Serial number 74163 was stamped on January 15, 1940 and cleared final inspection on March 27 that year.

This guitar is in remarkable condition.  Many original D-45 guitars were owned by working musicians and were often returned to Martin to be "refreshed", which usually involved refinishing.

The tuners are gold plated Grover G-111G machines. The G-111G tuners were only used between 1939 and 1941.

Style 45 features:

Back and sides: Brazilian rosewood

Top: Red spruce (Adirondack)

Purfling: Abalone (top, back and sides)

Binding: White ivoroid

Abalone "C. F. Martin" head stock veneer

Back stripe: Style 45 pattern

Other period features:

Scalloped X-bracing

Ebony fingerboard

Ebony belly bridge

Steel T-bar neck reinforcement

1-11/16" neck width at nut

Tortoiseshell celluloid pick guard

Hexagonal abalone fingerboard inlays

Decal on front of headstock

No C. F. Martin stamp on back of headstock

Style stamp

Photos courtesy of Gruhn Guitars