NGD: Martin D-1 Custom 12 fret all hog slope dread - Updated

[Tony Burns]

You can't go wrong with a 12 fret dread -love the mahogany flame -
knock out gorgeous !

[jaan]

I think that’s the perfect guitar for you. You loved the 00-29 Santa Cruz, and this is that, just a lot more of it! Fits your style well. Congrats!

[Ncbandit]

Thanks for adding the video, it sounds amazing. Beautiful tone!!

[ziapack]

Sweet guitar! Enjoy

[Methos1979]

Just an update on this guitar. I continue to love it and can't put it down. We're on hiatus from live performing so I've been playing nothing but the Martin. I've decided to not modify it in any way (permanently) and I'm using a quick disconnect headstock tie and I've become very acclimated to this position. I've also found that a knuckle pain I've had for several months has gone away so I'm not sure if that's from the Martin Mod V with PA neck carve, the closer position of the fretting hand due to using the headstock strap, or some combination of both.

I am going to still put a Schaller locking pin on the bottom so I took an old plastic Martin pin and cut off the button and drilled a hole for a Planet Waves sold brass button which works with the Scaller's. I also just bought a Schertler AG6 magnetic soundhole pickup with internal mic and cord so I can use the guitar live if I want without modification since I'd love to take this guitar to an open mic to show it off to my friends.

Here's a photo of the headstock quick disconnect strap and the modified pin:

Strap position:



Modified pin:

[Methos1979]

Update for live play: I picked up a Schertler AG6 Magnetico pickup system with the internal mic here on AGF for a good price as I wanted something I could use to take the guitar out and play live on occasion mostly just to show the guitar off to my guitar friends at open mics. I finally had the chance to do so last night. We went out in a snowstorm so we knew it would be a slow night and relatively quiet and therefore a great chance to actually be able to hear ourselves play. I plugged straight into the host's mixing board via a wireless Sennheiser and the system worked fine and sounded really pretty good. Not nearly as good as my Cole Clarks but certainly good enough for an open mic. And the guitar was a big hit with the few other guitarists there who ran right over after we finished to check it out.

I have a more detailed write up on this system over in the Acoustic Amplification section under Aaron's (AeroUSA) review of the Schertler AG-6 Magnetico where I talk about the details of the system and how it sounds. One other thing to note - I have decided to add the front strap button soon to this guitar and since that will break the no-modifications rule I had initially set out for myself I'm also seriously thinking of having the bottom reamed out for a permanent install of this system which could then be swapped out for something else down the line like an HFN or similar. Once/if that is done I'll report back. Here's some photos of the Schertler AG6 Magnetico system and how I've got it installed using the external cord:

[JayBee1404]

Methos, I’m puzzled - in the video you say it was built in a ‘small shop in up-state New York’, yet you also say it’s a ‘Martin’. Do CFM have other facilities in NYS, or is it another builder’s instrument ‘based on’ a Martin design?

Apols if I’m missing something.

Oh, and that’s a beautiful guitar you have there!

[akwingnut]

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

Methos, I’m puzzled - in the video you say it was built in a ‘small shop in up-state New York’, yet you also say it’s a ‘Martin’. Do CFM have other facilities in NYS, or is it another builder’s instrument ‘based on’ a Martin design?

Apols if I’m missing something.

Oh, and that’s a beautiful guitar you have there!

Not the OP, but I read it as the small shop “commissioned” it.

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by akwingnut

Not the OP, but I read it as the small shop “commissioned” it.

Definitely says ‘built by a small shop...’. Hopefully Methos will clarify.

[akwingnut]

Methos, do you know if this was a small batch (i.e. there may be some others out there waiting to be purchased)?

[Methos1979]

Yes, both of you are correct. What I meant to say more clearly was that it's a small guitar shop in upstate NY called Ish Guitars, that commissioned the build from the Martin custom shop. Like many authorized Martin guitar retailers, they came up with an idea and worked with the custom shop to put together a build that they found interesting. The story goes the store owner wondered about doing a custom build based on the discontinued D-1 Authentic but with a narrower nut and string spacing. When he contacted the custom shop to discuss they mentioned that they had some really nice flamed mahogany and that they had never done an all-mahogany 12-fret dread and that sealed the deal.

Like I said, I just stumbled upon it while looking at 12-fret dreads on Reverb and it just ticked a lot of boxes for me. I was not even in the market for a new guitar (let alone a custom 12-fret dread) but sometimes you just get a feeling that a guitar is something special so I went for it and I'm so glad I did. Based on my track record with guitars over the last several years I'm very hesitant to use the term 'lifetime guitar' but barring any sort of unseen circumstance arising (like shoulder issues) I can see this guitar sticking around for quite some time.

[JayBee1404]

Aaaaahhh! Thanks Methos! Good to know I’m not going mad! In your video, you do say that it was ‘built by a small shop in upstate NY’ - thanks for clarifying.

And I’ll say it again - it’s a beauty. Congratulations!

[Methos1979]

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

Aaaaahhh! Thanks Methos! Good to know I’m not going mad! In your video, you do say that it was ‘built by a small shop in update NY’ - thanks for clarifying.

And I’ll say it again - it’s a beauty. Congratulations!

Yes, I remember when reviewing the video for errors hearing that and thinking someone might be confused by it but in the end thinking it was not worth the effort to re-record or stick in a pop-up correction in the video since it was more clear in the written post. I have yet to make a video that I don't mis-speak at least some factoid!

[akwingnut]

Beautiful guitar! I don't play my 12-fret D-18 as much as I should, but I think it'll come out of the case today.

[Methos1979]

As promised I'm updating one last time after having a few final mods done to this guitar. So much for my 'no mods to this guitar' initial thoughts. I took the guitar to 'my guy', the brilliant Pat DiBurro in Exeter, NH, and had him install the front strap button in the side of the neck heel and also reem out the bottom and install the internal Schertler AG6 Magnetico pickup cable via the bottom strap jack/button.

My thoughts are this will make using the Schertler system easier than the external system which required a bit of extra gear and work. Plus, should I ever decide to go with something else like a Schatten HFN or whatever the next awesome pickup flavor of the month is, then the bottom is already ready to go since the Schertler by its nature is easily removable.

I'm also digging the blue color of the bottom jack button. It goes well with the dark, all-mahogany body. I can also say that I'm loving going back to the guitar positioning with front strap button moved to the neck heel, or 'Taylor position' as some call it. While I had acclimated to the headstock position, it just never 'felt right'. Now it does.

I've got a few more photos I'll add of the most recent additions here shortly but barring any other questions or findings down the road that about sums up and finalizes this NGD thread. Thanks for check in.