Bionic Buzz® got to take part in the virtual Martin Guitar NAMM Press Preview. Believe in Music Week is a new virtual event and global gathering to unify and support people who bring music to the world, taking place this week. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis, there is no path forward to safely hold The NAMM Show this January in Southern California. While The NAMM Show cannot be replaced, they are excited about Believe in Music Week, which will offer a robust marketplace to launch new products and connect buyers and sellers.
The week-long virtual event is open to members, industry professionals from across the music instrument, pro audio and event technology segments, along with music educators, college music students and faculty, nonprofit music organization leaders, media, artists and brand fans. Fred Greene reveals Martin guitar’s 2021 models in the video and information below on it.
D-35 David Gilmour
Martin is proud to offer the D-35 David Gilmour Custom Signature Edition. This guitar is a nod to David’s treasured D-35, his main recording & writing companion for over four decades, but it’s also an instrument for him today, with a style and sound all its own. The David Gilmour signature models are the first D-35s ever made with neck, back and sides of sinker mahogany, chosen by David for its warm, rich tones and exquisitely beautiful grain. We added an Adirondack spruce Vintage Tone System top for an old-world sound and matched that with antique white binding and vintage gloss finish, Waverly Relic Nickel tuners. A unique neck shape & fingerboard pattern were crafted to David’s specification for this guitar, while a special headstamp is featured on the reverse of the headstock. The signature models are limited to 250 pieces and every label is hand-signed by David himself, ensuring this guitar’s place on every collector’s wish list. Through this partnership, Martin Guitar is proud to support the David Gilmour Charitable Foundation.
Price $5,499
D-28 David Gilmour 12 String
For over forty years his Martin D12-28 12 string was a constant in David Gilmour’s recording & songwriting palette. When this guitar went to auction in 2019 we were delighted to be able to work with him to create a 12 string for his music today. The David Gilmour signature models are the first D-35s ever made with neck, back and sides of sinker mahogany, chosen by David for its warm, rich tones and exquisitely beautiful grain. A Carpathian Spruce top delivers unparalleled 12 string tone with our vintage gloss finish and antique white binding providing classic ‘Golden Era’ Martin style. In addition, a special David Gilmour headstamp is featured on the reverse of the headstock. The signature models are limited to 250 pieces and every label is hand-signed by David himself, ensuring this guitar’s place on every collector’s wish list. Through this partnership, Martin Guitar is proud to support the David Gilmour Charitable Foundation.
Price $5,499
OOL Earth Guitar
On March 15, 2019, artist Robert Goetzl watched the news in awe as a million students, across 125 countries, took part in the School Strike for Climate, an international movement of students who skip Friday classes in protest to demand action from political leaders against climate change. The movement started in 2018, when Greta Thunberg, a then 16-year-old activist from Sweden, staged a lone protest outside the Swedish Parliament holding a sign that read “School strike for climate,” inspiring students across the globe to stand together to fight for the future of the planet.
The movement fanned a flame in Goetzl that had been slowly burning for many years. He wanted to use his talent to become part of the solution, so he immediately dropped what he was doing and painted a watercolor of the earth. His hope was that it would one day adorn the top of a Martin guitar that could be used to bring awareness to the urgent need for climate action.
Upon completing the painting, Goetzl wasted no time, driving to Nazareth to share his idea with Martin Chairman and CEO Chris Martin. Like Goetzl, the sixth-generation leader has a deep passion for fighting climate change and preserving the earth for future generations. This shared passion, reignited by the energy and perseverance of this new generation of activists, put into motion the plans to develop what is now being introduced as the Martin 00L Earth guitar—the first acoustic guitar that is 100% FSC® certified AND 100% plastic-free.
“When I first heard this eloquent young woman, Greta Thunberg, speak so passionately about climate change, I was immediately inspired and thought, why not design a guitar with a visual element as a tool to promote the message ‘Save the Earth,’” said Goetzl. “Perhaps this is a way to help raise awareness of resource sustainability and our society’s failure to take action against the global crisis that this troubled planet is facing.”
With Chris Martin’s blessing, Goetzl set about doing what he does best—turning his initial ideas into refined art—and he later presented several variations to the Martin team. The final design featured the earth and stars with a beautiful light burst peaking over the horizon.
