Used Martin Custom Shop OM-28/45E Madagascar Rosewood with OHSC

We've had a lot of great Martin Custom Shop guitars here, and sometimes one comes in on an incredible deal that really grabs out attention.  This is one of those.

Built in 2013 by the best luthiers at Martin, this is a custom based on an OM-28, but then has a 45 style appointments.  So, it's a bit of a hybrid model, and rather unique.  Featuring a stunning combination of tonewoods, the guitar has Madagascar Rosewood back & sides plus a High Altitude Swiss Spruce top.  The Adirondack Spruce bracing (Golden Era) really helps the guitar sing.  A Mahogany neck and Ebony fretboard complete it.  This guitar is supremely comfortable to play, with a Modified Low Oval neck shape.  As an OM model, it has the smaller body shape but longer scale length, a great combination that players such as Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan and John Mayer have favored for years.

The guitar has OM-28 features primarily, but with added appointments from a 45-style model - check out the rosette.  Pearl inlys complete the look.  This unique combination is something you don't see every day, and really elevates what this guitar is.  The Martin Custom Shop excels at crafted instruments like this, and they really hit the ball out of the park here.

Also, the guitar has been upgrade with a Fishman pickup/preamp, so it's ready for amplfiication.

Madagascar Rosewood is an in-demand tonewood that can be hard to come by (so much so that the Martin Custom Shop doesn't currently have it as an option).  It has a rich red-brown color with the classic spider webbing found in Brazilian Rosewood. The tonal range is unparalleled, with clear highs, thunderous mids, and a rich and defined bass. We find Madagascar to be the most pleasing of available Rosewood varieties.  It has a projection that rivals the presence of Brazilian Rosewood.

Another main feature is the High Altitude Swiss Spruce top.   It's considered by many to be the best spruce tonewood available, and we'd have to agree.  It's north facing spruce that is grown slowly under harsh conditions, and has tighter annual growth lines, which results in it being denser compared to other spruce.  It has a glassier sound, projects nicely, and results in a very vibrant and loud acoustic.  There's more clarity with a bit quicker note response.  Swiss Spruce also has a shorter "break in" period.  The sound gets drier as the top matures and settles.  This is a guitar that will surely age well.  

The guitar came to us with some binding issues, which we saw as no problem - we have the highly qualified techs here that know how to make things right again.  This one was worked on carefully, and the end result is that it's hard to see what the issue was to begin with.  Also, the guitar has been setup to play perfectly.  Overall, it's a very good condtion - see photos for everything.  Itcomes with the original hardshell case (full disclosure, the handle of the case is a bit worn but still in tact).

Any Martin Custom Shop guitar is something special - and it's obvious that this one definitely is.  We don't see it lasting long here.

• SERIAL # 1733652
• BACK AND SIDES: Madagascar Rosewood
• TOP: High Altitude Swiss Spruce 
• TOP BRACES: Adirondack/Scalloped 1/4''/Golden Era
• TOP BINDING: Grained Ivoroid
• BACK BINDING: Grained Ivoroid 
• TOP INLAY: Style 28
• BACK INLAY: .0325" B/W Boltaron 
• ROSETTE: Style 45
• PEARL INLAY: .064" Select Abalone
• ENDPIECE: Grained Ivoroid
• ENDPIECE INLAY: .0325" B/W Boltaron
• BLOCK: Solid Genuine Mahogany
• SCALE LENGTH: 25.340'' (25.4'')
• WIDTH AT NUT: 1 3/4'' (1.750)
• WIDTH AT 12 FRET: 2 1/4''
• FRET WIRE: German G300,Notched 1 3/4
• FRETS CLEAR: 14
• TOTAL FRETS: 20
• NECK: Genuine Mahogany- 12/4
• NECK SHAPE: Modified Low Oval
• FINGERBOARD: Black Ebony (Stain- Yes, Oil- Yes)
• RADIUS: 16''
• HEADSTOCK: Solid/6 String No Diamond/Square Taper
• BACK/HEAD STAMP: C.F. Martin and Co. Nazareth Pa. Stamp On Back Of Head
• HEELCAP: Grained Ivoroid
• NUT: NT,Bone,NP2F,Prshpd
• HEADPLATE: Madagascar Rosewood
• HEADPLATE DECAL: 1933 AUTHENTIC DECAL w/ VINTAGE TONER (AUTHENTIC FEATURE)
• TUNING MACHINES: Grover,Nickel,V97-18NA,StaTite,18:1,Vintage Button (drill 11/32)
• PEARL INLAY: Diamond & Squares- Long Pattern (Abalone) (GE)
• SIDE DOTS: White Boltaron
• FINISH TYPE: Gloss/Satin Neck
• FINISH BODY: Non-Catalyzed Gloss / Rosewood Filler
• FINISH TOP: Non-Catalyzed Gloss/ Clear
• FINISH NECK: Catalyzed 15 Sheen Satin / Dark Mahogany Stain / Rosewood Filler
• BRIDGE: Black Ebony
• STYLE: 1930 Style Belly- Drop In Saddle
• PEARL INLAY: None
• ADDITIONAL BR INLAY: None
• STRING SPACING: 2 1/4''
• SADDLE: SL,Compensated,Bone,16R,#5
• BRIDGE PINS: White w/ Black Dots
• END PIN: White w/ Black Dot