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Description
The Martin Custom Shop 12-Fret Slot Head is a refined masterpiece for guitarists who seek the perfect blend of tradition and craftsmanship. This steel-string acoustic guitar offers an intimate playing experience with its 12-fret neck design, providing easy access to the frets and enhancing tonal warmth. The slot headstock not only adds a vintage aesthetic but also contributes to increased tuning stability, making it an essential choice for both studio sessions and live performances.
Crafted by Martin's skilled artisans, this guitar showcases a solid spruce top paired with premium tonewoods for the back and sides, ensuring a rich, resonant sound that matures beautifully over time. The hand-scalloped X-bracing further amplifies its tonal complexity, while maintaining structural integrity. Whether you're fingerpicking or strumming, the Martin Custom Shop 12-Fret delivers a balanced, articulate sound that’s both versatile and inspiring.
The sleek neck profile is designed for comfort, allowing for effortless playability across musical styles. Its elegant appointments, such as the classic rosette and high-quality tuners, reflect Martin's commitment to excellence and attention to detail.
Key Features:
- 12-fret neck design for enhanced tonal warmth
- Vintage-style slot headstock for tuning stability
- Solid spruce top with premium tonewoods for back and sides
- Hand-scalloped X-bracing for improved resonance
- Sleek neck profile for comfortable playability
- Classic rosette and high-quality tuners for aesthetic appeal
Videos
Acoustic Vibes Music, INC.
Martin Guitars Custom Shop 000-12 Fret Slot Head Demo and Review
Reviews
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Martin Custom Shop 12-Fret Slot Head.
Comparisons
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Guatemalan Rosewood on the Super D was described as sounding too compressed and distorted, lacking individual string clarity compared to other woods like mahogany or koa.
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Breedlove Concertina models, particularly the Legacy or Masterclass lines, are suggested as alternatives for a 12-fret slot head cutaway, often available used for around $1,500.
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The Taylor 322ce 12-fret, mahogany-topped guitar is highlighted as a viable alternative for under $3,000, offering a different tonal character than the Martin.
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The Super D was compared to the D-18 and D-28, with some players preferring the bass and volume of the Super D over the tighter, compressed sound of the D-28.
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The 000 12-fret model offers a balance of bass from body size and brightness from longer scale, resembling the power of dreadnoughts with added comfort.
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User experience
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The Eastman AC912 is praised for its sound quality but noted for being heavier compared to the Martin.
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Owners describe the Martin 000-15SM as very light and easy to play, making it a preferred "couch" guitar due to its comfortable weight.
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Some players find transitioning from smaller body guitars like the 00-18 to a Super D to be a significant change, both in sound and physical comfort, especially with shoulder issues.
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Despite the wider neck, some players find 12-fret models to offer superior tone and playability, especially for long playing sessions.
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Owners transitioning from 1.69 to 1.75 inch nut widths may find the wider nut on the 12-fret models more noticeable.
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Use cases and applications
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The Martin 000-15SM provides a deep sound for its size, suitable for players not requiring dreadnought levels of bass.
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Owners suggest trying out different wood variants like Koa, which is said to offer a tone closer to mahogany, for those who prefer its sound characteristics.
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A player noted that the Super D offers a lot of punch and low end, which could be ideal for those seeking a bass-heavy acoustic sound.
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Features and functionality
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Adding a cutaway to a 000 model may reduce low-frequency extension, affecting the bass depth.
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The Martin Custom Shop 12-Fret Slot Head offers a 1 13/16 inch nut width, providing a slightly wider feel than the standard 1 3/4 inch width.
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Short scale versions at 24.9 inches are noted for their suitability for fingerpicking styles and ease on the fingers.
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5.0 out of 5
Based on 1 Review and 1 Rating
64
Sound is great frets lie butter!
My most recent purchase. Although the description is the same mine is a high gloss dark Engelmann spruce top. The action is amazing making it so much easier to fret than any other guitar I own.
Artist usage
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Sturgill aquired this Ditson-style dreadnaught (modeled after the origional Martins built for Ditson department stores in the 1920s) after becoming a Martin Ambasador. It has mahogany back and sides, adirondack spruce top, is 12 frets to the body, and features a slotted headstock.
In his interview for the Martin Journal of Acoustic Guitars (Vol. 5, January 2016), Sturgil talks about why he chose this particular guitar: "I like a lot of bottom end, because I'm primarily a rythm player and a singer," says Simpson. "I picked up a couple 12-fret older model Dreadnaughts in the stores, and they just felt like more resonant, louder guitars. And then I saw the Ditson in the Martin Museum when I toured the factory and just kind of fell in love with the simplicity of the aesthetic of it. No bells or whistles, just a workhorse. This one's really alive already, I can tell, and I'm excited to hear it in a couple of years. I really would like to meet the luthiers who made it, 'cause it's just an absolute tank. It sounds like a cannon." (https://issuu.com/cfmartin/docs/martinjournal_vol5_jan2016)
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
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