Art and memories that continue to be played for over a century

~The story of the 1908 Martin 00-45~

"Style-45"

Early 1900s.
CF Martin, located in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in the eastern United States, was a much smaller factory than it is today. Inside a brick and wood building, about ten craftsmen produced instruments at a pace of about a dozen per month. Each craftsman likely relied on their own senses, striving to create something "better" as they made each instrument.

Even back then, Martin had a system of grades called "Styles" based on differences in decoration and materials used. The higher the number, the more luxurious the specifications, and the more time and effort required to create the guitar. In 1904, Martin's craftsmen completed the Style-45, adorned with more ornate decorations, as a showcase of their skills. Since then, the Style-45 has maintained a special position as the "pinnacle" in Martin's history for over a century.

The defining characteristic of the Style-45 lies in its delicate and precise decoration. The process of applying abalone shell to the outer perimeter of the body, the rosette, and even the headstock, and then extending the shell beyond the edge of the fretboard to the top surface, is considered extremely difficult, and it remains a challenge that many luthiers continue to attempt to this day.

The Style 45 from the early 1900s is the purest culmination of this exceptional craftsmanship. It's not just a luxurious model, but a guitar that embodies the pinnacle of Martin's technology at the time, boasting the highest level of perfection.

The guitar featured in this article is a 1908 00-45, one of only three of this model ever produced that year.

What kind of history lies there? Let's unravel it.

"The atmosphere of the year 1908"

1908 (Meiji 41) was the end of the Meiji era in Japan. Western culture was spreading rapidly in Tokyo and Osaka, railways and electric lights were being developed, and people wearing Western clothing began to walk the streets. In the world of music, Western instruments were gradually becoming more widespread, and mandolins and guitars were starting to gain popularity among students. In this era, when the aftereffects of modernization were still lingering, it was also around the time that Japanese people first began to consciously embrace the culture of "enjoying music" as a part of their daily lives.

Meanwhile, across the Pacific in America, the financial panic of 1907 was shaking the entire country. The collapse of banks in New York led to a deterioration of corporate finances, and the entire manufacturing sector was hit hard. The economic downturn reached even the small town of Nazareth, and the musical instrument industry was no exception.

1908 marked a quiet turning point for the Martin Guitars. The financial crisis of 1907 had caused a major downturn in the American economy, and guitar sales plummeted. Production, which had been around 250 guitars in 1906, fell to about 180 in 1907, and then to around 150 in 1908, making it a particularly difficult period.

Nevertheless, Frank Henry Martin did not stop. In his small factory in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, about ten craftsmen continued to handcraft gut-stringed guitars and bowl-back mandolins. The workshop, filled with the scent of wood and the sound of planes, had a warmth that machines could never replicate. Martin in 1908 possessed a quiet passion that preserved tradition while looking towards a new era of music. Within that stillness was the sure breath that would lead to its later golden age.

In that era, one 00-45 guitar was born, and it would later come into the hands of a female guitarist, becoming a part of her musical career and leaving its mark on a special history.

First owner: Hazel Henderson

Hazel Henderson (center in the photo)

This name is indispensable when discussing the history of the 1908 Martin 00-45. She was born in 1891 in California, USA. She grew up in a wealthy family and appears to have received musical education from a young age. In Los Angeles at that time, the guitar was still considered a pastime for the upper class, and a woman playing the guitar was seen as a sign of class.

At just 16 years old, Hazel gave a concert at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Auditorium. Records read, "Hazel Henderson gave a guitar recital at Los Angeles Philharmonic (age 16)." Considering how rare it was for a woman to perform on stage with a guitar, it speaks volumes about her passion and talent.

There is a photograph of Hazel at the age of 16, standing with her friends before a concert.


Standing in the center, she wears a quiet and composed expression. Dressed in a white blouse and long skirt, she perfectly captures the elegant demeanor of the time. To her left, at her feet, is her beloved Martin guitar. The ivory bridge on the body is clearly visible, giving it a very ornate appearance. This guitar is none other than the Martin 00-45, made in 1908. Her passion for music and the scent of the culture rooted in upper and middle-class American families of that era are quietly conveyed through this photograph.

The sheet music she used most often was "Compositions and Arrangements for the Guitar" by Manuel Y. Ferrer (published by Oliver Ditson).
When you say DitsonArticle about antique parlor guitarsHowever, among the large companies mentioned, the names of Chicago LYON & HEALY and others were also listed, and I was impressed by that connection.


This book is an important document that symbolizes classical guitar culture in America at the end of the 19th century. After her concert at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Auditorium, Hazel became a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. The pages with her handwritten notes reveal that she approached music not merely as a hobby, but as a serious performer.


She later married and changed her name to "Hazel Henderson Conte Stretton." She passed away on January 26, 1970.
As a female guitarist, she undoubtedly dedicated her life to music with unwavering passion. Having given concerts at a young age and later performing on stage as a member of a philharmonic orchestra, we can no longer know how she approached music in her later years. However, even more than 100 years later, the Martin guitar she cherished continues to quietly convey its sound. The sound transcends human memory, living on within this instrument alongside her life.

A peaceful sleep: "Beyond a forgotten era"

Among her belongings, alongside sheet music and photographs, this 00-45 was quietly left behind.
The guitar appears to have been kept by the family, but over the years the strings had come loose and cracks had begun to appear on the surface of the wood due to drying.
In the latter half of the 20th century, a folk music boom began in America, and large steel-string guitars came into the spotlight.
On the other hand, Martin guitars with gut strings, like the one Hazel played, quietly faded into obscurity as time went on.
However, musical instruments, like people, are "alive."
It senses the humidity, transcends the seasons, and continues to breathe deep within the wood grain.
In that quiet time, this 1908 00-45 waited for the day it would make a sound again.

