1968 Martin 00-28 (00-28C) steel string conversion
Description
1968 Martin 00-28 (00-28C) steel string conversion #234235
It isn't that difficult to find vintage Martin nylon string or archtop guitars that have been converted to steel string...some guys have made a regular practice of it. What is very difficult to find is a conversion that is so faithful to the spirit of the original that it could pass for factory original...this is one such guitar. Converted to steel string with an old Martin top from the 60s and an old Martin neck from the 70s (more details about these parts later) by renowned guitar builder and vintage restoration expert David LaPlante. The top is 60s era Sitka spruce that was joined at the factory and also rosetted there, and sometime afterward ended up in the home shop of a factory employee who built guitars. The top shows very straight and even grain throughout its width, a grade of Sitka that is simply not available in today's wood market. It is also perfectly quarter sawn. The top is braced like a 60s 00-21, traditional X pattern with small maple bridge plate and straight bracing. The neck is a Martin factory neck that was obtained several years ago from Matt Umanov the year he closed his retail shop. The neck came from a large trove of Martin factory parts that Matt had accumulated over the years. It was made in the 70s, most likely as a custom of some kind, but never used. The neck is mahogany, 24.9" scale with ebony fret board, 1 7/8" nut width, pearl dot markers, square steel tube reinforcement and Rickard Cycloidal banjo style tuners (the best banjo style tuners for guitar tension, they work beautifully). The neck bears the Martin logo decal, which was installed at the factory prior to Umanov's acquisition of the neck. The back and sides are, of course, beautifully quartered solid Brazilian rosewood. There are two hairline cracks in the back at the waist that are well repaired, tight/flat and level with a small amount of finish touch up around one of them. The sides have no cracks and the finish on the back and sides, other than the mentioned touch up at the crack, is original. The finish on the neck is the original factory finish shot on the neck back in the 70s. The top finish was done with amber tone in the lacquer to match the color of the finish on the back and sides, particularly the color over the original binding on the back of the guitar. The result is that the guitar presents as if it was just like this from day one, impressive in its authenticity.
Action/Playability/sound: The neck is near perfectly straight, and the action is currently set at 6/64" at the low E at the 12th fret and 5/64" at the high E with a solid 1/8" of saddle showing, under tension of medium gauge strings. The top is flat with no top deflection/rotation. The guitar plays easily for either flat picking or finger style and the intonation is good all over the neck. The guitar is every bit the equal of the best sounding 00-21s from the 60s...I've owned several, and they are fantastic guitars. This one has a strong and assertive voice, quick response whether finger picked or attacked with a plectrum. Tons of projection, excellent articulation even when driven hard. The rosewood 12 fret 00 certainly is one of the best designs Martin ever came up with, and this guitar proves the point.
Comes with a period, possibly original hardshell case. Sound file available on request. $4800 + shipping. Ships to US destinations only. NYS residents add 8% sales tax, no exceptions unless you have a valid resale number. Feel free to contact me with your city and zip for a shipping quote.
It isn't that difficult to find vintage Martin nylon string or archtop guitars that have been converted to steel string...some guys have made a regular practice of it. What is very difficult to find is a conversion that is so faithful to the spirit of the original that it could pass for factory original...this is one such guitar. Converted to steel string with an old Martin top from the 60s and an old Martin neck from the 70s (more details about these parts later) by renowned guitar builder and vintage restoration expert David LaPlante. The top is 60s era Sitka spruce that was joined at the factory and also rosetted there, and sometime afterward ended up in the home shop of a factory employee who built guitars. The top shows very straight and even grain throughout its width, a grade of Sitka that is simply not available in today's wood market. It is also perfectly quarter sawn. The top is braced like a 60s 00-21, traditional X pattern with small maple bridge plate and straight bracing. The neck is a Martin factory neck that was obtained several years ago from Matt Umanov the year he closed his retail shop. The neck came from a large trove of Martin factory parts that Matt had accumulated over the years. It was made in the 70s, most likely as a custom of some kind, but never used. The neck is mahogany, 24.9" scale with ebony fret board, 1 7/8" nut width, pearl dot markers, square steel tube reinforcement and Rickard Cycloidal banjo style tuners (the best banjo style tuners for guitar tension, they work beautifully). The neck bears the Martin logo decal, which was installed at the factory prior to Umanov's acquisition of the neck. The back and sides are, of course, beautifully quartered solid Brazilian rosewood. There are two hairline cracks in the back at the waist that are well repaired, tight/flat and level with a small amount of finish touch up around one of them. The sides have no cracks and the finish on the back and sides, other than the mentioned touch up at the crack, is original. The finish on the neck is the original factory finish shot on the neck back in the 70s. The top finish was done with amber tone in the lacquer to match the color of the finish on the back and sides, particularly the color over the original binding on the back of the guitar. The result is that the guitar presents as if it was just like this from day one, impressive in its authenticity.
Action/Playability/sound: The neck is near perfectly straight, and the action is currently set at 6/64" at the low E at the 12th fret and 5/64" at the high E with a solid 1/8" of saddle showing, under tension of medium gauge strings. The top is flat with no top deflection/rotation. The guitar plays easily for either flat picking or finger style and the intonation is good all over the neck. The guitar is every bit the equal of the best sounding 00-21s from the 60s...I've owned several, and they are fantastic guitars. This one has a strong and assertive voice, quick response whether finger picked or attacked with a plectrum. Tons of projection, excellent articulation even when driven hard. The rosewood 12 fret 00 certainly is one of the best designs Martin ever came up with, and this guitar proves the point.
Comes with a period, possibly original hardshell case. Sound file available on request. $4800 + shipping. Ships to US destinations only. NYS residents add 8% sales tax, no exceptions unless you have a valid resale number. Feel free to contact me with your city and zip for a shipping quote.