It always adds to the story of a particular instrument when the purchase documents are available. Here is another great example. Serial number 73316 was stamped on September 22, 1939 and cleared final inspection on December 4 that year. As can be seen from the documents below this guitar was sold by Wilson Music Co. […]
Serial number 73066 was stamped on August 10, 1939 and cleared final inspection on November 6 that year. The tuners are Grover pointed plate G-98 machines with unseamed butterbean buttons. Style 18 features: Back and sides: Mahogany Top: Red spruce (Adirondack) Purfling: Lines Binding: Black celluloid Other period features: Rear-X scalloped braces Ebony fingerboard Ebony […]
Serial number 72686 was stamped on May 23, 1939 and cleared final inspection on September 24 that year. The guitar has rear-X bracing but retains the 1-3/4″ wide neck. Style 18 guitars usually had black celluloid binding but the binding on this guitar is tortoiseshell celluloid. The tuners are Grover G-98 pointed plate machines with […]
Serial number 73128 is one of the 91 pre-war D-45 guitars made by Martin. It was stamped on August 23, 1939 and cleared final inspection on October 18 that year. Since it was begun in August 1939 it displays the features typical of the period; rear-X bracing, 1-11/16″ neck width at the nut and scalloped […]