C.F. Martin Model "HD-16 RLSH"

This is how it is built:

Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
Back & Sides solid  indian rosewood. 
Neck:  Mahogany 1 piece
Fretboard, Bridge: Striped ebony
Bindings: Ivoroid
Purfling: Fine herringbone
Soundhole sorrounded by ring-herringbone-ring inlay
Headstock logo: Golden Letters.
Neck width at Nut: 44,5 mm.
Scale Length: 25,4" (645,15 mm)

C. F. Martin in Nazareth, Pennsyvania claims to be the oldest comapny building guitars (or at least steel string guitars) today. The company was established in the year 1833 by Christian Frederick Martin, a German immigrant to the USA, born in Markneukirchen Germany. The company is still owned and held by a family member. Today chairman is Christian Frederick Martin IV, the 6th boss in the company's history. Martin is said to be the inventor of the dreadnought guitar. Among steel string guitars about 80-90 % have the form and size of a dreadnought. 

The Martin HD-16 RLSH offers a lot of "bang for the buck" It is a guitar made of solid tonewoods only and it's bracing resembles to the HD standard models. The bracing is called "hybrid bracing" because it is something inbetween the scalloped bracing of a HD-gutar of the standard series and the A-frame-bracing used for the DM and DX-1. The Martin HD-16 RLSH has a lot of bass punch, soft treble and an overall mellow yet strong sound. The treble rings out with nice overtones. It is a nice fingerpicking guitar because it features a good attack due to the scalloped main braces and tone bar. On the other hand it sounds great played with a flatpick and that's what this guitar is meant for.

A special feature of this guitar is the large soundhole. As far as I know this became fashionable because Clarence White's D28 has an enlarged soundhole and this became well known to guitar afficionados because Tony Rice plays that guitar. Mr. Rice made several statements obout that feature. He seems to shrug shoulders about the large soundhole. He believes that someone had tried to straighten the soundhole after a piece was broken away ore something like that. On the other hand enlarging the soundhole of a standard 14-fret dreadnought guitar can enhance the overall sound. My impression is that these guitars tend to be a bit more lively and "open" compared to a standard soundholed dread.