Martin Custom Shop 000 Size Sinker Mahogany, Adirondack Spruce

In the winter of 2019, we spent some time at the Martin Guitar Factory learning about the features and benefits of Sinker Mahogany. The wood used on the back and sides of this guitar is hand selected by Russo Music from a batch of premium Belize Mahogany that had been pulled from the murky, muddy depths of the Central American river system. For hundreds of years, these timbers have been washed over by sediment as they aged to perfection on the floor of these former logging highways. The logs are excavated by locals in Belize and processed at the Martin Factory for use by the Martin Custom Shop.

000 size Martin Guitars are perhaps one of the most versatile body styles in the line. They handle light touch fingerstyle and strong strumming equally well. To play off that versatility, the EQ balance of sinker mahogany, paired with an Adirondack Red Spruce top. The goal here was to build an instrument capable of incredible tones from premium wood selection, but with a minimal frills design to be as cost effective as possible for an instrument of this caliber.

The Sinker book match on this instrument, hand selected set #389, has highlights of red and gold mixed in with an array of dark and light, earthy browns. The Adi top is bright white. We skipped the typical aging toner on the top to provide stark visual contrast between the top and sides. The body is all clear gloss while the neck is satin finish for playability. The profile is modified low oval with a high-performance taper for hours of comfortable playing. The headplate has a Sinker Mahogany cap, subtly nodding to the back and sides. Tuners are Grover Nickel V97 StaTite, with a highly accurate 18:1 gear ratio.

The 1 ¾” nut width trails into a dark ebony fingerboard, matched by a dark ebony bridge. Nut and saddle are both carved from bone. Fingerboard inlays are simple style 18 dots in abalone.

This instrument is a remarkable combination of premium materials and time-honored design.