~1980 Martin Copy "D-45"
Folks, I wish I could give you definitive specs and history for this really cool guitar, but I can’t. All I can do is pass along what I was told by the previous owner, what I’ve read, and add my own impressions.
Regarding the chances of its being a "D-45," I don't have a very good indication. I bought it on impulse from an ol' guy in N.C. assuming it was a Martin, but having no idea as to the actual model. It looks good, it plays well, it sounds great, it seems to be all solid wood, it has Martin tuners, a worn Martin logo on the headstock, and it came in a Martin case. The inlay looks vaguely d-40/41/42/45-ish, the three-piece back looks D-35-ish, but the specs don't quite match any of the data I have. There is a number embossed on the neck block, but it doesn't look like a Martin configuration.
So-o-o-o....if it is a Martin D-45, it is worth at least 3 times what I’m asking; if it is a vintage Martin with some bling added, it is worth mebbe twice what I’m asking; if it's a very good vintage dreadnought rosewood guitar with some Martin stuff grafted onto it, I figure it's still worth about what I’m asking. I’m not expert enough to tell, so I thought I’d use the quotation marks and let potential buyers make up their own minds.
I really love the guitar as a player, and I’ve had lots of fun flashing it in front of the guys I play with [none of whom have questioned its authenticity, but they’re not experts, either]. I’m not a great wood person, but this guitar apparently has a solid spruce X-braced top, and I believe the beautiful rosewood back is also solid. The 14/20-fret rosewood (not ebony) fingerboard has abalone inlay and full ivoroid binding, and ends with a rosewood veneer headstock with enclosed Martin chrome tuners. The ebonized rosewood bridge has black abalone-dot pegs which contrast nicely with the Martin-style black pick guard. It has full white, abalone, and black body binding, multi-striped black, abalone, and white binding at the rosette, and it even has elaborate back strips outlining the three-piece back. On the whole, it has many characteristics of the expensive Martin models, and frankly, as a fully seasoned instrument, it plays and sounds better than most of them do.
A full-sized dreadnought, the dimensions afford power as well as brilliance: 40 1/2" long, 4 1/2" deep, 11 3/4" at the upper bout, and 15 1/2" at the lower bout. The top is structurally in good shape, with a 1” bruise in the top lower bout, but no cracks at all, and very few surface scratches or dings as seen in the pictures. The beautifully figured rosewood back and sides are also in excellent condition, with almost no marks on them. The bridge is solid and stable, and there is very little fret or finger board wear.
The additional good news is that for a true vintage instrument, not only is it in very good cosmetic and structural condition, it also plays great, with low action of about 3/32” at the 12th fret low E. And the best news is that its sound is as powerful and sensitive as you would expect spruce and rosewood to produce—and with a Barcus-Berry pickup for gigs in Yankee Stadium or for over-powering an obnoxious banjo player. Bottom line: to most folks, this looks like a vintage high-end Martin guitar, it sounds and plays like a high-end Martin guitar, and on the whole, I’d have to say this is the best-looking, best-playing older “Martin” guitar I’ve played in a long time--but for a thousand dollars or more less money.
The Martin hard shell case may not be original to this guitar, but I suspect that doesn't really matter. As shown in the pictures, it is in good condition and offers excellent protection for this unique instrument. I regret that I don’t have a key for it, because everyone is gonna want to play this guitar, with or without your permission!
The buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states; shipping costs elsewhere will be calculated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; payment must clear before the guitar will be shipped.
I have tried to give an accurate and thorough description of this cool guitar and case, but I have made clear that I cannot vouch definitively as to its nature or provenance. Therefore, its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before bidding; I will respond within 24 hours.
Thank you for your interest in this super-cool vintage guitar.
Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.
From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.
I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.