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Up for sale, a 1957 Martin D-21 in excellent condition, complete with a hardshell case. Structurally identical to the D-28 save for a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard/bridge, and with far smaller production totals, the D-21 features a particularly dynamic cut of bookmatched Brazilian rosewood on the back, representing one of only 325 D-21s produced in '57. This Martin also benefits from the maintenance due an acoustic of this vintage, with a professional neck reset, carved bone nut and tall bone saddle, and a level/crown of the original slender fretwire.
First introduced in 1956, this early example of the D-21 features a Sitka (“West” by Martin terminology of the era) spruce top with rear-shifted X bracing, solid Brazilian rosewood back and rims, a mahogany neck, and the original small maple bridge plate. Offering prodigious projection, notes leap straight off the fingerboard with great sensitivity to picking dynamics. Extremely balanced and clear across all strings and in all registers, the guitar yields both a woody richness and an airy treble sparkle, with more kick in the low end than many '50s Martins and a round, present quality to the plain strings. This D-21 weighs 4lbs 8oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 12-53 bronze strings and easy-playing action.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Mahogany
-Shape: Soft V, measuring .875” 1st fret, 1.010” 9th fret
-Fretboard: Brazilian rosewood, dot inlay, faint finger wear behind frets 1-3
-Frets: Slender, leveled/crowned, light wear beneath B and high E strings on 2-3
-Scale Length: 25.4”
-Nut: 1 11/16”, bone
-Tuners: Kluson Deluxe single-line
Body Specs:
-Wood: Sitka spruce, Brazilian rosewood
-Bracing: X
-Bridge: Brazilian rosewood, tall bone saddle, small maple bridge plate
-Marquetry: Tortoise binding, multi-ply purfling/rosette
-Serialization: Serial on heel block dates to ‘57
-Plastics: Red tortoise pickguard, reseated
The gloss nitro lacquer finish is 100% original, save for light, well-blended touch-up behind the bridge on top. There is pick wear beyond the pickguard, particularly below the fretboard extension on the treble side, with limited buckle worming central to the back and some minor marks on the body as a whole consistent with decades of careful use. The neck retains its smooth gloss, free of palm wear with some shallow marks on the profile length worn smooth through subsequent play.
A black tolex hardshell case is included, along with the original saddle.
First introduced in 1956, this early example of the D-21 features a Sitka (“West” by Martin terminology of the era) spruce top with rear-shifted X bracing, solid Brazilian rosewood back and rims, a mahogany neck, and the original small maple bridge plate. Offering prodigious projection, notes leap straight off the fingerboard with great sensitivity to picking dynamics. Extremely balanced and clear across all strings and in all registers, the guitar yields both a woody richness and an airy treble sparkle, with more kick in the low end than many '50s Martins and a round, present quality to the plain strings. This D-21 weighs 4lbs 8oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 12-53 bronze strings and easy-playing action.
Neck Specs:
-Wood: Mahogany
-Shape: Soft V, measuring .875” 1st fret, 1.010” 9th fret
-Fretboard: Brazilian rosewood, dot inlay, faint finger wear behind frets 1-3
-Frets: Slender, leveled/crowned, light wear beneath B and high E strings on 2-3
-Scale Length: 25.4”
-Nut: 1 11/16”, bone
-Tuners: Kluson Deluxe single-line
Body Specs:
-Wood: Sitka spruce, Brazilian rosewood
-Bracing: X
-Bridge: Brazilian rosewood, tall bone saddle, small maple bridge plate
-Marquetry: Tortoise binding, multi-ply purfling/rosette
-Serialization: Serial on heel block dates to ‘57
-Plastics: Red tortoise pickguard, reseated
The gloss nitro lacquer finish is 100% original, save for light, well-blended touch-up behind the bridge on top. There is pick wear beyond the pickguard, particularly below the fretboard extension on the treble side, with limited buckle worming central to the back and some minor marks on the body as a whole consistent with decades of careful use. The neck retains its smooth gloss, free of palm wear with some shallow marks on the profile length worn smooth through subsequent play.
A black tolex hardshell case is included, along with the original saddle.
