Your Brand-New Old Friend
Walk into a music store looking for a Martin dreadnought, and you'll hear plenty about tradition, heritage, and "the Martin sound." All true—but the DE Retro Plus Mahogany brings something extra to the conversation. This is a dreadnought that sounds like it's been played hard for twenty years, right out of the case. The secret is torrefaction, a heat-treating process that ages the solid spruce top, giving it the resonance and responsiveness you'd normally have to earn over decades of playing. Pair that with solid mahogany back and sides, scalloped X-bracing, and LR Baggs Element electronics, and you've got a stage-ready workhorse that doesn't ask you to choose between vintage vibe and modern reliability.
Part of Martin's Road Series, the DE Retro Plus takes inspiration from the legendary D-18 models that have anchored country, bluegrass, and rock recordings since 1931. The D-14 fret dreadnought body delivers the punch, projection, and low-end presence you expect from a Martin dread, while the Performing Artist neck profile with high-performance taper keeps things comfortable whether you're flatpicking leads or laying down rhythm chords. An ebony fingerboard and bridge, nickel open-gear tuners, and an aging toner finish complete the vintage aesthetic—this guitar looks as lived-in as it sounds.
This is a guitar for players who gig, record, and practice hard. It's built in Martin's Sonora, Mexico facility, where they've been making guitars since 1989, and it brings premium features—torrefied tops, solid tonewoods, quality electronics—to a price point that makes sense for working musicians. Whether you're stepping up from a starter guitar or adding a reliable dread to your rotation, the DE Retro Plus Mahogany is ready to become your go-to.
Torrefied Spruce and Solid Mahogany
The top is where this guitar makes its first impression. Martin uses torrefied solid spruce, a process normally reserved for their high-end Authentic and Modern Deluxe series. Torrefaction is essentially controlled heat aging—baking the wood to remove moisture and resins, which opens up the grain and gives the top the tonal maturity of a vintage instrument. You'll hear it immediately: more sustain, richer harmonics, and a broken-in voice that doesn't need years of playing to wake up. The top is finished in gloss with Martin's aging toner, giving it that golden, played-in look to match the sound.
The back and sides are solid mahogany, a tonewood combination Martin has been pairing with spruce since the 1930s. Mahogany emphasizes the fundamental note, giving you strong mids, punchy lows, and a clear, articulate voice that cuts through a mix without sounding harsh. It's a drier, more focused tone than rosewood—less overtone bloom, more directness. Scalloped spruce X-bracing enhances the top's movement, giving you greater volume and dynamic range while maintaining the structural integrity Martin is known for. This is a loud guitar, and it responds to your playing with clarity and presence.
Playability and Stage-Ready Electronics
The neck on the DE Retro Plus is shaped for speed and comfort. Martin's Performing Artist profile is a medium-to-shallow C shape that tapers from 1 3/4" at the nut to just over 2 1/8" at the 12th fret, with a high-performance taper that narrows as you move up the neck. It's fast without feeling thin, and the satin finish on the select hardwood neck keeps your hand moving smoothly whether you're playing open chords or working up into the higher frets. The ebony fingerboard adds clarity and snap to your note attack, and the 25.4" scale length gives you the tension and brightness that flatpickers and strummers rely on.
When it's time to plug in, the LR Baggs Element electronics deliver natural, reliable amplified tone. The Element system uses a flexible film sensor under the saddle to capture the soundboard's movement, which translates to a warmer, more organic sound than traditional piezo pickups. You get volume and tone controls mounted just inside the soundhole, so you can dial in your sound without reaching for the side of the guitar. It's a simple, effective system that sounds great through a PA or acoustic amp, and it's been a favorite among touring players for years. Whether you're playing a coffeehouse open mic or a full band gig, this guitar is ready.
Product Features:
- Torrefied solid spruce top for vintage tone and enhanced resonance right out of the case
- Solid mahogany back and sides for punchy mids, strong lows, and clear articulation
- Scalloped spruce X-bracing for greater volume, projection, and dynamic response
- Performing Artist neck profile with high-performance taper for comfortable, fast playability
- Ebony fingerboard and bridge for clarity, sustain, and premium feel
- LR Baggs Element electronics with volume and tone controls for natural amplified sound
- D-14 fret dreadnought body with 25.4" scale length for classic Martin projection and brightness
- Nickel open-gear tuners with butterbean knobs for smooth, stable tuning
- Aging toner gloss finish for vintage aesthetic and classic Martin look
- Part of Martin's Road Series, made in Sonora, Mexico since 1989
Brand: Martin
Model: DE Retro Plus Mahogany
SKU: 11DERETROPLUSMAH
Condition: New
Since 1872, C.A. House Music has been helping musicians across the Ohio Valley find the right gear -- with real advice from a team that actually plays. We're your authorized dealer of all the big names in guitars, keyboards, band instruments, drums, pro audio, and more. With four family-owned and operated locations in Ohio and West Virginia (plus a full online store), you don't have to go far for instruments, lessons, rentals, and repairs. No matter your musical needs, our team of musicians wants to help you Play Music for Life.
