What’s the Scéal Iomlán on the Martin D-45 Celtic Knot?

A Reader Requests Info on the Celtic Knot

What a gift of a website you have created. Thank you. I recently purchased a D-45 Celtic Knot. Whatever background information regarding the concept, design and construction of it would be really helpful.

– Robert in Texas

Spoon Replies:

Thank you Robert, for your kind and encouraging words.

Allow me to say meal do naidheachd on the purchase of your Martin D-45 Celtic Knot! It is my personal favorite among all the “45 +” guitars that Martin has come up with over the years.

That’s Scottish Gaelic, by the way. The oldest existing designs known as Celtic knots are found in illuminated Christian manuscripts from the eighth century, associated with the Abbey of Hii on the Isle of Iona, while others dated to 800 A.D. are believed to come from the Abbey of Kells, in County Meath, Ireland. It is assumed that earlier Celtic knot patterns evolved in Eire and Britain, in decorative textiles and other art forms, after similar “continuous cord” designs were introduced from Roman Europe sometime during the fourth century.

Your wonderful twenty-first century Martin guitar is essentially a D-45 Golden Era, in terms of bracing, neck shape, and string spacing. But of course the Brazilian rosewood and Adirondack spruce came from Chris Martin’s personal reserve. As a musical instrument, every one of them I have played sounded spectacular.

As an example of exquisite artistry in world-class luthiery, they are visually astounding as well. The inlay was done at Pearl Works in Charlotte Hall, Maryland, founded by the late Larry Sifel. The inspiration for the overall design came from Martin’s 600,000th guitar, completed in 1997. Known as “the Celtic” Martin, it was designed and embellished by Larry Robinson, who has created stunning inlays for electric and acoustic guitars for half a century.

Although this earlier instrument has even greater complexity to its various “knots” and, if I recall, abalone herringbone purfling around the edge of the top and sound hole, I have always preferred the aesthetic of the D-45 Celtic Knot. It strikes me as elegant and stately, compared to the rather over-the-top pizazz of the Celtic guitar. But I also very much like the special Gotoh tuners with Celtic designs, and the pearl inlay of Chris Martin’s signature on the rosewood back!

The limited edition of fifty D-45 Celtic Knot guitars was announced at Winter NAMM 2004, along with Martin’s One Millionth Guitar and the D-100 model based on it. The Celtic Knot guitars have sequential serial numbers leading up to #1,000,000. The fifty D-100s have sequential serial numbers starting with #1,000,001.

However, Martin did not build all fifty Celtic Knot guitars. There has been some contention as to the actual production number. Although all official printed references claim that thirty D-45 Celtic Knot guitars were built, the actual quantity is in fact thirty-six.

No one knows why the discrepancy exists. I suspect all accounts were based on one original reporting that contained a typo. Knowing how things happen at Martin, it might even be due to a typist incorrectly reading someone’s handwriting, where the 6 looked like a 0.

In any case, you have a very special Martin. If I could have any of the beyond-Style-45-Deluxe instruments Martin has built, it would be a D-45 Celtic Knot. But you actually get to own one.

I therefore, and with great pomp and solemnity, hereby induct you into the Order of the Lucky Dog, with all rights and privileges afforded said title.

Congratulations!

Pearl Works Website:

https://pearlworks.com/

Larry Robinson Website:

https://www.robinsoninlays.com/

Martin D-45 Celtic Knot frets

(photo: Pearl Works)

Martin D-45 Celtic Knot pearl

(photo: Pearl Works)

Martin D-45 Celtic Knot signature

(photo: Dream Guitars)

 

Martin D-45 Celtic Knot full

(photo: Dave’s Guitars)

 

Fall Martin Models Announced – Woodstock D-45




D-45 Woodstock 50th Anniversary Model Among New Martin Line Up

Hawaiian Koa Showcased in Road Series and X Series

Whatever the reason, C. F. Martin & Co. decided to announce their autumn additions early this year, to coincide with the release of the third and final Woodstock 50th Anniversary guitar.

click on photos to enlarge

Extra Fancy D-45

The Martin D-45 Woodstock 50th model is built from top-grade Indian rosewood and Sitka spruce, European flamed maple binding on the body, the Genuine Mahogany neck with its High Performance ebony fretboard, and around the front of the headstock. It also has the forward-shifted scalloped braces and Modified Low Oval neck profile of the  Standard Series D-45.

