The Martin CS-OM-13 Custom Shop Acoustic Guitar with Case features a top of high-altitude spruce, harvested in winter months to produce a lighter-weight wood with better stiffness, and a tight and even grain. The back and sides are Madagascar rosewood, and the fingerboard is inlaid with pearl scalloped diamonds and red spiny reconstituted stone with a mother of pearl border. Constructed using hide glue, these guitars will only be constructed during the year 2013, and limited to 80 instruments.

Martin's annual Custom Shop editions have exhibited the very best of what a Martin guitar can be. This offering -- the Martin CS-OM-13 Custom Shop Acoustic Guitar with Case -- Martin has acquired some beautiful and rare high altitude Swiss spruce for the top material. This wood is cut in the traditional European violin makers' method of fallen trees in the winter months before a new moon. Swiss spruce is light in color and weight, but stiff and close grained lending itself to incredible responsiveness. Traditionally prized Adirondack spruce is used for the cross braces as a means of providing that 'vintage Martin complexity' to the instrument, while Sitka spruce is chosen as tone bar material to soften the aural edges. Tradition is further challenged with addition of a Madagascar rosewood bridge plate. The entire instrument is handcrafted in the C. F. Martin Custom Shop using hot hide glue. The back and sides are premium Madagascar rosewood bound with rose-colored African Bubinga. The solid 12/4 mahogany neck sports a two-way adjustable trus-srod, a Bubinga bound ebony fingerboard, a special custom inlay pattern, premium Waverly tuning machines with Snakewood knobs, and a Madagascar rosewood head-plate (also bound in Bubinga) with a silver old-style logo. Martin believes they have created a truly inspiring and versatile instrument for the serious player.

Most instruments today generally stick with the standard format of single species top and bracing combinations. (Adirondack top, Adirondack braces, Sitka spruce top, Sitka braces, etc.) If a top species other than Adirondack or Sitka spruce is used, it is generally paired with Sitka braces. The thinking behind the CS-OM-13 started with the idea of blending various spruce materials in the bracing in top construction to create a new tonal palette. Much like how winemakers blend various grapes to create great wine, we believe various spruce-top and bracing materials can be used to blend the tonal characteristics of each species into an inspiring and exciting sound.

Full specs are as follows:

Model: CS-OM-13
Construction: Mahogany Blocks/Dovetail Neck Joint - Hide Glue Construction
Body Size: 000-14 Fret
Top: High Altitude Swiss Spruce
Rosette Style: 28
Top Bracing Pattern: Standard "X" Scalloped
Top Braces: Solid Adirondack Spruce 5/16 in. /Golden Era
Back Material: Solid Madagascar Rosewood
Back Purfling: Style 18
Side Material: Solid Madagascar Rosewood
Endpiece: Quilted Bubinga
Endpiece Inlay: Black/Maple/Black Fiber
Binding Quilted: Bubinga
Top Inlay Style: Multiple Black/Maple Fiber
Back Inlay: Black/Maple/Black Fiber
Neck Material: Select Hardwood
Neck Shape: CS Profile #1
Nut Material: Bone
Headstock: Solid/Square Taper
Headplate: Solid Madagascar Rosewood
Heelcap: Quilted Bubinga
Fingerboard Material: Solid Black Ebony
Scale Length: 25.4 in.
# Of Frets Clear: 14
# Of Frets Total: 20
Fingerboard Width At Nut: 1-3/4 in.
Fingerboard Width At 12th Fret: 2-1/4 in.
Fingerboard Position Inlays: Pearl Scalloped Diamonds, Red Spiny Recon Stone w/MOP Border
Fingerboard Binding: Quilted Bubinga
Finish Back & Sides: Polished Gloss
Finish Top: Polished Gloss
Finish Neck: Satin
Bridge Material: Solid Black Ebony
Bridge Style: 1930 Style Belly w/Drop In Saddle
Bridge String Spacing: 2-1/4 in.
Saddle: 16 in. Radius/Long Bone/Drop-In
Tuning Machines: Waverly Nickel w/Snakewood Knobs
Recommended Strings: Martin SP Lifespan Phosphor Bronze Light Gauge (MSP7100)
Bridge & End Pins: Black w/White Dots
Pickguard: Delmar Tortoise Color
Case: Silver Hardshell OM-14F Silver Custom Case