Martin 00-28G: The Renaissance of Martin Classical Guitars :

While C. F. Martin & Co. is universally renowned for its steel-string acoustic guitars, the Nazareth, Pennsylvania manufacturer also boasts a rich tradition of classical guitar making. In 1936, Martin introduced the "G" (Gut String)series, designed for gut strings in response to the renewed interest in classical guitar, largely inspired by the concert tours of Andrés Segovia.

The Martin 00-28G quickly became the flagship of the series. It featured the prestigious Style 28, first introduced in 1857, combining a solid spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, a Honduran mahogany neck, and an ebony fingerboard and bridge. True to Martin's philosophy, its aesthetics remain understated and elegant, allowing the exceptional tonewoods and outstanding craftsmanship to take center stage.

The 00 Body Size: Balance and Tradition :

Introduced in 1873, the 00 body size offers an exceptional balance of playing comfort, projection, and harmonic richness. Larger than the 0 size while retaining remarkable precision and responsiveness, it perfectly suits the demands of the classical repertoire.

Unlike Martin's steel-string models, which feature the company's iconic X-bracing, the 00-28G employs fan bracing, directly inspired by the great Spanish classical guitar tradition. This bracing pattern provides immediate response, exceptional touch sensitivity, and a wide dynamic range ideally suited to classical playing.

1954: A Landmark Year :

Built in 1954, this Martin 00-28G comes from a pivotal period in the history of the classical guitar. That year marked the widespread adoption of nylon strings, introduced only a few years earlier to gradually replace traditional gut strings. As such, the 00-28G belongs to the first generation of Martin classical guitars designed to fully exploit the advantages of this new material, including greater tuning stability, longer string life, and more consistent tonal response, while retaining the exceptional tonewoods and meticulous craftsmanship that established the reputation of the Nazareth workshop.

A Rare Production :

The rarity of this model contributes greatly to its desirability. Only 97 examples were produced in 1954, with a total production of just 1,531 Martin 00-28G guitars throughout the model's entire production run. This limited output has made the 00-28G one of the most sought-after Martin classical guitars among both collectors and discerning players.

A Voice of Exceptional Elegance :

Thanks to its Brazilian rosewood, now protected and exceedingly scarce, its solid spruce top, and its fan-braced construction, this Martin 00-28G delivers a voice of remarkable elegance, characterized by deep, velvety basses, warm, expressive midrange, crystal-clear trebles, and outstanding harmonic complexity. Its tonal balance, responsiveness, and remarkable touch sensitivity make it equally at home as a concert instrument or as a highly collectible vintage guitar.

A Landmark Martin Classical Guitar :

Combining all the most desirable characteristics of Martin's post-war classical guitars—including the 00 body size, the prestigious Style 28, Brazilian rosewood, and fan bracing—this 1954 Martin 00-28G captivates with a voice of exceptional refinement, where rich bass response, complex overtones, warm midrange, and clear, singing treblescome together in perfect balance.

A true synthesis of traditional American lutherie and the aesthetics of the Spanish classical guitar, it remains one of Martin's finest achievements in the field of classical guitar making, presented here in remarkably well-preserved condition.

Technical Specifications

• Top: Spruce (most likely Sitka spruce, the species predominantly used by Martin during the mid-1950s)
• Back: Brazilian Rosewood
• Sides: Brazilian Rosewood
• Neck: Honduran Mahogany
• Fingerboard: Ebony
• Nut Width: 50.5 mm
• Fingerboard Radius: Flat
• Frets: 19
• Scale Length: 642 mm
• Neck Profile: C
• Country of Manufacture: Nazareth, Pennsylvania, USA
• Year: 1954
• Finish: Natural
• Appointments: Multi-ply top, back and rosette binding / Side position markers
• Condition: Light, honest playing wear consistent with its age / Excellent condition / Beautifully checked original finish / Supplied with its custom-fitted hard case

Like all of our instruments, this guitar has been professionally set up with a fresh set of Knobloch strings, which complement its character beautifully.

The result is an exceptionally comfortable playing experience with outstanding ease of play.

Its voice offers a remarkable balance of warmth, precision, and depth, with rich, rounded basses, full-bodied midrange, and clear, silky trebles that retain excellent definition. Combined with the 00 body size and Brazilian rosewood construction, it delivers impressive harmonic richness and remarkable sustain for a classical guitar of this size.

Thanks to its solid spruce top, beautifully matured through more than seventy years of natural vibration, this 1954 Martin 00-28G responds with exceptional sensitivity to the player's touch, offering a wide dynamic range and a tone that is velvety, lyrical, and deeply expressive—equally suited to the classical repertoire, fingerstyle performance, and the most refined acoustic arrangements.