Martin” inlay made of mother of pearl or abalone in the headstock, and abalone trim around the body. A fancy guitar, it has large abalone hexagon inlays on the bound fretboard, large “C.
41 – Rosewood back and sides with spruce top. First made in 1965 to use smaller pieces of rosewood, 35s also have bound fretboards. The special feature of this model is the 3-piece back. 35 – Rosewood back and sides with spruce top. Herringbone trim was reintroduced by popular demand in 1976 with the production of the HD-28. In 1947 that top border was changed to alternating layers of thin black and white plastic. Models made before 1947 had the famed herringbone wood marquetry border around the top. All Martin models 28 and above have ebony fretboards and bridges and are bound with white plastic. 
28 -Probably the most popular of all Martin styles. Fretboards and bridges were ebony until the 1950s when, like the style 18, they were replaced with rosewood. 21 – Rosewood back and sides, spruce top, dark binding around the top and back. Starting in the 1950s, the fretboards and bridges were made out of rosewood. Early models had ebony fretboards and bridges. 18 – Spruce top, mahogany back and sides, dark binding on top and back. In certain years they were made with bound tops and backs. 17 – All-mahogany similar to the style 15. Spruce top, mahogany back and sides, rosewood fretboard and bridge, dark binding on top. 15 – Mahogany top, back, and sides, with rosewood fingerboard and bridge. Here is a list and a brief description of the more popular styles: During the 1930s Martin also made archtop guitars with C, R, and F designations.įor the most part, the suffixes on Martin guitars go from low to high to indicate how fancy and what types of woods are used in construction. Martin even makes an acoustic bass guitar now with the prefix B. They increase in size from 00, 000, D, M, to J. Size “0” is the smallest of what most people consider a normal size guitar. Most of these sizes were made before World War II and are not common now, as most people prefer the tone and volume of larger guitars for group sessions. Country music fans will recognize the guitar Marty Robbins used as a 5-18.Īs the prefix numbers get smaller the guitars get bigger. 
The size 5 is the smallest standard model that Martin has made in large quantity. These days I see more and more old-time musicians using smaller guitars. It is the most copied guitar in the world. When I was a teenager, my family and friends played “D” or “dreadnaught” guitars, and this size has become a universal standard with its booming bass and powerful tone. A guitar with a 14-fret neck has a body less than an inch shorter than a guitar with a 12-fret neck. In the 1920s, guitarists developed more complex playing styles that necessitated access to the upper frets, and in 1929, Martin introduced the 14-fret neck. The only differences are between the guitars with 12-and 14-fret necks. Martin guitars of the same prefix are all the same body size. The suffix “28” or “18” indicates the type of materials used in building the guitar and the general ornamentation. The letter prefix “D” or number prefix “5” represents the guitar’s size. The model designations can be broken down into two parts.
#Martin guitar serial numbers guide code#
You overhear the salesman talking to another customer and they seem to be talking in some cryptic code: “D-35, triple 0-18, M-36, D-28s.” Should you yell “Bingo!?” No, they are talking about different Martin guitar models.ĭeciphering the Martin guitar code is simple. You walk into a music store to check out the latest in six string guitars that might be suitable for old-time music.
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