Martin Custom Shop “D” Dreadnought 28 Style Acoustic Guitar, Spruce/East Indian Rosewood

The Martin Custom Shop “D” Dreadnought represents a direct continuation of one of the most iconic acoustic guitar blueprints in history. Originally introduced in the early 1930s and quickly adopted across musical genres for its bold projection and presence, the dreadnought body style has remained an enduring benchmark. This particular build from the Martin Custom Shop continues that lineage with meticulous attention to historical precedent and modern build consistency, crafted under the close partnership between Martin and Russo Music—an established Custom Shop Expert Dealer.

The body pairs a bound spruce top with East Indian rosewood back and sides—materials selected and matched for structural and aesthetic purposes. Inside, Martin’s 5/16" Golden Era scalloped spruce bracing follows a forward-shifted X pattern, optimizing the top's responsiveness while staying faithful to vintage-era construction choices. The gloss black body finish adds a modern visual counterpoint to the otherwise traditional format, while the satin neck keeps hand feel smooth and unimpeded.

The neck is carved from select hardwood into Martin’s GE Modified Low Oval profile and features a high-performance taper, balancing old-school grip with contemporary playability. The long diamond volute adds an extra touch of refinement. A 25.4" scale length and 1 3/4" bone nut accommodate both flatpickers and fingerstyle players. The ebony fingerboard is set to a 16" radius and inlaid in Style 28 patterning, echoing classic Martin aesthetics. Matching ebony is used again for the GE Modern Belly bridge, paired with a compensated bone saddle for proper intonation.

Other notable details include Grover nickel StaTite tuners, a Style 28 Boltaron rosette, black top inlay, and HD Zig Zag purfling with thick black accents. There are no electronics onboard—by design—and a 5-ply hardshell case is included.

From material selection to structural integrity, this Custom Shop dreadnought is a demonstration of Martin’s luthier tradition at its most focused. Built to exacting standards and selected in collaboration with Russo Music, it’s not just another dreadnought—it’s a reassertion of what the dreadnought is meant to be.