[TwoMartinMan]

Stopped in to the Guitar Center in Glen Burnie, MD today to pick up some strings and a tuner. Noticed a well used Martin acoustic hanging on the wall and decided to take a closer look at it. It was clearly a DM model from the old Road series from a few years back... clearly marked "DM, Made in USA" label inside the sound hole, no finish, hog back and sides, and was in fair condition. I've had a couple of these in the past and knew what I was looking at. It had no tag on it so I asked a salesman to give me the asking price. As he was looking it up on the computer I noticed the serial number plate attached to the neck block inside said "Martin D-16GT" with a serial number from the year 2002. I pointed this out to the salesman who was just as surprised to see this as I was. I told him there was no way this was a D-16GT since, if for no other reason, the "GT" stands for Gloss Top and this guitar clearly had no gloss finish on it at all. He decided to seek out the manager for an explanation. When he returned, he told me that the manager explained that the computer listed that guitar as a D-16GT and that, maybe...….now get this...."that it was an older model and that all the gloss HAD WORN OFF OF THE TOP OVER TIME." I told him that that was an absolutely absurd assertion, not withstanding why or how someone could even apply a DM paper label from a DM inside a legitimate D-16GT. He then pointed to the serial number plate inside and said, "Well, there's the serial number and that's permanent." I pointed out that that plate is simply glued on to the neck block and that I have had 2 Martins in the past where that plate has fallen off and had to be re-glued in place. I told him that if his manager told him to tell me that, that he is either lying or very ignorant about Martin guitars. I pressed the salesman for his own opinion, which he would not give me, referring only to what the manager had told him to say. He looked up the guitar on the inventory computer which had it listed as a D-16GT and quoted me a price of just under $900. I told him that a DM went for less than that brand new back in the day. He said the best he could do was knock off another 10%.
Makes me wonder: was the manager lying or just stupid?
Caveat Emptor, people.