Mike Longworth

Mike Longworth (1939–2003)
A figure who made significant contributions to the reissue of the D-45 and the preservation of Martin’s history. Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In 1955, while still a high school student, Mike Longworth was already taking on inlay work as a job. Many of his early pieces featured an “L” inlaid in mother-of-pearl, which served as his signature to indicate his authorship. Additionally, each “L” was accompanied by a number indicating the order in which the piece was made, providing a clue to trace the history of his work. He also had deep connections with musicians associated with the great bluegrass duo Flat & Scruggs; in fact, his third inlay piece was for Dobro player Josh Graves (Buck “Josh” Graves), and his fourth was for mandolinist and tenor singer Curly Seckler.

Then, in 1956, he worked on a custom 1950 D-28 for Lester Flat, who was known for his trademark D-28 with a large pickguard. The fingerboard of this guitar was also inlaid with “L-5” (Longworth’s job number #5), and his own business card was affixed to the inside of the soundhole. (I can’t help but be amazed that, at just 17 years old, he completed his fifth commission—and that the client was none other than Lester Flat.)

*Excerpted from *IMAGES of America C.F. MARTIN & CO.* by Dick Boak (photo)

Since production of the D-45 had been discontinued from the 1950s through the late 1960s, there was a growing demand to add abalone pearl inlays to the D-28, giving it a D-45-like appearance.

Despite the passionate calls from players seeking such lavish decorations on Martin guitars, perhaps due to the aesthetic sensibilities of then-President Martin III (namely, elegance born of simplicity), Martin Company hesitated for a long time after the war to resume production of high-end guitars featuring ornate inlays.

Although Mike Longworth was not employed by Martin, he had been crafting inlaid necks and fingerboards for the company since the early 1960s. It is said that very early in his career, he sent a custom guitar he had made for himself to Martin for refinishing; upon seeing the quality of his work, a Martin sales representative began keeping his price list on hand.

Through this series of events, Martin—while maintaining its official policy of “not making flashy guitars”—began occasionally commissioning Longworth to build guitars, thereby meeting customer demands.

One such example, hailed as “the ultimate piece of work,” is the 1966 D-28 built for Hank Snow. Martin III himself called Mike Longworth to commission a guitar for Hank Snow. Hank, who was also an authorized Martin dealer in Nashville, traveled to Longworth’s home to discuss the details of the custom order. The guitar was sent to Longworth before it was completed; after being adorned with exquisite abalone inlays, it was returned to Nazareth and finished by Martin. Known as “The Snow Job,” this D-28/D-45 conversion model for Hank features a pickguard with pearl inlays and a C.F. Martin logo finished in mother-of-pearl, giving it a special luster.

*Excerpted from *MARTIN GUITAR MASTERPIECES* by Dick Boak (photo)

*Excerpt from *Martin Guitars: A History* (photo)

Reissue of Martin’s Top-of-the-Line D-45

After completing “The Snow Job,” Martin III told Mike Longworth:
“I was offering D-45 customizations—that put the pressure on them to make them.”
“The fact that you were offering custom D-45 models put pressure on us to start producing them again.”

This was because people were beginning to voice opinions like this:

“Martin used to make the D-45, and they’re still making guitars today. So why go to the trouble of sending guitars all the way to Tennessee to have them decorated? Surely they can make the D-45 themselves?”

These voices became a major driving force behind Martin’s decision to resume production of the D-45.

And finally, in July 1968, Mike Longworth officially joined Martin to oversee the inlays for the new D-45. By that point, two sample guitars had already been built, and there were two other staff members working alongside Longworth.

The revived D-45, marketed as the “Hackalanda” model, saw production of 67 units in 1968 and 162 in 1969—in just two years, it more than doubled the production volume of the original D-45 (the pre-war model, totaling 91 units).

It was embraced not only by Martin’s core audience of country and bluegrass musicians but also by rock stars such as David Crosby and Jimi Hendrix.

Since then, the D-45 has been in continuous production and continues to reign as the “Top of the Guitar,” captivating countless guitar enthusiasts to this day.

Martin’s Archival Efforts (Compiling Reference Books)

As the inlay department at Martin Guitars got off the ground, Mike Longworth transcended the role of a mere craftsman and began to take on the role of “the storyteller of Martin Guitars.”

Through responding to inquiries from Martin guitar owners and conducting public relations activities at festivals and guitar shows across the country, he built a reputation as the “face” of Martin Guitars.

His extraordinary passion and knowledge of vintage Martin guitars were widely recognized, and his abilities were eventually recognized, leading to his appointment as Customer Relations Manager. Alongside his duties, he compiled a systematic record of Martin Guitars and its instruments based on the company’s old ledgers, documents, and testimonies from long-serving employees.

The result was *Martin Guitars: A History*, the first edition of which was published in 1975. This book was highly acclaimed as the first comprehensive reference work in the guitar industry and, after two revisions, evolved into a detailed two-volume set.

Even after his retirement in 1995, he continued to be deeply respected and beloved both inside and outside the company as a member of the Martin family.Then, in 2003, shortly after he passed away at a young age, C.F. Martin & Co. honored his tremendous contributions by releasing the “D-45 Mike Longworth Commemorative Edition.” His name and achievements continue to shine brightly in the history of Martin guitars.

The 000-28/'45 Conversion Used by Clapton

Here, we introduce one of the most iconic guitars crafted by Mike Longworth.

It is a 1966 000-28 that had been modified to “Style-45” specifications, which Eric Clapton frequently used on stage and in the studio around the mid-1970s, when he began his full-fledged solo career.

