Martin D-42 Special Dreadnought Natural

D-42 Special Dreadnought Natural Item Description

This ornate Martin is the D-42 Special Dreadnought! Designed in collaboration with famed former Martin employee Dick Boak,the idea for this guitar began nearly 25 years ago when Martin first installed a laser engraving machine allowing them to recreate intricate artwork on their guitars. Boak created an intricate pen and ink illustration of a complex floral design that was meant to be laser engraved into a tortoise pickguard, but the material proved unable to be safely engraved. Fast-forward 23 years, Boak came across his original illustration and thought it would make a beautiful piece if inlaid with pearl. He was right! Working with Bill Seymour and Jeremy Chism at Pearlworks, the trio modified the artwork to allow for the detailed pearl inlay work. The resulting prototype won the approval of Chris Martin IV, who asked Boak to expand the design to the fingerboard and headstock. The model also features premium-grade East Indian rosewood back and sides, with the highest grade of spruce selected for the soundboard. Scalloped forward-shifted X-bracing ensures the open projection for which Martin guitars are prized. Additional vintage-inspired appointments include antique white bindings; abalone inlay along the perimeter of the top, fingerboard extension, and rosette; a full gloss finish with top aging toner; and nickel open-gear tuning machines with butterbean knobs.

Includes: Hardshell Case and Paperwork

Product Specs and Features

• Non-Electric Acoustic Guitar
• Natural Finish
• D-14 Fret Body Size
• Solid Sitka Spruce Top
• Solid East Indian Rosewood Back and Sides
• Genuine Mahogany Neck
• Modified Low Oval Neck Shape with High Performance Taper
• Solid Black Ebony Fretboard
• 25.4" Scale Length
• 1-3/4” Nut Width
• 2-1/8'' Fretboard Width at 12th Fret
• 20 Frets
• Style 45 Back Purfling
• Dick Boak Fretboard Inlay Design
• Antique White Top Binding
• Forward Shifted Sitka Spruce 5/16" "X" Scalloped Top Bracing Pattern
• Bone Nut
• Multi-Stripe Back Inlay
• Abalone Multi-Stripe Top Inlay
• Solid East Indian Rosewood Headplate
• Nickel Open Gear Tuners
• Solid Black Ebony Bridge
• Paper Label Signed by CFM IV & Dick Boak, Numbered in Sequence with No Total
• 4 lbs, 10 oz.
• .810" Neck Profile at 1st Fret
• .900” Neck Profile at 9th Fret