NGD!! Martin SPDC 16 TR....anybody own one?

[stinger23]

Just picked up this guitar on Wednesday at a fantastic price! It's in mint condition, sounds and plays great!

I'm so impressed with this model! I've never heard about it before. I'll post pics when I can figure out how lol

Anyone eles own this model or a model in this series? What are your impressions of them?

From what I understand there was not many made?

[dave42]

I have a 1997 D-16TR that I bought new. Still like it a lot. It's what I gig with and shows more wear than any of my guitars because of that.

I went to Wildwood Music (Ohio) to buy a SPD-16TR. At that time with all that good looking trim it was the dollar for dollar deal in the Martin catalogue. I bought the lesser trim model because it just spoke to me that day. But yes, those SP16 guitars are pretty nice!

[stinger23]

They are absolutely great, I'm so shocked! The trim is very nice, I don't see too many models with the abalone rosette, long pattern snow flake inlays and the d45 back strip marquetry!

Full gloss body is very nicely done as well. Im very surprised at the quality of the spruce and rosewood!! It's aged very nicely!!

I even dig the label they put inside lol small detail I know, but I love it! Can't believe how smitten I am right now!! Love unexpected NGD's

[stinger23]

Anybody else have some experience with these models? I'm guessing there isn't too many around?

[stinger23]

Still no other owners around?

[Joe McNamara]

Originally Posted by stinger23

Still no other owners around?

Stinger, I was with Martin during the time the SP-16 series was available and they were pretty popular - as you note it was an awful lot of guitar for the money, which IIRC topped out at $2k list for rosewood and koa. Besides your rosewood model there were mahogany, koa, walnut and maple and I'm sure I'm forgetting some others. In addition to your cutaway dread there were 000(C), OM(C), JC, shallow dreads and non-cutaway dreads as well. The "T" ("Technology") prefix was dropped when the modern 16 series dropped it, sometime around '99-00.
The two largest sellers were yours and its' mahogany cousin. The current Martin Guitars History/Technical reference books break down most models by numbers shipped. You might find someone with this info at The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum. Miss my SP-OM16.
Joe

[D-utim]

Going to need help with this. What do the letters represent?

[stinger23]

Originally Posted by Joe McNamara

Stinger, I was with Martin during the time the SP-16 series was available and they were pretty popular - as you note it was an awful lot of guitar for the money, which IIRC topped out at $2k list for rosewood and koa. Besides your rosewood model there were mahogany, koa, walnut and maple and I'm sure I'm forgetting some others. In addition to your cutaway dread there were 000(C), OM(C), JC, shallow dreads and non-cutaway dreads as well. The "T" ("Technology") prefix was dropped when the modern 16 series dropped it, sometime around '99-00.
The two largest sellers were yours and its' mahogany cousin. The current Martin Guitars History/Technical reference books break down most models by numbers shipped. You might find someone with this info at The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum. Miss my SP-OM16.
Joe

Oh there is a lot more models than I realized! I'd love to find a Koa and a maple

They are definitely great models, really nice wood on mine, plenty of silking and beautiful rosewood, I'd love to buy a few more of these models!

Thanks for all the information Joe!!

[stinger23]

The SP stands for special edition
D for Dreadnaught
C for cutaway
T for technology
R for rosewood

[Joe McNamara]

Originally Posted by D-utim

Going to need help with this. What do the letters represent?

Okay, at the risk of raising zombie threads about alphabet soup model namebers.

One last time, making 893, 471 times I've explained this since '96 - and note that I stopped getting paid to yak about CFMco products in '13. Selfless ... an interWebb saint!

eg SPD-16 TR ... SP - "Special" - in this case, nitro lacquer finish, pearl rosette, style 45 back strip and other appointments that differentiated it from a regular style D-16TR - "16" tells you construction details; "T"= "Technology", which was marketing speak for the mortise & tenon neck joint and integrated A frame bracing (above a scalloped X) see link below ; introduced in the 90's, as opposed to the 60's created 16 series. This last was a "standard" construction dovetail guitar with modest appointments that eventually became a market sleeper in the 90's with the introduction of style 16 dreads ie D-16M - a dovetailed, forward-shifted, scalloped braced dreadnought in a variety of B&S woods w/ spruce tops - essentially D-18V's; and some kewl 000-16's with oval soundholes, all varieties dropped in favor of the "16T" Series.
D=dreadnought
R=rosewood.

There will be a test Thursday, spelling and neatness WILL count; For extra credit submit a 500 word essay on "Why is this link still up with Joe's name in it?"
http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Hist...tinbraces.html

[dave42]

Martin made some great guitars in the '95-'01 time frame.

[stinger23]

I don't think I've played many, but this one is just fantastic, I really would like to find an OM version of this guitar!

[dave42]

A D-16TR like mine showed up on the local Craigslist today!

[stinger23]

Nice, is it in nice condition? That's an sp model?

[dave42]

Looks nice in the pic. A D-16TR like mine. Asking $1200 though.... a little much. I think that's about what I paid in 1997 new.