
The result is stunning and enchanting. In the YouTube video you can see our Fellow Berend starting quietly, but gradually he gets into 'The Zone', that area where you suddenly find yourself and your hands just do what they have to do and everything you play sounds great. Guitarists who have ever been to 'The Zone' know that it feels completely logical to be in 'The Zone': it doesn't take any effort, it seems simple, just because everything is falling at the right place at the right time.
It's the same with this D28 from 1943. It sounds great, no matter what you play, fingerpicking, strumming, blue grass, it's all just awesome. That may seem simple but it is only due to the fact that everything is falling in the right place at the right time. Thanks to some repair work, which is very normal for guitars of this age, the playability is also great. The Fellowship of Acoustics is one of the few certified Martin Experts in Europe, so our Fellows in the workshop can judge repair work on a Martin Guitar like no other. The neck reset is well executed, the bridge is neatly replaced, newer tuners do what they have to do and all this ensures that this instrument is still very much alive today.
Buy a Vintage Martin D28?
These types of guitars are extremely rare and they are no longer ‘sleepers’ or undiscovered gems. Players, studios, collectors and investors have discovered vintage Martin guitars from the 1940s. There is a lot of demand for this unique tone and hardly any supply, because one thing is certain: no new vintage Martin guitars will be added. We have to make do with what was made then and what becomes available every once in a while.
All of that is reflected in the price and that's why this guitar gets a nice place behind the thick door of our Vault our Vault? Take a look at our special The Fellowship YouTube channel,because there is much more in our Vault that will make vintage
Would you like to see the contents of our Vault in the flesh? Feel free to visit Dedemsvaart or call us for more info. We are open!