Martin Guitars and Joe Bonamassa have teamed up to bring you a limited edition replica of one of the most-stunning pre-War acoustic guitars, a 000-45 based on the blues guitar superstar’s 1941 original.
This extremely limited run (they’re only making 45 globally) is Martin’s Nazareth, Pennsylvania factory showing off, applying all of their know-how to bring the 21st-century guitarist an instrument that looks and feels “just as it came off the workbench” some 80 years ago, right down to the abalone “Style 45” snowflake inlays on its ebony fingerboard.
Bonamassa has had tons of signature guitars. But this is the first limited edition acoustic guitar to bear his name, and in effect it is a limited run of a guitar that was never made in great numbers. Martin says it only made 265 in total.
The story behind Bonamassa’s original acoustic takes us back through three generations of one Southern Californian family, where this 000-45 had been kept for decades. It proved a sound investment; the sale of it saved a woman’s house.
Martin 000-45 Joe Bonamassa: This is a stunning replica of the blues superstar's 1941 000-45, a pre-war acoustic with a real story to tell.
“I don’t collect guitars, I collect stories,” says Bonamassa. “I don’t collect instruments because I want a deal on them. I want to collect instruments because I want to help a family out of financial trouble, and they have this one item that could be sold for lots of money... It was the last thing of value that she had, so it saved her house, and I got a wonderful guitar and a hell of a story.”
Anyone who is lucky enough to add this to their collection will get a heck of a guitar that will be worth holding onto, not least because it will surely appreciate in value. All the specs are top-shelf, with Guatemalan rosewood on the back and sides, Adirondack spruce on the top, braced with X-pattern scalloped spruce.
In keeping with the time machine vibe, Martin has applied its VTS (Vintage Tone System) to age this wood, giving it that extra warm, resonance and detail that you get from a premium vintage acoustic.
The guitar has been judiciously decorated with abalone. You’ll find it on the fingerboard, headstock, top inlays and the rosette. Even the bridge pins have a little shell sparkle to them.
As for the vital statistics, we have a 24.9” scale, a mahogany neck that has been matched to Bonamassa’s original. When Bonamassa turned it over to Martin’s luthier’s, in mint condition, the 000-45 still had its original ticket on it.
In 1941, it cost a small fortune $225. And yet it is a guitar that most players will never have the good fortune to play. Hence why Bonamassa and Martin are producing this run. This is not the sort of super high-end acoustic guitar you can mass produce, but Bonamassa promises an exact replica for the lucky 45 who get their hands on one.
“It's really important to me that the new guitar stayed true to the old one, because there's no other reason to do it,” he says. “It gives people an opportunity to feel what it's like to hold a Golden Era 000-45... I'm not redesigning a Martin guitar. I'm just sharing 45 times over a glimpse into a guitar that I own, that most people will never get to play, or see.”
There is one modern update to the 000-45. But purists, relax. It’s an adjustable truss rod. Who could complain about that? You will find JoBonamassa's signature on the soundhole label, and there is a certificate of authenticity, a vintage hang tag, and a period-correct hardshell guitar case to keep this guitar mint.
The limited-edition Martin 000-45 Joe Bonamassa is as much a piece of history as it is a musical masterpiece. It’s more than just an instrument – it’s a meticulously crafted recreation of Joe's treasured 1941 000-45.
This exclusive model, with only 45 units available, is a tribute to a golden era of guitar making, echoing the craftsmanship that has made Martin a legendary name for generations.
The guitar features a premium Adirondack spruce top treated with Martin’s Vintage Tone System® (VTS) to capture the warm, resonant tones of a well-aged instrument. Paired with VTS-treated Adirondack spruce X bracing and Guatemalan rosewood back and sides, it delivers a rich, balanced sound that will inspire any musical journey for years to come.
Joe’s original 000-45, serial number 76993, has a captivating story of its own. A beloved instrument passed down through three generations, the guitar had never left Southern California since it was first purchased in 1941. Many years later, it ultimately found its way to Joe at a moment when its sale helped save a woman’s home.
The experts at Martin meticulously recreated every detail of this mint-condition guitar, including its unique neck profile, which is a faithful reproduction of Joe's original pre-war 000-45, while adding an adjustable truss rod to ensure modern playability. The period-correct gold enclosed gear tuners, exclusive to Martin, also provide a touch of vintage charm. Even the snowflake inlays on the fingerboard are crafted to match the original model. A certificate of authenticity, vintage hang tag, and period-correct hardshell case add to its authentic appeal.
Only 265 pre-war 000-45s were ever made, and with just 45 of these limited-edition models available globally, this guitar is a true collector's dream, offering a rare opportunity to own a piece of musical history that promises to be a treasured heirloom for generations.
Specifications
Body Size: 000-14 Fret
Finish Top: Gloss
Construction: Dovetail Neck Joint
Back and Side Finish: Gloss
Bracing Pattern: X-Brace
Scale Length: 24.9"
Brace Shape: Scalloped
Fingerboard Width at Nut: 1 11/16''
Top Material: Adirondack Spruce with VTS
Neck Shape: Authentic 1941
Back Material: Guatemalan Rosewood
Neck Taper: Standard Taper
Side Material: Guatemalan Rosewood
Electronics: None
Top
Top Color: Vintage Reproduction
Bridge Style: Authentic Belly - Glue in Long Saddle
Binding: Grained Ivoroid
Bridge String Spacing: 2 5/32"
Top Inlay Material: Abalone with Multi-Stripe
Bridge Material: Ebony
Top Detail: Figured
Bridge Pin Material: Faux Ivory
Pickguard: Faux Tortoise
Bridge Pin Dots: Abalone
Pickguard Inlay: None
Saddle: Bone
Rosette: Abalone with Multi-Stripe
Saddle Radius: 16"
Body
Brace Material: Adirondack Spruce with VTS
Back and Sides Color: Natural
Brace Size: 5/16"
Back Detail: None
Back Purfling/Strip: D-45 Golden Era
Back Inlay Material: Abalone with Multi-Stripe
Heelcap: Grained Ivoroid
Side Detail: None
Endpiece: Grained Ivoroid
Side Inlay Material: Abalone with Multi-Stripe
Endpiece Inlay: Abalone with Multi-Stripe
Neck
Neck Material: Genuine Mahogany
Fingerboard Material: Ebony
Finish Neck: Gloss
Fingerboard Width at 12th Fret: 2 1/8''
Neck Color: Dark Mahogany
Fingerboard Inlay Style: Style 45 Snowflake
Number of Frets Total: 20
Fingerboard Inlay Material: Abalone
Neck Joins Body At: 14th Fret
Fingerboard Binding Material: Grained Ivoroid
Side Dots: Faux Tortoise
Headstock
Headstock Shape: Solid with Square Taper and Diamond
Tuning Machines: Gold Enclosed Gear
Headplate Material: Guatemalan Rosewood
Knob: Butterbean
Headplate Logo Style: Block Inlay
Nut Material: Bone
Headplate Binding Material: Grained Ivoroid with Multi-Stripe
Headplate Detail: None
Misc
Case: Hardshell
Label: Paper Label w/Joe Bonamassa Signature, Numbered in Sequence w/Total
Pleked: true