Martin Guitar Honors Chris Martin IV’s 70th Birthday with Two Limited-Edition Vintage-Inspired Models
NAZARETH, PA – July 8, 2025 – To celebrate Chris Martin IV’s 70th birthday, C. F. Martin & Co.® is proud to introduce two limited-edition guitars that honor a pivotal year in both Martin’s history and American music: the 000-18 1955 CFM IV 70th and the D-18 1955 CFM IV 70th.
1955 wasn’t just the year Chris was born—it marked the dawn of the folk boom, a cultural movement that would forever shape the sound of American music. As acoustic guitars took center stage, Martin Dreadnoughts and 000s became essential tools for a new wave of artists. These new limited-edition models pay tribute to that defining moment, blending vintage inspiration with modern craftsmanship.
Each guitar is based on an original 1955 Martin recently acquired at auction. The 000-18, serial number 145102, came from the Heritage Auctions Guitar Shop Collection and was prized for its honest wear and soulful tone. The D-18, serial number 144636, was part of the renowned Skip Maggiora Collection—150 vintage instruments auctioned to benefit music education and youth charities. Both original guitars showed decades of play and served as direct inspiration for these commemorative instruments.
One of the most striking features of both models is their reclaimed spruce tops—a first for Martin. The wood comes from old-growth trees salvaged around Prince of Wales Island in Alaska, including wind-felled trees, dismantled log bridges, and massive logs once used in historic barge ramps and floating logging platforms. Sustainably sourced and steeped in history, the spruce tops are printed to replicate the look of the original 1955 instruments, adding visual character to their tonal warmth and balance.
The 000-18 1955 CFM IV 70th features a gloss 000 body with mahogany back and sides, non-scalloped Sitka spruce X-bracing, and a focused, articulate sound ideal for fingerstyle players and singer-songwriters.
The D-18 1955 CFM IV 70th offers the bold voice of a gloss Dreadnought, with rear-shifted non-scalloped X-bracing for enhanced projection and tonal clarity.
Both models include vintage-style appointments: faux tortoise binding, an Old Style 18 rosette, FSC®-certified rosewood fingerboards with 1955-style mother-of-pearl inlays, satin select hardwood necks with Golden Era Modified Low Oval profiles, and Kluson® Waffleback® nickel tuners.
Each guitar is limited to just 70 instruments and includes a hardshell case and an embossed paper label hand-signed by Chris. Released together, they celebrate Chris’ legacy and the timeless Martin tradition of quality, innovation, and respect for the past.
The 000-18 1955 CFM IV 70th and D-18 1955 CFM IV 70th are available now online and through select Martin dealers. Learn more at martinguitar.com.
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ABOUT C. F. MARTIN & CO.
C. F. Martin & Co. has been making the finest handcrafted acoustic guitars for nearly two hundred years. For some of the biggest names and the most revered musical legends across every genre and every decade. And we’ve been doing it with pure artistic passion, a deep love for all things music, and an unwavering commitment to our community and the environment.
But most importantly, we’re still doing it... for you. For current and future generations of pioneers, rebels, and dreamers. For the beginners, the pros, and everyone in between. We believe music is an unstoppable force. It raises us up. Tells our truths. Gets us on our feet. Expresses our deepest heartaches. And our greatest joys.
So, we’ll continue to make the very best acoustic instruments and strings for as long as there are people like you who love music and love making it. We want to be there to help you tell your story. To help you share your music with the world. To help unleash the artist within.
We’re ready for the next two hundred years. Want to come with us? Visit martinguitar.com.
ABOUT CHRIS MARTIN IV
Christian Frederick Martin IV, known as “Chris,” is the Chairman of the Board of C. F. Martin & Co. and the sixth-generation leader of the legendary acoustic guitar maker. Over the course of his career, Chris has expanded Martin’s reputation for innovation, sustainability, and philanthropy while maintaining its tradition of handcrafted excellence.
Under his leadership, the company has introduced groundbreaking guitar designs, advanced environmentally responsible manufacturing, and continued to build lasting partnerships with artists and organizations. Chris remains actively engaged in preserving Martin’s history and regularly tours with Martin ambassador Craig Thatcher, sharing stories from his 50-plus years with the company.
In addition to his leadership at Martin, he is a strong advocate for music education, environmental sustainability, democracy, and charitable giving, including spearheading major philanthropic efforts through the Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation.
