The Martin D-35 is a legendary acoustic guitar, revered for its rich sound and exquisite craftsmanship. This detailed breakdown explores the specifications that make the D-35 a sought-after instrument for discerning guitarists worldwide. From its premium tonewoods to its meticulous construction, every detail contributes to the iconic voice of the D-35.
Key Features and Construction
At its heart, the Martin D-35 boasts a classic dreadnought body size, known for its powerful projection and balanced tonal response. The D-14 fret body shape ensures comfortable playability while maintaining ample soundboard area for resonance. Constructed with a dovetail neck joint, a hallmark of Martin craftsmanship, the D-35 offers exceptional stability and optimal transfer of vibrations between the neck and body. The forward-shifted X-bracing pattern further enhances the top’s responsiveness, contributing to the guitar’s dynamic range and rich harmonic content. With a 25.4″ scale length, the D-35 provides a comfortable string tension and familiar feel for most players. The non-scalloped brace shape contributes to a balanced tone with clear articulation. A 1 3/4” fingerboard width at the nut caters to a variety of playing styles, offering ample space for fingerpicking and comfortable chording.
Premium Tonewoods: Spruce and East Indian Rosewood
The selection of tonewoods is paramount in crafting the D-35’s signature sound. The top is crafted from spruce, a prized tonewood renowned for its stiffness and lightweight properties. This combination allows the soundboard to vibrate freely, resulting in exceptional volume and clarity. The Aging Toner finish applied to the top not only enhances its visual appeal but also subtly influences the tonal character, adding a touch of vintage warmth. Complementing the spruce top, the back and sides are constructed from East Indian Rosewood. This dense hardwood is celebrated for its rich overtone spectrum, contributing depth, warmth, and complexity to the guitar’s voice. The gloss finish on the back and sides enhances the natural beauty of the rosewood grain.
Neck and Fingerboard Details
The neck of the Martin D-35 is carved from select hardwood, chosen for its stability and tonal properties. The satin finish on the neck provides a smooth and comfortable playing experience, allowing for effortless transitions along the fretboard. The neck features a modified low oval shape with a high-performance taper, designed for comfortable playability across the entire neck. The dark mahogany neck color adds a touch of classic elegance to the overall aesthetic. Topped with an ebony fingerboard, the D-35 offers a smooth and responsive playing surface. Ebony is a dense and durable hardwood, known for its contribution to bright and articulate tones. The fingerboard is inlaid with Style 28 mother-of-pearl inlays, adding a touch of understated elegance. The 2 1/8” fingerboard width at the 12th fret provides comfortable string spacing for intricate playing styles. With 20 frets in total and the neck joining the body at the 14th fret, the D-35 offers ample access to the upper register. Antique white binding along the fingerboard edges provides a refined finish.
Headstock and Hardware
The headstock of the D-35 features a solid headstock shape with a square taper, a classic Martin design element. The headplate is crafted from East Indian Rosewood, matching the back and sides for a cohesive aesthetic. The headplate logo features the Script Old Style Overlay, a vintage-inspired detail that adds to the guitar’s classic appeal. Chrome enclosed gear tuning machines ensure precise and reliable tuning stability, while the large knobs provide comfortable and easy adjustments. The nut is made from bone, a traditional material favored for its contribution to bright and clear tone, as well as its durability.
Bridge and Saddle
The bridge of the Martin D-35 is crafted from ebony, complementing the fingerboard and contributing to the guitar’s overall tonal clarity and sustain. The modern belly bridge style with a drop-in saddle offers efficient energy transfer from the strings to the soundboard. The bridge string spacing is 2 5/32″, providing comfortable spacing for fingerstyle and flatpicking alike. The saddle is made from compensated bone, ensuring accurate intonation across the fretboard. White plastic bridge pins with faux tortoise dots add a subtle visual detail.
Finish and Aesthetics
The D-35 features a gloss finish on the top, back, and sides, enhancing the beauty of the tonewoods and providing durable protection. Antique white binding adorns the body, fingerboard, and heelcap, providing a classic and elegant aesthetic. Multi-stripe inlay material is used for the top inlay, rosette, back purfling/strip, heelcap inlay, side inlay, and endpiece inlay, adding subtle visual accents throughout the guitar. A tortoise pattern pickguard provides protection against pick scratches while complementing the guitar’s traditional appearance.
Additional Details
The Martin D-35 comes with a molded hardshell case, providing robust protection during transport and storage. Left-handed versions are available, ensuring accessibility for all players. The D-35 is Pleked, indicating that it has undergone a precise computer-controlled setup process for optimal playability right out of the case. While electronics are optional, the D-35 is primarily designed and appreciated as a purely acoustic instrument, allowing its natural tonal qualities to shine.
In conclusion, the Martin D-35 Acoustic Guitar is a testament to Martin’s legacy of craftsmanship and innovation. Its carefully selected tonewoods, meticulous construction, and refined appointments combine to create an instrument with exceptional tone, playability, and timeless appeal, making it a prized possession for any serious guitarist.
