Martin

Please note, this instrument is being sold AS-IS.  Please review our notes in the Condition section for more information.

Introduced in 1965 in response to an increasing shortage of Brazilian rosewood, the D-35 with its 3-piece back has become an iconic model, not only in the Martin line but in the world of guitars as a whole.  To the untrained eye, a D-35 closely resembles a D-28 (to the point of being almost indistinguishable at a glance); however, the D-35 differs in several key ways, the most obvious being aesthetic. The D-35 deviates from the specs of other upper end models (i.e., Style 30 or above) in that it was introduced without a headstock volute and does not have a pearl rosette.  It does, however, have fingerboard binding, which adds a little extra visual refinement as well as a little added comfort for the player.  The most striking aesthetic difference is, of course, the 3-piece back.  Originally, this design enabled Martin to use smaller sections of precious Brazilian rosewood for the entire back; but, by late 1969 and early 1970, Brazilian rosewood was used on only the two outer sections, or perhaps only the center section, of most D-35s.  Evidently, one can occasionally find some ’71 D-35s with a Brazilian center, but one should be highly skeptical of any claims! 

Aesthetics aside, the most significant distinguishing feature of the D-35 compared to the D-28 is the fact that it has thinner bracing (1/4” versus 5/16”).  As a result, the D-35 has an inherently more open and resonant voice.  Thus, while the voices of both the D-28 and the D-35 exude that classic earthy, Martin warmth, the voice of D-35 has more breadth and is generally more liberated compared to the more focused D-28.   This particular D-35 is definitely holds up to these sonic expectations and then some! In playing this guitar, we are at once struck by both its responsiveness and the overall lushness of the bass.  While impressive from the standpoint of rhythm strumming, these qualities also translate well in a fingerstyle context. For anyone seeking a great vintage tone at a reasonable price, this D-35 would be a definite contender. However, for reasons explained below, it will require some investment for this guitar to truly be at its best, despite actually being fairly playable in its present condition.  

Condition

For its age, this D-35 has weathered the years very well with little cosmetic wear to report and no structural damage to report, other than the notorious “Martin Crack” associated with the pickguard. In terms of cosmetic wear, the most significant points of wear are five sections of finish disruption on the treble side of the top which are likely due to a chemical interaction resulting from contact with some foreign object (possibly a strap, or something laid on top of the guitar while it was in the case).  Fortunately, these are patches are not glaringly evident nor are they through the finish.  Rather, one must catch them in the right light to really see them; and, more importantly, the finish in the affected areas appears to be stable.  We also see some similar impressions on the finish in the center wedge of the back at the upper bout.  There are otherwise a number of lighter cross-grain scratches on the center wedge that are primarily concentrated towards the waist and lower bout.  While these areas will not readily buff out, they could likely be greatly improved, or, in the case of some, possibly erased with some professional wet-sanding. We do note some light finish chatter along the binding on the sides, as well as a few points of finish chip-out on the binding, but there no signs of binding separation or previous binding repairs.

As mentioned above, this D-35 does have two repaired “Martin Crack” at the pickguard: one between the E and B strings, and one just adjacent to the treble side of the high E.  These cracks are very tight (with no distortion) and have been cleated internally.  As is typical in such cases, the pickguard has been replaced with an appropriate oversized Martin pickguard. More importantly, it is clear by the minimal saddle exposure that the neck angle is presently under-set (i.e. forward-pitched), such that the guitar would certainly benefit from a neck reset.  As we often see in such cases, it appears that some bridge material has been removed in an effort to improve action without removing the neck.  While the bridge seemingly has adequate mass at present to be stable at pitch, we note additional exposure of the string wrap towards the ball end.  As the bridgeplate is in overall healthy condition (despite some minor chip-out/wear), the exposure of the string wrap, particularly with respect to the bass strings where it hits the saddle, further supports the assertion that the bridge has been sanded down.  The frets are in fair condition but with relatively low mass, such that it would be advisable to re-fret the guitar in concert with a neck reset.  The nut is also presently a little low, resulting in some fret buzz, though it is not so excessive.

When dealing with vintage guitars, issues like poor neck angle, cracks, bridgeplate wear, fret wear, and the like are fairly routine concerns—indeed, we expect to encounter them to some extent. However, in the case of most historic manufacturers like Martin, there are other concerns that relate to periods/eras of known production issues that one must consider.  In the case of Martin, the ‘70s—or if we are being technical, the period from approximately 1968-1985—were a problematic time.  Much of this had to do with what we now recognize with the benefit of hindsight as poor design decisions, for example the shift to a 3/8” hollow tube for neck reinforcement, or the transition to oversized rosewood bridgeplates. Yet, Martin also had issues with poor bridge placement during this era, and this was evidently attributed to the fact that their jigs were worn and simply off after so many years of use.  As a result, many Martins, especially those from the ‘70s have less than optimal intonation issues that cannot be resolved without involved bridge modifications. Unfortunately, this D-35 has just such a problem with bridge placement, and it is for this reason that it is being sold AS-IS.

As it stands, this guitar’s scale length measures approximately 25 3/8” (rather than 25 ½”) with approximately 12 5/8” or 321.5 mm to center of 12^th fret from nut. This essentially means that the bridge placement is around 1/8” too far forward, resulting in a slightly sharp intonation—although, the intonation is not as offensive as one would expect given these measurements, such that the guitar is pretty usable in its present state for cowboy chords and the like.  While this intonation issue might theoretically improve slightly with the neck angle being reset, properly correcting the issue would almost assuredly also require some bridge modification (e.g., doweling existing bridge pin holes, then shifting them and the saddle back) or replacement with a slightly oversized bridge. AS-IS Condition

• Dreadnought Body
• Solid Sitka Spruce Top
• 1/4” Sitka Top Bracing
• Solid Indian Rosewood Back and Sides
• 3-Piece Back
• White Body and Fingerboard Binding
• White Endpiece, and Heelcap
• Style 35 Black/White Purfling: Top, Back, and Back Wedges
• 3-Ring Rosette
• Gloss Body Finish
• Mahogany Neck with Dovetail Joint
• 14-Frets Clear of the Body
• Ebony Fingerboard
• Large Dot Fingerboard Inlay (Long Pattern)
• Indian Rosewood Headstock Veneer
• Decal Script Headstock Logo
• C Neck Carve
• Ebony Bridge with Drop-in Saddle
• White Plastic Bridge Pins and Black Dot
• Chrome Grover Rotomatic Tuners with Kidney Buttons
• Non-Original Martin Oversized Black Teardrop Pickguard
• Bone Nut
• Bone Saddle
• 1 11/16” Nut Width
• 2 3/16” String Spacing at the Bridge
• 25 ½” Scale Length
• String Clearance at 12^th Fret = Approximately 3/32”+ (Bass and Treble Side)
• String Clearance at 12^th Fret = Approximately 1/64” (Bass and Treble Side)
• Strap Button Added
• Period Arched Top Hard Case Case