It is believed that this guitar came into Clapton’s possession in 1970, and it is said that modifications had already been made by that time. In fact, it appears in the portrait on the cover of the 1974 album *461 Ocean Boulevard*, where you can confirm that it was customized to the “45” specification. However, according to information later released by the auction house Christie’s, the label indicating Mike Longworth’s work was inscribed as follows:
"This instrument inlaid / by / Custom Pearl Inlay Service / 200 Hemphill Avenue / Chattanooga, Tenn. 37411 / work performed OOO-28-45 No. 67 April 11, 1976 / Mike Longworth" (Custom pearl inlay work was performed on April 11, 1976)

This inscription reveals a discrepancy in the timing of the modifications. It remains unclear whether Mike Longworth’s signature was simply added in 1976, or if additional custom work was performed that year.

What is interesting about this is that while a 1974 photograph confirms that the bridge did not feature snowflake inlays, the cover photo of the album *Cowboy Here & There* (released in 2004), which documents his 1976 tours in the UK and the U.S., clearly shows the snowflake inlays. Considering that this photo was likely taken during the tour around the time *No Reason to Cry* was recorded, it is highly probable that additional modifications were made by 1976, which is also close to the date on the label.

In the 1980s, Clapton can be seen using this guitar during the encore performance of “Good Night Irene” with Ronnie Lane on the 1983 ARMS tour. Additionally, Andy Fairweather Low played this guitar during the recording of *Unplugged* in 1992.

According to Lee Dixon, who served as Clapton’s guitar technician for many years, Clapton would request this guitar in the studio with the catchphrase, “Get me the Longworth.” This guitar was offered at the “Crossroads Guitar Auction” held in 2004, where it sold for $186,700 (approximately 20 million yen) at the time, causing quite a stir.

Inside the body is a signed label indicating that he worked on it. I’m sure many Martin enthusiasts’ hearts will race just seeing this. The fact that the Tennessee address has been changed to Nazareth tells the story of Longworth’s journey at that time. The “No. 82” likely indicates that this was his 82nd project.

Furthermore, this label confirms that the guitar was customized in November 1968. As mentioned earlier, 1968 was the year Martin began reissuing the D-45. While working on the D-45 reissue at Martin, he was likely also fulfilling private commissions. It is a well-known fact that a D-45 made of Brazilian rosewood is rare, but this particular instrument—converted to “45 Style” by his own hand in 1968—also holds immeasurable value. It is truly a one-of-a-kind guitar.

Coincidentally, Advance Guitars had in stock both an original 1953 D-28 for comparison and an early reissue 1969 D-45. We’ll explore the appeal of this particular instrument by comparing it to those two.

First, it’s clear that the basic framework is that of a 1950s D-28.

D-28 (1953) and D-45 (1969)

As it happens, Advance Guitars happened to have a 1953 D-28 and a 1969 D-45 in stock. I’d like to explore the appeal of this particular instrument by comparing it to those two.

First, it’s clear that the basic structure is that of a 1950s D-28.

Martin 1953 D-28 / '45 CONVERSION' by Mike Longworth
[SPECIFICATIONS]
NECK REINFORCEMENT: T-Bar
BRACING: Non-Scalloped X-Bracing
TOP: Sitka Spruce
BACK/SIDES: Brazilian Rosewood
NECK: Mahogany
FINGERBOARD: Ebony
BRIDGE: Ivory(Replaced)
BRIDGE PLATE: Maple (Small Size)
NUT WIDTH: 43mm
SCALE: 647mm
WEIGHT: 2.10kg

The neck is reinforced with a T-bar rod. A T-bar rod in a “45 Style” model represents the same special combination found in the pre-war D-45.

The bracing pattern is non-scalloped X-bracing. When compared side-by-side, you can see that the bracing on the D-28/'45 CONVERSION' has a slightly sharper shape, likely due to individual variations. (Top: D-28/'45 CONVERSION' Bottom: 1953 D-28)

The top is Sitka spruce
(Top: D-28/'45 CONVERSION'; Bottom: 1953 D-28)

The pickguard features a painted tortoiseshell pattern
(Top: D-28/'45 CONVERSION' Bottom: 1953 D-28)

Body sides and back are Brazilian rosewood (Jacaranda)
(Top: D-28/'45 CONVERSION' Bottom: 1953 D-28)

The body sides and back are Brazilian rosewood (Jacaranda)
(Top: D-28/'45 CONVERSION' Bottom: 1953 D-28)

The neck is mahogany
(Top: D-28/'45 CONVERSION' Bottom: 1953 D-28)

Fingerboard: Ebony
(Top: D-28/'45 CONVERSION' Bottom: 1953 D-28)

Bridge plate: small-size maple
(Top: D-28/'45 CONVERSION' Bottom: 1953 D-28)

One of the many books written by Mike Longworth

On the D-28/'45 CONVERSION,' the decoration in the center of the soundhole ring has been replaced with a beautiful shell inlay. The shell used is believed to be red abalone, similar to that found on D-45s from this period. The inlay features fine, intricate cuts that shimmer in multiple directions when held up to the light, showcasing the unique beauty of natural materials. The black purfling around the outer edge of the fingerboard, seen on the 1969 D-45, is not present on this D-28/'45 CONVERSION'. This is a feature it shares with the 1968 D-45 prototype. (Top: D-28/'45 CONVERSION; Bottom: 1969 D-45)

The headstock features torch inlays. Shell inlays are also embedded along the inner edge of the headstock, giving it an even more luxurious appearance than a standard D-45. The pearl inlays, rendered in the same typeface as the original “Martin & Co.” logo, are truly exceptional. They seem to further symbolize that this guitar is a D-45 custom model based on the D-28. And surprisingly, this headstock design bears a striking resemblance to Hank Snow’s D-28/45 (“The Snow Job”), which was one of the catalysts for the D-45’s reissue. (Top: D-28/’45 CONVERSION’ Middle: 1969 D-45 Bottom: 1953 D-28)