Martin Custom Shop 18 Style Size 5 Terz All Mahogany w/case 3097552

Serial: 3097552

This Martin Custom Shop 18 Style Size 5 Terz is one of the most unusual builds to come through the shop, combining Martin’s tiny historic Size 5 body with all-mahogany construction and traditional Terz tuning. Built to be tuned G to G—three semitones above standard guitar tuning—it has a completely different voice and feel from a conventional full-size acoustic.

The body uses mahogany for the top, back, and sides, paired with hand-shaped 1/4" Golden Era scalloped X-bracing made from spruce. East Indian rosewood binding, a simple Style 15 single-ring rosette, and a clean mahogany-stained gloss finish keep the presentation understated while still giving the guitar a distinctly Custom Shop look.

Its 12-fret Size 5 body is paired with an exceptionally short 21.38" scale length. The select hardwood neck uses Martin’s Modified Low Oval profile with High Performance Taper, while the black ebony fingerboard features a 16" radius, 1 3/4" bone nut, 2 1/8" string spacing, and Foden-style select abalone inlays.

An East Indian rosewood headplate with an Old Style Gold Martin decal ties into the body binding, while the satin-finished neck keeps the playing surface familiar despite the compact proportions.

A black ebony Mini Martin bridge, compensated bone saddle, ebony bridge pins, and Grover nickel Sta-Tite 18:1 tuners complete the build. A Martin 3-ply domed-top hardshell case and Custom Shop Credentials Book are included.

Highlights

• Historic Size 5 body with Terz G-to-G tuning
• All-mahogany top, back, and sides
• Hand-shaped 1/4" Golden Era scalloped X-bracing
• Short 21.38" scale with 12-fret neck joint
• Foden-style select abalone fingerboard inlays

Specifications

Body

• Body Style: Size 5, 12-Fret
• Top Wood: Mahogany
• Back and Side Wood: Mahogany
• Bracing: 1/4" Golden Era Scalloped X-Bracing, Hand-Shaped
• Bracing Material: Spruce
• Binding: East Indian Rosewood
• Rosette: Single-Ring Style 15
• Pickguard: None
• Top Color: Mahogany Stain
• Body Finish: Gloss

Neck

• Neck Material: Select Hardwood
• Neck Profile: Modified Low Oval
• Neck Taper: High Performance Taper
• Scale Length: 21.38"
• Fingerboard Wood: Black Ebony
• Fingerboard Radius: 16"
• Nut Width: 1 3/4"
• Nut Material: Bone
• String Spacing: 2 1/8"
• Number of Frets: 18
• Fingerboard Inlays: Foden Style, Select Abalone
• Headplate: East Indian Rosewood
• Headstock Logo: Old Style Gold
• Neck Finish: Satin

Hardware

• Bridge: Black Ebony Mini Martin
• Saddle: Compensated Bone
• Bridge Pins: Ebony
• Tuners: Grover Nickel Sta-Tite 18:1 with Vintage Buttons

Miscellaneous

• Tuning: Terz, G to G
• Electronics: None
• Strings: Martin Authentic Acoustic Lifespan 2.0 Medium
• Case: 3-Ply Domed-Top Hardshell Case
• Custom Shop Credentials Book: Included

Why Buy from Tone Shop Guitars?

At Tone Shop Guitars, we do more than order exceptional guitars. For custom builds like this, our team works directly with the builder and shapes the details that make each instrument special. When you buy from Tone Shop, you are getting a guitar we believed in long before it arrived in the shop.