1937 C.F. Martin & Co. 000-28
Pre-war 000-28 — the fingerpicker's guitar of choice in the 1930s and now enormously valuable. Herringbone purfling, scalloped bracing, Brazilian rosewood, and the auditorium body size make these extraordinary instruments.
Current Market Value
* Prices are estimates based on recent market data. Actual value depends on originality, condition, and provenance. Pricing methodology
Specifications
| Body Wood | Spruce (top), Brazilian Rosewood (back and sides — herringbone trim) |
| Neck Wood | Mahogany |
| Fingerboard | Ebony |
| Scale Length | 24.900" |
| Frets | 20 |
| Pickup Config | None (acoustic) |
| Bridge | Ebony belly bridge |
| Tuners | Grover Sta-Tite |
| Finish Options | Natural |
| Est. Production | 82 |
Pickups & Electronics
Pure acoustic fingerpicking guitar.
What Changed in 1937
Pre-war 000-28 with herringbone trim and scalloped bracing. The 000 body (slightly smaller than dreadnought) with long scale neck creates the ideal fingerpicking platform. Eric Clapton's 'Unplugged' performance made this size/model famous.
Notable Examples
Eric Clapton's MTV Unplugged performance used a 1939 Martin 000-28E, making this size/model famous to a new generation.
Collector's Notes
Pre-war 000-28s are among the most valuable vintage Martins. Herringbone trim essential. Many have been played hard over the decades — find condition carefully. Neck resets are universal — quality of the reset matters enormously.