Quick Answer

On The Andy Griffith Show , Andy Griffith mostly played a 1956 Martin D-18 dreadnought acoustic guitar —the same model he favored in real life and later honored with a signature series.

What the Guitar Was (and Why It Looked Slightly Different On‑Screen)

  • Model: Martin D-18, a classic steel‑string dreadnought known for its strong, clear tone.
  • Era: The specific instrument associated with him on the show was a mid‑1950s D‑18, commonly cited as a 1956 example.
  • On‑set details: The D‑18 used on the show was originally a studio prop that Andy had refinished and, notably, did not have a pickguard fitted for many scenes—giving it that clean, unadorned look people remember.
  • Continuity quirks: In some episodes (especially those featuring the Darling family), the pickguard appears and disappears between shots, suggesting multiple guitars or props were used at times.

A Bit of Context: Andy the Guitar Player

Andy Griffith wasn’t just pretending—he was a lifelong musician who often carried a guitar off‑set and used it during concerts and recordings. His long association with Martin led the company to release an Andy Griffith Signature Series in 2004, modeled after his beloved 1956 D‑18.

One Caveat You’ll See in Fan Discussions

Some forum threads point out that in certain musical numbers the audio was dubbed and session players (sometimes on electric guitars) were used, even while Andy mimes on an acoustic. That doesn’t change the visual answer—on screen, he’s most often seen with the Martin D‑18—but it explains why the recorded sound sometimes doesn’t perfectly match a solo acoustic.

TL;DR

  • Primary on‑show guitar: 1956 Martin D‑18 acoustic (no pickguard in many scenes).
  • Occasional continuity oddities and dubbed audio exist, but the D‑18 is the iconic instrument tied to Andy Taylor’s porch‑side strumming.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.