Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi Folks

For your viewing pleasure, I have just published a profile on a 1-45 style guitar by Gary Demos. Based on the original Martin 1-45, it features a very authentic aesthetic!

I can't link pics directly to here so do pop by to: http://guitarbench.com/index.php/2009/0 ... ary-demos/ for the full audio/Visual presentation. As always, I present the text portion of the profile for your consideration- although I do highly recommend popping by to see the pics!
Warmest regards,
Terence
www.guitarbench.com

Gary Demos | 1-45-custom | 2009 |

Guitar Database


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Luthier Facts :
Name: Gary Demos
Location: central Ohio
Wait list & orders: contact

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* Model: 1-45 style
* Type: 1 parlor
* Year: 2009
* Top: white spruce (very similar to Red spruce in tonal quality)
* Back and sides: Indian rosewood
* Bracing: Martin scalloped X-bracing like original bracing
* Neck: Honduras mahogany
* Truss rod: none
* Bridge: Camel bone (Ivory on original guitar)
* Binding: Ivoroid (Ivory on original)
* Purfling: Abalone
* Headstock: Rosewood with MOP inlay (Fern pattern)
* Tuners: Gotoh Ivoroid
* Scale Length: 24.9”
* Nut width: 1 7/8”
* Twelfth fret width:2 3/16”spacespace

Builder Gary Demos says "I came upon an original 1904 Martin 1-45 [Pictured Above] at a gathering of luthiers in northern Minnesota back in 2006. This very guitar was the first style 45 that Martin ever made, and they made another 5 in this size until 1919. The guitar I played and measured was formerly in the collection of Mike Longworth – an old-time Tennessee based luthier."

"I fell in love with the guitar – it was so beautiful and was such a pleasure to play. I was fascinated by the solid ivory bridge and bindings, and the abalone purflings on the sides and at the heel. I wasn’t sure whether I could, but I knew I wanted to attempt to reproduce this guitar.

I found a set of Indian rosewood that had nice straight grain, and chose to use white spruce for the soundboard – which is very similar to Red spruce (Adirondack spruce) which was used on the original. I scrounged up some camel bone for the bridge, and used ivoroid binding to authenticate the look of ivory.

I started the guitar in 2007 and took it to the stage where it was ready for binding. I hung it up and let it set until I couldn’t make any more excuses not to finish it (I was not sure how to wrap the abalone shell binding around the sides). I was also not an expert at inlay, and was not real excited about cutting all the MOP for the headstock.

I could have purchased a similar pre-cut set of MOP, but I wanted to reproduce the whole instrument by hand. After cutting about 3 or pieces every morning few a few days (that’s all I had patience for at one time), I finally got all the pieces cut. I finished the guitar in February, 2009 and am now enjoying holding and playing a brand new piece of history. [note: the final set of pics shows Gary's headstock next to the original Martin]

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Left: Gayy Demos 1-45 style headstock
Right: Original Martin 1-45 headstock

Guitar Database

Pictures kind courtesy of Gary Demos. http://www.demosguitars.com/
©2009

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