Isbell's All-mahogany Martin for Any Player
On his latest all-acoustic album, Foxes in the Snow, hailed modern Americana icon Jason Isbell infuses the incomparably warm and historic tones of his 1940 Martin 0-17 into every track. Jason's signature 0-10E Retro model channels the antique energy of that very vintage guitar but includes contemporary optimizations to help create a player-friendly pick for 6-stringers of tenures both fresh and far-extending. To begin, an all-solid mahogany construction sized to a 0 body shape blends the wood’s legendary warm and resonant disposition with the favorably compact command of Martin’s smallest full-size offering, rendering both an absolute treat for finger-stylists and a satisfying strummer for flatpickers alike. The addition of Martin E1 electronics also offers the option to plug into amplifiers, PAs, and interfaces, ensuring your performances and recording sessions are imbued with remarkable natural acoustic translation. Rounded out with the upgraded appointments of traditional nickel-finished open-gear tuning machines and a red tortoise pickguard, the 0-10E Retro Jason Isbell perfectly blends vintage charm with modern ease in the spirit of one of Martin’s most enjoyed models.
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The delightfully downsized 0 body
Whether you’re a longtime Martin loyalist or simply a player with exceptional taste, there’s no denying that Martin’s remarkable 0 body shape instills endless inspiration the second you pick it up. Fitting yet capable of ample projection, it gives fingerstyle players an impressively focused platform for unearthing each note from the woodwork with fine percussive precision. Martin’s scalloped X-bracing of spruce on the 0-10E Retro Jason Isbell helps add even more unplugged emphasis, and its 0-14 fret-to-body design, 24.9-inch scale length, and universally attractive PA neck profile extend this guitar’s poignant playability from top to bottom.
100% solid mahogany tones
Acoustic guitars crafted entirely from solid mahogany pluck, resonate, and play with a special tonal energy that few other instruments can come close to matching. This tonewood supplies one of the warmest natural tones and is accompanied by a beautifully darkened sustain that, just like this instrument’s 0 body shape, gladly welcomes and enhances the playing patterns of fingerpickers. The wonderful all-mahogany design was one of Martin’s unique and distinct builds since its inception nearly a century ago, and it had, until relatively recently, remained in the company’s back pocket and out of their modern catalog. However, Jason Isbell’s 0-10E Retro signature is now one of several models helping keep the all-solid mahogany fire aflame, and at a price point that can get almost any acoustic player in on the action.
Plug in courtesy of E1 electronics
Onboard Martin E1 electronics let you quickly connect to your favorite acoustic amp, recording interface, or even house PA systems at venues. Musicians at Sweetwater are impressed with the E1 system’s tone, volume, and phase-reverse controls, which let you faithfully amplify your instrument’s richness and warmth while shaping sound quality to taste. The E1’s phase-reverse button is especially convenient for eliminating prickly feedback in tight spaces when standing near your amp is unavoidable. What’s more, the E1 system features a built-in tuner. You can tune up without a cable connection, so tuning breaks onstage and on the couch are equally painless. With onboard electronics this good, you’ll feel confident the 0-10E Retro Jason Isbell is equipped for anything.
Jason Isbell: a generation's songwriter
Whether you know him as one of the Drive-By Truckers (DBT), as the leader of the 400 Unit, or from his solo work, you know that Jason Isbell is the real deal when it comes to raw 21st-century talent. A multi-hyphenated modern-day Renaissance man, Isbell has released 10 studio albums (with 2025 seeing the raw, unadulterated Foxes in the Snow), recorded five live albums, and earned six Grammys, alongside his work in feature films. Isbell is also an avid vintage guitar collector, and when recording his most recent aforementioned album, he favored a real-deal 1940 Martin 0-17 to carry the tune. Designed to accompany your voice and your story, Jason and Martin have teamed up to release the 0-10E Retro Jason Isbell, an attainably priced Martin 0 that pays tribute to his beloved vintage model.
Martin 0-10E Retro Jason Isbell Features:
- Designed in conjunction with southern rock and Americana artist Jason Isbell to tribute the 1940 model used on his latest album
- 0 body size offers Martin's most compact take on their full-sized offerings, providing exceptional handling and sonic focus
- Scalloped spruce X-bracing infuses this small body with notable presence
- All-solid mahogany body construction infuses that coveted warm character and incredible resonance into every note and chord
- PA Profile hardwood neck with 14-fret-to-body layout and 24.9-in. scale length offers a universally comfortable and navigable feel
- East Indian rosewood fingerboard provides a fabulous feel under the fingers for traversing every octave with ease
- Stylish nickel open-gear tuning machines, Old Style 17 inlays, and tortoise-style pickguard provide subtle historic charm
