1996 C. F. Martin Sr. Commemorative D-45

Christian Frederick Martin, Sr., founder of the world renowned Martin Guitar Company, was born in 1796. To commemorate the anniversary of his 200th birthday, C. F. Martin and Co. has created two special Limited Edition C. F. Martin Sr. Commemorative Acoustic Guitars for 1996.

The C. F. Martin Sr. Deluxe limited edition features ninety-one D-45 acoustic Dreadnought models, constructed with rare Brazilian rosewood. The Deluxe edition size of "91" was chosen to match the number of pre-war D-45 models originally produced between the years 1933-1942. Many of those highly sought after Martin guitars have brought six figure prices on the vintage guitar market.

The D-45 Deluxe is crafted with rare pre-CITES Brazilian rosewood sides, back, and headplate. Martin's highest grade Sitka spruce top is braced with the Martin-originated pre-war forward-shifted scalloped X-pattern. These selected premium grade tonewoods yield a tonal combination that many guitarists and collectors consider optimum.

Highly colored abalone pearl inlay is painstakingly hand-filed and fit into every seam of this ornate instrument, including the soundhole rosette; the perimeter of the top, back and sides; the boxed and mitered end piece; the mitered area of the top around the "tongue" of the fingerboard; the mitered top and side surfaces of the fingerboard and headplate; the mitered center seam of the back; and both of the mitered neck and body surfaces bordering the neck heel. Grained ivoroid bindings with fine black/white wooden inlay lines are utilized throughout. A Brazilian rosewood headplate bears the "Style 45" C. F. Martin block letters in abalone pearl. The headstock features the old-style square tapered shape. A genuine ebony fingerboard, bound in ivoroid to match the body trim, is decorated with vintage Martin's "Style 45" abalone pearl snowflake pattern. Six-pointed abalone snowflake inlays adorn the wings of the genuine ebony bridge, which is fitted with a fossilized ivory "through" saddle. The abalone inlaid bridge pins, end pin, and nut are also fashioned from fossilized ivory.

The neck has been hand-carved to a 1 3/4" width "V-shape", reminiscent of many Martin vintage necks, though the V-contour has been modified slightly to address today's faster playing styles and lower action requirements.

Each instrument is fitted with a hand polished and beveled tortoise colored pickguard. Tuning machines are gold-plated open-geared with vintage "butterbean" buttons. A 5-ply deluxe hardshell case with a 3-digit combination lock is included to protect each of these special guitars.

The founder's signature is delicately inlaid in Mother Of Pearl above the last fret. An engraved brass plate on the front block bears the edition information. The interior limited edition label is sequentially numbered (i.e. #1 of 91, #2 of 91, etc...) and signed by C. F. Martin, IV, Martin's current Chairman and CEO. He is the sixth generation of Martin family members to manage the firm, which is one of the oldest surviving family owned businesses in the United States.