Martin D-45 1936
PROJECT 91
Martin D-45 1936
Yes. We’ ve built the first four foundational models and two more since. The very first— the original D-45— was a custom order for Gene Autry in 1933. It’ s a 12-fret slot-head with the torch peghead inlay, Gene’ s name in pearl script on the fingerboard, and that long 12-fret dreadnought body. But that was the first build. The first four were all very unique, each one different. Those were completed last year. This year we’ ll build five or six more.
I’ m buying one myself— number 13. That particular guitar has real resonance for me. I actually saw the original at NAMM last week. Number 13 is the only one with a shaded top, and it’ s the only one where we essentially reproduced the Martin F-9 archtop neck. So, it has the racing stripes you’ d see on an F-9, a tortoise headplate— which is very cool— and it’ s a sunburst with hexagon inlays. Originally, I thought I’ d buy a snowflake version. But Tim said,“ Chris, this one’ s pretty unique.” Tortoise headplate, racing stripes, sunburst, hexagons. Bingo. My grandfather helped design the hexagon inlays on the D-45. So, that’ s the one I’ m buying. Overall, I see this as at least a five- or six-year project to complete the entire run.
So, Gene Autry’ s was the first. How did the second one come about? The second one came the following year, in’ 34. That D-45 was built for a performer named Jackie“ Kid” Moore. Like Gene’ s, it was a 12-fret, but it had a solid peghead, and his name was inlaid on the fingerboard. I knew he was a kid— that’ s about all I knew. But the Hutton book goes into some detail about him. Apparently, he couldn’ t decide whether he wanted a 12-fret or a 14-fret.
And at some point, he was actually giving guitar
86 | SPRING 2026