C. F. Martin & Company

remains the oldest

surviving maker of

guitars in the world.

Six generations of the

Martin family are

pictured, each dedicated

to the Company’s primary

product, its superbly well-

crafted acoustic guitars.

CHRISTIAN FREDERICK MARTIN, JR.1825-1888

Son of Christian Frederick Martin, Sr.

THE MARTIN GUITAR COMPANY

D-45

The Martin name has been held in high esteem as a symbol of enduring

craftsmanship and quality through six generations of family members that have

owned the company. C. F. Martin & Co. has had to adapt to widely varying

economic, political, and cultural changes. Events such as the Civil War, the

Industrial Revolution, the Spanish American conflict, the Great Depression,

and two World Wars challenged the Company’s ability to survive and

thrive. C. F. Martin & Co. stands alone as the oldest maker of

guitars in the world.

CHRISTIAN FREDERICK MARTIN, SR.1796-1873

Founder, C.F. Martin & Co., Inc.

Shown on cover, from left to right: D-45V,D-41 Special and the OMC Aura.

FRANK HENRY MARTIN1866-1948

Son of Christian Frederick Martin, Jr.

HERBERT KELLER MARTIN1895-1927

Brother to Christian Frederick Martin III

FRANK HERBERT MARTIN1933-1993

Son of Christian Frederick Martin III

CHRISTIAN FREDERICK MARTIN III1894-1986

Son of Frank Henry Martin2

Martin’s success over the years has stemmed

in large part from a remarkable ability to innovate

and adapt. It is this ability to change when necessary

and still produce high quality instruments that has

made the Company so successful for such a long

period of time. Guitars evolved from fan-bracing

to X-bracing, from gut to steel strings, and from

small parlor size guitars to large bodied

Dreadnoughts. Mandolins and ukuleles also enjoyed

periods of great popularity, and the Company

shifted its production to meet the changing demands.

Today Martin continues to evolve because

our customers’ needs continue to change, and

we are challenged to move forward with many

more new ideas. The product line, known for its

simplicity in the 1970s and ‘80s, has evolved

into a dynamic presentation as the Company has

aggressively moved to fill voids in the market-

place. Since 1990, the Company has introduced

many new products, ranging from the popular

1, Road, 15, and 16 Series to the more recent

X Series. All Martin’s high-quality guitars offer

exceptional value. At the other end of the market,

we reintroduced many of our most sought-after

pre-war guitar designs as part of our Vintage

Series.

In such a dynamic environment, Martin will

not lose sight of what makes its guitars great: a

number of ingredients are important — delicate

hand-craftsmanship, tasteful ornamentation,

meticulous attention to detail, quality and the

reputation established by such a long history and

tradition. Guitarists have come to expect all of

these qualities when buying a Martin.

The Martin guitar of today still stands heads

above the rest because of its tone. Martin guitars

are revered for their distinct power and balance,

for deep, resonant basses and crisp clear trebles.

More than any other attribute, the Martin sound is

still uniquely our own.

The skilled craftspeople at Martin take extreme

pride in the guitars they produce. They open their

doors every workday at 1:00 p.m. for public tours

of the factory. You have the opportunity to see

how deeply they are committed to building the

finest musical instruments in the world. You are

personally invited to visit us and see why Martin

guitars are still the finest guitars in the world.

CHRISTIAN FREDERICK MARTIN IVChairman of the Board & Chief Executive Officer

Sixth Generation Martin to Lead the Company

and boasts the quality craftsmanship for which the

Martin Company is well known. The Marquis models

are crafted with select East Indian rosewood for the

sides, back, and headplate to make the D-28 Marquis

guitars affordable masterpieces. After all, if you

want to know what its like to be a music legend, you

have to play one.

The Golden Era and the Marquis Series both

feature pre-war appointments: Adirondack

Red Spruce top, forward-shifted Adirondack

Red Spruce braces, cloth strips along the sides, 1930s

style belly bridge, and fossilized ivory nut, saddle, endpins

and bridge pins. Golden Era models are crafted in a

style that gives a great deal of authenticity for collectors

G O L D E N E R A & M A R Q U I S

F R E T I N S E R T I O N

® ®

D-18 Golden Era Sunburst

A unique almost magical blend of

well-chosen materials, optimized

design and quality construction.

D-28 Marquis

4

D-28 Marquis SunburstOM-18 Golden Era

G O L D E N E R A M A R Q U I S

S P E C I A L E D I T I O N

and technical knowledge of the people at Martin.

This leads to a joining of like minds: When you

purchase a Martin Special Edition, you form the

creative link with people who have inspired you to

become someone special.

