Art and Memory, Played for Over a Century

The Journey of a 1908 Martin 00-45

"Style-45"

Early 1900s.
C.F. Martin & Co., located in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, in the eastern United States, was a much smaller factory than it is today. Inside the brick and wood building, about ten craftsmen produced more than ten instruments per month. Each craftsman relied on his own five senses and the desire to create something better as he built his instruments.

At Martin, grades called "Styles" had already been established at that time based on differences in decoration and materials used.The higher the number, the higher the specifications, and the more time and effort required to make the guitar. In 1904, Martin's craftsmen completed the Style-45, adorned with more elaborate decorations, as a showcase of their skills. Since then, the Style-45 has maintained its special status as the "pinnacle" in Martin's history for over a century.

The defining feature of the Style-45 lies in its delicate and intricate ornamentation. The application of abalone shell around the body's perimeter, the rosette, and even the headstock is exceptionally challenging. Furthermore, the process of wrapping the shell over the edge of the fingerboard and onto the top surface is considered highly difficult, a challenge many luthiers continue to pursue to this day.

The purest expression of this outstanding craftsmanship is the Style 45 from the early 1900s. It is not merely a luxurious model, but rather a guitar boasting the highest level of perfection, into which Martin poured the very best of its technology at the time.

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

What history lies there? Let's unravel it.

"The Atmosphere of the Year 1908"

The year 1908 (Meiji 41) marked the late Meiji period in Japan. Western culture was rapidly spreading in Tokyo and Osaka, railways and electric lighting were being established, and people wearing Western-style clothing began walking the streets.In the world of music, Western instruments were gradually gaining traction, with mandolins and guitars beginning to gain popularity among students. This era, still resonating with the echoes of the Meiji Restoration, also marked the time when the Japanese people first began consciously embracing the culture of "enjoying music" within their daily lives.

Meanwhile, across the Pacific in America, the financial panic of 1907 was shaking the entire nation. Beginning with bank failures in New York, corporate cash flow deteriorated, and the entire manufacturing sector was hit hard. The economic chill reached even the small town of Nazareth, and the musical instrument industry was no exception.

In 1908, Martin was undergoing a quiet transition. The financial panic of the previous year, 1907, had caused the American economy to slump significantly, and guitar sales plummeted. Production, which had been around 250 guitars in 1906, fell to about 180 in 1907 and then to approximately 150 in 1908, making it 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.The workshop, filled with the scent of wood and the sound of planes, had a warmth that could never be replicated by machines. In 1908, Martin possessed a quiet passion that preserved tradition while looking ahead to a new era of music. Within that quietness lay the sure breath that would lead to a golden age.

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

First Owner: Hazel Henderson

Hazel Henderson (center in photo)

This name is indispensable when recounting the history of the 1908 Martin 00-45. She was born in California, USA, in 1891. Raised in a wealthy family, she likely received musical education from an early age.In Los Angeles at that time, the guitar was still regarded as a "pastime of the upper classes," and for a woman to play the guitar was also seen as 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 Los Angeles Philharmonic (age 16)." Considering how rare it was for a woman to perform on stage with a guitar, it speaks volumes about the passion and talent she possessed.

A photograph remains of Hazel at age 16, standing with her friends before a concert.


Standing in the center, she wears a quiet, calm expression. Dressed in a white blouse and long skirt, she perfectly captures the elegant look of the era. At her feet on the left is her beloved Martin guitar. The body features an ivory bridge, giving it a very elegant look. This guitar is a Martin 00-45, made in 1908.Her passion for music and the culture rooted in upper- and middle-class American families at the time are quietly conveyed through this single photograph.

The sheet music she cherished was Manuel Y. Ferrer's Compositions and Arrangements for the Guitar (published by Oliver Ditson).
When it comes to Dittson Company,Antique Parlor Guitar ArticleBut I was moved by the connection to major companies I've encountered, including mentions of names like Chicago Lyon & Healy.


This volume is a significant document symbolizing classical guitar culture in late 19th-century America. After performing at the Los Angeles Philharmonic Auditorium, Hazel became a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. The pages bearing her annotations 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 must have lived a life filled with passion for music. Having held concerts at a young age and later performed as a member of the Philharmonic, there is no way to know how she engaged with music in her later years. However, even now, over 100 years later, the Martin guitar she loved continues to quietly convey its resonance. The sound remains beyond human memory, living on within this instrument alongside her life.

Quiet Sleep "Beyond the Forgotten Era"

Among her belongings, this 00-45 remained quietly alongside sheet music and photographs.
The guitar appears to have been stored by the family, but over the years the strings had come loose and cracks had begun to form on the wood's surface due to drying.
In the latter half of the 20th century, the folk boom began in America, bringing large steel-string guitars into the spotlight.
On the other hand, Martin guitars with gut strings, like the one Hazel played, were quietly forgotten as time went on.
But instruments, like people, are "alive."
Feeling the humidity, transcending the seasons, breathing onward deep within the wood grain.
In that quiet moment, this 1908-made 00-45 was waiting for the day it would sound again.

