The Modern Deluxe Series Lineup
THE MODERN DELUXE SERIES | Modern Deluxe guitars reimagine what a Martin can be—blending time-honored construction with forward-thinking design. Each model features a spruce top enhanced by our Vintage Tone System® (VTS), which ages the wood to emulate the sound and beauty of a century-old instrument. You’ll also find classic appointments like European flamed maple binding, a genuine dovetail neck joint, and gold open-gear tuners alongside modern refinements—including a carbon fiber bridge plate and our Vintage Deluxe neck profile—that help deliver increased volume, comfort, and responsiveness without sacrificing the unmistakable Martin voice. Whether you're recording, performing, or simply chasing inspiration at home, the Modern Deluxe Series brings the best of yesterday into today.
Modern Deluxe Series: A New Era of Martin Innovation
When the Modern Deluxe Series was first introduced, it marked a bold step forward for Martin. In this early overview, Guitar World’s Paul Riario joins Director of Instrument Design Tim Teel inside the Martin Museum for a closer look at the groundbreaking features that helped redefine what a modern Martin could be—blending traditional craftsmanship with forward-thinking materials and design.
Balance Yesterday & Today
Modern Deluxe models combine premium tonewoods with advanced materials to enhance performance, projection, and playability—while staying true to Martin’s trusted build philosophy.
Key Features:
- Solid spruce top with Vintage Tone System (VTS)
- Golden Era scalloped Adirondack spruce X-bracing with VTS
- Vintage Deluxe asymmetrical neck profile
- European flamed maple binding
- Natural protein glue
- Carbon fiber bridge plate
- Liquidmetal® bridge pins
- Titanium two-way truss rod
- Gold open-gear tuners
- EVO gold frets
What People Are Saying
Acoustic Guitar Magazine
“There’s simply no arguing with the overwhelming quality and class of the materials and craftsmanship, or the remarkable complexity, character, and depth of the sound. As the old saying goes, you do get what you pay for.”
Guitar World
“By injecting ultramodern features, introducing elegant appointments, and without compromising the look and vibe of these legendary acoustics, the result is a stunning modern classic, with instantly noticeable improvements in sound and feel.”
Premier Guitar
“It would be easy for a company of Martin’s stature to coast every now and again. Maintaining brand mystique is exhausting in an age when hype rules the day. Keeping quality and substance intact—and maintaining commitment from the folks on the shop floor that deliver it—is even harder. But year in and year out, Martin continues to make instruments that simultaneously dwell in the realms of the practical, the musical, and the exquisite.”
Guitar.com
“With this Modern Deluxe D-28, Martin has managed to bolster the mids and even out the string-to-string response—in a way that seems quite in vogue—without losing what we like about the company’s traditional dreadnought sonic signature. It’s not excessively bright, the bass is effectively de-boomed without sacrificing power and the sustain is remarkable.”
MusicRadar
“Martin’s mission to evolve its heritage by enhancing the range in the way we’ve seen here is to be applauded. We can imagine that all the new-fangled ideas that are going on with the Modern Deluxes—both seen and unseen—may be in conflict with comfort-zone sensibilities of the traditionalists, but to those fine gentlefolk we would wholeheartedly recommend auditioning one. The difference you find here is real with additional volume, enhanced projection, greater sustain—and that’s on top of the renowned Martin tone. You really can’t go wrong.”