The Martin 000-45JB Joe Bonamassa: One of Forty-Five
An Ultra-Exclusive Modern Martin Inspired by Joe Bonamassa's Prized 1941 000-45 — Series # 24 of 45.
There are guitars that are built to be played, guitars that are built to be admired, and, occasionally, guitars that manage to occupy both worlds.
The Martin 000-45JB Joe Bonamassa belongs firmly in the latter category.
This is an ultra-exclusive, premium Martin acoustic guitar modeled directly after Joe Bonamassa's prized pre-war 1941 Martin 000-45. Martin describes the instrument as its first collaboration with Bonamassa and notes that the limited edition was created with extraordinary attention to the details of his treasured original. Only 45 instruments were produced worldwide.
This particular example is now available as part of the Pure Effect Music Private Collection.
It is serial number 2907637, Series # 24 of 45, and its internal Martin label is hand-signed by Joe Bonamassa.
That combination of extreme production rarity, specific edition number, artist signature and direct connection to a documented pre-war Martin makes this more than simply another modern signature guitar.
It is a contemporary interpretation of a historically important instrument, produced in a quantity small enough to make each individual example significant within the series.
The Original: Joe Bonamassa's 1941 Martin 000-45
The story of the 000-45JB begins not in Martin's modern factory, but with a remarkable pre-war instrument from 1941.
Joe Bonamassa's original 1941 Martin 000-45 is the inspiration behind the entire project.
Rather than simply applying a signature to an existing production model, Martin set out to reproduce the character, proportions, materials and visual language of Bonamassa's prized original.
The result is an unusually faithful modern recreation.
The importance of this approach cannot be overstated.
A great vintage guitar is the product of thousands of small decisions: wood selection, bracing, neck geometry, ornamentation, hardware and finishing techniques all contribute to its character.
The 000-45JB attempts to capture that combination while incorporating carefully controlled modern manufacturing techniques.
Martin itself describes the model as a recreation of Bonamassa's remarkable pre-war 000-45, with attention extending from its tonewoods and inlays to the history behind the original guitar.
An Ultra-Exclusive Limited Edition
Only 45 examples were made available worldwide.
That production number is significant.
Martin has produced countless celebrated instruments during its long history, but an edition of only 45 places the 000-45JB firmly into limited-production territory.
This example is:
Martin 000-45JB Joe Bonamassa
Year: 2025
Serial Number: 2907637
Edition: # 24 of 45
Artist: Joe Bonamassa
Internal Label: Hand-signed by Joe Bonamassa
Collection: Pure Effect Music Private Collection
Status: Available for sale
For a collector, the individual number is part of the guitar's identity.
This is not simply a 000-45JB.
It is Series # 24 of only 45 that will ever be produced.
Adirondack Spruce & Vintage Tone System
One of the most important components of the 000-45JB is its top.
Martin selected premium Adirondack spruce and treated it using the company's Vintage Tone System (VTS).
The objective is straightforward but ambitious: to reproduce some of the tonal maturity and visual character associated with an aged pre-war instrument.
Adirondack spruce has long been prized for its combination of stiffness, responsiveness and dynamic headroom. Combined with VTS treatment, the top is intended to provide a mature, responsive character reminiscent of an older Martin.
The result is particularly appropriate for a guitar whose entire design philosophy is rooted in a 1941 original.
The top is not merely contemporary spruce dressed in vintage appointments.
The material and treatment are part of Martin's attempt to recreate the experience of an older instrument.
VTS Adirondack X-Bracing
The vintage-inspired construction continues beneath the soundboard.
The guitar employs VTS-treated Adirondack spruce X-bracing, creating a consistent material philosophy between the top and its internal structure.
This is important because the bracing is arguably as influential on an acoustic guitar's voice as the soundboard itself.
The combination of Adirondack spruce top and VTS-treated Adirondack X-bracing is intended to provide the responsiveness, projection and tonal complexity associated with pre-war Martin construction.
It is a particularly appropriate specification for an instrument whose purpose is to evoke a specific historic guitar rather than simply imitate its appearance.
Guatemalan Rosewood
The back and sides are constructed from Guatemalan rosewood.
Visually, the material provides a rich and distinctive foundation for the extraordinary Style 45 ornamentation.
Tonally, rosewood contributes the depth, harmonic complexity and sustain traditionally associated with high-end Martin instruments.
The choice of Guatemalan rosewood also makes the 000-45JB distinctive within the broader Martin catalogue.
The instrument therefore isn't simply a reproduction in terms of appearance. It represents a carefully specified modern interpretation of the original 1941 guitar.
The 1941 Neck Profile
Perhaps one of the most personal elements of the recreation is the neck.
Martin reproduced the 1941-style neck profile, with standard taper and a 24.9-inch scale length.
This is an important part of the guitar's character because neck geometry affects not only comfort but also the player's physical relationship with the instrument.
The 24.9-inch scale contributes to the compact, comfortable character associated with the 000 body, while the period-inspired profile reinforces the connection with the original 1941 instrument.
The result is an acoustic guitar that feels deliberately rooted in another era.
Ebony Fingerboard & Style 45 Snowflakes
The fingerboard is solid ebony, providing the traditional dark foundation for Martin's elaborate Style 45 ornamentation.
The familiar Style 45 abalone snowflake inlays are among the most immediately recognizable visual elements.
These details are not excessive decoration for its own sake.
They are part of Martin's historic visual vocabulary.
The 000-45JB therefore manages to achieve something quite difficult: despite its extraordinary level of ornamentation, it still looks unmistakably like a pre-war Martin.
