Martin D-42, 14-Fret Acoustic Guitar, Sitka Spruce Top, East Indian Rosewood Back & Sides, Natural
Martin’s D-42 embodies pre-war Martin aesthetics while combining performance features that add a modern versatility.
The Dreadnought, 14-fret body of this D-42 features a top made of solid Sitka spruce complemented by sides made of solid East Indian rosewood, a common pairing found in Martin’s high-end guitars. Sitka spruce is found in other parts of the instrument as well, including in the form of its standard, forward shifted “X”-style bracing, which is scalloped at 5/16″. In the realm of ornamentation, the front of this beautiful guitar’s body features a Style 45 rosette acting as a focal point, and a dark tortoise shell patterned, tear drop pickguard that serves both aesthetically and functionally while protecting the top wood from any unwanted scratching. The rear features a Style 45 purfling down its center that adds a little symmetry between the front and back of the guitar, and it separates two stunning, dark bookmatched halves of East Indian rosewood that highlight why it’s such a popular choice by Martin. Grained Ivoroid binding surrounds the whole body’s perimeter.
The Low profile-neck of this D-42 is fashioned from select hardwood, and features a fingerboard cut from solid black ebony that highlights its dark, rich color and extremely tight woodgrain that complements the gloss finish of the neck rear well. The fingerboard is divided by 20 total frets, and features some additional Style 45 eye candy in the form of Martin’s iconic pre-war style snowflake inlays, made of select abalone pearl. A nut width of 1.6875″, and a fingerboard width ranging from 1.6875″ to 2.125″ work in tandem with the neck’s profile to provide a comfortable left hand experience, while a Solid/SquareTaper headstock crowns the top of the neck, with a diamond-style volute providing some additional structural reinforcing where they meet. Butterbean-style tuners grace the headstock.
In classic Martin fashion, the line between function and ornamentation is often blurred with functional parts of this guitar, such as its black ebony, belly-style bridge, working and looking in an equally beautiful fashion. Martin’s legacy has been proven to be a timeless one for more than 150 years, and guitars like this one are a part of the reason why.
This guitar comes with a 640 Molded case.
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- Solid Sitka Spruce Top
- Solid East Indian Rosewood Back & Sides
- Style 45 Rosette
- Select Hardwood Neck, Low Profile Shape
- Solid Black Ebony Fingerboard
- Polished Gloss Finish with Aging Toner
- Gold Open-Geared Butter Bean Tuning Machines
