| After producing a large bodied instrument
under the Ditson brand, in 1931 the Martin Company began producing
dreadnought guitars that carried the Martin name. The D–1, like the earlier
Ditsons, was a mahogany body instrument, destined to become the D–18. With
the D–2, Martin introduced what may still be the most popular style of
steel string guitar, the rosewood body dreadnought. All of Martin’s early
dreadnoughts had the 12–fret neck of the Ditson design. It wasn’t until
1934 that D–28s and D–18s officially were offered with the 14–fret neck
that most consider the industry standard today.
How else did Martin’s early dreadnoughts differ from
today’s version? The early D–18 was similar in appearance to its modern
counterpart, with one exception: Ebony was the standard material for bridges
and fretboards, rather than the rosewood used now. Like all style 28 guitars
preceding it, the early D–28 had a strip of marquetry with a distinctive
"herringbone" pattern running around the top. This decoration led to the
current designation, "herringbone D–28" which one hears reverently discussed
among Martin fanciers. In addition, bisecting the back was a "zipper"
decoration strip of purfling, which is different in appearance than that
found on modern D–28s.
The HD-16R Adirondack shares a lot of the features of
a pre-war D-28 dreadnought with its herringbone top marquetry, V-neck
profile, tortoiseshell pickguard, grained ivoroid body binding,
Adirondack spruce top ... and that signature Martin dreadnought strong
sonic presence! |
