Martin D-42K2

Vintage look with forward scalloped x bracings. Vintage D-45 features. All Solid high grade koa. Gold tuners. Creme bindings. Snowflake inlays on fretboard and bridge. Block Martin pearl logo. Waverly style vintage gold tuners. D-45 back stripe. Mahogany neck with finish. Pearl trim around body and rosette . Rosewood headstock veneer. No electronics (you can install your own). I think production went from 2003-2005 and is currently discontinued. Produced in small quantities. Highly collectable.

For this I am comparing it to a D-45 as this model is as costly as D-45. The look of it is certainly a D-45V with a koa top,. but without the pearls at the back. The bass is sufficient for any kind of music . The highs are its strong points. It is clear and resonant delivering powerful mids and highs. A D-45 would have a stronger bass but this D-42k2 would dominate the high end. An all koa guitar is certainly unique on its own. It is warm when needed . It could be as mellow as a mahogany and delivering maple-like highs in situations you might not expect. Koa is an unpredictable tone wood. There is one thing to be sure of..TONS of sustain!

Martins are known to deliver their guitars with a high string setup. You would need to adjust it (or take it to someone to adjust the height of strings )to suit your playing. Once done it is perfect. I did it myself so I can really appreciate the quality ...meaning it is obvious the workmanship of Martin is superb . You can tell you can really push it to the limits ( go as low as you want on the strings) and there will be no buzz on any of the frets. I have installed TUSQ bridge on mine.too. Just sounds great. The neck should suit any style of playing. After all , it is a Martin.

I don't see why it won't stand live playing. thousands of pro musicians count on Martin guitars for decades. It stays in tune and is built very , very well. This guitar should out live me.

Never had to contact them yet.

I have been playing since the 60's and this guitar ranks the highest among a lot of the guitars I've played. It is stunning. Just try one out!

One of the best dreadnoughts ever made. Mine is a 2003 and was told only 248 were ever produced by Martin. You get everything you would get from a D-45V except the pearls at the back. Besides that, it is essentially a D-45V all koa guitar with a mahogany neck. Koa can come in different color tones. Mine is dark , as dark as the headstock which makes it just that much more beautiful. Martin really has a good control over their koa woods. You can tell by the guitar that they would not take any tiny flaws..ie..a little mark here and there on their koa . Butter-Gold Martin tuners, Gloss finished neck and body with pearls Martin logo , soundhole and binding. Rosewood headstock veneer matching color of body. Creme neck bindings and vintage D-42/45 snow flake pearl inlays on fingerboard and bridge. Diamond cut behind joint of headstock and neck. All vintage features. Tortoise shell pickguard of the highest grade. Solid class A Hawaiian Koa top, back and sides. D-45 style back stripe. Scalloped X bracings and all..what else can you ask for?

I play all sorts of styles . Koa is a brightly toned wood , I own several koa guitars and this one's got the most bass. Not as boomy and dark as rosewood/spruce guitars but it is everything you need. Strumming a chord and letting it ring, sustain is just pure enjoyment. Koa sounds like a guitar plugged into a PA ...meaning it is bright even if your strings are a bit old. The sound is certainly rich and unpredictable ..in a good way if you get what I mean. There is nothing I don't like about this guitar . It is just too beautiful and sounds amazing. The price? Maybe? But it is a high end Martin guitar, compared to the new stuff out there now, with less expensive wood and features, I wouldn't say this is overpriced. All Koa guitars (with a Martin logo)are good investments anyways if you ask me. Plus it sounds fantastic!

The action is perfect as I bought it new. The guitar was in a shop and hidden in a case , only sold when I asked for it and paid good money for it. It has been there for a year as the shop's owner was reluctant to sell it. Yes, these guitars are rare and have been discontinued. Order an identical one from Martin now and it may cost you anywhere from US$7000+. Lucky me I got it before they charged an arm for the koa option. Koa guitars are easy to take care of..I think. They are as hard as maple and it shouldn't change shape as easily as spruce. I've had mine for a few years and it is just as good as when I got it.

