Gear Hunter

Martin CS-Bluegrass-16

Modern Martin playability meets classic herringbone tone

CS-Bluegrass-16 specs include: All-solid woods with hide glue construction throughout; Guatemalan rosewood back and sides; Adirondack spruce top with Vintage Tone System torrefaction, antique toner and fine herringbone purfling, large sound hole, forward-shifted scalloped 5/16” VTS bracing; mahogany High Performance Neck with Modified Low Oval profile, ebony fingerboard with 1-3/4” width at nut and 2-1/8” at 12th fret, white dot position markers; ebony bridge with 2-5/32” string spacing; chrome open back butter bean tuners.

The combination of Guatemalan rosewood backing a torrefied Adirondack spruce soundboard produces substantial fundamental notes, with wound strings both fat and firm, and solid unwound trebles that stand up and out from the indulgently warm rosewood voice, with its bottom end depths of inky richness, and a cavernous and echoing undertone billowing with a colorful midrange “presence” that is the hallmark of a classic Martin guitar.

This is a big, bold, beautiful dreadnought of considerable strength and vigor, with tremendous volume and projection.