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Elvis Presley was, is and always will be the King of rock & roll. Influenced by the pop, country, rhythm & blues and gospel music of the early 1950s, he took rock & roll from novelty to mainstream in a brilliant career that included 150 gold, platinum or multi-platinum singles and albums, 149 songs on the Billboard “Hot 100 Pop Chart,” 1,100 concert appearances, 3 television specials, 33 movies and record sales that now surpass one billion worldwide. His death in 1977 at age 42 stunned the world, but so enduring is his popularity that the 1992 United States postage stamp bearing his likeness is the top selling commemorative stamp of all time and Graceland, his home in Memphis, welcomes more than 600,000 visitors each year.
While best known for his singing, Elvis’ guitar playing served him well, especially in the early years of his career. His pulsing, rhythmic strumming was featured on many of his early recordings and on stage in the mid-1950s, when Martin was his guitar. He began with a used 000-18 in 1954, but within months had traded it in for a 1942 Martin D-18. The next year he got a 1955 D-28; fitted with a custom-tooled leather cover with his name across the lower bout, it became perhaps his most recognized acoustic due to the many Elvis concert photos in which it appears.
A Martin also was Elvis’ main acoustic at the end of his career. He played a mid-1970s D-28 during his last concert tour and it was the last guitar he played on stage in June of 1977. The instrument was packed and ready to go back out on the road with Elvis when he died on August 16, 1977; it now resides in the collection at Graceland.
In tribute to Elvis Presley on the 30th anniversary of his passing – also, coincidentally, the 175th anniversary of the Martin Guitar Company – Martin is excited to offer two exceptional commemorative edition guitars fit for the King and his legion of fans.
Sporting exclusive appointments throughout, the Martin D-28M and D-28 Elvis Presley Commemorative Editions capture Elvis’ unique charisma.
Limited to just 175 guitars to mark C. F. Martin’s 175th anniversary, the D-28M Elvis Presley Commemorative Limited Edition features rare Madagascar rosewood back and sides (which closely resembles Brazilian rosewood), and an Adirondack spruce top with 5/16” scalloped Adirondack spruce braces for brilliant, powerful tone. Fine black and white inlay lines highlight the Style 28 soundhole rosette and purfling, the latter accented by elegant grained ivoroid binding.
| MODEL | D-28M Elvis Presley |
| CONSTRUCTION: | Mahogany Blocks/Dovetail Neck Joint |
| BODY SIZE: | D-14 Fret |
| TOP: | Solid Adirondack Spruce |
| ROSETTE: | Style 28 |
| TOP BRACING PATTERN: | Standard ''X'' Scalloped |
| TOP BRACES: | Solid Adirondack Spruce 5/16'' |
| BACK MATERIAL: | Solid Madagascar Rosewood |
| BACK PURFLING: | Style 28 |
| SIDE MATERIAL: | Solid Madagascar Rosewood |
| ENDPIECE: | Grained Ivoroid |
| ENDPIECE INLAY: | Black/White Boltaron |
| BINDING: | Grained Ivoroid |
| TOP INLAY STYLE: | Multiple Black/White Boltaron |
| SIDE INLAY: | none |
| BACK INLAY: | Black/White Boltaron |
| NECK MATERIAL: | Select Hardwood |
| NECK SHAPE: | Low Profile |
| NUT MATERIAL: | Bone |
| HEADSTOCK: | Solid/Diamond/Square Taper |
| HEADPLATE: | Solid Black Ebony /Elvis Presley Graphic Silhouette - White & Black Mother Of Pearl /Large Old Style |
| HEELCAP: | Black Micarta with TCB Lightning Bolt Inlay in Mother Of Pearl |
| FINGERBOARD MATERIAL: | Solid Black Ebony |
| SCALE LENGTH: | 25.4'' |
| # OF FRETS CLEAR: | 14 |
| # OF FRETS TOTAL: | 20 |
| FINGERBOARD WIDTH AT NUT: | 1-11/16'' |
| FINGERBOARD WIDTH AT 12TH FRET: | 2-1/8'' |
| FINGERBOARD POSITION INLAYS: | Stars - Select Abalone (Bordered In M.O.P.) @ 5th, 7th, 9th, 15th & 17th Frets |
| FINGERBOARD BINDING: | none |
| FINISH BACK & SIDES: | Polished Gloss |
| FINISH TOP: | Polished Gloss w/ Aging Toner |
| FINISH NECK: | Satin w/ Polished Headplate |
| BRIDGE MATERIAL: | Solid Black Ebony |
| BRIDGE STYLE: | Vintage Belly w/ Drop-In Long Saddle |
| BRIDGE STRING SPACING: | 2-1/8'' |
| SADDLE: | 16'' Radius/Bone - Drop-In Long Saddle |
| TUNING MACHINES: | Grover Deluxe Nickel (Kluson Style) |
| RECOMMENDED STRINGS: | Martin Studio Performance Medium Phosphor Bronze (MSP4200) |
| BRIDGE & END PINS: | White w/ Black Dots |
| PICKGUARD: | Black - Beveled & Polished |
| CASE: | 545EXL Geib style ; Leather Cover available in right-hand configuration only |
| INTERIOR LABEL: | 2 Labels- 1 Elvis Label w/ Holographic Elvis Sticker, Numbered In Sequence w/ Total (175), 1 Album Cover Label |