Special Editions really are unique guitars that

encompass a wide range of creative designs.

The one theme that links our entire line of

Special Edition guitars together is people. Many of our

Special Edition guitars are inspired by great artists and

important people. Still others are the creative extension

B A C K S A N D I N G

CF1 Sunburst

This archtop guitar is the perfect

mixture of quality craftsmanship and

resonant tone that is the trademark of

C. F. Martin & Co.

6

D-28 Clarence White

Clarence White was a highly gifted musician who

owned a very special Martin. To commemorate his

special talents and the special Martin guitar he played,

Martin created the D-28 CW. This unique instrument

has the oversized soundhole, forward-shifted braces

and Adirondack spruce top that created the unique

projection and tonal qualities of Clarence White’s

original D-28.

000-28 Norman Blake

This Auditorium sized model has an Adirondack

spruce soundboard, 1/4" scalloped Adirondack spruce

braces, vintage style Waverly tuners and fossilized

ivory pins and saddle. What makes this guitar extra

special is the unique design by Norman Blake himself:

A 12-fret neck on a 000 14-fret body that allows the

bracing to be shifted forward and frees up the bridge

for enhanced sound quality.

DC Aura

The sound quality and unique tone of Martin guitars

is literally captured in the onboard Aura. Through

Acoustic Sound Imaging,

six versions of the best tonal

qualities of these special

guitars were captured with

the highest quality studio

microphones to give this guitar

a studio quality sound that

can then be blended with the

Gold + Natural pickup. This

gives the musician the opportunity to create the highest

quality sound on stage or at home. The OMC Aura is also

available and is the perfect guitar for fingerstyle players.

D-28 Clarence White

000-28 Norman Blake

S P E C I A L E D I T I O N

A U R A

V I N T A G E S E R I E S

Vintage Series instruments draw their inspiration

from the elegant vintage designs and

appointments of the pre-World War II era.

Most Vintage Series models include old-style squared

headstock, modified V-shaped neck, period fingerboard

inlays, scalloped bracing, beveled tortoise colored

pickguard, old-style long or through saddle, aging

toner finish on the soundboard, vintage style tuning

machines and a vintage Geib Style case.

The D-18VE and HD-28VE models are equipped

with the Ellipse™ Blend. Our Vintage Series guitars

now have high quality electronic sound reinforcement

that is practically invisible. Both models give the player

the best of two worlds – Vintage appointments and

modern blending controls. Other important features

for the Vintage Series generally include solid wood

top, back and sides, pre-war appointments, gloss finished

bodies, and hand-fit dovetail neck attachment.

S C A L L O P E D B R A C E S

8

000-28 Eric Clapton

The 000-28EC Auditorium

was designed in collaboration

with Eric Clapton.

HD-28V

D-45V

The D-45V features scalloped forward-shifted “X”

bracing. Other special features include a highly

colorful abalone border around all the seams of the top,

back and side edges. The perimeter of the fingerboard

and rosette are also outlined in pearl. Traditional

diamonds and snowflakes are inlaid in the bound ebony

fingerboard. Grained ivoroid bindings, a Style 45

multi-colored mosaic backstrip, and vintage style

gold butterbean tuners complete the appointments.

HD-28V

The HD-28V incorporates the most popular pre-war

features into a vintage Herringbone D-28 format.

Grained ivoroid bindings, forward-shifted scalloped

bracing, butterbean tuning machines, and diamond

and square fingerboard inlays combine to make

an exceptional pre-war herringbone replica in

appearance. The HD-28VS is the 12-fret slotted

head version of the HD-28V.

OM-28V

The OM-28V Orchestra draws its inspiration from

the original historic Perry Bechtel OM-28 herringbone

guitar made in 1929. The 000 body size is blended

with the OM long scale to produce a balanced sound

considered ideal for fingerstyle technique.

D-18V

The D-18V Dreadnought features a genuine ebony

fingerboard and bridge, plus many simple but tasteful

vintage details such as: Tortoise-colored binding,

old-style abalone position dots, open-geared chrome

tuners with butterbean knobs, and all of the other

features that are standard to all Vintage Series models.

000-28 Eric Clapton

A genuine ebony fingerboard features the pre-war

Style 28 snowflake pattern in abalone pearl.

Eric Clapton’s signature is inlaid in mother-of-pearl

between the 19th and 20th frets. The sides and back

are constructed from solid East Indian rosewood, and

the top is bookmatched from select quartersawn Sitka

spruce. The rosette, as well as the perimeter of the

soundboard, are inlaid with finely patterned herringbone

wood marquetry. The body is bound with grained ivoroid.

