Billy Strings Partners with Martin Guitars for Custom D-28 and D-X2E Signature Models

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Billy Strings has officially unveiled a new partnership with C. F. Martin & Company, who have crafted two signature models designed by the artist and inspired by one of his favorite instruments. Debuted by Martin Guitars at the National Association of Music Merchants’ annual trade show on Wednesday, Jan. 22, the bluegrass icon’s collaboration with the esteemed acoustic manufacturers has yielded two distinctive and effortlessly iconic models: the D-28 Billy Strings and D-X2E Billy Strings.

The D-28 Billy Strings draws inspiration from the artist’s own stunning 1940 D-28, recreating the classic pre-war design with subtle details and tweaks made to reflect Strings’ preference and playing style. The Dreadnought reproduction features an East Indian rosewood back and sides and spruce top, delivering unparalleled natural resonance and warmth; mirroring the finer details of Strings’ cherished instrument, the model is accented by a herringbone trim, white binding, nickel gear tuners and diamond inlays on the fretboard, among other details.

For increased playability, Strings opted for a slightly shortened build and increased nut width. The D-X2E is built to these same unique specifications, but created with a greater focus of durability and accessibility: the second model is fashioned from reliable Brazilian rosewood-patterned high-pressure laminate on the back and sides and a solid spruce top.

Stings detailed his decision and design process in a video for Martin, which also shows the artist divulging his history with acoustic guitars and picking along, earnest, thoughtful, personable as ever. “The possibilities are endless,” Strings shared.

“‘I’m going to do a signature guitar with Martin, what do I want to do?’ I started really thinking about it, and my first thought was I want to make a guitar that people can get into their hands. It would be easy to, ‘I want to make a D-45 with a big pearl pickguard’ or something, but nobody’s going to be able to afford it, and none of the young pickers that are growing up learning how to play are going to be able to get their hands on something like that… I just want[ed] it to be affordable, and if that means no fancy details, then that’s fine. Then I was just thinking more about it, and it’s like, ‘Well this is my guitar… this is the one for me.’ I thought, ‘Well, why not just give this guitar tribute by kind of basing it off of this guitar.’”

“That guitar that I was sitting on the other side of when I was a kid, hearing my dad play [was] his Martin guitar that his dad got him, and it’s [in] my earliest memories, sitting in front of that guitar and hearing my dad play it,” Strings reflected. “It was kind of one of the only things that we had of any value in the house–it was like a cherished item. If he ever let me play his guitar, it was a big deal—’I got to play dad’s Martin,’ you know? That guitar really is where I kind of built my dreams.”

For more information on Strings’ signature Martin guitars, visit martinguitar.com. Watch Strings break down the collaboration below.