Period-Correct Hardware
The vintage recreation continues through the hardware.
The guitar features period-correct covered/geared tuning machines and a bone nut, maintaining the vintage aesthetic while providing the reliability expected from a modern instrument.
The attention to these smaller details is significant.
On a guitar intended to reproduce the character of a particular pre-war instrument, changing a tuner design or neck geometry can alter the entire visual impression.
Martin's approach here has been one of careful historical recreation rather than merely vintage-inspired styling.
Pure Acoustic — No Electronics
Another aspect I particularly appreciate is what the guitar does not have.
There are no electronics.
The 000-45JB is a pure acoustic instrument, staying faithful to the concept of the original 1941 guitar.
In an era when many premium acoustics are designed from the outset for stage amplification, there is something refreshing about an instrument that has been allowed to remain uncompromisingly acoustic.
Everything about the guitar is directed toward the relationship between wood, construction, player and room.
There is no pickup system between the player and the instrument.
Just the guitar.
Tone & Playing Experience
A guitar modeled after a pre-war 000 should ultimately succeed acoustically, not simply cosmetically.
The 000 body offers a particularly intimate playing experience.
Rather than the expansive low-end authority of a dreadnought, the instrument emphasizes balance, articulation, responsiveness and tonal detail.
The combination of Adirondack spruce, rosewood and carefully voiced bracing gives the guitar considerable dynamic range.
Played lightly, it can be delicate and articulate.
Played harder, the Adirondack top provides substantial headroom and projection.
The individual notes remain clearly defined, making the instrument particularly attractive for fingerstyle playing, blues, melodic work and sophisticated chord voicings.
There is also a natural connection between the guitar's physical size and its musical character.
It is a guitar that encourages the player to get close to the instrument.
Why This Guitar Is Different
There are many excellent modern Martins.
There are considerably fewer modern Martins that have such a direct connection to a specific historic instrument.
And there are fewer still that combine that connection with a production run of only 45 examples.
The 000-45JB therefore occupies an unusual position.
It is simultaneously:
A Martin.
A Style 45.
A Joe Bonamassa signature instrument.
A recreation of a specific 1941 guitar.
A limited edition of only 45 examples.
And, in this case, Series # 24/45 with Joe Bonamassa's handwritten signature inside the guitar.
That combination gives the instrument a very specific place within contemporary Martin history.
The Pure Effect Music Example
The guitar offered from the Pure Effect Music Private Collection is serial number 2907637, and is Series # 24 of the 45 instruments produced.
The internal label is hand-signed by Joe Bonamassa, adding a personal element of artist provenance to the instrument.
For a collector, this is one of the most appealing aspects of the guitar.
Limited-edition instruments can sometimes feel interchangeable.
The hand-signed label and individual production number make this example identifiable as a specific instrument within an exceptionally small series.
The result is a guitar with a clear provenance story:
1941 original → Joe Bonamassa → Martin recreation → 45-instrument limited edition → # 24/45 → hand-signed label → Pure Effect Music Private Collection.
That is a compelling chain of provenance for a modern guitar.
Final Review
The Martin 000-45JB Joe Bonamassa is much more than a highly decorated limited-edition acoustic.
It is Martin's attempt to recreate the character of a particular guitar: Joe Bonamassa's treasured 1941 000-45.
The decision to use Adirondack spruce treated with Martin's Vintage Tone System, VTS Adirondack bracing, Guatemalan rosewood, a 1941-inspired neck profile and period-oriented hardware demonstrates how thoroughly Martin approached the project.
The result is an instrument that combines modern manufacturing precision with an intentionally historic personality.
And then there is the extraordinary rarity.
Only 45 were produced worldwide.
This example is Series # 24 of 45, serial 2907637, with its internal label hand-signed by Joe Bonamassa.
That makes it a particularly distinctive example of an already highly exclusive Martin.
For the player, it offers the intimacy and responsiveness of the 000 platform.
For the Martin enthusiast, it represents an exceptionally elaborate Style 45.
For the vintage-guitar collector, it provides a direct connection to a celebrated pre-war instrument.
And for the Joe Bonamassa collector, it represents his first Martin collaboration and a recreation of one of the most personal guitars in his collection. Martin itself identifies the 000-45JB as Bonamassa's first Martin signature collaboration and specifically connects it to his 1941 000-45.
That combination is what makes the 000-45JB so compelling.
It is not trying to be a vintage guitar.
It is something slightly different:
a modern Martin built to preserve the character, appearance and spirit of a very special pre-war Martin.
And with only 45 examples made, each one carries a place in that story.
Series # 24 of 45 is now offered as part of the Pure Effect Music Private Collection.
Key Specifications
Specification | Details |
Model | Martin 000-45 Joe Bonamassa |
Year | 2025 |
Production | 45 instruments worldwide |
This Example | Series # 24 of 45 |
Serial Number | 2907637 |
Artist | Joe Bonamassa |
Artist Signature | Hand-signed internal label |
Original Inspiration | Joe Bonamassa's 1941 Martin 000-45 |
Body | 000 |
Top | Premium Adirondack Spruce |
Top Treatment | Martin Vintage Tone System (VTS) |
Bracing | VTS-treated Adirondack Spruce X-bracing |
Back & Sides | Guatemalan Rosewood |
Neck Profile | 1941-style profile, standard taper |
Scale Length | 24.9" |
Fingerboard | Solid Ebony |
Inlays | Style 45 Abalone Snowflakes |
Nut | Bone |
Tuners | Period-correct covered/geared tuners |
Electronics | None |
Collection | Pure Effect Music Private Collection |
Status | Available for Sale |
