1965 Martin D-35 Natural

CF Martin D-35 1965 | $6950 | (v2025) The D-35 was a pretty special guitar for the typically traditional Martin company. Reports from some who were there state that Martin was hearing a lot of talk about the need to return to the scalloped braces and recapture the classic 'Martin sound'. Plus, it was a time of dwindling supplies of Brazilian rosewood. In response to these events Martin developed the D-35 featuring lighter braces than those offered on a D-28, a small maple bridge plate, and a three-piece Brazilian back as a way to use up smaller sets of Brazilian rosewood. In addition, the D-35 featured extra layers of binding trim and mitered-corner finger board trim. All these features disappeared over the next few years, which many say lessened the tonal output of the guitar. The first few years of the D-35 remain the peak of the model, and are sought by players looking for the classic Martin tone.

This first-year (only 207 made) D-35 features a three-piece Brazilian rosewood back, Brazilian sides; spruce top; top and back bound with multiple w/b/w purfling rings and white celluloid; tortoise shell celluloid pick guard (changed to black in 1966); ebony bridge; ebony fingerboard with mitered binding corners; mahogany neck.

The neck measures 1 11/16" wide at the nut. Scale length is 25 7/16". String spacing at the saddle is a tad over 2 1/8".

This example shows evidence of being played a lot! There is pick wear on top, signs of a strap tied around the head stock behind the nut, play wear on the neck, and plenty of checking, nicks and dings. But structurally it's very solid, and original. The tuners? Yeah, at first blush we didn't think they were original either, but it turns out that these Pat. Pend. Grovers with plastic buttons were used on some of the early D-35s. The only evidence of repair we could see was a possible re-fret, since the frets are high with only a hint of divot in the first position, and some chipping around the bridge perimeter where it appears that the bridge was re-glued. We had Brothers Music remove a large and non-original rosewood bridge plate and replace it with a thin maple plate to Martin specs. We reset the neck, installed a new bone saddle, glued and cleated a back crack, leveled and dressed the frets, and gave the guitar a thorough cleaning without buffing to preserve the patina of the original finish. Action is set at 5 & 6/64" and the guitar plays super-smooth.

Tone-wise this is a pretty special guitar. It has a really big voice, lots of volume and sustain, and really puts out that Martin dreadnought ring! Even though it's a alpha dog when flat picked, it can become a teddy bear when finger picked with bare fingers, just a joy to play.

Comes with its likely original hard case.

Check out the sound clip!