1967 Martin D-35 Dreadnought Guitar

This old D-35 is a beaut and features that oh-so-prized Brazilian rosewood on the back and sides. It was gone-over in full by Martin in 2011 and they did a tip-top job bringing it back into health after some past dilapidation. It received a new bridge, fretboard, nut, saddle, pickguard, bridge plate, and a fresh refinish job all at that point. Still, when you see the guitar hanging on the rack, it presents itself as a super-preserved vintage instrument. It looks right and feels right and, of course, sounds the absolute business -- with that velvety, chocolatey, lower-mids rumble that you want to hear from a rosewood-backed Martin dread.

All I had to do was give it a glorified setup and it was ready to roll. The neck is a little quicker in first position than a lot of period '60s Martin D and it transitions into the normal medium-heft by about the 4th or 5th fret -- so if you do a lot of cowboy chording this guitar will reward you with a bit of a faster feel than your typical period Martin. It handles more like a '40s one in that regard.

Repairs included: a fret level/dress and setup.

Top wood: solid spruce

Back & sides wood: solid Brazilian rosewood

Bracing type: x

Bridge: ebony

Fretboard: ebony

Neck wood: mahogany

Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
String gauges: 54w-12 lights

Neck shape: medium C/V

Board radius: 14"

Truss rod: non-adjustable steel

Neck relief: hair of relief near the nut when tuned to pitch

Fret style: medium

Scale length: 25 3/8"

Nut width: 1 11/16"

Body width: 15 5/8"

Body depth: 4 7/8"

Weight: 4 lbs 11 oz

Condition notes: the guitar was completely gone through by Martin in 2011, including fitting of a new fretboard, new nut, new pickguard, new bridge, new saddle, replacement bridge plate, and a full refinish. Work notes and cost receipts are available at request. Because it's Martin factory work, the job was done beautifully and the effect is that it looks like a painfully well-preserved period Martin. Just like any period Martin, though, it has a non-adjustable truss rod and when tuned up to pitch the neck does add relief but just a hair. I've leveled and dressed the frets so that it essentially behaves as if it's straight under tension, though, and it plays spot-on and easy.

It comes with: an old hard case.