Martin D-28M Merle Travis Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

A feisty dreadnought to honor Merle Travis' legacy.

C.F. Martin introduces the D-28M Merle Travis Commemorative Edition guitar to honor Merle Travis' legacy. Merle Travis ranks among the most gifted guitarists ever. Travis was a groundbreaking player — on both electric and acoustic — whose picking style continues to influence guitarists. Travis was also a fine vocalist, superb songwriter, and pioneering guitar designer.

One of his most distinctive guitar designs began with a 1941 Martin D-28 he acquired in 1946. Soon after its purchase, he took the Martin to friend and machinist Paul Bigsby — who had previously collaborated with Travis to create both the Bigsby vibrato and one of the earliest solidbody electric guitars — to have the neck replaced with one similar to that on the electric guitar Bigsby made for him. Bigsby obliged, installing a maple neck with his distinctively shaped headstock, Bigsby headstock inlay, six-on-a-side tuners and unique fingerboard position markers. In addition, he replaced the pickguard with an oversized black one that approximated the shape of the new headstock.

Merle Travis liked both the feel and the unique sound of his modified Martin; he played it on virtually every acoustic recording he made from 1946 until his death in 1983. The D-28M Merle Travis Commemorative Edition is modeled after Travis' original modified D-28 Martin, right down to the premium, solid tonewoods. The back and sides are rare Madagascar rosewood, a wood prized for its similarity in appearance and tone to the original's now-endangered Brazilian rosewood. The Adirondack spruce top, the same topwood used in 1941, is used for its crisp, powerful tone.

Delivered in a hardshell case, each D-28M Merle Travis Commemorative guitar bears an interior label personally signed by Thom Bresh, Bigsby Guitars President Fred Gretsch, and Martin Chairman C.F. Martin IV, and numbered in sequence. Produced in a limited edition of just 100 instruments, the D-28M Merle Travis Commemorative Edition is a great sounding tribute to one of the guitar world's true originals.

Martin D-28M Merle Travis Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Features:

Model: D-28M Merle Travis
Label: Paper Label Signed By CFM IV, Thom Bresh & Fred Gretsch, Numbered In Sequence With Total (100) 1 Of, 2 Of, Etc.
Construction: Standard; Mahogany Blocks, Dovetail Neck Joint
Body Size: D-14 Fret
Top: Adirondack Spruce
Top Braces: Adirondack, Scalloped 5/16'', Golden Era
Pattern: Domle #3A
Bridge Plate: Maple
Top Binding: 6/32'' Grained Ivoroid
Top Inlay: Fine Herringbone
Rosette: Style 28, Black And White Fiber
Additional Rosette Inlay: .041'' Grained Ivoroid
Pickguard: Black, Self Adhesive, Unique Travis Shape
Back: Solid Madagascar Rosewood (Sitka Golden Era Braces)
Purfling: HD Zig-Zag
Back Binding: 6/32'' Grained Ivoroid
Back Inlay: .030'' Black And White Fiber
Sides: Solid Madagascar Rosewood
Endpiece: Grained Ivoroid
Endpiece Inlay: .030'' Black And White Fiber
Neck: Multi-Piece Curly Maple Replica Of Original Bigsby Neck
Neck Shape: Low Profile
Headstock: Unique Merle Travis Shape
Truss Rod: 2-Way Adjustable
Heelcap: Grained Ivoroid
Nut: Bone
Headplate: Figured Walnut
Headplate Decal: Small Old Style (On Back Of Headstock)
Headplate Pearl: Solid M.O.P. Bigsby Inlay To Match Original
Tuning Machines: Grover Nickel 136N6 Vintage Deluxe 6-In-Line Kluson Style
Fingerboard: Black Ebony
Radius: 16''
Scale Length: 25.4''
Width At Nut: 1-11/16''
Width At 12th Fret: 2-1/8''
Frets Clear: 14
Total Frets: 20
Pearl Inlay: Unique Solid M.O.P. Heart, Club, Diamond & Spade Design
Side Dots: White Boltaron
Finish Body Package: Gloss
Finish Top: Gloss
Finish Neck Package: Satin With Polished HP
Bridge: Brazilian Rosewood
Style: Standard Belly
String Spacing: 2-1/8''
Saddle: 16'' Radius, Compensated, Bone
Strings: MSP 4200 Medium Phosphor Bronze
Bridge Pins: Bone With 3.0mm Tortoise Dots
End Pin: Bone With 4.0mm Tortoise Dot
Case: 545E Cabernet