From the Factory, Players | October 16, 2024

On the Road with the “Man in Black”: Johnny Cash’s D-42

From the stage to the Martin Museum, discover the story behind Johnny Cash’s signature prototype

In our journey through the Martin Museum’s iconic collection, we’ve already explored the unique stories behind guitars played by legends like Kurt Cobain and Elliott Smith, Hank Williams, and Joan Baez. Now, we’re turning our attention to another legendary musician – Johnny Cash, known to many as the “Man in Black.” 

Johnny Cash’s musical legacy has touched just about every genre, and throughout his career, one guitar brand seemed to resonate with him above all others: Martin. Cash once said, “I feel safe with a Martin,” and it’s a statement that carried through his entire career. 

A Unique Guitar for a Legendary Man 

Among the many Martins Johnny Cash played, one of the most stunning was the D-42 Johnny Cash – a signature model crafted to his unique specs in 1997. This guitar, finished in Cash’s signature all-black lacquer, featured elegant 42-style inlays, making it as bold and distinctive as the man who wielded it. It wasn’t just a looker, though. Cash took his signature model on tour, performing extensively with it. 

“The guitar we have in our museum is one of the prototypes for the D-42 Johnny Cash,” says Martin Archives and Museum Manager Jason Ahner. “Johnny got prototype number one. He was touring with it and had a stage accident that damaged the guitar. So, while his guitar was being repaired, we loaned this one, prototype number two, to Johnny for a while.” 

Though Cash only had the guitar on loan for a few months, it traveled with him during his iconic American Recordings era, a period of resurgence that solidified his place as one of music’s most enduring figures. 

A Long History with Martin 

Johnny Cash’s relationship with Martin guitars began long before the creation of his signature D-42. Back in the early 1970s, Martin custom-built an all-black D-35 just for him – an unprecedented request at the time. That custom D-35 became a staple in his performances for the next two decades, offering a rich, bass-heavy sound that matched the depth of his voice, and the color of his clothes. 

That iconic guitar is now on display at the Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. “At some point he had Gene Autry sign it because Gene Autry was Johnny's idol,” says Jason. “That's the guitar you see him playing in the ‘Hurt’ music video.” 

Throughout his iconic career, Cash played many different Martins, from D-28s and D-18s to smaller-bodied models and even a Martin D-76, honoring America’s bicentennial. One particularly notable performance was his live set at Folsom Prison in 1968, where he played a 00-18. But it was the D-35, with its lighter bracing and three-piece back, that Cash returned to again and again. 

“At some point, he started leaning towards the D-35 because the bass would match his voice,” says Jason. “The bracing on a D-35 is lighter, quarter inch compared to the D-28, which is 5/16ths. So, a D-35 is going to have slightly more bass response and a little more volume, since everything moves more.” 

A Guitar That Left Its Mark 

While Cash’s all-black D-42 signature model was a later addition to his collection, it remains one of the most iconic guitars tied to his name, and it has some unique features when compared to the rest of Martin’s iconic lineup of instruments. 

“When [former Artist Relations Director] Dick Boak sat down to do the signature edition with Johnny in the ‘90s, they wanted to do something a little different,” says Jason. “Obviously, they wanted it to be all-black, but they wanted to dress it up a little more. That’s why they went with style 42 appointments instead of 35. I believe it’s also the only 42-style guitar the company has ever built with a three-piece back.” 

The guitar on display in the Martin Museum also includes a notable and somewhat peculiar feature: a dollar bill tucked between its strings. “That's how he got his signature sound,” says Jason. “That ‘train’ sound, or the ‘chicka chicka’ sound as he described it.” 

Cash’s signature Martin guitars have remained fan favorites, with later editions like the D-35 Johnny Cash – introduced in 2006 and still going strong today – and DX Johnny Cash paying homage to the man and his legendary guitars.

A Lasting Legacy in the Martin Museum 

Though the D-42 prototype that Cash borrowed is now safely housed in the Martin Museum, its journey through the hands of the “Man in Black” adds another legendary layer to this already remarkable instrument. From the stages of Cash’s late-’90s tour to its current home in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, this guitar represents a small but meaningful part of Cash’s extraordinary story. 

Cash’s influence goes well beyond country music. “Johnny was active from the ‘50s up until his death in the early 2000s,” says Jason. “So many people are aware of Johnny. He had such a big impact and has become an idol for just about any genre.” 

For fans of Martin, and of Johnny Cash, this guitar stands as a testament to the powerful connection between artist and instrument – a relationship that helped shape the sound of American music for generations. 

More from Martin 

To learn more about the legendary instruments in our collection, check out our Martin Guitar video series Behind the Glass, which features an episode on Cash’s D-42 that you can also watch below. 

If you find yourself pulling into Nazareth, make sure to stop by the Martin Museum to see this incredible piece of history and take a closer look at the guitars that helped shape the sounds of popular music. 

Stay tuned for more amazing stories from the Martin Museum, where we’ll continue to explore the rich history behind these extraordinary guitars. Until then, keep strumming and keep the music playing.