"Hank Williams used this 1944 Martin D-28 guitar to create his unsurpassed legacy as a country singer and songwriter. Among the instruments he owned, this is regarded as his finest. The scratches on its top reflect the wear and tear of countless personal appearances made by the charismatic Williams, everywhere from nightclubs and outdoor concerts to national television. After Williams' tragic death at age 29 on New YearÑ?s Eve, 1952, the guitar passed into the possession of the family. It was handed down to Hank Williams, Jr., who kept alive the family tradition by using it occasionally in performance. Hank, Jr. preserved the guitar for the most part as his father had left it, with its original herringbone edge trim, ebony fretboard with slotted diamond inlays, and wartime-style tuners with plastic, white oval buttons. "