1960 Martin D-28

Name: 1960 Martin D-28
Brand: C.F. Martin & Company

Niranjan Arminius, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

They call it "the guitar that built Nashville." The Martin D-28 has been in continuous production since 1931 - the dreadnought-bodied acoustic that defined the sound of country, folk, bluegrass, and rock. Hank Williams played one. So did Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Neil Young, and Johnny Cash. The 1960 model is special because of one wood: Brazilian rosewood. Martin switched to Indian rosewood in 1969 when CITES restrictions limited the supply. A 1960 D-28 in all-original condition now sells for $8,000 to $18,000+.

Quick Value Summary


Item	1960 Martin D-28
Year	1960
Category	Musical Instruments - Acoustic Guitar
Manufacturer	C.F. Martin & Company
Condition Range
Player Grade (some repairs)	$5,000 – $8,000
Good Original Condition	$8,000 – $12,000
Excellent, All-Original	$12,000 – $18,000+
Key Feature	Brazilian rosewood back and sides
Rarity	Uncommon (several hundred made in 1960; all-original examples becoming scarce)

The Story

C.F. Martin & Company has been building guitars in Nazareth, Pennsylvania since 1839. The D-28, introduced in 1931, established the "dreadnought" body shape as the standard for steel-string acoustic guitars. The name comes from a class of British battleship - and the guitar lived up to it. The D-28's booming bass response and balanced projection cut through any ensemble.

The 1960 D-28 represents Martin's golden era of post-war production. The formula was simple and perfect: a Sitka spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck with an ebony fingerboard, and scalloped X-bracing. Every component was chosen for tone, and the wood aged beautifully.

In 1969, Martin was forced to switch from Brazilian to Indian rosewood. CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) restricted Brazilian rosewood exports to protect the dwindling forests. Indian rosewood produces excellent guitars, but the tonal characteristics are different - Brazilian has a sparkle and complexity in the overtones that players describe as "three-dimensional." More importantly for collectors, the switch created a bright line: pre-1969 D-28s have Brazilian rosewood. Everything after doesn't.

That makes every pre-1969 D-28 - including the 1960 - inherently more desirable. Values have roughly doubled over the past decade.

How to Identify It

Key Features of a 1960 D-28

Top: Sitka spruce
Back and sides: Brazilian rosewood (the value driver)
Neck: Mahogany with ebony fingerboard
Bracing: Scalloped X-bracing pattern (visible through soundhole)
Binding: White/black/white top binding, no herringbone (herringbone ended in 1946)
Tuners: Original Grover or Kluson (era-dependent)
Body shape: Dreadnought (14-fret neck joint)

Brazilian vs. Indian Rosewood

Brazilian rosewood has a distinctive grain pattern - often with dramatic figure and color variation from dark chocolate to orange-brown. It also has a characteristic sweet, spicy smell when sanded (though you wouldn't sand a vintage guitar to check). Indian rosewood tends to be more uniformly dark with less dramatic figuring.

Serial Number

The serial number is stamped on the neck block inside the body, visible through the soundhole. Cross-reference with Martin's published serial number records to confirm the production year.

Value by Condition

Condition	Description	Value
Player Grade	Neck reset, replaced tuners, crack repairs	$5,000 – $8,000
Good	Original, normal play wear, minor issues	$8,000 – $10,000
Very Good	All original, light wear, sounds great	$10,000 – $14,000
Excellent	All original, minimal wear	$14,000 – $18,000+

Neck resets are acceptable. Acoustic guitars from this era commonly need neck resets - the angle of the neck changes over decades of string tension. A professional neck reset is considered routine maintenance, not a value-killing modification.

What matters most: Brazilian rosewood (confirmed), original bridge, original bracing, and overall structural integrity. Replaced tuners reduce value slightly but aren't deal-breakers.

Pre-war vs. post-war: Pre-war D-28s (1930s-40s) with herringbone binding and forward-shifted X-bracing are worth $50,000 to $100,000+. The 1960, while excellent, is in a different tier.

Authentication & Fakes

Serial number on neck block - cross-reference with Martin records
Brazilian rosewood verification - grain pattern and expert assessment
Correct bracing pattern visible through the soundhole
Martin stamps and labels inside the body should match the era
CITES documentation may be required for international sale of guitars with Brazilian rosewood
Consult specialists: Carter Vintage Guitars, Elderly Instruments, and similar dealers specialize in vintage Martin authentication

Where to Sell

Carter Vintage Guitars (Nashville) - Major vintage Martin dealer
Elderly Instruments (Lansing, MI) - Established vintage acoustic dealer
Gruhn Guitars (Nashville) - Handles high-end vintage instruments
Reverb.com - Active online vintage guitar market
eBay - Viable with detailed photos and accurate description

CITES note: If selling internationally, Brazilian rosewood guitars require CITES documentation. Domestic (US) sales don't require paperwork, but having documentation can smooth the transaction.

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Common Questions

How much is a 1960 Martin D-28 worth?

$5,000 to $18,000+ depending on condition and originality. Player-grade examples with repairs start around $5,000. All-original, excellent condition: $12,000 to $18,000.

Why does Brazilian rosewood matter?

Brazilian rosewood has tonal characteristics that players describe as richer and more complex than Indian rosewood. More importantly, Martin switched to Indian rosewood in 1969 due to CITES restrictions, making pre-1969 examples inherently scarce with a supply that can never increase.

Are all pre-1969 Martin D-28s valuable?

Yes, but value varies by decade. 1930s-40s (pre-war) with herringbone binding: $50,000 to $100,000+. 1950s: $15,000 to $30,000. 1960s (like the 1960): $5,000 to $18,000. All are desirable for their Brazilian rosewood.

Do I need CITES papers to sell my Martin?

For domestic US sales, no. For international sales, yes - Brazilian rosewood is a CITES-listed species. Having documentation regardless makes sales smoother and adds buyer confidence.