C.F. Martin & Co D-42 LH 2025

The Essentials to Know About the Martin D-42 LH Golden Era Guitar

• Left-handed dreadnought solid wood: power, projection, and presence in the mix


• Solid Sitka spruce top with a scalloped Golden Era X-bracing for a more "vintage" response and generous sustain


• Dovetail neck-to-body joint: optimal vibration transfer and a premium guitar feel


• Premium finishes and details: gold hardware, Style 45 "snowflakes" inlays, ebony fingerboard and bridge

A Revisited Standard Series, True to the Martin Spirit

Handcrafted in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, the Standard Series embodies Martin's heritage: traditional luthiery (dovetail joint, X-bracing) and manufacturing standards designed to last. The D-42 LH Golden Era follows this lineage with performance and comfort enhancements while maintaining a decidedly classic character: refined aesthetics, "old-school" feel, and a broad acoustic response typical of great American dreadnoughts.

Who Is It For, and Which Styles?

This dreadnought folk guitar is primarily aimed at intermediate to advanced players (and studio professionals) seeking a left-handed instrument with exceptional finishing quality. It excels in powerful strumming, singer accompaniment, country/bluegrass, acoustic pop, and modern folk, while remaining highly expressive in fingerpicking thanks to its dynamic range and harmonic richness.

Sound Characteristics

The solid Sitka spruce top delivers attack, clarity, and wide dynamics, ideal for transitioning from light to heavy playing without losing definition. The solid East Indian rosewood back and sides enrich the tonal spectrum with deep lows, bright highs, and slightly scooped mids, producing a full and "hi-fi" sound typical of high-end dreadnoughts.

The scalloped X-bracing (Golden Era style) promotes a more responsive top: a breathing sensation, increased projection, and longer sustain. The dovetail joint, ebony fingerboard/bridge, and compensated bone nuts contribute to excellent vibration transfer, precise intonation, and sharp attack, particularly appreciated in open tunings and pick playing.

Recommended Compatible Accessories

To stay as close as possible to the original sound and feel, opt for a set of Martin SP Acoustic 92/8 Phosphor Bronze Medium strings (the same as the factory setup).

Technical specifications

Category	Steel String Shaped Body	Fingerboard	Ebony
Format	Dreadnought	Nbrs of frets	20
Left handed	Yes	Neck Type	Glued
Cutaway	No	Electroacoustic	No
Strings	Steel	Color	Natural
Nbr of strings	6	Finishing	Glossy
Top	Spruce	Hardware	Nickel
Neck	Selected wood

Shape	Dreadnought	Nut width	44.40 mm / 1.75"
Back & sides	solid East Indian rosewood	Scale length	25.4" / 645 mm
Bracing	scalloped X-bracing	Radius	16" / 406 mm
Bridge	ebony	Inlays	Style 45 snowflakes
Nuts	compensated bone	Tuners	open gear
Binding	Antique White	Left-handed	yes
Finish	gloss lacquer	Number of strings	6
Neck shape	Modified low oval	Factory strings	SP Acoustic 92/8 Phosphor Bronze Medium
Number of frets	20	Case	hard case