Martin D-45

Full Description

Iconic shape

Pioneers of dreadnought guitars, Martin know a thing or two about this comfortable, classic, and tonally gorgeous shape. There's a reason it is one of the most sought-after styles. Not only do its elegant curves offer an easy playing experience, but its spacious lower bout and overall balanced size deliver a dynamic yet even tone. This makes it the perfect undercurrent for the clarity, brightness, and depth produced by the D-45's tonewoods. It also makes it wonderfully versatile, enough to thrive with any playing style, in any environment.

A divine tonewood duo

East Indian rosewood and Sitka spruce. There really isn't a more exquisite tonewood combination. Crafted from rosewood, the back and sides of the D-45 offer a beautiful rich tone, embellished with brightness and sparkling clarity. Fingerpick, strum, and deliver crystal-clear, pitch-perfect solos - rosewood's response is even across the whole frequency range, giving you a wonderfully consistent sound. Its dark and complex resonance creates a beautiful full-bodied tone, whilst a certain amount of 'zing' gives it that sharpness needed for excellent definition. All of these tonal qualities, as well as its sturdiness and reliability, make rosewood a popular choice for acoustic guitars. So, you know it's a trustworthy feature.

Complementing the back and sides is another reliable tonewood - the spruce top. Spruce has a broad dynamic range, perfect for any gigging musician who needs good volume and sound projection. Its crisp articulation makes the world of difference for a range of playing styles whilst its balanced tone gives it a huge amount of versatility. For a beautiful, clear tone in which every single note rings out with glistening definition, spruce does not disappoint. And its combination with rosewood enhances such sparkling clarity even more, resulting in a simply glorious acoustic sound.

Flawless fretting

The divine properties of the D-45 extend from the body and travel up the mahogany neck; so you can be sure that every single part you touch will be filled with practical and tonal attributes waiting for you to explore. A mahogany neck is a welcomed feature for any avid guitarist as its strength is needed for the thinnest part of the guitar. Mahogany also offers warm yet punchy sonic qualities with an emphasized midrange that begs colourful overtones. But the showstopper really is the ebony fretboard attached on top. It is what makes this guitar stand out from others out there. Not only does its naturally shaded colour contrast brilliantly with the bright spruce top, but it also brings a wealth of characteristics that make playing this guitar a sublime experience. Ebony's high oil content gives it a smooth and fast finish, lending itself to quick and immaculate fretting techniques. Its high level of durability also means it can handle the frequent attack of your fingertips without wearing away. Whether it's a simple guitar practice session at home or a sold-out gig with an awe-struck crowd, the ebony fretboard promises to thrive and deliver.

Now onto the more enticing attributes of ebony... its stunning sonic capabilities. Ebony is an extremely responsive tonewood that offers a beautifully bright sound, making it a gorgeous accompaniment to rosewood and spruce. Project your music with purpose and brilliant volume, ebony's snappy and crisp attack ensures that every single note cuts through the mix astonishingly well, leaving nothing unheard. This exquisite sound produced by a high-quality tonewood is exactly what acoustic players look for and the D-45 delivers it with pure excellence.

Stability and durability

We all know that beauty comes from within, and the D-45 is no different. Even the inside of the rosewood and spruce body has been meticulously designed for robustness and superb sound. Scalloped, forward-shifted X-bracing has been mounted inside to offer more expansive vibrations, stability, and a depth of tone. Such a complex construction might not redeem itself with a simpler title, but each part entails a unique and necessary characteristic. The scalloped shape of the bracing means parts have been scooped out, allowing the spruce top to vibrate more freely and resulting in a more dynamic sound that retains structural reliability. Scalloped bracing is an enticing feature, particularly on Martin guitars as it takes us back to their "Golden Era" when all their steel-string guitars featured this sturdy and resonant brace shape. Such instruments are still held with such high regard now, and so you can trust that the D-45 has been constructed with history, experience, and an abundance of knowledge behind it.

The benefits of scalloped, forward-shifted X-bracing do not stop there. An X-bracing pattern offers an exceptionally sturdy structure that accommodates high-tension steel strings. Tune up and play without worrying about any potential guitar body tragedies, X-bracing is strong enough to withstand any amount of pressure. Martin has also employed an innovative modification to their bracing on the D-45 by shifting it forward half an inch closer to the soundhole, enhancing the bass frequencies even further. It does this by allowing the lower bout more freedom to vibrate so you end up with a beautifully resonant sound that teams well with the shimmering clarity and brightness of rosewood and spruce.

Striking appearance

If you're going to play an instrument that encompasses so much sonic and practical magnificence, then you'll want it to have an aesthetic to match. The D-45 showcases pure simplicity and excellence, whilst also being visually striking. The bright yet natural yellow-ish colour of the spruce top offers a stunning backdrop for the elegant tortoise patterned pickguard and ebony bridge. The antique white binding and specially designed "Style 45" abalone fretboard inlays then add subtle embellishments, resulting in a truly magnificent aesthetic. And even better, it is road-ready thanks to the ply hardshell case that is included with the guitar. Travel without the worry of any potential damage and let such a robust and sturdy case absorb any knocks and scrapes, allowing this exquisite guitar to remain unscathed and ready for an amazing performance, gig after gig.

Specifications

• Product Code: CFM-GTR-D45

Body

• Body Top: Sitka Spruce
• Body Back & Sides: East Indian Rosewood
• Body Finish: Gloss
• Rosette: Abalone With Multi-Stripe
• Bracing Pattern: Forward-Shifted X-Brace
• Brace Shape: Scalloped
• Bridge: Ebony
• Bridge Style: Modern Belly - Drop In Saddle
• Bridge String Spacing: 2 5/32"
• Bridge Pin Material: White Plastic
• Bridge Pin Dots: Abalone
• Saddle: Compensated Bone
• Saddle Radius: 16"

Neck & Fingerboard

• Neck Material: Genuine Mahogany
• Fingerboard Material: Ebony
• Scale Length: 25.4"
• Number Of Frets: 20
• Inlays: Style 45 Hexagon, Abalone
• Fingerboard Width At 12th Fret: 2 1/8"
• Headstock Shape: Solid With Square Taper & Diamond
• Headplate Material: East Indian Rosewood
• Nut Material: Bone

Hardware

• Tuning Machines: Gold Open Gear
• Included Case: Ply Hardshell