The year is 1962. John Glenn became the first American to orbit earth. The Beatles released their very first record. And Nazareth’s very best built this guitar, a rare a crack free, nearly all original, 1962 Martin D-21.

BACKGROUND

Rare—only ~3,000 were made from 1956 through 1969.

Beautiful—Brazilian Rosewood back and sides paired with understated appointments, the D-21 was long thought of as the “little brother” of the D-28. It is now recognized as being its own distinct model with a distinct voice, playing second fiddle to no other guitar.

Boasting not only Brazilian Rosewood back and sides but also a Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard and bridge, it is Martin‘s most Brazilian Rosewood saturated production dreadnought, creating a voice that many players say is a blend of both a vintage D-18 and D-28.

TONE

This guitar features the airiness and responsiveness of a D-18 with the harmonic complexity of a proper Brazilian D-28. And owing to its rosewood bridge and fingerboard, notes in a chord do not smear together, making the guitar perfect for extended voicings AND big beautiful open G chords.

And let’s not forget about projection. This guitar is not only capable of producing a bell like FM9, it can get LOUD, announcing its presence at any jam circle.

PLAYABILITY

Excellent. Having received its first neck reset by Chicago Fretworks in 2025, the guitar is dialed in for the demands of modern music. I often feel like I’m playing a Stratocaster. I can glide up and down the neck and play movable shapes down to the back twelfth fret. This guitar needs no compromise.

CONDITION

Structurally excellent, per George Gruhn’s March 2026 appraisal (available upon request).

In 2025, I commissioned the guitar’s first neck reset. The frets, saddle and nut were also replaced to improve playability. Everything else, including the bridge and bridge plate, are original to the guitar.

This is a top tier example of a pre 1964 Martin guitar. There are no cracks. It is essentially a two owner guitar (the original owner passed this to his nephew before I bought it), and I have babied the guitar since having it serviced.

It is my daily player, but I obsessively monitor humidity, wipe it with microfiber cloths after every session and case it with Boveda packs when finished.

There is some first position fret wear (all from me) and age appropriate patina without abuse.

WHY AM I SELLING IT?

For the past eight months, my D-21 has been my closest companion. During my first three months of ownership, there were weeks where I might have logged up to 20 to 25 hours total on it. The more I played, the more I improved, the better the guitar sounded.

I still love this guitar, but I am not a traditional collector. I enjoy studying an instrument‘s provenance, exploring tonal nuances, then moving on. At this point, I believe I’ve learned all I can from this guitar and have increasingly become more interested in pre ‘64 Martin 000-28s and pre-Norlin Gibson hollow bodies.

I will not be surprised if I regret selling this guitar. It has been the best vintage Martin professor I could ask for, but all good things must come to an end.

In meantime, feel free to contact me with any questions. Gruhn appraised this at $12,500. I am discounting so the next buyer might have some additional room to make money.

Comes with a modern hardshell case.

SPECS
- 1 11/16” nut width

- Sitka spruce top

- Brazilian Rosewood back and sides

- Brazilian bridge

- Brazilian fingerboard

- Small maple bridge plate

Thanks!