C. F. Martin Dreadnaught Guitars

The "Holy Grail"

C.F. Martin D-45 Guitars

1941 Martin D-45

In the pre-war years, Martin produced only 91 Dreadnaught guitars in the 45 Style. The first of these were 12 fret guitars with snowflake inlays, the first of which was built for the Singing Cowboy movie star Gene Autry. After 1938, the D-45 adapted the hex inlays of the archtop F-7 and F-9.

While Vintage expert and dealer George Gruhn labels calls these the "Holy Grail" of Martin Guitars, it is interesting that he labels only the pre-war Martins with forward shifted X bracing an 1 3/4" wide necks as being "Golden Era", while all but 9 of the "Holy Grail" D-45 are wartime guitars with rear shifted bracing and 1 11/16" necks!

The D-45 was discontinued after 1942 when WWII due to wartime shortages of materials and skilled craftsmen.

After Mike Longworth of Chattanooga, Tennessee had been customizing later D-28 with pearl inlays, he was hired by Martin in July, 1968 to reintroduce the Martin D-45.

The 91 original D-45

s/n	Date Stamped	S.O	Description
53177	March 27, 1933	396	1 Gtr D-45 Dreadnaught Model, Fingerboard inlaid "Gene Autry" Pickguard, Top finished natural. Neck finished dark like C-1.
56394	July 18, 1934	611	1 Gtr D-45S. Dreadnaught 12 fret model, Head bordered with pearl, Special inlaid fingerboard. Stamp serial number also on lower side of short brace.
63715	June 29, 1936	238	1 Gtr D-45S. Body width like F model, 98 machines like F-9. Hunlith July 23rd.
64890	November 23, 1936	338	1 Gtr D-45S. Body width like F model, 98 machines like 000-45, plain gold. Wurlitzer St. Louis Dec. 17th.
65265	January 13, 1937	378	1 Gtr D-45 two extended pick guards per sketch. Wurlitzer, New York, Feb. 5th
67460	September 1, 1937	550	1 Gtr D-45S. Select Drk Rosewood + white top, 12 fret neck, 1/8” narrower than regular. Inlay Pearl letters H.A.W. at 12th fret.
70592	June 21, 1938	753	3 Gtrs D-45 O.M.
70593	June 21, 1938	753	3 Gtrs D-45 O.M.
70594	June 21, 1938	753	3 Gtrs D-45 O.M.
71039	August 23, 1938	779	3 Gtrs D-45
71040	August 23, 1938	779	3 Gtrs D-45
71041	August 23, 1938	779	3 Gtrs D-45
71663	November 23, 1938	834	3 Gtrs D-45 1 - F/9Fingerboard.
71664	November 23, 1938	834	3 Gtrs D-45
71665	November 23, 1938	834	3 Gtrs D-45
72160	February 17, 1939	877	3 Gtrs D-45
72161	February 17, 1939	877	3 Gtrs D-45
72162	February 17, 1939	877	3 Gtrs D-45
72460	April 13, 1939	910	D-45S. Special neck 1 5/8” wide at nut, 2 1/16” at 12th fret. Large Pearl Position marks like F-9, No stripes in fingerboard.
72740	June 7, 1939	877	3 Gtrs D-45
72741	June 7, 1939	877	3 Gtrs D-45
72742	June 7, 1939	877	3 Gtrs D-45
73126	August 23, 1939	963	6 Gtrs D-45
73127	August 23, 1939	963	6 Gtrs D-45
73128	August 23, 1939	963	6 Gtrs D-45
73129	August 23, 1939	963	6 Gtrs D-45
73130	August 23, 1939	963	6 Gtrs D-45
73131	August 23, 1939	963	6 Gtrs D-45
74011	December 20, 1939	963	D-45S withfingerboard inlaid Ken MacKenzie
74161	January 15, 1940	140	6 Gtrs D-45
74162	January 15, 1940	140	6 Gtrs D-45
74163	January 15, 1940	140	6 Gtrs D-45
74164	January 15, 1940	140	6 Gtrs D-45
74165	January 15, 1940	140	6 Gtrs D-45.
74166	January 15, 1940	140	6 Gtrs D-45
75100	May 20, 1940	212	6 Gtrs D-45
75101	May 20, 1940	212	6 Gtrs D-45
75102	May 20, 1940	212	6 Gtrs D-45
75103	May 20, 1940	212	6 Gtrs D-45
75104	May 20, 1940	212	6 Gtrs D-45
75105	May 20, 1940	212	6 Gtrs D-45
75289	June 12, 1940	231	1 Gtr D-45L. Left Hand Construction Coast Wholesalers July 20
75593	July 23, 1940	249	6 Gtrs D-45
75594	July 23, 1940	249	6 Gtrs D-45
75595	July 23, 1940	249	6 Gtrs D-45
75596	July 23, 1940	249	6 Gtrs D-45
75597	July 23, 1940	249	6 Gtrs D-45
75598	July 23, 1940	249	6 Gtrs D-45
77060	February 11, 1941	364	6 Gtrs D-45
77061	February 11, 1941	364	6 Gtrs D-45
77062	February 11, 1941	364	6 Gtrs D-45
77063	February 11, 1941	364	6 Gtrs D-45
77064	February 11, 1941	364	6 Gtrs D-45
77065	February 11, 1941	364	6 Gtrs D-45
78629	August 21, 1941	469	6 Gtrs D-45
78630	August 21, 1941	469	6 Gtrs D-45
78631	August 21, 1941	469	6 Gtrs D-45
78632	August 21, 1941	469	6 Gtrs D-45
78633	August 21, 1941	469	6 Gtrs D-45
78634	August 21, 1941	469	6 Gtrs D-45
78879	September 19, 1941	505	6 Gtrs D-45
78880	September 19, 1941	505	6 Gtrs D-45
78881	September 19, 1941	505	6 Gtrs D-45
78882	September 19, 1941	505	6 Gtrs D-45
78883	September 19, 1941	505	6 Gtrs D-45
78884	September 19, 1941	505	6 Gtrs D-45
79583	November 22, 1941	550	6 Gtrs D-45
79584	November 22, 1941	550	6 Gtrs D-45
79585	November 22, 1941	550	6 Gtrs D-45
79586	November 22, 1941	550	6 Gtrs D-45
79587	November 22, 1941	550	6 Gtrs D-45
79588	November 22, 1941	550	6 Gtrs D-45
80740	February 23, 1942	627	6 Gtrs D-45
80741	February 23, 1942	627	6 Gtrs D-45
80742	February 23, 1942	627	6 Gtrs D-45
80743	February 23, 1942	627	6 Gtrs D-45.
80744	February 23, 1942	627	6 Gtrs D-45
80745	February 23, 1942	627	6 Gtrs D-45
81242	April 30, 1942	677	1 Gtr D-45S Special fingerboard inlaid “Austin”. Steel neck bar.
81578	May 1, 1942	682	6 Gtrs D-45
81579	May 1, 1942	682	6 Gtrs D-45
81580	May 1, 1942	682	6 Gtrs D-45.
81581	May 1, 1942	682	6 Gtrs D-45
81582	May 1, 1942	682	6 Gtrs D-45
81583	May 1, 1942	682	6 Gtrs D-45.
82567	October 9, 1942	758	6 Gtrs D-45
82568	October 9, 1942	758	6 Gtrs D-45
82569	October 9, 1942	758	6 Gtrs D-45.
82570	October 9, 1942	758	6 Gtrs D-45
82571	October 9, 1942	758	6 Gtrs D-45.
82572	October 9, 1942	758	6 Gtrs D-45

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