1993 Martin JC-40
The Martin JC-40 was the company’s flagship cutaway model during its 10-year production run. Introduced in 1987 as the J-40MC, the guitar featured the 16” Jumbo body that’s dimensionally similar to Martin’s M size but with dreadnought depth, a venetian cut-away, and appointments that lie somewhere between styles 35 and 41 in terms of ornateness. Less than 1000 of this model were built over ten years, which makes them quite rare today.
Sitka and rosewood body bound with 7 ply purflings on the top, 5 ply back purflings and mitred side purflings against white bindings. The style 45 fingerboard is triple bound and inlaid with pearl hexagons, and the guitar’s headstock is finished with an old-style logo and gold Schaller tuners. Younger versions of this model would feature the vertical C.F. Martin logo in pearl. The scale length is 25.4”
The top is built with scalloped braces and a small maple bridge plate which, along with the Jumbo body dimensions, expands the guitar’s tonal pallet and volume significantly. It’s a wonderful sounding instrument that offers the note separation, clarity, balance, and fundamental presence of a Martin OM; and the warmth, volume, and headroom of a scalloped braced Martin Dreadnought. It’s exceptionally versatile as a result and will find favour with fingerstyle players and strummers alike.
This JC-40 remains in very fine condition but has been well played. There is moderate to heavy finish wear to the back of the neck, but the body finish is much less worn. The back shows belt buckle impressions, and the top shows playwear along the soundhole and between the bridge and pickguard. There is a properly repaired top crack along the treble-edge of the fretboard extension, two sections of glued back-binding, and a few brace ends have been neatly reglued. Original frets, finish, nut, tuners, bridge, and pins. The saddle was made here, and there is an after-market B-Band combination bridgeplate transducer / internal mic pickup in the guitar that was installed 15 or 20 years ago by us. It works great, but you’ll want a stereo two-channel mixer or preamp to get the most out of it.
The guitar is set up with 12-53 strings and our shop standard action of 5-6 64ths at the 12th fret. There’s plenty of saddle height available for action adjustments down the road. The original frets are starting to show their age but play relatively cleanly. There are a few spots of string wear at the 4th and 5th frets that get a bit zingy under a medium to heavy right hand, so capo users take note. The neck has a round carve, 1-11/16” nut width, and measures .85” at the 1st fret. The depth at the 9th fret is .89”, and string spread at the bridge is 2-1/8”.
All told, this JC-40 is a remarkably good sounding and easy playing stage-ready cutaway Martin that scores a few extra marks thanks to its relative rarity and unique design.
With original hardshell case
Sitka and rosewood body bound with 7 ply purflings on the top, 5 ply back purflings and mitred side purflings against white bindings. The style 45 fingerboard is triple bound and inlaid with pearl hexagons, and the guitar’s headstock is finished with an old-style logo and gold Schaller tuners. Younger versions of this model would feature the vertical C.F. Martin logo in pearl. The scale length is 25.4”
The top is built with scalloped braces and a small maple bridge plate which, along with the Jumbo body dimensions, expands the guitar’s tonal pallet and volume significantly. It’s a wonderful sounding instrument that offers the note separation, clarity, balance, and fundamental presence of a Martin OM; and the warmth, volume, and headroom of a scalloped braced Martin Dreadnought. It’s exceptionally versatile as a result and will find favour with fingerstyle players and strummers alike.
This JC-40 remains in very fine condition but has been well played. There is moderate to heavy finish wear to the back of the neck, but the body finish is much less worn. The back shows belt buckle impressions, and the top shows playwear along the soundhole and between the bridge and pickguard. There is a properly repaired top crack along the treble-edge of the fretboard extension, two sections of glued back-binding, and a few brace ends have been neatly reglued. Original frets, finish, nut, tuners, bridge, and pins. The saddle was made here, and there is an after-market B-Band combination bridgeplate transducer / internal mic pickup in the guitar that was installed 15 or 20 years ago by us. It works great, but you’ll want a stereo two-channel mixer or preamp to get the most out of it.
The guitar is set up with 12-53 strings and our shop standard action of 5-6 64ths at the 12th fret. There’s plenty of saddle height available for action adjustments down the road. The original frets are starting to show their age but play relatively cleanly. There are a few spots of string wear at the 4th and 5th frets that get a bit zingy under a medium to heavy right hand, so capo users take note. The neck has a round carve, 1-11/16” nut width, and measures .85” at the 1st fret. The depth at the 9th fret is .89”, and string spread at the bridge is 2-1/8”.
All told, this JC-40 is a remarkably good sounding and easy playing stage-ready cutaway Martin that scores a few extra marks thanks to its relative rarity and unique design.
With original hardshell case