The Semiquincentennial edition pays homage to both the nation’s founding and a company milestone: the 50th anniversary of the HD-28, a flagship model introduced during the 1976 Bicentennial. By integrating wood from the legendary New Jersey tree—which stood for centuries before its removal in 2017—Martin embeds tangible Revolutionary-era history into the instrument's endpiece, heelcap, and headplate inlay.
In section Releases
Martin’s New HD-28 Uses 600-Year-Old Oak to Mark U.S. Semiquincentennial
George Washington once picnicked beneath the Basking Ridge white oak, a 600-year-old tree that now serves as the centerpiece for C. F. Martin & Co.’s latest release. To mark the 250th anniversary of American independence, the Pennsylvania guitar maker has unveiled 250 limited-edition HD-28 acoustic instruments featuring pieces of that historic timber.
Beyond the historic oak, the guitar features a reclaimed Sitka spruce top adorned with custom artwork by Robert Goetzl. The imagery includes Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, a bald eagle, and a colonial-era flag, reinforcing the Pennsylvania connection. Under the aesthetic tributes, the guitar retains the HD-28’s signature construction: solid East Indian rosewood back and sides, forward-shifted X-bracing, and a powerful, resonant Dreadnought body. According to Chris Martin IV, the project serves as a bridge between the company’s nearly two-century history and the future of the American story. The guitars will be available through authorized dealers starting July 2, 2026.
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