Artists Who Play Martin Guitars
Published on 07 September 2023
The undisputed king of the acoustic world - Martin Guitars - has been the artists’ favourite ever since its early days. Founded in 1833 in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, Martin Guitars evolved in size, shape and quality and helped sculpt the musical landscape of the 20th and 21st Centuries. Over the decades and through generations, Martin was strummed by everyone from fine ladies at ballroom courts through Civil War soldiers around campfires to greatest rock ‘n’ roll stars on world’s biggest stages.
Today we associate Martin with some of the best singer-songwriters of all time - and rightly so. After all, we can hear the rich tone of these exceptional acoustics on some of the best recordings ever made. In today’s blog, we’ll be looking at those artists who chose Martin’s exceptional tone to express their musical artistry.
Artists Who Play Martin Guitars
1. Johnny Cash
3. Bob Dylan
5. Neil Young
6. John Lennon
8. Kurt Cobain
9. Eric Clapton
10. John Mayer
1. Johnny Cash
“The Man in Black” rocking out his all-black D-35 Custom paints the perfect outlaw picture and will forever be associated with popular country music. What Cash loved the most about Martin guitars was the robust sound that matched his deep vocals as well as the quality which stood the test of time. When you hear this coming from one of the best selling artists, you don’t have a pinch of doubt as to the product Martin delivers. Cash constantly played his Martin D-35: in the studio (over twenty albums, including the legendary 1969 'Live at San Quentin') and on the road (nearly exclusive use of Martin on his “The Johnny Cash Show”). This now historic model is currently on display at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona. Luckily for most of us, Martin released a more affordable version of the Guitar in Black: the Martin DX Johnny Cash!
2. Elvis Presley
That’s right, one of the best performers and entertainers of all time, Mr Elvis Presley, was a huge fan of Martin guitars and played quite a few different models throughout his career. Many would argue that he more so used them as props, focusing more on his dance moves and vocal parts, yet those who were lucky to have seen him live can attest to the fact that Elvis rocked out the strings like no tomorrow. Presley used 000-18 at the early stages of his career, later taking to much larger body shapes to allow for louder playing on stage (there were no pickups in acoustic guitars and it was near impossible to mic up a performer who moved around on stage the way Elvis did).
He swapped the parlour model for a much more apt D-18. At the peak of his commercial success, Elvis was inseparable from his Martin D-35 and soon began using it dressed in a custom made, tooled-leather cover with his name "Elvis Presley" carved across its front.
3. Bob Dylan
It is somewhat common knowledge (amongst us, musicians at least) that inspiration comes in many shapes and forms. It may be a technique, certain style of playing or… the guitar itself. Woody Guthrie was a huge source of inspiration to a young Bob Dylan. Much like his hero, Dylan wanted to play a Martin guitar. Naturally then, Dylan's first acoustic guitar was an all-mahogany, Depression-era double-0 model. Like many singer-songwriter artists of the 50s and the 60s, Dylan used a variety of guitars. In the late ’60s Dylan started playing a 1963 Martin D-28 with which he toured for a solid ten years.
4. Hank Williams
Country legend and Grand Ole Opry’s musician in resident, Hank Williams, was almost always seen with a Martin guitar in his hands. His trusty Martin D-28 was his go-to guitar for stage and studio throughout Williams’ tremendous yet, sadly, short career. It now graces the entrance to the Martin Factory. Hank Williams recorded a hefty number of singles and had eleven number 1 hits. He was proclaimed “the standard by which success is measured in country music” by The Country Music Hall of Fame.
5. Neil Young
The dreadnought guitar shape was invented by Christian Frederick Martin in 1931. It was named after the mighty British battleships used during the First World War. The Dreadnought model quickly became a favourite amongst folk musicians due to its full and rounded tone, loud projection and clear tones.
Hank Williams’ famous 1941 Martin D-28 was later owned by another Martin enthusiast and player - Neil Young. Young purchased it in the late 1970s and immortalised it in the song “This Old Guitar” which was his way of paying respect to his idol’s musical legacy. Aside from this heritage piece, it was much fancier Martin D-45 that found a special place in Neil Young’s heart. It is that very model we hear on what is perceived as an acoustic guitar masterpiece - his 1972 album Harvest (inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame).
