Next month, the doors will open on the National Association of Music Merchants show in California, where manufacturers big and small will reveal all that's new and exciting in the world of music creation. To celebrate the making of its two millionth guitar, CF Martin & Co will be taking along a one-of-a-kind custom guitar with a working RGM timepiece mounted in its headstock.
CF Martin & Co has been making prized instruments for over 180 years, and has pulled out all the stops for its two millionth build. Created in partnership with Pennsylvania's RGM Watch Co, the body of the one-off custom has been based on the company's D-45 acoustic. Its back and sides are fashioned from Brazilian rosewood, and its top made from bearclaw Engelmann spruce.
Eye-catching gears, geometric shapes and decorative watch-themed inlays adorn the body and 25.4-inch scale mahogany neck, with pride of place given over to a working custom timepiece embedded in the headstock. The stainless steel tuning machines have been treated to engraved rose gold buttons, too.
Martin also used the two millionth serial number celebration to introduce a limited run D-200 Deluxe model festooned with RGM-inspired decorative aspects. This model has been based on a Style 45 dreadnought guitar, sports Brazilian rosewood to the back and bearclaw Engelmann spruce to the front with an engraved aluminum rosette.
Watch gears in various materials including reconstituted stone, bloodwood and Hawaiian koa adorn the rear face of the instrument, while intricate soundboard inlays, a watch gear-themed pickguard and decorative fingerboard inlays up top finish off this stunning acoustic guitar.
Each of the 50 examples produced will come with a newly-designed RGM wearable watch that references the limited edition guitar. Timepiece specs include a Swiss automatic movement with 14 K gold winding rotor, sapphire crystals front and back and a stainless steel case. The special edition D-200 carries a heart-stopping recommended retail price of US$149,999.
The video below shows the two millionth guitar being made.
Source: CF Martin & Co