Martin has unveiled a special commemorative acoustic guitar to mark Earth Day and to support penguin preservation worldwide.
No, not the Gretsch guitar, we're talking about the loveable flightless bird in the tuxedo, and the Nazareth, PA company has also made a donation to the Global Penguin Society to help habitat conservation and raise awareness.
Who among us doesn’t love a penguin? They are magnificent creatures. But if you really love penguins, you’ll really love the Biosphere IV 00-L.
Martin’s regular artist Robert Goetzl (he painted previous years’ Biosphere models) has gone to town on it, painting a family of emperor penguins on the guitar’s top, a domestic scene on ice in their home eco-system of Antarctica.
Goetzl’s depiction of a chick being sheltered by its parent is inspired by the idea that “when your environment is at threat, you feel very protective of your offspring… and the creatures around you that need protecting”.
This graphic is laid atop an FSC-certified Sitka spruce top with a custom ink top colour, on a guitar that is sustainable across the board, from the message behind it to the actual build itself.
All the woods used are FSC-certified, with sapele on the back and sides, a mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard.
There’s something fitting about this, a tribute to penguins, being a little more compact than previous Biosphere models.
Last years’s was a D-14 dreadnought, a larger canvas to accommodate the polar bears, while 2024’s was a DSS slope-shouldered tribute to Hawaii’s humpback whale population. Size matters when it comes to the sound.
Where Martin’s family of dreadnoughts gives you that signature boom, whopping bass response, big lungs for big chords, the more compact 00 grand concert Martin guitars are a little sweeter on the ear, more treble presence, more detail in the midrange, and a subtle voice that rewards fingerstyle playing.
The details on this Martin acoustic are really something. The ebony ‘board is inlaid with sapele dots. Flamed maple binding ties the body together. The Biosphere IV 00-L is available now, priced $2,399, and there are left-handed models available, too. Check it out at Martin.
Today, Martin is also shared its 2025 Impact Report, tracking its sustainability efforts and community engagement, with the Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation awarding more than 100 grants, totalling $594,750.
You can read the report at Martin Guitar, and watch a highlights reel above.
This has been a busy year for Martin, with NAMM 2026 seeing a comprehensive refresh of its mid-priced Road Series acoustics, with 20 new Retro and Modern models added to the lineup.
