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Vintage Martin OM-28 Value Guide (1929-1933): What Yours Is Worth
An original 1929-1933 Martin OM-28 is one of the most valuable flat-top guitars ever made: clean examples have sold for $50,000-74,000 at specialist dealers, and even refinished ones bring $25,000-30,000. Only 487 were built. Edgewater Guitars (Valley City, OH; buys nationally) pays fair top dollar. Call (440) 219-3607 for a free appraisal.
Why the OM-28 Matters
In late 1929 Martin mated a 14-fret neck to its 15 inch 000 body and called the result the Orchestra Model. It was the first modern flat-top: long 25.4 inch scale, 14 frets clear of the body, and the first Martin to ship with a pickguard as standard equipment (the small teardrop). The rosewood Style 28 version, the OM-28, ran only from 1929 to 1933 before Martin folded the design into the short-scale 000-28. Total production: 487 guitars. That combination of historical importance and scarcity is why prices sit where they do. For the full story, read our companion piece on why 4 years of OM production created a $100,000 legend.
OM-28 Value: What Documented Sales Show
OM-28 sales are rare enough that collectors track them individually. The ranges below come from dealer sales and listings compiled in the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum's price threads.
Condition class | Documented range | Named examples |
|---|---|---|
Clean, original | $50,000-74,000 | 1931 sold by Schoenberg Guitars for $73,950 (2021); very clean 1930 sold by Larry Wexer for $65,000; 1930 sold by the Denver Folklore Center for $56,000 (2017); 1931 sold by Gruhn Guitars for $50,000 (2021) |
Refinished or oversprayed | $25,000-30,000 | Refinished 1930 sold by Dying Breed Music for $29,500; refinished-top 1930 at Gruhn for $27,500; 1931 with professional overspray at $30,000 |
Heavily modified or repaired | Below $25,000 | A 1932 example sold at $16,500 (Copper Basin, 2012); condition issues compound quickly at this level |
For perspective: the OM-28 listed for $85 new in 1933, down from $90 at launch. Original sales were slow in the Depression, which is exactly why so few exist.
How to Identify a Real OM-28
Because the OM-28 and the later 000-28 share a body, identification hinges on a few specifics. Start with the serial number on the neck block (visible through the soundhole) in our Martin serial number lookup: OM-28 serials fall in the 1929-1933 range. Then confirm:
Scale length: 25.4 inches. Measure nut to 12th fret and double it. A 24.9 inch measurement means a post-1934 000, not an OM.
Model stamp: Martin stamped the model designation on the neck block from 1930 onward; an OM-28 stamp is definitive.
Pickguard: the small teardrop guard, the first standard pickguard on any Martin.
Tuners: the earliest OMs (1929-1930) wore banjo-style pegs; later examples have right-angle tuners. Banjo-peg examples are especially prized.
Trim: Style 28 herringbone top trim and Brazilian rosewood back and sides.
Modern reissues (OM-28V, OM-28 Authentic and similar) are clearly stamped with those model names and modern serial numbers; none is worth vintage money, though Authentics trade around $4,500-7,000 used.
Selling an OM-28
A guitar at this level deserves a specialist. Auction houses take large commissions and expose a fragile instrument to shipping; generalist shops rarely price prewar Martins correctly. We buy vintage Martins nationally, pay promptly, and are happy to walk you through exactly how we arrive at a number. Carmen Karecki, who contacted us about her family's Martin, wrote: "We reached out about our Martin Guitar and within 1-2 days we had an immediate response!"
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a Martin OM-28 worth?
Original 1929-1933 examples: $50,000-74,000 for clean guitars in documented dealer sales, and $25,000-30,000 refinished. Modern OM-28 reissues trade around $4,500-7,000 used. Call Edgewater at (440) 219-3607 for a free, honest appraisal of yours.
How many Martin OM-28s were made?
Approximately 487 between late 1929 and 1933, including just 50 in 1932 and 25 in 1933. The model was replaced by the 14-fret 000-28 in 1934, which kept the body but shortened the scale to 24.9 inches.
What is the difference between an OM-28 and a 000-28?
Same 15 inch body, different scale: the OM-28 uses a 25.4 inch scale, the post-1934 000-28 a 24.9 inch scale. The OM also introduced the standard pickguard. See our 000-28 value guide for that model's eras and values.
Where can I sell a vintage Martin OM-28?
Edgewater Guitars buys vintage Martins nationally with fast, fair payment. Start at edgewaterguitars.com/get-a-free-estimate or call (440) 219-3607.
Written by the Edgewater Guitars team. Last updated: August 2026.
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