Martin D12-35 12 Fret Round Shoulder Dreadnought, 1975 (No Longer Available)

Introduced in 1965, and no longer in production, the Martin D12-35 12-fret was the 12-string version of the classic Martin D35, visually notable for its three section Rosewood back.

This Martin D12-35 example dates to 1975 and pairs a Sitka Spruce top with Indian Rosewood for the sides, three-piece back, bridge plate, and thin headstock veneer. The body blocks and slotted-peghead neck are Mahogany. The bridge and bound 12-fret fingerboard are Ebony. The slotted peghead allows for a steeper string angle from the nut to the tuning machines, without increasing the headstock angle. At time of construction, Martin was still using fixed stiffener rods rather than adjustable truss rods; that change occurred in 1985.

A set of K&K Pure Mini transducers are installed and lead to an end-pin jack, so this is ready to plug in!

This guitar is in good working order, with an action ranging from 5/54ths bass to 5/64ths treble. In a few places, the fingerboard binding has cracked and been re-glued. There are some wear marks from enthusiastic strumming. The pickguard is original and has shrunk over the years. There are a number of scratches and dents from use. It’s obviously been played and has a huge, full, open sound to prove it!

The original case is included.

The Martin D12-35 uses a Dreadnought shape, but it does not have the ‘square’ shoulders typical of the Martin D body; the upper bouts are rounded or ‘sloped’. It’s more like the 1916 models built for the Ditson company in terms of body shape.

As well, the Martin D12-35 uses a 12-fret neck. 14-fret necks were uncommon until the closing days of the 1920’s during the great migration of banjo players to guitar. For a guitar, changing from 12 to 14 fret necks involves not only replacing the neck, but usually re-positioning the bridge and bracing. 12-fret models typically have the bridge closer to the center of the box, giving more warmth and fullness.

The three-piece Martin D12-35 design was introduced partly because of simple market realities. Larger sized pieces of Rosewood, particularly Brazilian, were becoming scarcer and more expensive. By 1967, Martin was phasing out the use of Brazilian Rosewood, but it appeared on guitars into 1970 until the stocks were completely exhausted.