Bill Barto, the grandson of Hazel who wished for revival

In 1970, after Hazel Henderson Conte Stretton passed away, ending her long musical life, the 1908 Martin 00-45 that had accompanied her throughout her life was passed down to her grandson, Bill Barto.The guitar, cherished and played by his grandmother, showed numerous dents and scratches accumulated over the years. The top featured a crack along the inlay, while the back displayed cracks and missing pearl inlays. The sides bore multiple cracks and wood chips, the bridge was loose, and the fingerboard showed wear and sanding marks. Its condition was truly the very image of an instrument steeped in history.

In his letter, Barto wrote about listening to the sound of this guitar played by his grandmother during his childhood. It seems clear that the memory of that sound held special meaning for him. That feeling may have led to his desire to bring this guitar back to life.

Regeneration at Martin Headquarters, 1983

In March 1983, Mr. Barto requested repairs from the Martin Repair Department at the Martin headquarters in Nazareth, Pennsylvania.
The repair order (Repair Order #4880) details the work required to restore the instrument to playable condition, including: - Repairing cracks on the top and back - Bonding cracks on the sides - Replacing missing binding and pearl inlays - Neck reset and fretwork - Rebonding the bridge
The total repair cost was $540, which was by no means a small amount at the time. It was not merely a repair request, but rather a sincere and heartfelt act to pass on the sound my grandmother cherished to the future.
The repairs likely took about three months, and the guitar returned to Bart's hands. The moment Bart plucked the first note upon receiving it, the sound that had been sealed away since 1970 must have filled the air once more.

Between Science and Sensibility: "George Gruhn"

In 2007, a 1908 Martin 00-45 was authenticated by Gruhn Guitars, a renowned dealer in Nashville.
George Gruhn, the founder, is a leading authority in the field of vintage guitars. His evaluations are recognized not only for their market value but also as benchmarks from historical and craftsmanship perspectives.
The letter dated September 14, 2007, states that the "1908 Martin 00-45 (S/N 10761)" is valued at $25,000 in its current condition.
Referencing Martin's repair records, Gruhn carefully confirmed the structural and decorative features of the Style 45, including the Adirondack spruce top with scalloped bracing, the cedar neck with a 12-fret joint, Brazilian rosewood sides and back, ivory binding, torch inlays, and abalone decoration.
He further states that this guitar was the most luxurious 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 also reveal that Mr. Gruhn was not merely an appraiser evaluating appearance, but a researcher who made judgments based on an understanding of the structural concepts of the era in which the pieces were made. The surviving documents also confirm that this appraisal served as the starting point for negotiations leading to the sale.
This guitar, having weathered over a century, was taking a quiet step forward to meet its next player.

Memories of Los Angeles "Westwood Music"

After that, this guitar made its way to Westwood Music, a long-established music store in Los Angeles. Leading the shop was legendary dealer Fred Walecki. He was known for his close friendships 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 retailer; it was a place where musicians gathered to talk, test instruments, and share stories about their gear.

The appraisal dated October 2, 2007 states: "Martin 0045, serial number 10761 should be insured for $37,500." This concise wording conveys Fred Walecki's characteristic straightforward and sincere approach. Without any embellishment, that single sentence speaks more eloquently than anything else about this guitar's value.

Walecki has spent years building a culture that respects instruments that have lived alongside music. His appraisal marked the moment when the 00-45 was recognized not as an "old guitar," but as an "inherited 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 deepened to a rich amber hue, while the rosewood back grows richer and more lustrous with each passing year. The abalone inlay shimmers from blue to green depending on the light, its presence evoking an art piece that seems to hold the air of a century past.
When you pluck the strings lightly, soft yet deep overtones fill the entire room.

The low notes sink with a rounded depth, while the high notes are clear and seem to stretch on forever. That sound may be vibrating the same air as the melodies played by Hazel Henderson.

Memories Residing in Sound

Born in Nazareth in 1908
Beloved by female guitarists on the West Coast
Revived once again at Martin headquarters
Passed down by masters in California and Nashville, and now quietly thriving in Tokyo.
The journey of this 1908-made 00-45 is not merely the story of an old guitar.
It is the very memory that people have cherished and passed down through their hands.
What Martin created was not an instrument, but the power to believe in sound.
The craftsmanship of artisans from over a century ago still lives on within that sound today.
And today, once again, someone stopped in front of this guitar.
Listen to that quiet resonance
From there, a new story begins.

Written by:Inoue (Manager, Advance Guitars)

TCGAKKIHe played electric and acoustic guitars. Later, in 2023, he participated in launching Advance Guitars, a specialty shop for acoustic guitars. As store manager, he gained experience dealing with collectors and musicians both domestically and internationally. He contributed significantly to publishing the world's first SJ reference book, "GIBSON KING OF THE FLAT-TOPS." He also writes numerous columns.

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