Re: Price Check please
That seemed a little pricey to me too, so I looked at one of my Vintage Guitar Price Guide (picked up the 2010 list--can't find my new one!).
That one shows a 1968 Brazilian one in
excellent condition to run in the $33,000 to $41,000. Values may have gone up since then, but probably not a whole lot.
For that much money, If I wanted a D-45, I would buy a new Martin D-45S 1936 Authentic. I think the MSRP on these is $60K, so street price would easily get it in that range, say $45K, and probably even better than that. My reasons for buying a new one:
You'd get a lifetime warranty, and a
new guitar.
Hide glue construction.
Scalloped bracing, pre-war style.
Adirondack spruce top, torrified, with Martins new VTS aging process.
Golden Era appointments and design.
I have several Martins, and my oldest is a 1975 D-28. By the mid-'70s, quality was becoming an issue for all the USA builders, not just CBS Fenders and Norlin-era Gibsons. The late-'60's Martins were still good, but they made some changes around 1966 that some people feel were not for the best. I honestly think that Martin is building better guitars these days. I've looked at several Brazilian RW D-28s from the mid-'60s lately, and I've decided that they are fine as far as nostalgia goes, but the new Authentic version sounds WAY better.
And if I really wanted to buy a D-45, the D-45V or the D-45E Retro would be my pick. The Retro has the new Fishman Aura + preamp, loaded with images from prewar D-45s. My new HD-28E Retro is just an outstanding guitar, and it has by far the best plugged in tone of any guitar I've ever heard or played. The D-45V has similar appointments to the 1936 Authentic but without the hide glue and some other modern concessions, like tite-bond instead of hide glue and adjustable truss rods. Both of these are Indian RW and Sitka tops, but they are still great sounding guitars. If you like bling...this is it.
If you wanted to upgrade those, that would be pretty simple too. You could opt for a D-45V from the Martin Custom Shop, and spec it with an Adi top and Madagascar RW back and sides. I saw one like this at a Martin clinic a few years ago and it was spectacular. I don't remember what it was priced at, but I know it was a lot less than that 1968 in the ad.
So that's what I think about the Craigslist guitar.
Oh and by the way...if you can actually afford to buy a D-45, you can certainly afford to pay my consulting fees!!! My invoice is in the mail!!!
Bill
