Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 VTS Guitar #2923667

Short Description:

featuring a VTS torrefied Adirondack spruce top, Guatemalan rosewood back and sides, forward-shifted X-bracing, and Waverly open-back tuners.

What We Think:

Recreating one of the most coveted golden-era acoustics in history, this Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 features hide-glue dovetail construction pairing a Vintage Gloss VTS Adirondack spruce top with solid Guatemalan rosewood back and sides. A genuine mahogany neck turned to an Authentic 1937 profile carries an ebony fingerboard with abalone 1937 diamonds and squares inlays and a 1 3/4" bone nut, ending at a tapered headstock with a Guatemalan rosewood headplate and open-back nickel Waverly tuners. Vintage-correct appointments abound, including bold herringbone top inlay, antique white binding, a zig-zag authentic backstrip, forward-shifted scalloped VTS Adirondack X-bracing, and an ebony belly bridge with a glued-in long bone saddle. Weighing a featherlight 4 lbs 2 oz, this pre-war replica includes a deluxe ply hardshell case.

Manufacturer Description:

Few guitars are as celebrated as the D-28s built in 1937—a year that marked a high point in Martin’s pre-war craftsmanship. The D-28 Authentic 1937 stays true to that legacy, featuring an Adirondack spruce top, forward-shifted hand-scalloped X-bracing, and historically accurate detailing throughout. This updated version includes Guatemalan rosewood back and sides for a lush, complex tone, along with subtle refinements that bring it even closer to the originals. The body profile is modeled after Dreadnoughts from the 1930s and ’40s for enhanced historical accuracy, and the neck features the Authentic 1937 barrel and heel for the feel of a true vintage instrument. Martin’s Vintage Tone System® (VTS) is used to thermally age both the top and braces, delivering the rich, open sound of a well-loved pre-war guitar. Built entirely with hide glue and constructed by hand, the D-28 Authentic 1937 isn’t just a tribute to the Golden Era—it’s a direct line back to it.

Specifications:

Top Material: Adirondack Spruce with VTS

Finish Top: Vintage Gloss

Top Color: Clear

Top Inlay Material: Bold Herringbone

Top Detail: None

Binding: Antique White

Bridge Material: Ebony

Bridge Style: Authentic Belly - Glue in Long Saddle

Bridge String Spacing: 2 5/16''

Bridge Pin Material: Faux Ivory

Bridge Pin Dots: Black Plastic

Pickguard: Tortoise Pattern

Pickguard Inlay: None

Rosette: Multi-Stripe

Saddle: Bone

Saddle Radius: 16"

Body Size: Authentic D-14 Fret

Construction: Dovetail Neck Joint - Hide Glue Construction

Back Material: Guatemalan Rosewood

Side Material: Guatemalan Rosewood

Back and Side Finish: Vintage Gloss

Back and Sides Color: None

Back Detail: None

Side Detail: None

Back Purfling/Strip: Zig-Zag Authentic

Back Inlay Material: Multi-Stripe

Side Inlay Material: None

Bracing Pattern: Forward Shifted X Brace

Brace Shape: Scalloped

Brace Material: Adirondack Spruce with VTS

Brace Size: 5/16"

Endpiece: Antique White

Endpiece Inlay: Multi-Stripe

Neck Shape: Authentic 1937

Neck Taper: Standard Taper

Neck Material: Genuine Mahogany

Neck Color: Dark Mahogany

Finish Neck: Vintage Gloss

Scale Length: 25.4"

Number of Frets Total: 20

Neck Joins Body At: 14th Fret

Heelcap: Antique White

Fingerboard Material: Ebony

Fingerboard Width at 12th Fret: 2 1/4''

Fingerboard Width at Nut: 1 3/4''

Fingerboard Inlay Style: 1937 Diamonds and Squares Long Pattern

Fingerboard Inlay Material: Abalone

Fingerboard Binding Material: None

Side Dots: Antique White

Headstock Shape: Solid with 1937 Taper and Diamond

Headplate Material: Guatemalan Rosewood

Headplate Logo Style: Script Golden Era Overlay

Headplate Binding Material: None

Headplate Detail: None

Tuning Machines: Waverly Nickel Open Back

Knob: Butterbean

Nut Material: Bone

Case: Ply Hardshell

Weight: 4lbs 2oz