6. John Lennon
Spruce and rosewood have forever been the pairing of tonewoods preferred by singers-songwriters. This combination is as old as guitar luthiery can remember and is used by every manufacturer worldwide, it almost makes us think there must be something magical about the way a Martin is built. So much so it attracts the greatest artists of our times, including none less than The Beatles. Both John Lennon and Paul McCartney have been known to use Martin guitars in the peak of their careers. Lennon acquired his first D-28 in 1967 and from that moment on, this guitar played a crucial role in Lennon’s songwriting process. Martin guitars released his signature D28 back in 2016 to commemorate what would have been John Lennon’s 75th birthday.
7. Willie Nelson
For a country music outlaw, a perfect partner in crime does exist. Willie Nelson and Trigger are a pair straight from a Western movie script: inseparable, dangerous (musically speaking of course) and mere mortals like us look up to their stunts. And if there are models that made music history in the same way as artists, Trigger certainly takes the royal throne amongst them. So what exactly is Trigger? It’s a rather unsuspecting nylon-string classical Martin N-20. Nelson has used it almost exclusively since 1969, playing a staggering 10 thousand shows with the guitar.
Trigger’s road worn look is rather impressive: a battered old acoustic, inclusive of endless dings and scratches, frets so worn they have grooves in them and the top acquired an actual hole near the bridge - due to Nelson’s flatpicking technique which scraped the wood over time. If you speak about artists who play Martin guitar and this duo doesn’t come up, you’re in the wrong crowd.
8. Kurt Cobain
Did you know that the most expensive guitar ever sold was a Martin? Well, now you do. It wasn’t just any Martin but Kurt Cobain’s modified 1959 D-18e whose sound was immortalised during Nirvana’s live MTV Unplugged performance in 1993. Kurt was left-handed and shortly after he purchased the guitar he had it modded (the nut was re-cut and the bridge filed and routed to fit a new saddle). A Bartolini 3AV pickup was installed together with a switch to allow for an amplified performance. Cobain’s tragic death just a few months after this historic show resulted in the D-18e becoming an object of desire for collectors worldwide. It was sold at auction for a record breaking 6 million dollars to Røde founder, Peter Freedman. It can now be admired on display in Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum.
9. Eric Clapton
The list of artists who play Martin guitars transcends not only decades but also generations of most notable players. We’ve got another legendary MTV Unplugged performance, this time with Eric Clapton and his two beloved Martins: his primary choice - the 000-28 model, and a 000-42 from 1939. It comes as no surprise that Martin have immortalised the artist with his own signature 000-28 model which has been available in the catalogue ever since its inception. The guitar’s popularity amongst Martin and Clapton fans doesn’t seem to decrease despite so many other competitive models.
It is worth mentioning that Clapton has also been known to play Martin D-45 on Derek And The Dominos’ debut show in 1985.
10. John Mayer
A player’s player would always end up on this list and so this blog gets nicely topped off with the one and only, John Mayer. It seems like his name gets included in nearly every piece we write but it is rather hard not to mention him! Credit where credit is due, that’s all we’re saying. Especially since 2023 marks a hefty 20 years since John became an official Martin signature artist and scored his own model. Aside from his trademark OMJM, Martin guitars decided to celebrate this exceptionally influential player with unique anniversary models: OM-JM 20th Anniversary model and a dreamy OM-45 20th Anniversary model - both available at guitarguitar!
Honorary Mentions
Having only so much space for the blog, as is tradition, below are selected honorary mentions:
Joan Baez, Seth Avett, Chris Cornell, Marcus Mumford, Ed Sheeran, Sir Paul McCartney, Jason Isbell, Tommy Emmanuel, Weezer, Valerie June, Elle King and many, many more!
Final Thoughts
The list of famous and iconic artists who have played Martin guitars is as impressive as the history of the brand itself. For a company that is nearly two hundred(!) years old many could think innovation and modern technology would long beat the old-school touch of traditional luthiery. But we’re quite happy to say the opposite seems to be true: artists of the highest calibre are drawn to the tradition more than they are to sometimes dubious inventions of modern times.
And how do you see the world of acoustic guitars’ players? Are you a fan of the tried-and-tested luthiery? If you play a Martin, we know the answer. And if you don’t (yet) then we hope this list of legends inspires you to try a Martin guitar and find out for yourself.
