These models had 12-fret-to-the-body necks, slotted pegheads, no pickguards and with unique inlays and soundhole rosettes. Strangely, the first dreadnought acoustics didn’t bear the Martin logo, but were made for the Oliver Ditson Company with production beginning in 1916, marketing being centred upon New York and Boston. A few of those attributes could apply to the big-bodied beast of the unplugged world, too. Named after a British battleship launched in 1906, the original craft was a turning point in naval history, bettering its rivals in terms of armament, speed, size and firepower. The dreadnought was born, its powerful voice and lower-mid-rich tones finding favour with country artists History reveals that it was the CF Martin Company that first coined the name ‘Dreadnought’ for an acoustic body size.
These days, dreadnought acoustic guitars are commonplace in virtually every style of music you can name. Martin's Retro Series HD-28E (right) and D-18E are 2012 recreations of specific pre-war-made specimens Introduction