The headstock features an inlay of the iconic Woodstock dove, sitting atop Martin’s ornate Alternate Torch inlay, made of high color abalone pearl, as are the 1930s style Snowflake fretboard markers, and of course the purfling inlaid around the sound hole, and every edge of the top, sides, and back, including the edge where the neck meets the body.

This completes a set of Woodstock 50th models that includes a DX and D-35 released at Winter NAMM 2019.

Koa, Koa, Koa

Martin’s affordable Road Series has gained two new models, the short-scale 000-12E Koa and the full-size dreadnought D-12E Koa. Each is made from African Mahogany ( Khaya ivoresnsis) for the back and sides, which has a fine veneer of great-looking koa bonded to the outside. Although these  guitars are designated as Style 12, they have the mother-of-pearl pattern rosette used on all the modernized Road Series guitars, except for the normal D-12, which has a rosette that looks more like a traditional Martin from the Standard Series. Go figure.

And speaking of figure, the koa does look very nice indeed. The use of veneer over less visually attractive wood is as old as the C. F. Martin business itself. But today it is a new technique, designed to make these acoustic-electric models more environmentally friendly, just like use of Forest Stewardship Council certified Richlite for their fretboards and bridges.

Martin-D-12E_GLAM 20 new Martin-000-12E_GLAM 20 new

In the X Series there are now two dreadnought models, the D-X1E and D-X2E that have been upgraded by the use of real wood for the neck, and truly gorgeous looking koa was used to create the photographic image that makes the High Pressure Laminate look like top-shelf tonewood.

The D-X1E has a fretboard and bridge made of Richlite, while the D-X2E gets a wooden board and bridge made from katalox to go along with its solid Sitka spruce top.

The X and Road Series guitars come with Fishman MX electronics, with the Road Series guitars also having an onboard tuner included, placed just inside the sound hole.

You can learn more about these new Martin models HERE.

And coming soon! The new X Series Johnny Cash model!!

Martin DX Johnny Cash Model Forthcoming

Martin-DX-Johnny-Cash teaser

Video Review: Martin OMC-16E Burst (2019)

OMC-16E Brust specifications include: Orchestra Model with Cutaway body shape; solid ovangkol top with Mahogany Burst under gloss finish; solid ovangkol back and sides with satin finish; scalloped 1/4″ braces; long-scale High Performance Neck with Modified Low Oval profile and High Performance taper (1-3/4″ at the nut, 2-18″ at the 12th fret) on the solid ebony fingerboard; 2-5/32″ string spacing at the solid ebony bridge; faux tortoise shell and pickguard; Fishman Matrix VT Enhance electronics with onboard volume and tone control, and Enhance blender for undersaddle pickup and bridge plate sensor. 

The classic Orchestra Model experience with an ovangkol top that adds warmth like a walnut top but with the vibrant trebles of spruce.

2019 Martin Models: The New 16 Series in Review – ALL of them

Video Review: Martin D-16E Burst (2019)

D-16E Burst Specifications include: Dreadnought body shape; solid ovangkol top with Mahogany Burst under gloss finish; solid ovangkol back and sides with satin finish; scalloped 1/4″ braces; long-scale High Performance Neck with Modified Low Oval profile and High Performance taper (1-3/4″ at the nut, 2-18″ at the 12th fret) on the solid ebony fingerboard; 2-5/32″ string spacing at the solid ebony bridge; faux tortoise shell and pickguard; Fishman Matrix VT Enhance electronics with onboard volume and tone control, and Enhance blender for undersaddle pickup and bridge plate sensor. 

The classic Dreadnought looks, but a comfortable shallower depth. The ovangkol top that adds warmth like a walnut top but with the vibrant trebles of spruce.

2019 Martin Models: The New 16 Series in Review – ALL of them

Video Review: Martin 00-16E (2019)

Specifications include: Grand Concert body size; solid Sitka spruce top with gloss finish; solid East Indian  back and sides with satin finish; scalloped 1/4″ braces; Short-scale High Performance Neck with Modified Low Oval profile and High Performance taper (1-3/4″ at the nut, 2-18″ at the 12th fret) on the solid ebony fingerboard; 2-5/32″ string spacing at the solid ebony bridge; Antique White body binding; faux tortoise shell pickguard; Fishman Matrix VT Enhance electronics with onboard volume and tone control, and Enhance blender for undersaddle pickup and bridge plate sensor. 

