Martin Partners With Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy On New Guitar

There is perhaps no greater compliment that can be paid to a guitar player than to have a signature model guitar. Indeed, the honor has been bestowed on hundreds of musicians of all genres, from the Eric Clapton Stratocaster to the Susanna Hoffs Rickenbacker. On Monday, March 19, C.F. Martin & Co. announced that they will create a limited-edition acoustic guitar named after Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy.

“It has been such a privilege to work with Martin to design this guitar,” said Tweedy. “The shape and the aesthetic are based largely on my favorite go-to Martins that I have been using for years to write and record music. It is a huge honor to have my name associated with an instrument of this caliber.”

The 00-DB Jeff Tweedy model, part of Martin’s Custom Artist series, has a deeper body for a fuller sound. The mahogany “sunburst” top was inspired by an instrument Tweedy saw in the Martin Museum. The guitar is constructed from mahogany certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which ensures that the wood comes from responsibly harvested and verified sources.

The model will be available for only two years, and every instrument will be numbered in sequence and have its interior label signed by Tweedy. While this guitar is beautiful and will undoubtedly sound great, we can’t help but wonder what will become of Tweedy’s beloved 1957 Gibson J-45, the one whose neck appeared on the cover of ‘Being There.’ We’re just saying that, if he’s not going to need it anymore, we’ll gladly take it off his hands.