Today at Guitar Summit in Mannheim, Germany, C. F. Martin & Co.® unveiled the OM Mikael Åkerfeldt, a limited-edition acoustic created with the Opeth frontman. Only 74 guitars will be made worldwide, honoring the Swedish musician’s 1974 birth year.
The OM Mikael Åkerfeldt blends Martin’s renowned craftsmanship with bold new features. It pairs a torrefied spruce top with a dramatic three-piece back of Guatemalan rosewood and an East Indian rosewood wedge, accented by European flamed maple binding. For the first time in a traditional body, Martin has introduced its Low Profile Velocity neck—designed for our SC models, and ideal for players used to the speed and comfort of an electric.
Personal details include an ebony fingerboard with black mother-of-pearl Roman numerals and black Liquidmetal® bridge pins for added sustain and clarity. Inside, VTS-treated spruce and Golden Era scalloped X-bracing—as featured on the Modern Deluxe Series—deliver vintage warmth and dynamic response.
“Is this the best guitar I’ve ever played? Including the ones in your museum? I believe so,” Mikael said. “It just sings—the resonance, the clarity, the low end. Everything about it feels magnificent.”
Each guitar includes a laser-etched stainless-steel label and custom Harptone case.
ABOUT MIKAEL ÅKERFELDT
Mikael Åkerfeldt is the frontman, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the pioneering progressive metal band Opeth. Since joining in the 1990s, he has led the group from its death metal roots into genre-defying territory, blending guttural growls with clean baritone vocals and weaving progressive rock, folk, and classical influences into its sound. Under his leadership, Opeth has earned two Swedish Grammis awards and established itself as one of Scandinavia’s most influential metal bands.
Mikael's artistry extends well beyond Opeth. He co-founded Storm Corrosion with Steven Wilson, contributed vocals to Bloodbath, and composed the score for the Netflix series Clark. Ranked among the greatest modern metal guitarists, he is also a devoted vinyl collector and music historian with a deep reverence for tradition and craft. His connection to Martin guitars goes back to the early ’90s, when he sold them at a small shop in Stockholm. Decades later, that relationship comes full circle with his own signature Martin—a collaboration that unites elegance, darkness, and uncompromising creativity.