The 14-fret 00 body size is very comfortable and portable while still putting out the sound of a full-size acoustic guitar, especially when plugged in.

2019 Martin Models: The New 16 Series in Review – ALL of them

Video Review: Martin 000-16E (2019)

000-16E pecifications include: Auditorium body size; solid Sitka spruce top with gloss finish; solid East Indian  back and sides with satin finish; scalloped 1/4″ braces; Short-scale High Performance Neck with Modified Low Oval profile and High Performance taper (1-3/4″ at the nut, 2-18″ at the 12th fret) on the solid ebony fingerboard; 2-5/32″ string spacing at the solid ebony bridge; Antique White body binding; faux tortoise shell pickguard; Fishman Matrix VT Enhance electronics with onboard volume and tone control, and Enhance blender for undersaddle pickup and bridge plate sensor. 

The short-scale neck makes for a comfortable and fun playing experience with plenty of power to handle big strumming and fingerstyle blues.

2019 Martin Models: The New 16 Series in Review – ALL of them




Video Review: Martin GPC-16E (2019)

Specifications include: Grand Performance with Cutaway body shape with 000 side depth; solid Sitka spruce top with gloss finish; solid East Indian  back and sides with satin finish; scalloped 1/4″ braces; long-scale High Performance Neck with Modified Low Oval profile and High Performance taper (1-3/4″ at the nut, 2-18″ at the 12th fret) on the solid ebony fingerboard; 2-5/32″ string spacing at the solid ebony bridge; Antique White body binding; faux tortoise shell pickguard; Fishman Matrix VT Enhance electronics with onboard volume and tone control, and Enhance blender for undersaddle pickup and bridge plate sensor. 

The shallow body greatly increases resistance to feedback when plugged in, while creating an acoustic voice more like an OM, only louder and with a little more power from the lowest bass string.

Video Review: Martin D-16E (2019)

D-16E specifications include: Dreadnought body shape with 000 side depth; solid Sitka spruce top with gloss finish; solid East Indian  back and sides with satin finish; scalloped 1/4″ braces; long-scale High Performance Neck with Modified Low Oval profile and High Performance taper (1-3/4″ at the nut, 2-18″ at the 12th fret) on the solid ebony fingerboard; 2-5/32″ string spacing at the solid ebony bridge; Antique White body binding; faux tortoise shell pickguard; Fishman Matrix VT Enhance electronics with onboard volume and tone control, and Enhance blender for undersaddle pickup and bridge plate sensor. 

The shallow body greatly increases resistance to feedback when plugged-in, while maintaining the look of a classic Martin Dreadnought.

2019 Martin Models: The New 16 Series in Review – ALL of them

Summer NAMM Martins 2019

Nashville Gets a Guitar Shop’s Worth of Summer NAMM Martins

A New 16 Series Makeover, American Chopper Limited Edition Among the Summer Crop

Martin Guitar 16 Series strip Summer NAMM

Sweet Sixteen

Following the successful redesign of Martin’s Standard Series instruments, the more-affordable 16 Series has received seven new acoustic-electric models with similar updated specifications and Fishman Matrix VT Enhance electronics, a duel-source system with discrete volume and tone controls inside the sound hole to adjust the signal from the undersaddle pickup, and a third discrete control to blend in the signal from Fishman’s Enhance bridge plate sensor.

The new core models are the long-scale D-16E, GPC-16E, (both with 000 side depth) and the short-scale 000-16E, and 00-16E. Each has a solid Sitka spruce top with a high gloss finish, fronting a satin finished back and sides of either solid East Indian Rosewood, in the case of the large bodies, or solid Granadillo in the case of the 000 and 00.

While these new models retain the bold herringbone sound hole rosette and top trim of the previous 16RGT models, they differ in several significant ways, including having the scalloped bracing on the dreadnought and grand performance models forward-shifted, as well as having no binding on the necks. The Dreadnought is also made with the side depth of a 000.

