With the finest tone woods available and some of the most skilled luthiers in the business, there's no question the Martin Custom Shop builds some of the most impressive acoustic guitars you are likely to find.
This Custom Shop Martin was made in 2020, and it starts with a 12-fret 000 body and a short 24.9" scale length. For woods, it has a nicely book-matched Adirondack Spruce top and Sinker Mahogany back and sides. This particular Sinker Mahogany was salvaged from a riverbed in Belize, and it shows beautiful figure on the back and sides. While we're undecided on whether or not the sinking itself actually does anything (other than preserve the wood), one thing we know for sure is that this wood set came from an old log. This Mahogany tree would've grown in natural, old-growth forest long before industrialization hit Central America.
From there, this Custom Shop 000-12 has understated Style-18 appointments, and its slotted headstock looks classy with no C.F. Martin decal on the back. Of course, there is an early-1990s stamp on the back of the peghead to let you know this guitar was proudly made in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. Waverly tuners keep everything happy. The bone nut measures 1-3/4", and that tapers to 2-3/16" string spacing at the saddle. The modern belly bridge has a regular drop-in saddle, which allows for easy setup adjustments down the road. The final modern touch is Martin's Luxe Liquid Metal bridge pins.
This Custom Shop 000-12 produces a rich Mahogany sound with strong midrange and nice bass response, thanks to the 12-fret design. It feels responsive and played-in, but it has been taken care of, so it is clean and free of cosmetic dings or issues. It shows some minor play wear, and there is some Snark wear on the front of the headstock (see photos). The previous owner installed a strap button on the neck heel. Although it was only made in 2020, this 000-12 has developed some of the nuanced, sweet tone of a well-loved Martin. We typically only expect that from old Martins, so just imagine how this Custom Shop 12-fret will sound in 50 years!
This 2020 Martin Custom Shop 000 is a well-voiced, versatile 12-fret guitar. The combination of the shorter neck and shorter scale make it feel small and manageable, but its sound still projects and cuts. The bass presence is impressive. It includes its original TKL hardshell case.