Guitar
Maker
C. F. Martin & Co.
Date1969
Place MadeNazareth, Pennsylvania, United States, North America
ModelD-28 / Dreadnaught Orchestra / Dreadnaught / Dreadnought
Serial No.247859
SignedBranded on back graft: [lettering curved downward at each end] C.F.MARTIN & Co / ―∙― / NAZARETH, PA. / MADE IN U.S.A.Gold and black decal on head: [lettering curved downward at each end] CFMartin&Co. [sic] / EST. 1833
MarkingsBranded on neck block: D-28 / 247859
In raised lettering on each machine head shaft cover: GROVER
Stamped on each machine head mechanism cover: PAT. PEND / U.S.A.
Scratched into back, upper bass bout: M.TRavis [sic]
DescriptionMerle Travis, born in Rosewood, Kentucky, in 1917, achieved great fame in California in the 1950s and ‘60s as a performer and songwriter. Drawing on his youth in a coal mining region, Dark as a Dungeon, Sixteen Tons, and The Nine Pound Hammer became classic country hits.
This Martin D-28, once owned by Merle Travis, was customized with the country artist’s name in mother-of-pearl on the fretboard, "So everybody could read and learn my name by the time the show was over." After Travis’ death, the instrument was sold to Marty Stuart, country artist and former son-in-law of Travis’ friend, Johnny Cash. Cash bargained with Stuart for the instrument, which he wanted for his museum, The House of Cash in Hendersonville, Tennesee (now closed), and Stuart traded him the guitar for one owned by Hank Williams. Later, Cash gave the instrument to Travis’ son, Thom Bresh, after the two musicians collaborated on the last two Johnny Cash albums. Along with the guitar, Cash gave Bresh the following advice: "Play this guitar, son. There could be a day when you may want to sell it. If you play it, when that day comes you’ll be able to say this guitar was owned and played by three great musicians and a poet."
Stringing: six steel strings
Soundboard: two-piece spruce, very wide grain
Back: two-piece book-matched East Indian rosewood; back stripe comprised of alternating sections of light-dark-light and dark-light-dark purfling strips, every fourth strip a light-dark-light strip three times longer than the others, surrounded on each side with one strip of light hardwood purfling
Ribs: two-piece East Indian rosewood divided by white celluloid end graft strip (slightly wider toward top than bottom) surrounded by thin white and black celluloid purfling on each side (2 strips each); rosewood plugs filling one hole on each side at center bouts
Head: mahogany veneered with rosewood on front face
Neck: mahogany; white plastic strap button affixed to treble side of neck heel with philip’s head screw; hole on heel cap for strap button, now missing
Heel cap: white celluloid
Binding: white celluloid; top trim comprised of black-white-black-white-black celluloid purfling strips; back trim comprised of two purfling strips of black and white celluloid
Fingerboard: ebony; 20 nickel-silver frets; “TRAVIS” inlaid in mother-of-pearl between 4th and 10th frets; mother-of-pearl stars inlaid behind 4th and 12th frets, on each side of “TRAVIS” inlay; single mother-of-pearl dots behind 15th and 17th frets (holes filed behind 5th and 9th frets); two abalone dots behind 12th fret (holes filled behind 7th fret); white celluloid side dots behind 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 17th frets
Nut: ivory
Bridge: ebony with curved lower edge; mother-of –pearl stars inlaid on each side; angled, white celluloid saddle; white celluloid bridge pins with abalone eyes (eye of high E-string imitation abalone plastic)
Pegs: six chrome-plated steel worm-gear machine tuners by Grover with convex head surfaces and enclosed worm gear mechanisms
Endpin: white celluloid with black celluloid eye
Rosette: wide band of white and black striped celluloid (9 strips), surrounded on each side with narrower bands of the same material (5 strips each), with natural wood in between
Pick guard: imitation tortoise-shell celluloid
Varnish: clear with fine craquelure
Linings: kerfed mahogany
Neck block: mahogany; chamfered corners
End block: mahogany; chamfered corners; mahogany graft at center, perpendicular to top and back
Top braces: spruce X-brace, the joint of main cross brace reinforced with white canvas; rosewood bridge plate
Back braces: spruce back graft; four spruce back braces, the two braces in the lower bouts with rounded edges, and wider and lower in height than the two braces in the upper bouts
DimensionsTotal guitar length: 1029 mm (40-3/4″)
Back length: 508 mm (20-3/32″)
Upper bout width: 296 mm (11-1/2″)
Waist width: 278 mm (10-27/32″)
Lower bout width: 400 mm (15-3/4″)
Rib height (including edging) at heel: 100 mm (3-30/32″)
Rib height, at waist: 112 mm (4-13/32″)
Rib height, at end block: 124 mm (4-15/16″)
Head length: 160 mm (6-5/16″)
Head width, top: 72 mm (2-27/32″)
Head width, bottom: 60 mm (2-5/16″)
Neck length (nut to ribs): 358 mm (14-1/8″)
Neck width, nut: 42 mm (1-5/8″)
Neck width, heel: 55 mm (2-1/8″)
Soundhole diameter: 103 mm (4″)
Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge): high E: 646 mm (25-5/16″); low E: 651 mm (25-11/32″)
ProvenancePreviously owned and used by Merle Travis, Marty Stuart, Johnny Cash, and Thom Bresh. Purchased from Gruhn Guitars, Nashville, Tennessee, 2005.
Published References“Museum’s Guitars Featured on Show,” Yankton Press and Dakotan (June 1, 2006).
David Lias, “Garrison Keillor Revisits Vermillion,” Yankton Press and Dakotan (June 1, 2006).
Credit LineTony and Bonnie Vinatieri Family Trust, 2005
Object number10861
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