V I N T A G E S E R I E

E L L I P S E B L E N D

S T A N D A R D S E R I E S

Martin launched the Standard Series line nearly

a century ago, and these models set the

standard for all modern acoustic guitars.

For the most part, Martin is credited with inventing

these styles and shapes, and guitar makers in general

have adopted Martin’s size designations. The Standard

Series began with the Dreadnought, a shape that

Martin first built in 1916 to provide a bigger, richer

guitar sound at a time when there was no amplification.

Dreadnoughts provided the perfect accompaniment for

singers in larger settings and auditoriums, and thus

started the golden age of the guitar.

These instruments constitute the historic core

of Martin and represent the majority of sizes and

styles that have evolved during this century. The

Standard Series models are known for resonant

warmth of tone, tastefully restrained styling and high

quality craftsmanship.

Features for the Standard Series include solid

wood top, back, and sides, polished gloss finish, and

a hand-fit dovetail neck attachment.

P E A R L I N L A Y

D-18

HD-35 Back

D-35

The D-35 incorporates Martin’s visually striking three-

piece back and produces a strong bass that is ideal for

rhythm playing. To accentuate the treble, Martin uses

lighter 1⁄4" top braces. Bindings with extra side inlays and

a bound ebony fingerboard add to the distinctiveness of

this model. The HD-35 is the herringbone version of the

D-35. Its trademark three-piece back is pictured to the right.

D-28

Since its introduction in 1931, the Martin D-28 has

remained the standard by which all large bodied, steel-

string acoustic guitars are measured. The D-28 utilizes

solid East Indian rosewood for the back and sides. Genuine

ebony is used for the fingerboard and bridge. The D12-28

is the 12-string version of the D-28 and the 000-28 is the

smaller bodied 000 or Auditorium sized version of the

famous Martin D-28 Dreadnought.

HD-28

The HD-28 is the herringbone version of the D-28 that has

vintage features that include herringbone top trim, a traditional

zig-zag backstrip, and Martin’s famous scalloped X-bracing.

The HD-28 is pictured below.

D-18

Traditional Style 18 features on the D-18 include a rosewood

fingerboard and bridge, black binding and pickguard, and

chrome enclosed tuning machines. Solid mahogany back and

sides combine with the large Dreadnought size to produce a

loud, clear treble and a warm, moderate bass. The D-18 is

pictured to the right.

10

HD-28

The HD-28 represents a recreation of

Martin’s legendary herringbone D-28

style guitars.

S T A N D A R D S E R I E S

D-45

The D-45 is the most ornately appointed guitar in the

Martin line. Large C. F. Martin abalone letters adorn

the headstock, and abalone hexagon inlays are used as

position markers on the bound ebony fingerboard.

The D-45 is pictured below.

D-42

The D-42, which is on the next page, draws its inspiration

from the pre-war period with vintage features such as

forward-shifted scalloped bracing, traditional Style 45

snowflake fingerboard inlays, grained ivoroid bindings,

and gold tuning gears with butterbean knobs.

D-41 Special

Our D-41 Special features forward-shifted scalloped

bracing that creates incredible tone. The bound

fingerboard, gold tuners and abalone snowflakes

enhance the beauty of this special guitar. Unlike many

other Standard Series guitars, the D-41 Special has a

more vintage styled Modified V neck. Also available in

the Jumbo sized J-41 Special that sports many of the

same features.

D-41

The D-41 offers the extra ornamentation and premium

selection of woods that typify Martin’s prestigious

40’s Series. With its tasteful elegance and a moderate

price, the D-41 is among Martin’s best values in top-

of-the-line guitars. It is shown on the next page.

D-40

The D-40 features rosewood back and sides, scalloped

bracing and abalone pearl rosette. A bound ebony

fingerboard displays abalone hexagon position markers.

The bound headstock with Style 45 C. F. Martin

features abalone pearl letters and gold enclosed

tuning machines.

J-40

With valuable input from both dealers and players,

C. F. Martin IV designed the J-40 Jumbo model,

prized for its elegant yet tasteful appointments.

The J-40 is pictured to the far right.

S T A N D A R D S E R I E S

D-45

Martin selects the finest

tonewoods available to build

each D-45.

12

D-41

J-40

D-42

S T A N D A R S E R I E S

The well-established and innovative 16 Series

was originally conceived and developed as an

experiment to deliver better sound without

higher cost. Martin succeeded by using a combination

of our proprietary bracing systems called hybrid “X”

bracing on a solid wood instrument. Now this series of

guitars has become a longtime Martin favorite.

