Martin The D-35 Johnny Cash Commemorative Acoustic Guitar  

The Martin D-35 Johnny Cash Commemorative guitar's polished-black gloss lacquer finish allows its appointments to shine. Five bands of alternating black and white purfling encircle the top, three bands encircle the back and five bands border the sides, in all cases protected by grained ivoroid binding. The grained ivoroid heel cap and endpiece are likewise framed by multiple black and white inlays. The Style 45 rosette features an inlay of vibrant select green abalone pearl. Traditional Style 35 zigzag backstrips separate the three-piece back.

Both the fingerboard and headstock are bound with grained ivoroid and inset with mitered black/white fine line inlays. Martin's Old Style large decal logo gleams on the polished black ebony headplate. True to Cash's D-35 Custom, the headstock also sports Grover Rotomatic enclosed chrome tuners. The African black ebony fingerboard is inlaid with position markers similar to those on the D-42 Johnny Cash Signature Edition and small abalone stars bordered with mother of pearl at the 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th and 15th frets. Johnny Cash's signature in pearl appears between the 19th and 20th frets.

Because it's a Martin, the D-35 Johnny Cash Commemorative sounds as good as it looks. Combining an Engelmann spruce top with 1/4" forward shifted scalloped braces gives this Dreadnought sweet tone and incredible responsiveness. Back and sides of East Indian rosewood add warmth and projection. The 1-11/16" neck is carved from genuine mahogany. A bone nut and compensated bone saddle (fitted in an ebony belly bridge), enhance its resounding power and clarity. Abalone-topped black Style 42 bridge pins and endpin add an elegant touch of color. A polished and beveled black—of course—pickguard protects the top.

This black guitar deserves a black case, specifically a Geib style case with special black hardware and a black interior. The D-35 Johnny Cash Commemorative guitar comes with a special interior label in tribute to the "Man in Black," each personally signed by Cash's son, John Carter Cash and Martin Chairman C. F. Martin IV, and numbered in sequence.