Gary Demos | 1-45-custom | 2009 |

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• Model: 1-45 style
• Type: 1 parlor
• Year: 2009
• Top:  white spruce (very similar to Red spruce in tonal quality)
• Back and sides: Indian rosewood
• Bracing: Martin scalloped X-bracing like original bracing
• Neck: Honduras mahogany
• Truss rod: none
• Bridge: Camel bone (Ivory on original guitar)
• Binding: Ivoroid (Ivory on original)
• Purfling: Abalone
• Headstock: Rosewood with MOP inlay (Fern pattern)
• Tuners: Gotoh Ivoroid
• Scale Length: 24.9”
• Nut width: 1 7/8”
• Twelfth fret width:2 3/16”

Builder Gary Demos says “I came upon an original 1904 Martin 1-45 [Pictured Above] at a gathering of luthiers in northern Minnesota back in 2006. This very guitar was the first style 45 that Martin ever made, and they made another 5 in this size until 1919. The guitar I played and measured was formerly in the collection of Mike Longworth – an old-time Tennessee based luthier.”

“I fell in love with the guitar – it was so beautiful and was such a pleasure to play. I was fascinated by the solid ivory bridge and bindings, and the abalone purflings on the sides and at the heel. I wasn’t sure whether I could, but I knew I wanted to attempt to reproduce this guitar.

I found a set of Indian rosewood that had nice straight grain, and chose to use white spruce for the soundboard – which is very similar to Red spruce (Adirondack spruce) which was used on the original. I scrounged up some camel bone for the bridge, and used ivoroid binding to authenticate the look of ivory.

I started the guitar in 2007 and took it to the stage where it was ready for binding. I hung it up and let it set until I couldn’t make any more excuses not to finish it (I was not sure how to wrap the abalone shell binding around the sides). I was also not an expert at inlay, and was not real excited about cutting all the MOP for the headstock.

I could have purchased a similar pre-cut set of MOP, but I wanted to reproduce the whole instrument by hand. After cutting about 3 or pieces every morning few a few days (that’s all I had patience for at one time), I finally got all the pieces cut. I finished the guitar in February, 2009 and am now enjoying holding and playing a brand new piece of history. [note: the final set of pics shows Gary's headstock next to the original Martin]

Left: Gayy Demos 1-45 style headstock
Right: Original Martin 1-45 headstock

Pictures kind courtesy of Gary Demos. http://www.demosguitars.com/
©2009

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