Meanwhile, across the Pacific in the United States, the financial panic of 1907 was shaking the nation to its core. Triggered by the collapse of a New York bank, corporate cash flows deteriorated, and the entire manufacturing sector took a hit. The economic downturn reached even the small town of Nazareth, and the musical instrument industry was no exception.

In 1908, Martin Guitars was entering a quiet turning point. The financial panic of 1907 had caused the U.S. economy to slump significantly, and guitar sales plummeted. Production, which had been about 250 units in 1906, dropped to about 180 in 1907 and then to roughly 150 in 1908, marking a particularly difficult period.

Even so, Frank Henry Martin did not stop working. In a small factory in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, about ten craftsmen continued to handcraft gut-string guitars and bowl-back mandolins.Filled with the scent of wood and the sound of planes, that workshop possessed a warmth that could never be replicated by machines. In 1908, Martin harbored a quiet passion that looked toward a new era of music while preserving tradition. Within that quietness lay the steady pulse that would lead to the golden age to come.

One such 00-45, born in that era, would later find its way into the hands of a female guitarist, carving out a special history alongside her musical journey.

Hazel Henderson (center in photo)

This name is indispensable when recounting the history of the 1908 Martin 00-45. She was born in 1891 in California, USA. Raised in a wealthy family, she is believed to have received musical education from a young age.In Los Angeles at that time, the guitar was still regarded as a “pastime of the upper class,” and for a woman to play the guitar was a sign of refinement.

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

A photograph survives of Hazel, around the age of 16, standing alongside her peers before a concert.

Among her belongings, this 00-45 sat quietly alongside sheet music and photographs.
It appears the guitar was kept by her family, but over the long years, the strings had come loose, and cracks caused by drying had begun to appear on the wood’s surface.
In the latter half of the 20th century, the folk music boom began in the United States, and large steel-string guitars came into the spotlight.
Meanwhile, Martin guitars with nylon strings, like the one Hazel played, were quietly forgotten as the times changed.
But instruments, just like people, are “alive.”
They sense humidity, pass through the seasons, and continue to breathe deep within their grain.
In that quiet passage of time, this 1908 00-45 waited for the day it would sound again.

In 1970, after Hazel Henderson Conte Stretton passed away at the end of her long musical life, the 1908 Martin 00-45 that had been her lifelong companion was passed down to her grandson, Bill Barto.The guitar, which his grandmother had cherished and played, had accumulated dents and scratches over the years. The top showed a crack along the inlay, while the back revealed cracks and missing mother-of-pearl. The sides had numerous cracks and chips, the bridge was loose, and the fingerboard bore signs of wear and sanding marks. Its condition was the very embodiment of an instrument steeped in history.

In his letter, Barto wrote about listening to the sound of this guitar up close as his grandmother played it during his childhood. It is clear that the memory of that sound held a special place in his heart. Perhaps it was this sentiment that led to his desire to bring this guitar back to life.

In March 1983, Mr. Barto sent the guitar to the Repair Department at Martin’s headquarters in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, for repairs.
The repair order (Repair Order #4880) details the extensive work required to restore the guitar to a playable condition, including “repair of cracks in the top and back,” “gluing of a split in the side,” “replacement of chipped binding and inlays,” “neck reset and fret correction,” and “re-gluing of the bridge.”
The total repair cost was $540, which was by no means a small sum at the time. It was not merely a repair request, but a sincere and heartfelt act to pass on the sound his grandmother loved to future generations.
The repair likely took about three months, after which the guitar was returned to Mr. Barto. The moment Mr. Barto received the guitar and played the first note, the sound that had been sealed away since 1970 surely filled the air once again.

In 2007, the 1908 Martin 00-45 was appraised by Gruhn Guitars, a prestigious dealer in Nashville.
Founder George Gruhn is a leading authority in the field of vintage guitars, and his appraisals are recognized not only for their market value but also as a benchmark from historical and craftsmanship perspectives.
In a letter dated September 14, 2007, he stated that the “1908 Martin 00-45 (S/N 10761)” was valued at $25,000 in its current condition.
Referring to Martin’s repair records, Gruhn carefully verified the structural and decorative features of the Style 45, including the Adirondack spruce top and scalloped bracing, the 12th-fret-jointed cedar neck, the Brazilian rosewood sides and back, the ivory binding, the torch inlays, and the abalone decorations.
Furthermore, he explicitly states that this guitar was the most high-end model Martin produced at the time, and that its bracing was designed exclusively for nylon strings and is not compatible with modern steel strings.
These descriptions reveal that Mr. Gruhn was not merely an appraiser evaluating the guitar’s appearance, but a researcher who made his judgment based on a deep understanding of the structural philosophy of the era in which it was built. Records indicate that this appraisal served as the catalyst for negotiations leading to the sale.
Having endured over a century, this guitar was taking its first quiet step toward meeting its next player.

The guitar was subsequently acquired by Westwood Music, a long-established music store in Los Angeles. The store was run by legendary dealer Fred Walecki. He was known for his close friendships with many musicians, including Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and James Taylor, and for his longstanding support of the West Coast music scene. Westwood Music was more than just a retail store; it was a place where musicians gathered to converse, test the sound, and share the stories behind their instruments.

An appraisal dated October 2, 2007, states: “Martin 0045, serial number 10761 should be insured for $37,500.” This concise statement conveys the straightforward and sincere attitude characteristic of Fred Walecki. Even without any embellishment, that single sentence speaks more eloquently than anything else to the value of this guitar.

Over the years, Walecki has cultivated a culture that respects instruments that have lived alongside music. This appraisal, written by his own hand, marked the moment when the 00-45 was recognized not merely as an “old guitar,” but as a “memory of sound passed down through generations.”

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

The Adirondack spruce top has taken on a deep amber hue, while the rosewood back has grown richer and more lustrous with the passage of time. The iridescence of the abalone inlay shifts from blue to green depending on the angle of the light, and its presence is like a work of art that seems to encapsulate the atmosphere of a century ago.
A light pluck of the strings sends soft yet deep overtones rippling throughout the room.

The bass notes are round and deep, while the treble is clear and seems to extend endlessly. Perhaps this sound is vibrating the very same air as the melodies played by Hazel Henderson.