--- title: Top 10 Guitars | Martin D-45 description: Flame Tree Music | This week’s Top 10 guitar is the Martin D-45, beloved by the likes of Gene Autry and Neil Young. image: https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/hubfs/guitar%20blog.gif --- - [Home](https://info.flametreepublishing.com/blog) | - [ Contact & About Us](https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/contact-us) T H E   F L A M E   T R E E   B L O G ![](https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Hubspot-Header-Music-Entertainment-01-4.png?width=980&height=200&name=Hubspot-Header-Music-Entertainment-01-4.png "Hubspot-Header-Music-Entertainment-01-4.png") # Music & Entertainment Blog # Top 10 Guitars | Martin D-45 Posted by [Laura Bulbeck](https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/classic-rock-bands/author/laura-bulbeck) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) The **Martin dreadnought** guitars are favoured by **folk** musicians for the **full, expressive sound** they produce, and the D-45 has truly earned its place amongst our list of Top 10 Guitars. ### ![guitar blog.gif](https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/guitar%20blog.gif?width=178&name=guitar%20blog.gif)The Modern Flat-top Acoustic Guitar The Martin guitar company was founded in 1833, when German immigrant **Christian Frederick Martin** set up shop in the US. Martin’s first instruments were modelled after those made by **Johann Stauffer**, an Austrian builder under whom he had apprenticed in the 1820s. Soon, however, Martin began to **experiment** with his own construction ideas, and created the design principles that would result in the **modern flat-top acoustic guitar**. ### The Dreadnought Line Launched in 1931, Martin’s dreadnought line of guitars was named after the hulking **British battleship** of the First World War. With its **wide, deep body**, the dreadnought was designed with **volume, tone and projection** in mind. The first Martin dreadnoughts
were called D-1 and D-2, changed to D-18 and D-28 respectively in 1932. While the plainer D-18 had a **mahogany body** and the fancier D-28 had a **rosewood body**, both had a neck that joined the body 
at the 12th fret; beginning in 1934, the neck joined the body at the 14th fret, effectively **extending the guitar’s range** by a whole step. The D-28 first gained acceptance amongst **country and bluegrass** guitarists, who needed a big sound to compete with fiddlers and banjoists. The D-28 eventually became the **benchmark** for flat-top guitar design. ### The Singing Cowboy In 1933, country singer **Gene Autry** approached Martin with a special request – he wanted a guitar like his hero **Jimmie Rodgers**’ small- bodied 000-45, but with the larger, dreadnought body style.
 This resulted 
in the first
 D-45, an 
**ultra-swanky**
 guitar with 
intricate **abalone 
trim** and Autry’s name 
inlaid in **pearl script** on the fretboard. The D-45 proved **too expensive** to manufacture, and it was temporarily discontinued in 1942; only 91 had been made. Pre-war versions are the most desirable of all flat tops, currently fetching upwards of $100,000. ### Guitar Specs **Construction:** Rosewood body, spruce top, mahogany neck with ebony fretboard
 **Characteristics:** Excellent bass response, full tone, loud, well-balanced, magical sound
 **Played by:** Gene Autry, Stephen Stills, Neil Young   Image of D-45 Dreadnought courtesy martinguitar.com *If you’re a guitar player yourself, why not pick up a copy of our fantastic easy-to-use *Guitar Chords* book – [available here](http://flametreepublishing.com/Guitar-Chords-Pick-Up-and-Play.html). If you love all things guitar, we also have some great foiled journals with guitar designs on the cover, such as a [white Gretch](http://flametreepublishing.com/Gretsch-White-Guitar-Foiled-Journal.html), or [Gibson Les Paul on red](http://flametreepublishing.com/Gibson-Les-Paul-Guitar-Red-Foiled-Journal.html).* ### Links - Visit the official C.F. Martin & Co. website [here](https://www.martinguitar.com/) - To read more about Neil Young and his love of Martin acoustic guitars, [click here](https://spinditty.com/industry/Neil-Young-and-Martin-Acoustic-Guitars) - Want to know what a D-45 sounds like? Listen to one being played on this YouTube video, [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA4M1b-5uhM) Topics: [Flame Tree Music](https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/classic-rock-bands/topic/flame-tree-music), [Classic Guitars](https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/classic-rock-bands/topic/classic-guitars), [Flame Tree Pro](https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/classic-rock-bands/topic/flame-tree-pro) ### Subscribe for email updates ### FREE Download [![FREE Digital Rock eBook](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/293166/84fddcda-9601-4729-a225-103dee1b81c6.png)](http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/293166/84fddcda-9601-4729-a225-103dee1b81c6) Download a digital book, this special edition on **The Origins of Rock: The Fifties.** **![Origins of Rock, Classic Rock Bands](https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/hs-fs/file-274821688-jpg/images/origins_of_rock_fifties_cover_final-resized-171.jpg) ** ### About Us We have some amazing books on classic rock bands, including the **brand new **books on** David Bowie, Pink Floyd **and [Rock, A Life Story](http://www.flametreepublishing.com/Rock-A-Life-Story.html): ![FLAME-TREE-Hubspot-Head.gif](https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/hs-fs/hub/293166/file-398222920.gif?width=251&height=354&name=file-398222920.gif "FLAME-TREE-Hubspot-Head.gif") ### Follow us: [![flame tree music, chord finder, guitar scales, piano chords](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/293166/5d8b636d-f159-46fe-879a-01da634bf5ef.png)](http://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/293166/5d8b636d-f159-46fe-879a-01da634bf5ef) ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Posts by Tag - 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