Music

C. F. Martin D-35 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1967), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 224239, natural lacquer finish, Brazilian rosewood back & sides, spruce top; ebony bridge & fingerboard, period molded black plastic hard shell case. This well played D-35 was made in 1967, with a back and sides made of beautiful Brazilian rosewood (before the switch to Indian two years later). The D-35 was specifically designed in 1965 with a 3-piece back to use smaller rosewood panels, as it was becoming increasingly hard to procure the larger cuts needed for Dreadnought bodies. This one has some beautiful graining to both the sides and back, especially the center section of the back. The guitar has the typical 1967 features: the rounded headstock edges caused by worn templates, Grover Rotomatic tuners, a black acetate pickguard, short saddle ebony bridge and most critically the old style small maple bridgeplate, replaced the next year with a much larger piece of rosewood. This makes for a huge sounding guitar, and is arguably far more important to the guitar's tone than the switch to Indian rosewood for the back and sides. The body is multi-bound and the fingerboard is single bound. The D-35 was listed as a higher grade model than the D-28 and initially at least made in smaller numbers. This guitar was priced at a whopping $440 in 1967-8, not including the case. Just over 1400 were shipped out in 1967, a considerable number for a high-end guitar if well under the totals posted by the D-28. This is a great sounding and very nice playing D-35, a worn-in but still classic Brazilian boomer from the 1960s. Overall length is 40 3/4 in. (103.5 cm.), 15 3/4 in. (40 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.). This old D-35 was somebody's workhorse for a while, it shows the marks of some serious playtime but also has the sound to prove it. The guitar retains the original lacquer finish on the body, with some general wear mostly to the top which shows pick marks to the wood off both sides of the fingerboard extension and below the pickguard; there are also numerous shallower pick scratches above the soundhole. The sides are quite a bit cleaner and there is only light belt buckle wear in the middle of the back. The original black acetate pickguard is still intact with some slight curling at the edges. The back of the neck from the center of the heel to the bottom of the peghead has had most of the original finish removed and been very lightly retouched with a much thinner sealer This was likely done as a "feel" thing and actually feels great. The neck was not thinned appreciably by this process. The headstock appears to have had several different tuners over the years; it currently mounts Grover Rotomatic tuners that are more recent then the guitar. The top center seam has been almost invisibly resealed. The back has two cleated rosewood grain splits on the treble side panel of the lower bout off the rear edge, neatly sealed with minimal touchup. There is a filled strap button hole on the side just above the heel and a plugged input jack hole on the lower side a bit below the endpin. Apart from some neat cleating to these repairs the guitar is internally original including the very clean small maple bridgeplate. The original ebony bridge has been reglued; it appears to have been lowered by the saddle very slightly with the bass side pin holes deepened a bit. There is a small chip off the A string slot. The fingerboard has been trued and neatly refretted with appropriate wire. All the repairs to this guitar are very solid and it has the look (and sound) of a well-gigged Martin thar has been heavily used but continually well maintained over the years. It plays superbly with a powerful and expansive sound, rich but with more singing top end than the often "muffled" sounding Dreadnoughts of the late '60s and '70s with much heavier bridgeplates. The case is a period molded plastic hardshell that the "Martin" logo block has fallen off of. Overall Very Good + Condition.

The Martin D-35 features a unique three-piece back constructed from East Indian rosewood, a top made of Sitka spruce, and an ebony fretboard. Launched in 1965, it offers a powerful and resonant sound that has made it a favorite among professional musicians.