2003 Martin Lonnie Donegan Limited Edition 000-28LD - Sunburst

*Available for £3795 with payment by bank transfer. Email us at info@jordanguitars.co.uk to arrange discount*

 

Stunning super-rare Lonnie Donegan signature acoustic finished in Sunburst - one of only 72 ever made. The King of Skiffle, Lonnie was a musical force for more than 50 years. The driving, accessible amalgam of folk, blues, jazz and country he created in the early 1950s resulted in 34 “Top 30” hits in Britain between 1958 and 1962. But more importantly, his earthy, guitar-based brand of popular music inspired a new generation of British musicians including Cliff Richard, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Van Morrison and Mark Knopfler, among others.

 

Martin guitars had been Lonnie Donegan’s instrument of choice for much of his career, both on stage and on record. In recognition of his musical achievements and long loyalty to its guitars, C.F.Martin honoured Lonnie with a guitar as unique and colourful as the man himself: the 000-28LD Lonnie Donegan Signature Edition, based on Lonnie's 1967 000-28 as a starting point and incorporating his personal preferences.

 

This example is in very good condition with just minor blemishes on very close inspection - we have exaggerated these on the photos under direct studio lighting to make them visible. A few frets have some signs of use as you'd expect for age, but cosmetic only and not affecting playability at all. Everything works as it should without issue and there's no breaks or repairs.

 

The guitar features superb solid tonewoods throughout. Its back sides and headstock overlay features the finest East Indian rosewood. The top on this model combines Sitka spruce and hand-scalloped 5/16” X-bracing for rich, balanced tone. The low profile neck with diamond volute is carved from genuine mahogany. Both the fingerboard and belly bridge are black African ebony. For optimum tone, genuine bone is utilized for both the nut and compensated saddle.

As fine as this guitar sounds, it looks even better, with appointments that make this model dazzle. A brilliantly coloured blue paua shell, inlaid Style 45 rosette and black-and-white Style 28 purfling accent the elegant 1935 Style sunburst top. The fingerboard, 1 11/16” at the nut, provides a “canvas” for some truly unique position marker inlays – a crown representing Donegan’s MBE status on the 3rd fret, “SKIFFLE” spelled out in pearl at the 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 17th frets, and Lonnie Donegan’s name in stylized letters between the 18th and 20th frets.

The headstock is fitted with Grover gold enclosed tuners. The headstock overlay combines the “C. F. Martin” gold foil logo with the “Water Rat” logo and the letters “G.O.W.R.” in pearl that honour the “Grand Order of Water Rats.” The GOWR is a long established brotherhood of members of the entertainment profession including musicians, comedians, magicians and actors. The membership includes such world-famous musicians as Rick Wakeman, Gordon Giltrap, Brian May and Johnny Dankworth. The Water Rats carry out a lot of charity work, mainly to aid members of the entertainment profession who have fallen on hard times. Toward that end, the Water Rats received a portion of the proceeds from the original sale of each Lonnie Donegan Signature guitar.

The instrument is finished entirely in polished gloss lacquer with a dark 1935 sunburst finish top, and comes equipped with Martin’s Gold+Plus Natural II pickup for exceptional amplified sound.

 

The interior label is personally signed by Lonnie Donegan, and Chairman and CEO C. F. Martin IV. This hugely collectible guitar is also numbered in sequence with the edition total number, and comes complete with its original case and paperwork. The serial number is 933321.

  

Trades and part-exchange welcome – simple click ‘Sell Your’ Guitar’ at the top of the page to get started!

 

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