Martin may not be the first company that comes to mind when you think of classical guitar builders. Nevertheless, most Martin guitars made prior to 1928 were made for gut strings, even though they don't closely resemble the Spanish tradition of Classical guitars. Since steel strings became popular in the '30s, Martin has made various attempts
In 1962, Martin launched the C-series as its first earnest attempt to build guitars that could keep up with classical players more familiar with Spanish-made instruments. The 00-28C rolled out a few years later in 1966, and it featured classical-appropriate fan bracing, a wide bridge with rounded ends, 12-frets clear of the body, and 25.4" scale. The Martin brand has largely relied on the X-bracing innovation since the 1840s, but fan bracing on the 00-28C captures the response, dynamics, and volume of handmade instruments built in the Spanish tradition. Nevertheless, its Brazilian Rosewood back and sides and matching Style-28 appointments are decidedly Martin. These guitars were also built with every bit of the commitment to quality and integrity we expect from Martin.
This 1967 Martin 00-28C is such a sweet nylon-string guitar! Its soft, mellow timbre is such a great choice for folk music. Fingerpicking, strumming, even digging in with a flatpack, it delivers more of that classical tone, but with the Martin character you'd expect.
As for repairs, there is a small patched area on the treble side of the back (see photos), and a pickguard has been added. When it came to us, the bridge needed to re-reglued, and we had Dave Farmer of Turtle Lake String Instruments go through it and optimize the playability. Thanks to his work, it plays nicely and sounds like it should. Other than that, there is also a repaired back crack and a repaired top crack along the bass edge of the bridge. A pickup was installed at one time, but it has been properly removed. The old end pin jack is still in place.
All in all, this 1967 00-28C is the perfect guitar for someone who wants that nylon tone but maybe isn't a traditional classical player. For any Martin fan, too, this 00-28C fills an interesting niche. It includes a period case that isn't particularly impressive, but good enough to get the guitar around town.