I've had it since it was new and had it for 5 years now. Took good care of it and it only sounds better everyday. It is built so well and Martin guitars just age elegantly. The good thing about koa is that you can't really see pick scratches if it had any since the 3D wood grain takes your eyes elsewhere. I have played this guitar on stage on many occations..no problems at all. Martin guitars are tested and proven by so many artists so it should speak for itself.

They told me mine was made in 2003 out of the 248 ever made through e-mail . Response time: one day. Good enough service for me. They even gave me its complete specifications down to the last detail. Three pages of it. Amazing!

If this guitar don't deserve a 10 I don't know what guitar should. It looks and sounds perfect . It would be something to pass on to your children. It has all the features you'll ever need from a high end guitar and you DO get all that you pay for. Look at all the 4000-10,000 dollar Martins and see if they got all these features? Not to mention the collectability of koa...Martin offers the best quality koa out there..just take a look. Its value is sure to stand the test of time and my guess is it will increase in value. Its vintage features are sure to please the most demanding players. I would however, recommend a spruce/rosewood guitar if anyone is buying this guitar as their first. This shouldn't be anyone's first guitar if you know what I mean.

2000 Martin D-42K2. Totally stock as purchased in Feb. 2002. Solid koa dreadnaught, forward shifted braces.

This is my second all koa Martin (I had a D-25K2 in the mid-80's). Koa is not as loud as rosewood/spruce and it definitely takes some time for the soundboard to "open up". Koa does have a ringing sustain and it's a delight to sometimes end a song and just let it ring (it's hard to put a price on the grin you have). I have a fossil ivory saddle that I'll try out and possibly bone at a later time, but these are easy modifications to tweak the sound. I find medium strings in phosphor/bronze give it a good punch. All koa guitars are uncommon enough that it is an acquired taste, but this is wonderful after a year plus.

The guitar was flawless from Martin and all it needed was a tweak on the truss rod after shipping and about a year later. Stays in tune very well and wonderful harmonics.

As the original owner, I have no concerns about the warranty. I do play out with it, though I am very careful. The only minor gripe is I wish they had put on Waverly tuners instead of the Gotohs. They keep their tune fine but they feel kind of cheap on a guitar like this. Not a difficult upgrade to do though.

Very friendly. They respond two days after you e-mail. They told me the made 33 of this model in 2000, the first year of production.

Been playing since '75. I own three other Martins. It is a visually stunning guitar and if you like the mid's and sustain of koa, it's a great guitar.

Aside from Martins d-45,the d-42k2 is the height of tastefull guitar beauty.It is a standard D shape,all flamed koa,and "42"style abalone inlay.The fingerboard is bound in off-white ivoroid as is the rest of the guitar.The headstock is old-style square with "CF Martin"in mother of pearl vertically and old-style gold butter bean open tunners.The braces are also old-style scalloped and foward shifted.The neck however is slim and fast with the same high gloss finish as the rest of the guitar.The d42k2 comes with a SBK case.

What can I say that won't sound too swooney ;There is nothing I've ever played that sounds and plays like this guitar.the koa top gives this guitar a unique sound;punchy and loud and very refined and tighter than a spruce top.The action is very low but not so low as to get buzzie when driven hard when playing blue grass.

Again, perfect literally right out of the factory shrink wrap.There were no flaws;none, zip ,nada nor would I expect to find any on any Martin especially from a top end Martin.Ive

I've never ever had a problem with any of my Martins.Everything about them; the finishesand the hardware are top quality and first rate.

I've never had to deal with the company for any problems .My dealer though has always been very helpful.I've been a Martin owner for 8 years.

This is truely the BMW 7 series of the guitar world.A combination of rare beauty , killer sound and flawless craftmenship.I own 4 Martins;a d-18vms,hd-28v,d-17 and a d42k2 and each one is a gem ,although often imitated buy many.