1970 C.F. Martin & Co. D-45
The first Indian rosewood D-45 — the transition year. Full abalone inlay treatment remains breathtaking. Indian rosewood delivers a slightly different tonal character while the ornate beauty is preserved.
Current Market Value
* Prices are estimates based on recent market data. Actual value depends on originality, condition, and provenance. Pricing methodology
Specifications
| Body Wood | Spruce (top), Indian Rosewood (back and sides — first year of Indian rosewood on D-45) |
| Neck Wood | Mahogany |
| Fingerboard | Ebony |
| Scale Length | 25.400" |
| Frets | 20 |
| Pickup Config | None (acoustic) |
| Bridge | Ebony belly bridge (with abalone inlay) |
| Tuners | Grover Sta-Tite (gold) |
| Finish Options | Natural |
| Est. Production | 210 |
Pickups & Electronics
Pure acoustic — full abalone inlay treatment.
What Changed in 1970
First Indian rosewood D-45 — the transition from Brazilian. The abalone inlay remains identical. Indian rosewood changes the tonal balance slightly but the visual impact is undiminished. A significant price step down from Brazilian examples.
Collector's Notes
The 1970 D-45 marks a significant price boundary. Indian rosewood examples are roughly half the value of Brazilian. Verify rosewood species carefully — the transition was not instantaneous.