Custom Shop Build Overview

This Martin Custom Shop Black Walnut Dreadnought is part of a special edition run available exclusively to select Martin dealers and visitors to the Nazareth, Pennsylvania factory.

Inspired by the earlier Cherry Hill Custom series, these Black Walnut builds offer a distinctive tonal and visual alternative within the Martin lineup. This guitar was ordered during multiple factory visits, where tonewoods were personally selected to ensure exceptional quality and consistency.

Featuring a spruce top paired with Black Walnut back and sides, this dreadnought delivers a unique tonal character that blends the warmth and dryness of mahogany with added clarity and overtone complexity.

Tone & Performance

The Black Walnut tonewood combination produces a powerful yet balanced voice, making it a versatile choice across playing styles.

Strong projection and headroom from the dreadnought platform
Warm, focused low-end with articulate highs
Balanced midrange that sits well in a mix
Excellent note separation for strumming and flatpicking

The result is a responsive and musical instrument that performs equally well on stage or in the studio.

Custom Shop Craftsmanship

Handcrafted in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, this instrument features Martin’s traditional dovetail neck joint and all-solid tonewood construction for maximum resonance and long-term stability.

The forward-shifted scalloped X-bracing enhances top movement, increasing responsiveness, sustain, and tonal depth.

The guitar is visually elevated by European flamed maple binding, adding a refined contrast to the Black Walnut body and reinforcing its Custom Shop identity.