NMM 10770.  Guitar, The Bon Aqua, by C. F. Martin & Co., Nazareth, Pennsylvania, 1971. Model D-28.   Serial number 291114.  Ex coll.: Johnny Cash. First Dakota National Bank Fund, Yankton, South Dakota, 2004. This 1971 Martin D-28 guitar, known as The Bon Aqua, was kept at Johnny Cash’s 100-acre farm near Bon Aqua, Tennessee, 35 miles southwest of Nashville. Returning from extensive tours in the U.S. and abroad, Johnny would go there alone, as he wrote in his autobiography, “to cook my own food, read my own books, tend my own garden, water my own land, and think, write, compose, rest, and reflect in peace.” As such, the guitar, which Johnny used while writing songs during the last 30 years of his life, was more intimately connected with him than the hundreds of other guitars that came and went through his hands on the road.   Inscriptions:  Branded on back graft: [lettering curved downward at each end] C.F.MARTIN & Co [sic] / — ∙ — / NAZARETH, PA. / MADE IN U.S.A. Gold and black decal on head: [cursive lettering curved downward at each end] CFMartin&Co. [sic] / EST. 1833 Branded on headblock: D-28 / 291114 In raised lettering on each machine head shaft cover: GROVER Stamped on each machine head mechanism cover: PAT. PEND / U.S.A. Evidence of applied cursive lettering, now removed, lower treble bass bout: Johnnie [sic] Evidence of applied cursive lettering, Johnnie [sic] Body:  Soundboard: two-piece spruce, wide grain narrowing toward the flanks. Back: two-piece book-matched East Indian rosewood. Ribs: two-piece East Indian rosewood. Head: mahogany veneered with rosewood. Neck: mahogany; hole from strap button, now missing. Back Neck heel End graft Inlay:  Binding: white celluloid; top trim comprised of black-white-black-white-black celluloid purfling strips; back trim comprised of two purfling strips of black and white celluloid. Rosette: wide band of white and black striped celluloid (9 strips), surrounded on each side with narrower bands of the same material (5 strips each), with natural wood in between. Back stripe: back stripe comprised of alternating sections of light-dark-light and dark-light-dark purfling strips, every fourth strip a light-dark-light strip three times longer than the others, surrounded on each side with one strip of light hardwood purfling. End graft: white celluloid strip (slightly wider toward top than bottom) surrounded by thin white and black celluloid purfling (2 strips) on each side. Front of guitar and rosette (soundhole) Trim:  Heel cap: white celluloid. Fingerboard: ebony; 20 nickel-silver frets; single mother-of-pearl dots behind 5th, 9th, 15th, and 17th frets; two abalone dots behind 7th and 12th frets; white celluloid side dots behind 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th, and 17th frets. Nut: ivory. Bridge: ebony with curved lower edge; angled, white celluloid saddle; white celluloid bridge pins with black celluloid eyes. Pegs: six chrome-plated steel worm-gear machine tuners by Grover with convex head surfaces and enclosed worm gear mechanisms. Endpin: white celluloid with black celluloid eye. Pick guard: later black plastic. Varnish: clear with fine craquelure. Fingerboard and peghead Interior:  Linings: kerfed mahogany. Neck block: mahogany; chamfered corners. End block: mahogany; chamfered corners; mahogany graft at center, perpendicular to top and back. Top bracing: spruce X-brace, the joint of main cross brace reinforced with white canvas; rosewood bridge plate. Back braces: four spruce back braces, the two braces in the lower bouts with rounded edges, and wider and lower in height than the two braces in the upper bouts. Back graft: spruce. Measurements:  Total guitar length:  1035 mm (40-3/4″) Back length:  510 mm (20-3/32″) Upper bout width:  292 mm (11-1/2″) Waist width:  275 mm (10-27/32″) Lower bout width:  400 mm (15-3/4″) Rib height (including edging) at heel:  99 mm (3-30/32″) Rib height, at waist:  112 mm (4-13/32″) Rib height, at end block:  125 mm (4-15/16″) Head length:  161 mm (6-5/16″) Head width, top:  73 mm (2-27/32″) Head width, bottom:  59 mm (2-5/16″) Neck length (nut to ribs):  358 mm (14-1/8″) Neck width, nut:  42 mm (1-5/8″) Neck width, heel:  54 mm (2-1/8″) Soundhole diameter:  102 mm (4″) Vibrating string length (nut to bridge edge):  high E:  643 mm (25-5/16″); low E:  644 mm (25-11/32″) Accessories: Original plywood case covered in black imitation-leather-texture canvas with burgundy plush lining, brass-plated steel hardware, and black plastic handle, round Atlanta Braves sticker on lid of case. Sabine AX-800 tuner. Six strings on guitar: steel E and B; copper-overspun steel G, D, A, and E. Literature:  Associated Press syndicated story, appearing in print and websites worldwide. Ben Walker, "Johnny and June Carter Cash Estate Auction," Day to Day, National Public Radio (September 14, 2004). Museum Press Release, "National Music Museum Acquires Johnny and June Carter Cash Guitars" (October 30, 2004). Robert Morast, "Famous Guitars; Music Museum Buys Guitar Used By Johnny Cash," Sioux Falls Argus Leader (October 30, 2004). Susan Hanson, "Celebrating Johnny Cash," SDPB Feature, South Dakota Public Radio (December 3, 2004). Used by John McNeill to play "Wildwood Flower" for "A Celebration of Johnny Cash" presented by the United Way of Vermillion and Gayville Hall in Gayville, South Dakota on Saturday, November 20, 2004 at 7PM. "Johnny & June Carter Cash Guitars Acquired," National Music Museum Newsletter, Vol. 32, No. 1 (February 2005), p. 7. Return to Martin Guitar and Mandolin Checklist National Music Museum The University of South Dakota 414 East Clark Street Vermillion, SD 57069 ©National Music Museum, 2004-2005 Most recent update: October 23, 2007 This page was visited 3,432 times between December 14, 2004-October 6, 2005 You are the 97,419th visitor to this page since October 6, 2005 The University of South Dakota Return to Top of Page