Martin HJ-38 Stefan Grossman from 2008, in very good preserved and playing condition.
This model is part of a limited series of less than 200 instruments produced between 2008 and 2011, signed by the hand of country-blues musician Stefan Grossman. The instrument condenses construction and finishing elements characteristic of high-end guitars produced in Nazareth, notably those of styles 28 and 40 to 45: tight-grain Sitka spruce top; back, sides and headstock veneer in a superbly figured Madagascar rosewood, ebony fingerboard and bridge, snowflake style fingerboard inlays, rosette surrounded by mother-of-pearl purfling, top binding with herringbone patterns (borrowed from the style 28 of the 30s and 40s), Martin logo inlaid in mother-of-pearl on the headstock in accordance with style 45… hence the choice of an intermediate number, 38! The format of the instrument is not the most conventional either: J for Jumbo, this size is in reality similar to that of the F archtops produced by Martin from 1935 to 1942 with the exception of the body depth which is increased to reach that of a dreadnought. As a result, the guitar develops an impressive sonic power, without losing precision across the entire frequency range. Add to that a long scale and a nut width of 1 3/4 inch and we obtain an instrument exceptionally well suited to finger picking or flat picking!
The guitar remains in superb condition to this day, we only note a crack on the back of the instrument which has been restored and stabilized using cleats. We have fully adjusted the instrument in our workshop with a planning of the frets, adjustment of the nuts to obtain optimal playing comfort and accurate intonation.
Sold in its original Martin case.
