MARTIN 1980 D-45 with Original Hardshell Case

Near Mint Conditions

The sound of this instrument is incredible. VERY loud, deep bass and just excellent tone. The top is nice and open and for a guitar almost 28 years old, it is in great overall shape.

It was personally hand-signed by CF Martin IV in 1998

code AC145

The D-45 Story

In 1933 cowboy star and country singer Gene Autry came up with a special project. Autry wanted a guitar similar in appearance to his idol Jimmie Rodgers’ 000–45, but in the new large body style. The Martin Company complied, and the first and perhaps most famous D–45, #53177, was born, complete with Autry’s name in pearl script on the fretboard.
Like all early Dreadnoughts, the first D–45 had the elongated body and 12–fret neck. As you can imagine, with all of the abalone pearl body decoration, the guitar proved to be expensive to make, costing a whopping $200.00 in the middle of the Depression.
Although the D–45 was not cataloged until 1938, five more were built between 1933 and its official introduction, including two other 12–fret versions. The guitar built for Autry had a "torch" inlay pattern on the peghead; subsequent D–45s had the familiar "C. F. Martin" block letter logo. In 1939, the fretboard inlay pattern was changed from the traditional style 45 "snowflakes" to new "modern" solid hexagons.
The Martin Company had produced 91 D–45s by the time the guitar was [temporarily] discontinued in 1942. Except for the 1936 D–45 (which had a 5/8" wider body and three different 12–fret "S" designs), all of these guitars were structurally identical to the other pre–1945 Dreadnoughts.

CONSTRUCTION: Mahogany Blocks/Dovetail Neck Joint
BODY SIZE: D-14 Fret
TOP: Solid Sitka Spruce
ROSETTE: Style 45
TOP BRACING PATTERN: Standard ''X'' Scalloped
TOP BRACES: Solid Sitka Spruce 5/16''
BACK MATERIAL: Solid East Indian Rosewood
BACK PURFLING: Style 45
SIDE MATERIAL: Solid East Indian Rosewood
ENDPIECE: White Boltaron
ENDPIECE INLAY: Abalone with Black/White Boltaron
BINDING: White Boltaron
TOP INLAY STYLE: Abalone Pearl w/ Black/White/Black Boltaron
SIDE INLAY: Abalone Pearl with Black/White/Black Boltaron
BACK INLAY: Abalone Pearl with Black/White Boltaron
NECK MATERIAL: Select Hardwood
NECK SHAPE: Low Profile
NUT MATERIAL: Bone
HEADSTOCK: Solid/Diamond/SquareTaper
HEADPLATE: Solid East Indian Rosewood /C.F. Martin Block- Select Pearl
HEELCAP: White Boltaron
FINGERBOARD MATERIAL: Solid Black Ebony
SCALE LENGTH: 25.4”
# OF FRETS CLEAR: 14
# OF FRETS TOTAL: 20
FINGERBOARD WIDTH AT NUT: 1-11/16''
FINGERBOARD WIDTH AT 12TH FRET: 2-1/8''
FINGERBOARD POSITION INLAYS: Style 45 Abalone Hexagon
FINGERBOARD BINDING: White Boltaron
FINISH BACK & SIDES: Polished Gloss
FINISH TOP: Polished Gloss
FINISH NECK: Polished Gloss
BRIDGE MATERIAL: Solid Black Ebony
BRIDGE STYLE: Belly
BRIDGE STRING SPACING: 2-1/8''
SADDLE: 16'' Radius/Compensated/Bone (Replaced 2006 with Ivory)
TUNING MACHINES: Gold Martin w/Large Knobs
 

E.Clapton

http://chitarre.accordo.it/articles/2008/09/18111/lucio-battisti-e-la-chitarra.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdcT-YsCa74

http://www.luciobattisti.info/?page_id=589