1 6 S E R I E S

The new 16 Series Premium models include

Fishman Premium electronics that are state of the art

in sound reinforcement.

Features for the 16 Series generally include solid

wood top, back and sides, patented neck mortise, and

hybrid “X” bracing. In addition to the gloss top models,

many full gloss 16 Series models are available.

P R E - F I N I S H

DC-16RE Premium

The DC-16RE Premium is a Dreadnought

Venetian cutaway guitar featuring

onboard electronics.

14

DC-16RE Premium

The DC-16RE Premium pictured below has a full gloss

body with the sides and back crafted from solid East

Indian rosewood. This beautiful guitar is one of

Martin’s entries into Dreadnought-bodied gloss

cutaway guitars. The DC-16E Premium shares the

same features, although its full gloss body is crafted

with solid mahogany sides and back. Both versions are

available in OM Orchestra size, the OMC-16RE and

the OMC-16E respectively.

D-16 and D16R

These models represent great value because both

instruments feature full-gloss bodies with Martin’s

patented mortise and tenon neck joint. Pictured to the

right, the D-16 is crafted from solid sapele while the

D-16R has a similar level of appointments though it is

made with solid East Indian rosewood. Both instruments

feature our modified low-oval neck that makes these

high quality, sweet-sounding guitars play fast and easy.

D-16GT

Displaying the simple elegance of Martin styling, the

D-16GT Dreadnought features a solid spruce top

polished to a high gloss and solid bookmatched

genuine mahogany back and sides that have an attractive

and durable semi-gloss finish. The D-16RGT is the

rosewood version of the D-16GT.

000C-16RGTE Premium

The 000C-16RGTE Premium, pictured to the right, is

the smaller bodied 000 or Auditorium-sized acoustic-

electric version of the D-16RGT, featuring a solid spruce

top polished to a high gloss, a rounded Venetian cutaway

and onboard electronics. The 000C-16GTE Premium

mahogany version is also available.

D-16

000C-16RGTEPremium

1 6 S E R I E S

Our 15 Series is reminiscent of the style 15

guitars of the 1940s. This series features

affordable all solid wood guitars that are

available in many shapes and sizes.

The 15 Series instruments feature richly stained

solid mahogany or sapele top, back, and sides to give

them a unique and distinctive look along with our

1 5 S E R I E S

recognizable Martin sound. These features mark them

as one of Martin’s most attractive values.

Other features for the 15 Series generally include

herringbone style rosette, satin finish, patented neck

mortise, and A-frame “X” bracing which enhances the

rich, bright sound inherent in the wood.

F I N A L A S S E M B L Y

D-15

The D-15 features solid genuine

mahogany or sapele for the top, back,

and sides. The soundboard is trimmed

with a single-banded gold herringbone

style rosette and a tortoise-colored

pickguard. 16

D-15

The D-15 pictured below is the lowest priced solid

wood Martin guitar currently available. With its

mahogany or sapele construction and simple appointments,

the D-15 Dreadnought produces a very balanced tone.

000-15

The 000-15 is the smaller bodied 000 or Auditorium-

sized version of the D-15. The 000-15S is the 12-fret

body version of the 000-15.

BC-15E

The BC-15E Acoustic Bass is the acoustic electric

bass featuring a rounded Venetian cutaway, onboard

electronics, a full 34" scale bass neck combined

with the comfortable Jumbo body shape and size.

The BC-15E is pictured to the right.

000-15S

BC-15E

1 5 S E R I E S

R O A D & 1 S E R I E S

The Road and 1 Series guitars were a pioneering

breakthrough for Martin because they were the first

instruments to achieve our unique Martin sound, feel

and look with wood laminates. These guitars represent

an extraordinary value as well as a state-of-the-art

acoustic guitar design.

Martin created the Road and 1 Series for

the working musician and weekend warrior.

These sweet sounding, easy-playing guitars

are designed to provide the unique Martin look, feel

and sound at an affordable price.

B O D Y A S S E M B L Y

DM

The DM Dreadnought features laminated genuine

mahogany back and sides with a solid spruce top,

single-banded herringbone rosette, and a durable

satin finish. The DM is pictured below. The DR is

the rosewood version of the DM. The DM-12 is the

12-string version of the DM and the bridge, neck

width, and headstock have been modified accordingly.

DCME

The DCME is the acoustic-electric cutaway version of

the DM with onboard electronics.

000M

Pictured to the right, the 000M is the smaller bodied

000 or Auditorium-sized version of the popular DM.

