Offered from 2000 to 2017, the D-16RGT was an accessible Nazareth, PA-made Martin that delivered the classic rosewood dreadnought sound. The D-16RGT is essentially a no frills 14-fret dreadnought with a Sitka Spruce top and East Indian Rosewood back and sides. While it may not have the high-end purfling, binding, and full-body gloss finishes of more expensive models, the D-16RGT features all solid wood construction, and it delivers excellent tone. Its voice is powerful with shimmering high end and impressive bass response.
This D-16RGT was made in 2001, so it features the original spec of the model with a genuine Rosewood fingerboard and bridge. When it was made, this D-16RGT was essentially a stripped-down, lower-cost D-28 with a mortise and tenon neck joint instead of a dovetail. Over the years, it has started to developed the nuanced, played-in sound we love from old Martins. This is a fantastic dreadnought!
This 2001 Martin D-16RGT has been played, and it shows some wear and tear from the years. The worst is some finish discoloartion along the fingerboard extension. We're told this was from the output wire of an old soundhole pickup, but it seems to extend all the way down the binding towards the nut. At first glance, it looked like it was possibly the result of excess heat from a neck reset, but there are no other indications that the neck has been removed, and again the discoloration extends past the body. Apart from that, the back of neck has some wear you can feel, but it doesn't affect the playability whatsoever. Around the body, there are some scuffs, scratches, and signs of use. But all in all, there's nothing too bad, and the guitar is 100% structurally stable with no repairs or issues. No bridge lift or other problems with age.
This 2001 Martin D-16RGT came to us with a nice setup and low action with Medium gauge (.013-.056) strings. The frets show some minor wear, but there are no buzzes, dead spots, or other issues. It produces a robust dreadnought sound with nice clarity and balance. It includes its original Martin-branded hardshell case.