These new 16s have been further modernized with the addition of the High Performance neck, which matches a Modified Low Oval profile with the High Performance Taper to the fingerboard that measures 1-3/4” at the nut and 2-1/8” at the 12th fret. They also have solid ebony fingerboards and bridges, a welcome replacement for the non-wood Richlite material that has been used on previous 16 Series instruments.

The fretboard position markers retain the mother-of-pearl dot pattern of the Standard D-28, while the plain white binding from the 16RGT models has been replaced by the Antique White binding used in the today’s Standard Series, with a tint similar to the binding on vintage Martins from the 1950s and ‘60s.

Also for Summer NAMM are the D-16E Burst and OMC-16E Burst, made with ovangkol used for the back, sides, and top. And that top also gets the Mahogany Burst shading similar to the Style 15 Streetmaster models, but with attractive faux tortoise binding that gives these new ovangkol Martins a distinctive look.

All the new 16s join the long-lived mahogany 16s, and the surviving members of the “Americana Series” 16s released over the past two years with similar construction specifications, but made with silver binding, orange and black purfling, and American tonewoods that include an OMC made with cherry back and sides, and a dreadnought made with sycamore back and sides and the same body depth of the OM.

List Prices Between $2,199 and 2,399

Martin Guitar Limited Editions Summer NAMM

The seventh 16 is the special edition D-16E Brexit model, a 14-fret dreadnought “art guitar” made with satin-finished sycamore back and sides, silvery binding, diamond fret markers, and a Sitka spruce gloss top printed with custom Brexit-themed artwork by Robert F. Goetzl, and likewise fitted with Fishman Matrix VT Enhance electronics.

List Price: $2,799

One-Hundred Twenty-Five Black Walnuts to Go

Another limited edition, 125 000E Black Walnut Ambertone acoustic-electric guitars will be made. The short-scale version of the High Performance neck, scalloped 5/16” top braces under the solid Sitka spruce top, and Black Walnut back and sides should all add up to a guitar with easy playability and voice of defined top notes, colorful undertone and ample overtones. The Fishman Matrix VT Enhance has discrete controls inside the sound hole.

List Price: $2,399

Seven of a Kind

A Guatemalan rosewood/Engelmann Spruce limited edition that will have a rich, complex tone to be sure, even under all that hardware, the American Chopper Custom came to be thanks to the American Chopper TV show, which collaborated with Martin to design this special guitar, connected to a two-episode program where Paul Jr. Designs created an unusual three-wheeler. It has motorcycle-themed inlays of copper and wood, and even actual aluminum rivets. Quite a collaboration indeed, between master designers and the master craftspeople capable of pulling it off.

Is there any wonder they are making only seven instruments for this very limited edition?

List Price: $39,999

An Angler’s Angle

A limited edition of 100 guitars, the 00L Fly Fishing model has glossy goncolo alves for the back and sides, an attractive wood from South America that often resembles Hawaiian koa. It was also a tonewood used at C. F. Martin & Co. as early as the 1840s.

The top is Sitka spruce, with a special sunburst finish decorated with custom imagery by artist William Mathews. The fly fishing theme continues in the pearl inlays gracing the ebony fingerboard and headstock face plate.

I expect this 00L sound to fall somewhere between the CEO-7, which introduced the 14-fret slope-shoulder 00 body size, and the 00L-17 models. But it certainly looks unique.

Dealers may order this with on-board electronics.

List Price: $4,399

Martin Guitar L and Jr strip1 Summer NAMM

Two New Juniors

The popular Junior Series has added the 000Jr-10 and 000CJr-10E. These are smaller than normal 000s, with an even shorter neck scale (24”) but with the same sort of feminine shape to the body that many people find more comfortable than the wider, square-ish dreadnought shape. Sapele and Sitka in both cases. But the 000CJr-10E has a cutaway and Fishman electronics.

List Prices: $699 and $799

A Couple of Little Martins, Last But Not Least

The first Little Martins to get pickguards, they also get a new herringbone rosette etched into the solid Sitka spruce soundboard. The High Pressure Laminate back and sides are printed to look like rosewood and E model has a plug and play Fishman pickup.

List Prices: $499 and $599

Many More Summer NAMM Martin Photos Coming SOON!

Martin 000E Black Walnut Ambertone Summer NAMM glam cut