Martin Custom Shop 00-28 Deep Body Wild Grain East Indian Rosewood and Italian Alpine Spruce
Martin Custom 00-28 Deep Body Wild Grain East Indian Rosewood
Truetone Music was invited to Nazareth, PA for a very special visit. We had the chance to spec out guitars to be custom built by Martin. We were also thrilled by the prospect of being able to hand select our own wood at the factory, aided by Custom Shop representatives and tonewood experts. That began a relationship that has continued for multiple custom runs over a number of years.
We knew we wanted to represent an interesting variety as far as models and exotic woods, but we also wanted the guitars to sound as best they could, never sacrificing tone for bling.
This Martin Custom Shop version of a 00-28 Deep Body with Wild Grain East Indian Rosewood is a true example of that theory coming together in the best possible way. For extra twist, we requested that this be a "deep body" version of a 00, something that you don't see very often. The look of the guitar itself would be enough, but the materials, construction and appointments make it all the more special. We've done a Custom Shop 00-28 Deep Body a few times now and have fallen in love with this design.
The others have had a back & sides made of Maple, so to switch it up, we did this one with Wild Grain East Indian Rosewood. The end result is simply stunning. Not just in terms of looks, but also in terms of tone. After all, that's what really matters.
East Indian Rosewood is known to be among the most comparable tonewoods to Brazilian Rosewood. It is light and not too dense, making it perfect for a smaller body guitar such as an 000. The tone is rich and warm while still producing a focused attack, with tons of sustain. We had the nice folks at the Martin Custom Shop find the most highly figured piece on hand, and the result was amazing. We also chose an Italian Alpine Spruce top, which is a bit warmer, to offer a balance against the attack of the Rosewood. It's a very focused tonewood, so this is perfect for fingerpicking.
To complete the circle, we asked for it to be a "deep body" version - this provides more bottom end and "fullness" normally not found on a 00. As you could expect, this makes it ideal for strumming chords and rhythm usage. The Deep Body aspect of this 00-28 is appealing for anyone that likes small body acoustics but needs them to project with the bottom end usually only found on a dreadnought.
The guitar is finished in gloss with a satin finished neck. The neck is Martin’s popular modified low oval with high performance taper, making it very comfortable to play for hours. The radius is 16” with a nut width of 1 3/4”. All Martin Custom Shop guitars feel great, but this one especially does.
We didn't stop there. To add to the uniqueness, we chose Highly Flamed Koa for the binding - a small addition that really makes this guitar stand out. Other features to touch upon include the 3 Ring Bold Herringbone Black Maple Fiber rosette and Golden Era Diamonds and Squares Long fretboard inlays. It's safe to say that you've never seen a guitar exactly like this!
The deep body construction, beautiful Wild Grain East Indian Rosewood back & sides, and Italian Alpine Spruce top of this Martin Custom Shop 00-28 results in a stunning guitar. It transposes the unique playing style and technique of the player into a signature sound. With its outstanding visual vibe, the guitar not only has an intense sound but a striking look that further emphasizes its alluring aesthetic. Any serious player looking for a rustic character in both sound and style is going to love it. While a 00 body shape isn't known for being "big" sounding, this guitar is exactly that.
The guitar comes with a Martin hard shell case and certificate of authenticity. Come to Truetone Music today to experience this amazing Martin Custom Shop guitar, or order online right here today.
Specifications Overview
- Appointment Level: Standard
- Adhesive: Modern Adhesive
- Top Material: Italian Alpine Spruce
- Bracing Material, Top: Sitka Spruce
- Back and Side Material: Wild Grain East Indian Rosewood
- Binding Material: Highly Flame Koa
- Top Pearl: None
- Rosette Style: 3 Ring Bold Herringbone Black Maple Fiber
- Bridge Style: Modern Belly
- Neck Material: Genuine Mahogany
- Scale Length: 24.9"
- Neck Profile: Modified Low Oval
- Neck Taper: High Performance Taper
- Tuning Machines: Grover Nickel V97-18NA Sta-Tite Side Mnt 18:1 with Vintage Buttons
- Fingerboard Material: Black Ebony
- Fingerboard Inlay: Golden Era Diamonds and Squares Long
- Finish Type: Standard
- Finish Package: Gloss Body w/ Satin Neck
- Top Color: Aging Toner
- Electronics: None
- Configuration # C24-028444