Martin Custom Shop 0000 Size M Style Sinker Mahogany, Adirondack Spruce Martin Guitars

In the winter of 2019, we spent some time at the Martin Guitar Factory learning about the features and benefits of Sinker Mahogany. The wood used on the back and sides of this guitar is hand selected by Russo Music from a batch of premium Belize Mahogany that had been pulled from the murky, muddy depths of the Central American river system. For hundreds of years, these timbers have been washed over by sediment as they aged to perfection on the floor of these former logging highways. The logs are excavated by locals in Belize and processed at the Martin Factory for use by the Martin Custom Shop.

This M36 inspired model boasts a beautiful Adirondack Red Spruce top over a beautifully 3-piece Sinker Mahogany back and side set (Russo Music Set #398). The 3 back pieces are separated by a 35 style purfling scheme and braced with Sitka Spruce. The body shape is a 0000/M Grand Auditorium. This body shape is the same length and width as the “J” body, but its ¾” less deep, at 4 1/8”. What you get is a full range sound, from boom to bright, with a little extra high mid punch. Plus, its significantly more comfortable for long playing sessions with the reduced body depth. The attack is quick with excellent sustain.

The body is finished in a gloss, with aging toner on the top. A rosewood grain filler is used to accent the dark striations of the Sinker Mahogany.

The neck is the popular modified low oval profile with the complimentary high performance taper to add to the long playability. The headplate matches the back and sides with a Sinker Mahogany overlay, topped with the “Old Style Gold” Martin Decal. Tuners are Schaller Nickel GrandTune, sporting an 18:1 gear ratio.

The bound fingerboard is black ebony with a 1 ¾” nut width. Inlays are Style 38 MOP dots, all .188” in diameter. The bridge is also black ebony, with a compensated, drop-in, bone saddle.

This is a truly unique combination of old-world materials, old world craftsmanship, and modern performance features, over one of the hidden gems of the Martin line, the “0000/M”