C.F. MARTIN AND COMPANY

The D-50 Deluxe was the first Martin to feature pearl inlay on the back and sides as well as the fingerboard, bridge, pick guard, and peghead. The ornamentation illustrates Martin's traditional "Tree Of Life" pattern, cut from dark-heart abalone and mother-of-pearl. The back and sides are of Brazilian rosewood and the top of Sitka spruce with pronounced "bear-claw", and fit with forward scalloped bracing. The intricate detail work on the 50 guitars produced took 2 years to complete and were sold out within days of their first introduction in 2001.