C.F. Martin & Co OM-42 2025

Essential Information About the OM-42 Golden Era Guitar

• Solid Sitka Spruce Top with "Golden Era" carved X bracing for a lively response, great projection, and generous sustain.


• Solid East Indian Rosewood Back and Sides: deep lows, crystalline highs, and a rich harmonic spectrum.


• Mahogany GE Modified Low Oval Neck, dovetail joint for optimal vibration transfer and modern comfort.


• Style 42 Ornamentation (abalone purflings, Style 45 rosette, "Large Old Style" logo), ebony fingerboard and bridge.

The "Golden Era" Spirit in Martin Heritage

A high-end reinterpretation of the Orchestra Model, the OM-42 Golden Era continues the tradition of Martin guitars from the interwar period. The GE Sitka spruce bracing and dovetail neck/body joint uphold traditional luthiery while benefiting from playability and finish improvements typical of the current Standard series.

For Whom and Which Styles?

Thanks to its OM/000 format with a 14th-fret neck joint, 44.4 mm nut width, and 16" radius, this guitar is perfectly suited for fingerstyle, folk, country, blues players, and accompaniment in open tunings. Its precise dynamics and great articulation also make it an excellent choice for studio work and carefully miked live performances.

Sound Characteristics

The combination of solid Sitka spruce and solid East Indian rosewood offers a broad palette: deep lows, balanced mids, and sparkling highs. The scalloped "Golden Era" X bracing frees the top, enhancing responsiveness to light attack and sustain. The ebony Modern Belly bridge, bone nuts, and ebony fingerboard provide clear attack, precise intonation, and stability. The OM body shape delivers remarkable projection for its size, with a very clear stereo image in recordings.

Recommended Compatible Accessories

To preserve the character of the OM-42, opt for Light 12-54 phosphor bronze strings (original Martin SP type set). A capo compatible with a 16" radius will ensure uniform tuning. A case or soundhole humidifier is highly recommended to stabilize humidity levels. A rigid OM/000 format case is included: use it for transport and storage. For standing play, a leather strap with a headstock lace attachment is ideal.

Technical specifications

Category	Steel String Shaped Body	Fingerboard	Ebony
Format	000	Nbrs of frets	20
Left handed	No	Headstock	Massive, East Indian rosewood
Cutaway	No	Neck Type	Glued
Strings	Steel	Electroacoustic	No
Nbr of strings	6	Color	Natural
Top	Spruce	Finishing	Glossy
Neck	Selected wood	Hardware	Nickel

Bracing	scalloped "Golden Era" X bracing; Sitka spruce top bracing 6.35 mm / 0.25"	Nut width	1.75" / 44.4 mm
Back & sides	solid East Indian rosewood	Fingerboard width at 12th fret	2.24" / 57 mm
Top purflings	abalone with multiple bands	Radius	16" / 406 mm
Binding	"Antique White"; multi-band side bindings	Heel cap	"Antique White" with multiple bands
Rosette	Style 45	Number of frets	20
Back purfling inlay	Style 45	Tuners	open gold, "Butterbean" buttons
Pickguard	tortoise	Bridge	ebony, Modern Belly style
Finish	glossy lacquer	Nuts (headstock and bridge)	bone
Neck/body joint	glued, dovetail assembly	String spacing at bridge	2.24" / 57 mm
Scale length	25.4" / 645 mm	Bridge pins	white with abalone dots