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C. F. Martin

C. F. Martin OM-42AR Amazon Rosewood Acoustic Guitar (2003)

C. F. Martin OM-42AR Amazon Rosewood Acoustic Guitar (2003)

Regular price $9,500.00 USD
Regular price Sale price $9,500.00 USD
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C. F. Martin OM-42AR Amazon Rosewood Model Acoustic Guitar (2003), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 935664, natural finish, Amazon Rosewood back and sides, Italian Alpine spruce top, mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.

This 2003 Orchestra Model Martin is one of the genuinely rare Amazon Rosewood OM-42 AR limited edition guitars made that year. Unlike some so-called limited runs that consist of hundreds or even thousands of instruments these actually were VERY limited; this is # 2 of only 20 produced. Features include solid Amazon Rosewood back and sides, Italian Alpine spruce top with scalloped, forward shifted bracing, fossilized Ivory 1 3/4" nut saddle, grained Ivoroid binding, gold Waverly tuners, small "teardrop" pickguard and the traditional elaborate Style 42 abalone inlay patterns. The label is signed by C.F. Martin IV.

Amazon Rosewood is a rarely encountered tonewood, as close in character to the traditional Brazilian rosewood as one is likely to find. Here's what Martin said about it at the time:

"Amazon rosewood (botanical name: Dalbergia spruceana) is from Brazil, and there is very little documentation available...the trees rarely grow large enough to produce material of suitable size and quality for acoustic guitar backs and sides and it is quite scarce. The species has a very wide range of colors and grain appearance making it difficult to match backs and sides. The species is heavier than Brazilian rosewood and East Indian rosewood, so these guitars were built slightly thinner. After purchasing enough for 100 sets, we inspected the material according to our specifications and only accepted enough wood for about 70 sets. After processing and matching, we only had enough sets to make a limited edition of 50 guitars - 30 D42AR and 20 OM42AR."

This is one of those, with nearly 20 years of aging now a powerful but beautifully balanced guitar, about as fine a modern OM style Martins as has ever come into the shop.
 
Overall length is 40 1/4 in. (102.2 cm.), 15 3/8 in. (39.1 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/16 in. (10.3 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).

The guitar shows very little use since new, with only some very minor handling marks and remains completely crack free, with no alterations or repairs since it left Nazareth nearly two decades ago. It has kept all of the original appointments, from binding and pearl inlay, to ebony bridge, fingerboard, fret wire, bone nut, and saddle. The original gold-plated Waverly tuners are in perfect shape, and the pearl inlayed bridge pins and end pin compliment the guitar's overall aesthetic. Quickly approaching 20 years old, this OM-42 has a very rich and well-balanced tone for being a relatively "new" Martin. The guitar is housed in the original black tolex hardshell case, with a copy of the factory specs in the pocket. Near Mint Condition.
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