PROJECT 91
and the hexes began, and how many different little attributes changed over time, like when tuning gears made the change from Waverleys to Grovers. And Jason Ahner, who runs the Martin museum and manages the archives, has surfaced other things. So, we’ re learning every day little bits and pieces as we’ re working through each serial number. So, we just started working from the first one to the 2nd one to the 3rd one. And I think up until about number 13 or 14, they all were very different in certain ways. But once we get up into guitars number 16, 17, 18 and up in that neighborhood, we start seeing more of a production pattern to the builds. Martin kept incredible records from back in the day. So, if we know all the serial numbers of these old guitars, we can go back into the archives and see what job number was assigned to that particular serial number. And we also know the start date and the completion date.
As you studied the four models in the series, what details stood out to you from a design perspective? The first was a 12-fret D with a slot head— Gene Autry’ s guitar. The second was also a 12-fret D, but with a solid headstock, built for Jackie“ Kid” Moore. And we had access to that guitar as well. Once we started getting into the 14-fret D guitars, then other differences start appearing. All the stuff back then was hand cut, so you start seeing some differences in just the tiny little ways that the snowflakes are positioned and shaped. We’ re doing our best today to get these as close as we can, using the same materials. We’ re using solid shell, not abalam, because back in the day, it would have been solid shell. The wood is Brazilian and Adirondack, as it would have been back then, as well. And then there are all the tiny little features that we can learn from photographs that allow us to measure the details.
To what extent are you replicating the original build process? Given modern tools and practices, where does Project 91 remain faithful to the period methods, and where are there necessary departures? We’ re building these in a modern era, of course, but wherever it truly matters to the sound and structure, we’ ve leaned hard into the period-correct methods. One of the truest elements is the use of hot hide glue. That’ s a very hands-on process— you’ re not only heating the glue and keeping it at the right temperature, you also have to warm the parts themselves. If you introduce hot glue to a cold part, that won’ t work out too well! And then, all the braces on the inside are all hand-shaped, like they did back in the olden days. So, the whole build process from the construction of the subcomponents are all what they would have done back in the old factory. The main differences come in how certain parts are cut. Instead of using a bandsaw or older shapers and routers— which were effective but also hazardous— we use modern tools to produce those same components. For example, backs that would once have been rough-cut on a bandsaw are now precision-cut with a laser. But once those pieces are in hand, the craftsmanship— the shaping, voicing, and fitting— is very much in keeping with the original era.
Given modern precision and materials, would you argue that the end result rivals— or perhaps even exceeds— the originals? I personally do. I’ ve played the first two that came off the line, and I was honestly blown away by how
92 | SPRING 2026