Key timeline

The history of the dreadnought guitar has largely been shaped by Martin Guitars, from its introduction early in the 20th century to the introduction of the modern shape in the 1930s.

• 1906: HMS Dreadnought is launched. Yes, that’s relevant.
• 1916: The first dreadnought guitar is launched
• 1931: Martin begins production of the D-1 and D-2
• 1934: The modern shape is finalised with the 14-fret joint

Other key developments:

• 1930s-40s: Gibson gets involved
• 1970s onwards: Taylor introduces modern innovation

A brief history of the dreadnought acoustic

1916: The first dreadnought guitar is launched

We’re going to start in 1916, when Martin Guitars, properly known as C.F. Martin & Company, designed a larger-bodied acoustic. However, it wasn’t released under the Martin name. It was requested by the Boston-based Oliver Ditson Company and sold under their name.

There were already some larger acoustics available, including the Washburn Lakeside Jumbo, released in 1912, which provided the volume needed to fill large halls without amplification.

Martin named their guitar “the dreadnought” after HMS Dreadnought, a British naval vessel launched in 1906. See? We told you that was relevant.

The new design had a 12th-fret neck-to-body joint and a slotted headstock. The top was spruce and the back and sides mahogany, laying the foundation for the next century and beyond.

The combination of woods and sheer size gave it significantly greater volume than other acoustics of the time, as well as plenty of bass in the sound.

While there was a clear role for the new, louder design, something didn’t quite work. Just four years later, Ditson was out of business. The dreadnought had fired its first salvo but failed to hit the target.

1931: Martin begins production of the D-1 and D-2

Despite the design’s initial failure, Martin was undeterred. In 1931, they released the D-1 and D-2, which featured mahogany and rosewood respectively for the back and sides. If this sounds familiar, it’s probably because they were swiftly renamed the D-18 and D-28 and remain the core of Martin’s range today.

Still, even these newly renamed and rebranded models weren’t selling brilliantly at the start of the ‘30s. It was time for Martin’s marketing department to get involved! Their 1935 catalogue pushed the models hard, highlighting the benefits of the extra bass and volume. Cutting a long story short, it worked.

1934: The modern shape is finalised with the 14-fret joint

But we’ve jumped ahead slightly! Prior to the marketing push in 1935, the design had a final tweak in 1934, when the neck-to-body joint was pushed back to the 14th fret. With this change, the square-shoulder dreadnought design that we all know was finalised. Martin had created the blueprint for the modern acoustic guitar.

In the second half of the 1930s, popularity of the D-18 and D-28 – particularly the latter – took off. Demand grew so big that, by the 1950s, there was a two-year waiting list for the D-28! The dreadnought had become the leading acoustic guitar shape on the market. But Martin wasn’t without competition by this point…

1930s-40s: Gibson gets involved

Chief among Martin’s competitors was Gibson. Their first response to the dreadnought was the Jumbo, released in 1934. The design evolved over the following years, culminating in the J-45, released in 1942. That guitar became known as “the workhorse,” which says a lot about how it was received!

Unlike the Martin models, Gibson went with a more rounded shape. This slope-shouldered design didn’t just look different; it offered a subtly different sound. Unlike the bass-heavy Martins, the J-45 had a more pronounced mid-range. Both shapes are popular today, offering guitarists the opportunity to find a sound that suits their style.

1970s onwards: Taylor introduces modern innovation

We’ve covered the birth of the dreadnought, and its rise to popularity. But it couldn’t stay static – for all that we guitarists are generally traditionalists, we enjoy innovation at times! A key player in the modernisation of the dreadnought has been Taylor Guitars.

The company introduced a thinner, more modern neck profile that appealed to electric guitar players. They replaced traditional X-bracing with their patented V-Class bracing, improving sustain and volume, and pioneered the use of a glue-free neck joint, making adjustments and repairs far simpler.

Most importantly, Taylor was the first acoustic guitar brand to introduce CNC machinery to ensure precision in components, something almost all manufacturers now embrace.

And, with those innovations, we’re pretty much up to date.

FAQs

What is special about a dreadnought guitar?

The thing that makes a dreadnought guitar special is its large body, which allows for a loud and powerful sound. Dreadnoughts also offer more bass than smaller acoustics thanks to the larger sound chamber and are excellent for a wide range of playing styles.

What is the difference between a dreadnought and a regular guitar?

A dreadnought is different to other acoustic guitar shapes because it is larger and louder than other shapes. It’s a good choice if you need a guitar that offers plenty of volume when playing, but other shapes may have more subtlety to their tone.

Are dreadnought guitars good for beginners?

Dreadnoughts are good for strumming rhythm patterns, which is good for beginners, but they are big, so if the learner is a child or a smaller adult, they may not be ideal. There are many smaller acoustic guitar body styles available, and it’s good to try several to find one that suits you.

Final thoughts

And that’s the basics. There is, of course, a lot more that could be said about the history of the dreadnought guitar, but we’d sooner stop writing about them and go play one instead! Happy strumming.