Martin 000-JBS Jimmy Buffett Shellback Acoustic Guitar - #87 of 168 with Hardshell Case - Used

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This used Martin will ship insured, fully set up, and inspected from Rapid City, SD. This guitar is in excellent condition with a small scratch on the bottom of the instrument, and a tiny finish crack in the back binding near the heel.

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Few artists have embodied the carefree coastal lifestyle quite like Jimmy Buffett, the beloved singer-songwriter, best-selling author, and frontman of the Parrothead movement. With songs like “Margaritaville,” “A Pirate Looks at Forty,” and “Come Monday,” Buffett created an entire world of salt air, steel drums, and stories spun under a setting sun. His music, rich with acoustic textures and easygoing warmth, has long leaned on the quality and consistency of Martin guitars. The collaboration between Buffett and Martin first bore fruit with the HD-18JB, a smash-hit limited edition, and later, in 2003, evolved into something truly personal: the 000-JBS Shellback.

The Shellback was Buffett’s vision of the perfect "offshore" guitar — rugged yet refined, a travel companion for both literal and musical journeys. Only 168 of these guitars were produced, each featuring unique nautical aesthetics drawn directly from Buffett’s sailing life. From the ship’s wheel inlay at the 5th fret to the porthole headstock overlay with its island imagery, every detail reflects seafaring soul. It's not just a tribute to ocean-crossing sailors (the “Shellbacks”), but a deeply considered, playable work of art designed for tone, performance, and longevity.

Constructed with a solid mahogany top, back, and sides, the Shellback offers an earthy, warm, midrange-rich tone that excels in folk, Americana, singer-songwriter, and tropical acoustic genres. The long 25.4” scale paired with a 000 12-fret body gives the instrument more projection and snap than smaller-body guitars, while the hybrid scalloped bracing adds nuance and clarity. Whether you’re fingerpicking a ballad or strumming along to Buffett’s island anthems, the Shellback delivers with both voice and personality.

For collectors, fans of Jimmy Buffett, or players looking for a uniquely expressive and historically rich instrument, this Shellback (#87 of 168) is a rare gem. Available now at Haggerty’s Music, it comes complete with a signed interior label by Jimmy Buffett and C.F. Martin IV, and a specially crafted hardshell case. It’s more than a guitar — it’s a piece of tropical folk history, ready to inspire the next chapter of your own musical voyage.

Features / Specs

Highlights

• Orientation: Right-Handed
• Electronics: None
• Bracing: Hybrid Scalloped X-Bracing
• Cutaway: None

Body

• Body Shape: 000 12-Fret
• Top Material: Solid Genuine Mahogany
• Top Finish: Gloss
• Top Color: Natural
• Back & Sides Material: Solid Genuine Mahogany
• Back Configuration: 2-Piece
• Back & Sides Finish: Gloss
• Bracing: Hybrid Scalloped X-Bracing
• Binding Material: Tortoise
• Rosette: Blue Paua Shell with B/W/B Inlay

Neck

• Neck Profile: Low Profile
• Neck Material: Genuine Mahogany
• Neck Taper: Standard
• Neck Depth: 0.848" at 1st Fret, 0.869" at 9th Fret
• Scale Length: 25.4"
• Fingerboard Material: Black African Ebony
• Fingerboard Inlay: Pearl Ship’s Wheel at 5th Fret, Abalone Dots, Jimmy Buffett Signature at 19th–20th Frets
• Fingerboard Binding: None
• Fingerboard Radius: 16"
• Neck Finish: Satin
• Neck Joint: Compound Dovetail Neck-to-Body
• Headstock: Slotted, Tapered Square
• Headstock Binding: None
• Headplate Inlay: Porthole Inlay with Island Scene (Pearl & Turquoise Composite)
• Headplate Finish: Gloss

Hardware

• Bridge Style: Straight Belly
• Bridge Material: Black African Ebony
• Bridge Pins: Black with Abalone Dots
• Saddle: Compensated Bone
• Nut Material: Bone
• Nut Width: 1 13/16"
• Tuners: Gotoh Open-Gear Gold with Butterbean Buttons
• Pickguard: Polished Tortoise

Miscellaneous

• Electronics: None
• Case/Gig Bag: Hardshell Case (Custom Shellback Edition)
• Serial Number: 952039
• Manufacture Date: 2003
• Limited Edition: #87 of 168