D-1

The D-1 Dreadnought soundboard is bookmatched

from solid Sitka spruce while the back is solid genuine

mahogany. The sides are crafted from laminated

genuine mahogany.

DC-1E

The DC-1E is an acoustic-electric version of the D-1

featuring onboard electronics.

000-1

The 000-1 is the smaller bodied 000 or Auditorium-

sized version of the D-1.

B-1

The B-1 is an acoustic bass version of the D-1.

18

DM

Since its introduction, the DM has

been received with great enthusiasm.

Its outstanding Martin tone and

affordable price make it an ideal

instrument for players at all skill levels.

D-1

000M

R O A D & 1 S E R I E S

X S E R I E S

abbreviated as HPL) and traditional tonewoods.

Martin has found HPL to be an extremely durable

and workable material. We have crafted ways to build

traditional Martin shapes with HPL that yield incredibly

long-lasting, affordable guitars. Most importantly,

we’ve managed to build them so they possess the

“famous” Martin sound and playability found in our

more expensive guitars.

Martin Guitar has long recognized the

serious nature of the earth’s dwindling

resources and has focused attention on

alternative materials. We are also committed to designing

Martin guitars that are within reach of every aspiring

guitarist. Martin’s breakthrough X Series guitars were

designed to meet both of these needs! The X Series

guitars are constructed with a combination of highly

compressed wood fibers (high-pressure laminate,

N E W T E C H N O L O G Y

20

DX1

The DX1 features a solid spruce top combined

with back and sides made of mahogany-patterned

high-pressure laminate (HPL). The DX1 is pictured

below. The D12X1 is the 12-string version of the DX1.

DCX1E

Pictured on the right, the DCX1E is the acoustic-

electric version of the DX1 featuring a rounded

Venetian cutaway and onboard electronics.

DXM

The DXM Dreadnought features top, back and side

construction of durable high-pressure laminate (HPL)

and herringbone style rosette. The DXME is the

acoustic-electric version of the DXM with onboard

electronics.

000X1

The 000X1 is the smaller bodied 000 or Auditorium-

sized version of the DX1 that features the same solid

spruce top and HPL sides and back. This model is

pictured to the right.

DX1

Our breakthrough X Series features

many models that are constructed with

a combination of solid spruce tonewoods,

and high-pressure laminate (HPL) back

and sides, like the DX1.

DCX1E

000X1

X S E R I E S

LX1

LXBlack

LXK2

LXM

We are proud to introduce the Little Martin

models. These latest additions to the

Martin line are built with Martin quality

and craftsmanship, with the emphasis on producing

great sound in smaller guitars. All Little Martin guitars

are durable and easy to play. They are the perfect

“pick up and play” guitars that let you jam at home or

on the road and are the perfect choice for students.

All Little Martin models are sold with padded gig

bags that have a tough exterior and backpack straps

for convenience. The LXME and LX1E are equipped

with Fishman Mini Q electronics.

M I N I Q

L I T T L E M A R T I N®

Our Backpacker can accompany you anywhere

in the world. One neat little package gives

you intonation, playability, durability, and

most importantly, portability that allows Backpackers

to fit conveniently into small spaces. The Backpacker

is all solid wood but remains light and easy to handle.

You can play your Backpacker in cars, parachuting, in

canoes or at home sitting in your favorite chair.

Certain Backpackers also have an optional on-board

pickup. Plugged in, you would swear you were listening

to a full-size guitar. Pictured below are three versions

of the Backpacker: Steel String, Nylon String and

Mandolin. Next time you travel, don’t leave home

without your Backpacker.

22

Mandolin

Nylon-String

Classical Guitar

Steel-String Guitar

Nylon Carrying Bag

S-O Ukulele

The S-O ukulele

features solid

mahogany body

and neck construction that

boasts traditional Martin appointments

and a durable satin finish. Pictured

above, the S-O Uke is a very affordable

package and comes complete with a

padded carrying bag.

B A C K P A C K E R & S - O U K E

Backpacker instruments are produced under a manufacturing license from McNally Instruments, Rockaway, NJ.

®

Shown left to right: Art Nouveau design, Celtic design, and Cutaway option.

Always dreamed of owningyour own special Martin?

At Martin, our Custom Shop’s experienced

craftsmen work with you to design and build your

one-of-a-kind Martin that is completely, undeniably

yours. Contact your Martin dealer to discuss your

own personal dream guitar.

© 2004 C. F. Martin & Co., Inc., 510 Sycamore Street, P. O. Box 329, Nazareth, PA 18064 USA, 610-759-2837Visit our website at martinguitar.com for the most complete product information. Printed in the USA on recycled paper. 0411-02 17MC01