C. F. Martin D-21 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1956), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 147689, natural lacquer finish, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, black hard shell case.
This is a fine-sounding workhorse of a Martin D-21 from 1956, the model's first production year. It has had an eventful life over the last nearly 70 years and shows some noticeable wear and some old-style repair work. Through it all it remains an excellent player's instrument, not fully original but a great performer.
The D-21 may be Martin's most overlooked guitar, the rarest 1950's Dreadnought. It basically combines the plainer Style-18 cosmetics with the Brazilian rosewood body of the then top-of-the-line D-28. This guitar was made in VERY early 1956, the first production year for the D-21. Carrying serial number 147689 it would be one of the earliest production D-21s; a few samples had been made in 1955 bearing numbers 145604-9 but the model was not listed for sale until the next year.
This D-21 sports superb straight-grained Brazilian Rosewood on the back and sides and a lovely even grained spruce top. The outer binding is dark plastic like the D-18 with a chain pattern backstrip. The neck has that slim not-quite "V" 1950s Martin feel and has had an ebony fingerboard fitted in place of the original rosewood.
Although at $200 in mid-1956 the D-21 was a full $50 less expensive, only 275 shipped that year compared to over 700 D-28's. Apparently regarded as neither fish nor fowl among Dreadnought customers, the D-21 has long languished despite (reportedly) being C.F. Martin III's personal favorite model. He was known to prefer the understated elegance if shaker aesthetics, and considered the white-bound D-28 overly gaudy! This is a true gigger, a "real relic" of a vintage Martin that is a lot of fun to play without worrying about every scratch or ding.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 15 5/8 in. (39.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 15/16 in. (12.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This D-21 has seen a lot of use and work over the years, but it remains a lovely sounding Dreadnought and a real player's bargain especially compared to a period D-28. The entire top was lightly oversprayed long ago with a fair amount of older strum wear and dings still visible underneath; this is most noticeable in the area around the bridge and sound hole. The original lacquer finish has remained unaltered on the back and sides and back of the neck; the headstock face has an old clear overspray.
Overall the guitar shows finish wear with scrapes, scuffs, and dings, but no major finish loss except one chip down to the wood off the lower front edge of the bridge. There is a small crack on the sound hole rim near the treble side of the fingerboard, sealed but still evident. Somewhat amazingly there are no other cracks, the rosewood back and sides having survived nearly 70 years without any structural damage.
Internally this D-21 had some visible work done of a sort that was not uncommon many years ago, when re-issues of older, more lightly built instruments were not available. The main X-brace and tone bars were scalloped in the pre-war style and the guitar fitted with a larger rosewood bridgeplate. Some braces have been reglued (possibly more than once) and are fully stable. The remaining top and back braces remain intact and unaltered. The heavy high-grade ebony fingerboard that was substituted for the rosewood original has only side dots, no position markers -- inlay your name, if you dare! The bone nut is more recent. The headstock is fitted with a period correct set of vintage Kluson Deluxe tuners, one is slightly mismatched and it looks like some other tuners were once fitted and removed.
The original rosewood bridge was replaced with a later ebony reproduction, canted slightly on the top towards the bone saddle. The neck was reset with an excellent angle and perfect saddle height making this an effortless player. Despite or (possibly) because of the internal work this a very good-sounding guitar with a bright and powerful response, a very lively rosewood Dreadnought. This "player grade" Brazilian rosewood Martin would make an excellent live performance or recording guitar, one that can be gigged without undue worry. A period (possibly original) hard shell case is included in very good shape. Overall Very Good Condition.
