This near mint condition 2007 special edition Martin Ditson 111 is based on the first dreadnought guitar designed by Martin Guitars for the Oliver Ditson company in 1916. Martin produced a series of unique wide-waisted guitars for Ditson in three sizes and three different styles. The 111, 222 and 333 were the largest and became what we know today as the Martin Dreadnought.
At the turn of the 20th century, the Oliver Ditson Co. was a pre-eminent music retailer and publisher, with branches in Boston, New York and Philadelphia. Ditson had been selling Martin guitars since the 1860’s, and in 1916, they commissioned Martin to produce a custom line of instruments, among which was a guitar virtually unprecedented in size. Originally conceived as a Hawaiian guitar, the ‘Dreadnought’ was named after a WWI British battleship, with a body that dramatically longer, wider and deeper than any previous Martin instrument. In addition, the 12 fret neck was built with a long 25.4″ scale, and strung with steel strings, both features new to the builders of Martin Guitars in Nazareth, PA. So advanced was the Model 111 that it preceded Martin’s first steel string models by a full six years. And it wasn’t until after the Ditson company closed its doors in 1931 that Martin finally built its first dreadnought under the Martin name, no less than fifteen years after the pioneering Ditson 111 made its debut.
This Martin Ditson Model 111 is a 2007 reissue of that groundbreaking guitar, meticulously re-created from the measurements of one of the seven original Ditsons. Built with a premium Adirondack Spruce top and braces (the same woods used on the original Great War era guitars) with Mahogany back, sides and neck, The Ditson is a featherweight build for it’s size. Vintage touches like the Brazilian Rosewood bindings and headstock overlay, Ditson style tortoise pickguard, Waverly engraved 3-per side tuners with Ivoroid buttons, 1 7/8″ nut width, antique toner top finish, and solid Ebony fingerboard and pyramid bridge,, the Ditson 111 is faithful in every detail, right down to the Ditson Co. stamps on the headstock and center brace.
Includes original hardshell case.
Free shipping in the continental United States.
–