The OM That Started It All: John Mayer’s Signature Martin

From the Factory, Players | June 25, 2025

The OM That Started It All: John Mayer’s Signature Martin

A look at the prototype that launched John Mayer’s long-running partnership with Martin Guitar

The OM-JM John Mayer martin sitting on a stand in the Martin Museum

In our ongoing blog series spotlighting iconic artist guitars in the Martin Museum, we’ve been highlighting instruments that helped shape the sound of popular music. From Clapton to Cobain, each tells its own story. This time, we’re turning to a guitar that helped usher in a new era of acoustic music in the early 2000s: a prototype of the very first Martin signature model built for John Mayer—the OM-28 John Mayer.

At the time, John was a rising star—a young songwriter from Connecticut whose heartfelt lyrics and fluid guitar playing were quickly gaining attention. “When Mayer got his first real check as a musician, one of the first things he bought was a Martin,” says Jason Ahner, Martin's archives and museum manager. “He actually bought a Dave Matthews signature model.”

That early love for Martin soon turned into something much bigger. In 2003, John partnered with the company to design his dream acoustic: the OM-28 John Mayer, his first signature model. Today, one of the rare prototypes of that guitar lives in the Martin Museum in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. It’s not just a guitar—it’s the beginning of a lasting legacy.

Designing a Dream Guitar

Back in the early 2000s, John was quickly becoming a household name. Room for Squares had taken off, and his playing—and tone—was catching ears across the industry. That’s when former artist relations director Dick Boak reached out, and the two began shaping the guitar John always wanted.

“There are some unique elements he influenced,” Jason says. “Like the diver symbol from a watch inlaid on the fingerboard, and the aluminum inlay around the bridge. That was all John.” The original OM-28 John Mayer was also limited to just 404 guitars, a nod to Atlanta’s area code—John’s home at the time.

Those details helped create a guitar that felt deeply personal. “It’s probably the most collectible Martin released in the 21st century,” Jason explains. “I mean, people ask fifty grand for them now. That’s pre-war money!”

Watch our Signature Stories episode with Dick Boak below, where he reflects on working with John and helping bring his vision to life.

Inside the Prototype

The prototype on display in the Martin Museum closely resembles the production OM-28 John Mayer. It features a longer 25.4" scale length—typical for an OM—but with a 1 11/16" nut width and Low Profile neck, two details John specifically requested for feel and playability.

“That neck spec is really unique,” Jason says. “It’s what he preferred, and it stuck. Even the OMJM that came after it kept that same feel.” Over time, John's Martin catalog has expanded to include Dreadnoughts, custom builds, and Stagecoach models—each with their own personality. But it all started with this one.

And while the museum doesn’t yet have a guitar personally owned by John, the company does house a signed promotional poster from the early 2000s. “It was one of those music history ads we used to do,” Jason explains. “He wrote on it, ‘I wish I had my own signature Martin.’”

Photo of the label inside the John Mayer acoustic guitar

A Modern Guitar Icon

Today, John Mayer is recognized not just as a GRAMMY®-winning artist, but as one of the most respected guitarists of his generation. With millions of records sold, billions of streams, and a unique blend of songwriting and technical brilliance, he’s carved out a space all his own in the modern guitar world.

“He’s kind of the modern-day guitar god,” Jason says. “And he’s one of a handful of artists whose signature Martin models have stayed in production long-term.”

In fact, the OMJM—a slightly scaled-down version of the original OM-28 John Mayer—is still available in Martin’s lineup today. Built with an Engelmann spruce top and East Indian rosewood back and sides, it carries John's signature tone—balanced, expressive, and undeniably musical.

A Guitar Worth Visiting

John's influence on the acoustic world is undeniable. From sold-out solo acoustic tours to his work with Dead & Company, he’s kept the acoustic guitar front and center in popular music. And it all started with a Martin.

“That early 2000s period was big for us,” Jason reflects. “We were modernizing production, getting into CNC tech, expanding, and having artists like Mayer choosing to play our guitars because they wanted to—not because we paid them. That made a difference.”

Now, this OM-28 John Mayer prototype is on display at home in Nazareth, where it joins other legendary artist guitars in the Martin Museum’s collection.

So next time you’re in town, stop by and take a look. It’s not just wood and strings—it’s a piece of modern music history.