Hazel's grandson, Bill Barto, who wished for her resurrection.

In 1970, after Hazel Henderson Conte Stretton passed away, ending her long musical career, her 1908 Martin 00-45, which had been her lifelong companion, was passed on to her grandson, Bill Barto. The guitar, which his grandmother had cherished and played for so long, had accumulated many dents and scratches over the years, with cracks along the inlays on the top and cracks and missing pearl on the back. There were also numerous cracks and chips in the wood on the sides, the bridge was loose, and the fretboard showed signs of wear and sanding. Its condition was truly that of an instrument that had stood the test of time.

Barto's letter mentions that he listened to his grandmother play this guitar when he was a child. It seems that the memory of that sound was very special to him. Perhaps that feeling led to his desire to revive this guitar once again.

Revival at Martin headquarters in 1983

In March 1983, Mr. Barto requested repairs from the Martin Repair Department at their headquarters in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
The invoice (Repair Order #4880) details the work to restore the guitar to a playable condition, including "repair of cracks on the top and back," "gluing of cracks on the sides," "replacing of chipped binding and pearls," "neck reset and fret adjustment," and "re-gluing of the bridge."
The repair costs totaled $540, which was by no means cheap at the time. It wasn't just a simple repair request; it was a sincere and heartfelt act to pass on the sound that my grandmother loved to the future.
The repairs likely took about three months, and the guitar was returned to Barto. The moment Barto received the guitar and played the first note, the sound that had been sealed away since 1970 must have filled the air once again.

"George Gruhn": Between Science and Sensibility

In 2007, a 1908 Martin 00-45 was authenticated by Gruhn Guitars, a prestigious dealer in Nashville.
Founder George Gruhn is a leading expert in the field of vintage guitars, and his reputation transcends market price, being recognized not only for its historical and craftsmanship but also for its overall value.
A letter dated September 14, 2007, states that the "1908 Martin 00-45 (S/N 10761)" is valued at $25,000 in its current condition.
Mr. Gruhn carefully examined the structural and decorative features of the Style 45, including the Adirondack spruce top and scalloped bracing, 12-fret jointed cedar neck, Brazilian rosewood sides and back, ivory binding, torch inlays, and abalone inlays, while referring to Martin's repair records.
He further clarifies that this guitar was the most expensive model Martin produced at the time, and that its bracing was designed specifically for gut strings and is not compatible with modern steel strings.
These descriptions reveal that Mr. Gruhn was not merely an appraiser who evaluated the appearance, but a researcher who made judgments based on an understanding of the structural philosophy of the time of its manufacture. Remaining documents also confirm that negotiations for sale began as a result of this appraisal.
After more than a hundred years, this guitar was taking a quiet step towards meeting its next player.

Memories of Los Angeles: "Westwood Music"

The guitar then made its way to Westwood Music, a long-established music store in Los Angeles. The store was run by legendary dealer Fred Walecki, who was known for his close relationships with many musicians, including Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and James Taylor, and for supporting the West Coast music scene for many years. Westwood Music was more than just a store; it was a place where musicians could talk, test sounds, and share stories about instruments.

The appraisal report dated October 2, 2007, states, "Martin 0045, serial number 10761 should be insured for $37,500." This concise statement reflects Fred Walecki's straightforward and honest approach. Without any embellishments, that single sentence speaks more eloquently than anything else about the value of this guitar.

For many years, Walecki has cultivated a culture that respects living instruments alongside music. His evaluation marked the moment when the 00-45 was recognized not as an "old guitar" but as "a cherished memory of sound."

And now, "Advance Guitars"

And now, this 1908 Martin 00-45 (#10761) is
It is carefully stored and displayed at Advance Guitars in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

The Adirondack spruce top has turned a deep amber color, and the jacaranda back has become richer and more lustrous with age. The abalone's luster changes from blue to green depending on the angle of the light, and its appearance is like a work of art that has captured the atmosphere of 100 years ago.
When you lightly pluck the strings, soft yet deep overtones fill the entire room.

The low notes are round and resonant, while the high notes are clear and soar endlessly. Perhaps these sounds are vibrating the same air as the melodies played by Hazel Henderson.

"Memories Residing in Sound"

Born in Nazareth in 1908
Loved by female guitarists on the West Coast
Revived once again at Martin headquarters
Passed down through generations of masters in California and Nashville, it now quietly thrives in Tokyo.
The history of this 1908 00-45 is more than just a story about an old guitar.
It is the very memory of how people have loved sound and passed it down through their hands.
What Martin created wasn't a musical instrument, but "the power to believe in sound."
The craftsmanship of artisans from over 100 years ago still lives on in the sounds they produce.
And today, once again, someone stopped in front of this guitar.
Listen to that quiet sound.
And from there, a new story begins.

Author of this article:Advance Guitars Store Manager Inoue - Vintage Guitar Researcher

Having been involved with musical instruments since childhood, he is an expert who has been involved in the appraisal and sale of thousands of vintage guitars. He has strong connections with collectors and dealers overseas. Believing that "the history of a guitar changes with even a single color or stamp," he strives to provide detailed and passionate explanations.

Qualifications and experience: Eight years of experience as a musical instrument appraiser, contributing articles and supervision to Guitar Magazine and other publications.

If you found this article helpful, please show your support!