Martin D28 Herringbone 1945

As a vintage guitar specialist, The Fellowship of Acoustics sees the most beautiful guitars pass by, but sometimes even we're speechless. This D28 is without a doubt the most beautiful War-Era Martin we've seen, and the sound of this guitar transports you to another world from the very first note!

This 1945 D28 beautifully showcases the big, full tone of the mighty dreadnought. Known for its booming projection and tone, the Martin D28 14-fret has been one of the best-known and most trusted models played by guitarists worldwide since its introduction in 1934. It also showcases the best of tonewoods, featuring beautifully figured Brazilian rosewood back and sides and an Adirondack spruce top. 1945 was the last year Martin regularly used Adirondack spruce, and one of the last years the top was fitted with herringbone purfling.

The dreadnought back and sides produce a beautifully balanced tone, with a powerful bass that is very appealing. The tonal qualities of Brazilian rosewood remain unsurpassed to this day, and playing this guitar will instantly make you realize why. The deep tone and power this guitar produces, combined with the thick, slightly rounded V-neck, give you the ultimate vintage Martin playing experience!

The tuners, which are bushless and have plastic knobs instead of metal ones, are a testament to this guitar's true War-Era Martin appeal. These are equipped with plastic knobs instead of metal ones, as all metal was reserved for wartime use. The guitar also features rear-shifted tapered bracing and a mahogany neck with ebony reinforcement instead of an adjustable truss rod.

This D28, with serial number 90430, is one of the earlier examples from 1945, beginning with serial number 90150. In that year, Martin built approximately only 183 D28s, making it a highly desirable instrument. The guitar is exceptionally clean, but has required some maintenance to maintain its beautiful condition. The guitar has been refretted and neck reset, and the heel cap was also replaced. Furthermore, we see two repaired cracks on the top near the bass side, and a brace on the inside of the soundboard has been reglued.

The finish of the top on both sides of the neck has also weathered over the years due to playing, and the grain of the wood has become clearly visible. A new finish has been applied to seal the wood, making the guitar resistant to everyday elements. Furthermore, the nut has been raised, a strap button has been added to the heel, and the bridge saddle has been replaced.

As we mentioned before, this D28 is a magical guitar that will astonish you on every level!