Vintage Martin aficionados consider the late 1920s through the 1930s to be the company’s Golden Era. It was a period that saw the introduction of heavier bracing for steel strings, the short-lived but highly influencial OM models, and the dreadnaughts that came to dominate the acoustic guitar world.

All of the elements of materials and design converged in the 1930s, and Martins from that period are more highly prized than those of any other era. The term Golden Era became so widely used that, in 1999, Martin appropriated it for a D-18GE that featured such 1934 specifications as an Adirondack red spruce top (Martin had changed to Sitka in 1946) and a wide, V-shaped neck.

The Golden Era concept was so well-received that Martin extended it to higher models, such as this OM-45GE. Like the originals, it’s back and sides are of Brazilian rosewood, an endangered species that Martin stopped using in regular production in 1969.

Consequently, Golden Era versions of Martins above Style 18 are only made in limited numbers.