1969 Martin D-35 – “Lucy”

A Beautiful Guitar With a Beautiful Story

Every once in a while, a guitar comes along that has something special about it. Something you can’t quite put your finger on. This 1969 Martin D-35 is one of those guitars.

Her name is Lucy.

Lucy was purchased brand new in 1969 by a young woman in her twenties who had a love for bluegrass music. She spent years playing small gigs around New York City, singing and accompanying herself on this beautiful Martin.

She was Lucy’s one and only owner.

As the years passed, Lucy was lovingly cared for and remarkably well preserved. Her owner eventually reached her eighties, and arthritis in her hands made it impossible for her to continue playing. Seeing Lucy sitting quietly in her case became bittersweet. The guitar that had brought her so much happiness now reminded her of the music she could no longer make.

And that’s how Lucy eventually found her way to me.

This guitar is in excellent condition, and the sound is simply haunting. There’s a depth, warmth, and sweetness to her voice that is difficult to describe. Almost as though all those years of music are still living inside the wood. Play a few chords, close your eyes, and you can almost hear that young woman singing bluegrass somewhere in a little New York City club.

You can still smell the scent of her perfume on the top side of the guitar on the rosewood. A small, beautiful reminder of the woman who loved this guitar for so many decades. Truly a romantic feeling To smell It

And then there’s the wood.

The three-piece back features some of the most spectacular figuring I’ve ever seen on a Martin D-35. The beautiful Brazilian rosewood is absolutely mesmerizing, with rich color and dramatic grain that photographs can hardly do justice.

Lucy isn’t just another 1969 Martin D-35. She’s a guitar with a name, a history, and a soul.

Some guitars simply make music. Others carry the music of a lifetime.

Lucy is one of those guitars.

I hope her next owner loves her as much as her first owner did