While Goetzl was finalizing the artwork, Martin Lead Instrument Designer Tim Teel and former Martin Green Team Leader Chris Thomas began working on building out the model that would ultimately become the master canvas for Goetzl’s artwork. Teel and Thomas decided to use the framework from the Martin 17 Series and then went on to collaborate with many colleagues throughout the company to select and source only materials that are 100% FSC certified and free of all man-made plastics. Even the gig bag was specially sourced and made with hemp, a fast-growing and highly sustainable material, another first for the company.
“I respect working for a company that takes environmental issues seriously,” said Teel. “This project illustrates the importance of our planet and is depicted in this amazing graphic by Robert Goetzl. By using responsibly harvested materials, we will ensure the next generation of musicians and luthiers will have great tonewoods to choose from when designing, building, and playing stringed instruments of the future.”
Martin chose to go plastic-free with this model because single-use plastic is destroying entire ecosystems and greatly contributes to global warming. The world urgently needs to reduce single-use plastic, and Martin hopes this guitar will be another vehicle for spreading the message.
“There’s so much that we can do as individuals to fight climate change in our daily lives,” said Chris Martin. “Yet we are continually looking for ways that our company can inspire musicians and their fans to take action. Not just on Earth Day, but every day. Music has always been a powerful tool for bringing people together for change.”
The guitar is priced at $2,249.
In honor of the 00L Earth guitar, Martin will make a charitable donation to the Rainforest Alliance.
Grand J-16E 12 String
Ideal for experienced players looking to build on their skills, the Grand J-16E 12 String is a full-bodied, muscular guitar that generates well-balanced harmonics with a strong, solid low end. We craft it in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, with East Indian rosewood back and sides and a Sitka spruce top, so this powerhouse looks as good as it sounds. We also added scalloped X-bracing to create beautifully resonant tone that fills the room even when unplugged. And, with our high-performance taper neck, this is one comfortable-playing, big-sounding guitar.
Price $2,099
GPC-13E Ziricote and D-13E Ziricote
When you look at Martin’s new Ziricote models, you may have to pick your jaw off the floor. Their back and sides are crafted using a fine veneer of ziricote—a tonewood with a deeply layered grain that has a mesmerizing mix of light tones and dark veins and a majestic, cathedral-like look. Beyond their striking appearance, these professional-grade guitars are equipped with Fishman® MX-T electronics and a soundhole tuner that auto mutes the output so your audience won’t know when you’re tuning. But the best part might be a price that’s every bit as attractive as the guitars.
Price $1,299 (GPC-13E) and $1,249 (D-13E)
DJR-10E StreetMaster®
Enjoy the booming, full sound of a Dreadnought in a smaller, more playable size with the DJR-10E StreetMaster®. Its distinctive, distressed finish has a comfortably worn look that feels as if it’s an old friend you’ve been playing for years. But it doesn’t just look cool; this instrument is super-comfortable and playable, thanks to a thinner body and a high-performance neck taper. And when you climb on stage or step into the studio, high-performance Fishman® Sonitone electronics make it easy to plug in and play your heart out. Whether it’s your first guitar or the one you take to gigs, the DJR-10E StreetMaster will take you to new musical places.
Price $699
Martin 0XK Ukulele
Part of our X Series, this beautiful-sounding ukulele has top, back and sides made from durable high-pressure laminate (HPL). We hand selected the finest Hawaiian koa to give this instrument the rich grain pattern of a much more expensive ukulele. But, because it is made from HPL, you can take this concert uke anywhere—the beach, the stage, a road trip— and your only worry will be what song to play next. It may be our lowest-priced uke, but you’d never know it from the way it looks and sounds.
Price $299.
Martin T1 StreetMaster® Ukulele
We’ve been making tenor-sized ukuleles since 1929, but nothing quite like this. An ultra-thin finish creates a beautifully weathered appearance that feels as if it’s an old friend you’ve been playing for years. The top, back and sides are all mahogany, making it lightweight with a bright tone. If you play guitar and want to learn the uke, this size makes for a comfortable transition, and it’s great for both a child and full-grown adult. The T1 StreetMaster® brings together premier sound, outstanding playability, and easy affordability in one gorgeous instrument.
Price $449.