Martin Custom Shop 00 Size 42 Style w/ Koa, Swiss Spruce

In the spring of 2018, Russo Music worked in collaboration with the Martin Guitars custom shop to design a series of custom acoustic instruments.  Russo Music hand selected through sheets of some of the most revered tonewoods sourced throughout the world.  The result is a line of six guitars all unique in their own rights, but all true blue Martin guitars in both sonic quality and visual presentation.

This guitar is a Custom Shop 00-42 12 fret.  The 00 body style is a very popular concert-style body, and has been long favored by fingerstyle players among others.  Here we have a 00-12 fret body size, whereby the neck joins the body at the 12^th fret rather than the 14^th fret.  Players who often do not surpass the higher register may notice lesser fatigue over extended playing sessions at the first position.

This 00-42 is comprised of a High Altitude Swiss Spruce top and figured Koa back and sides – two of the most widely appreciated tonewoods available today.  High Altitude Swiss is revered as perhaps the highest quality spruce on the planet. It boasts an extremely tight grain pattern and can be almost snow white in coloration. This particular book-match is littered with bearclaw figuring which you can see clearly in the photos. Koa – on the other hand – grows in one location on the great island of Hawaii – and it can only be sourced after falling on its own.  The back and side Koa chosen for this guitar has a highly figured flame – with an almost three-dimensional pattern seen when held up to the light.

Tonally, this guitar has a pronounced mid-range voicing and tons of volume fit to fill any room.  Its gloss back Mahogany neck is very comfortable and wants to be played.  This 00-42 has a substantial dynamic range with incredible string definition and projection, whether played with a pick or fingerstyle.  Abalone snowflake inlays and top binding, gold Schaller open-back tuners, and full gloss finish exemplify this guitar’s visual beauty – and the capabilities of Martin Custom Shop builders and luthiers.

Working with the Martin Custom Shop is nothing less than an honor.  We present this 00-42 with great pride and dedication to those of all facets of mutual appreciation of the acoustic guitar.