The Golden Era is back: those years between the late 1920s and 1942 when a perfect storm of innovation, materials, and craftsmanship at Martin produced some of the world’s finest, most sought-after guitars that sound better as they age. The Authentic Series are new instruments constructed to be faithful looking and sounding reproductions of history-making, pre-war models like the D-45, D-18, and 00-17.

1937 was an excellent year for guitars with a perfect storm of craftsmanship, innovation, and materials. This Authentic Series replication of a 1937 D-18 stays true to the original with hide glue construction and historically accurate detailing. This guitar features genuine mahogany back and sides and an Adirondack spruce top, and it includes an Authentic circa 1937 bracing pattern. It includes period-correct "18" Authentic-style appointments and an Authentic neck barrel and heel, and new this year, a more accurate body profile based on dreadnought shapes from the early Golden Era of Martin’s history. Martin’s VINTAGE TONE SYSTEM® (VTS) is employed to age the top and braces, which captures the tone from the 1930s era. Martin’s craftspeople can recreate the pleasing visual aesthetics of a vintage guitar and reproduce the particular tones previously reserved for vintage instruments.

Perhaps the most revered vintage D-28s are the ones created in 1937 with forward-shifted hand-scalloped X-bracing, an Adirondack spruce top, and a 1 3/4" neck width. This model is an updated version made with Guatemalan rosewood back and sides, and it includes some subtle spec refinements to make it even more faithful to the original. One of the major updates is a more accurate body profile based on dreadnoughts from the 1930s and 40s. Martin’s VINTAGE TONE SYSTEM® (VTS) is employed to age the top and braces, which captures the tone from the 1930s era. Martin’s craftspeople can recreate the pleasing visual aesthetics of a vintage guitar and reproduce the particular tones previously reserved for vintage instruments.