For the fanatical acoustic guitarists of the world, there's no place like Nazareth, Pennsylvania and the Martin Custom Shop.
Back in September, our team here at Russo Music braved a small expedition to the Lehigh Valley area for a day all about Martin Guitar and the artistry that happens every day in their small factory. Said team left Martin that day with a couple of customized designs on the docket. Today, we're proud to finally show them off in all their glory.
Martin Custom Shop Expert Guitars
Martin Custom Shop Russo Music Custom Expert Builds
Tucked away in the hills of Nazareth, Pennsylvania, the Martin Guitar factory is an unassuming, little place that happens to produce some of the world's finest acoustic guitars. During our trip up to Martin headquarters, we took part in designing six Martin Custom Shop acoustic guitars. With hand-selected tonewoods of exotic origin and ornate pattern, these custom-designed models feature top-shelf Martin Custom Shop features with a couple standout breaks from tradition that you're not likely to find elsewhere.
As part of a small circle of nationwide Martin Guitar dealers, Russo Music is proud to hold the distinction of being a Martin Custom Expert Dealer. With this distinction, we're delighted to take part in limited build runs and processes like those that afford us such outstanding custom guitars. Let's talk about them.
Interested in building a custom Martin acoustic guitar for yourself? Feel free to reach out to us here to learn more about exclusive build opportunities through Russo Music as a Martin Custom Expert Dealer!
00 Concert 12-Fret, Spruce Top/Flamed Mahogany Back and Sides
A classic of couch-ready guitars, a Martin 00 Concert is a model that any and every acoustic player should have on hand. Our 00 Concert features, first, a compact, 00-style body brought together from a spruce top and flamed mahogany back and sides. This classic combo of Martin tonewoods is decked in a classy Martin Ambertone 1933 burst color for an eye-popping aesthetic from every angle. Martin's Modern Adhesive, Modified V neck profile, slotted headstock, 12-Fret body assembly and Golden Era hand-shaped scalloped spruce braces all add up for a thoroughly modern and customized representation of the compact concert in motion.
Shop the 00 Concert Spruce/Mahogany
"D" Dreadnought 12-Fret, Adirondack Spruce Top/Flamed Mahogany Back and Sides
An icon of acoustics with plenty of personality, it's not often you see something like our "D" Dreadnought 12-Fret. Adirondack spruce and flamed mahogany serve as the basis for this large-and-in-charge dreadnought shape in a 12-Fret configuration that bends from usual Martin tradition. Where most dreadnoughts meet their neck at the fourteenth fret, our 12-Fret "D" joins at the twelfth for a different angle on dreadnought playability. Further features like Martin's Aging Toner top finish, a slotted headstock, a Modified V neck profile, and Mother of Pearl Maltese Snowflake inlays compound on the individuality of this dreadnought for a different look on the classic "D" archetype.
Shop the "D" Dreadnought Spruce/Mahogany
"J" Jumbo, Adirondack Spruce Top/Pacific Big Leaf Flamed Maple Back and Sides
As is exemplified with a few of our other models here, it's not always about being smaller, less assuming, and taking up less space. This is certainly the case with our "J" Jumbo with an Adirondack spruce top and Pacific Big Leaf flamed maple back and sides. Coming together for a bright and radiant aesthetic across its whole large-scaled Jumbo body, this model features our hand-selected Pacific Big Leaf maple back and sides with close, detailed streaking patterns. Smaller details on this big-bodied acoustic like Golden Era scalloped Adirondack spruce braces, abalone fret inlays, Guatemalan rosewood binding, and a matching flamed maple neck add up to a totally impressive model on every scale.
Shop the "J" Jumbo Spruce/Big Leaf Maple
00 Grand Concert, Italian Alpine Spruce Top/Wild Grain East Indian Rosewood Back and Sides
Readymade for captivating musicality on large and small scales, our 00 Grand Concert makes a statement with an Italian Alpine spruce top and Wild Grain East Indian rosewood back and sides. This classic, compact Grand Concert's Italian Alpine spruce top delivers a robust tone alongside its premium two-piece Wild Grain East Indian rosewood back and sides hand-picked for its captivating grain patterns. What's more, deeply unique Red Stone inlays, a slotted headstock, a Modified Low Oval neck profile, and HD Zig Zag back purfling elevate this model to a level to match its high-altitude Italian Alpine top.
Shop the 00 Grand Concert Italian Alpine Spruce/East Indian Rosewood
000/OM Auditorium, Adirondack Spruce Top/Wild Grain East Indian Rosewood Back and Sides
For a classic look at Martin acoustics, our 000/OM Auditorium brings together an Adirondack spruce top and Wild Grain East Indian rosewood back and sides. This angle on an iconic Martin body shape and tonewood combination breathes with musicality alongside many smaller visual and tangible details. Modern design elements like a Martin Modified Low Oval neck profile and Modern Adhesive match timeless appointments like abalone Style 42 Snowflake inlays and an Ambertone 1933 color for a classic Martin in its time and any other.
Shop the 000/OM Auditorium Spruce/East Indian Rosewood
"D" Dreadnought Sloped Shoulder, Italian Alpine Spruce Top/Wild Grain East Indian Rosewood Back and Sides
Rounding out our little lineup, our sloped shoulder "D" Dreadnought assembles with an Italian Alpine spruce top and Wild Grain East Indian rosewood back and sides. Hearkening to the sloped shoulder design of other famous names in American acoustics, this uniquely sloped dreadnought form echoes with musical authority and impressive detail. Smaller details manifest through a forward-shifted X-Brace pattern with hand-shaped braces, European flamed maple binding, Mother of Pearl inlays, and an aged complexion through Martin's Aging Toner finish.
Shop the “D” Dreadnought Italian Alpine Spruce/East Indian Rosewood
Martin Magic in Motion
Here at Russo Music, we're frequently treated to unique, exclusive builds from Martin Guitar and the Martin Custom Shop. With this lineup of hand-selected models, we're delighted to take part in the magic that happens at Martin every day.
Interested in building a custom Martin acoustic guitar for yourself? Feel free to reach out to us here to learn more about exclusive build opportunities through Russo Music as a Martin Custom Expert Dealer!
