| One of the world’s foremost authorities on acoustic blues,
Stefan Grossman has performed, recorded, taught, produced, transcribed
and archived this classic American music for more than 40 years. However,
Grossman’s musical palette extends well beyond the genre for which he is
best known, as he noted in choosing Martin’s J (for Jumbo) body as the
starting point for his namesake HJ-38 Stefan Grossman Custom Edition guitar.
“I played a number of guitars at Martin and the one
that impressed me for all-around feel and sound was the J model,” he said.
“My music ranges from Reverend Gary Davis and Mississippi John Hurt to
classic rags and jazz arrangements. The “J” model allows me to play a diverse
variety of musical styles.”
Carefully selected premium tonewoods enhance the HJ-38
Stefan Grossman Custom Edition’s big, versatile sound. Back and sides of
beautiful Madagascar rosewood provide definition and depth akin to the
rarer but prized Brazilian rosewood. The Sitka spruce top, matched to 1/4”
width forward-shifted scalloped braces, contributes rich, smooth tone.
Carved from genuine mahogany, the 1 3/4” (at the nut) modified “V” neck
offers comfortable chording and plenty of room for picking pyrotechnics.
The handsome appointments on the HJ-38 Stefan
Grossman Custom combine tradition with a bit of pizzazz. The Style 45 rosette
showcases a center ring of intensely colored paua abalone. The solid square
tapered headstock features a polished headplate of Madagascar rosewood
inlaid with “C. F. Martin” in Style 45 abalone block letters and fitted
with gold Waverly® tuners. The black ebony fingerboard highlights the
rare “Wurlitzer” pattern of position markers in abalone pearl: Maltese
cross at the 3rd fret, two slotted diamonds at the 5th fret, slotted square
at the 7th fret, two slotted diamonds at the 9th fret, slotted square with
cat’s eye inlays at the 12th and 15th frets. White Style 45 bridge pins
on the black ebony bridge are topped with abalone pearl. |
