Rory Gallagher: A Martin D-35 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar, 1968,

guitar 40 1/2in (103cm) long

Footnotes

"This is the one. It's his acoustic for everything. From Taste onwards, it was all done with this... He loved playing blues on acoustic..."
- Daniel Gallagher, 'Rare Guitars', Guitar.com

Rory purchased this guitar second-hand in London in 1970, and it became his main acoustic guitar throughout his career, for both live and studio performances.

"...The thing about a Martin is that it takes about five years to play itself in, it has to develop through a whole lot of things like the heat of the player's body, the atmosphere it's played in and all that. Of course the longer you keep it, the better it gets provided you pay some sort of attention to it..."
- Rory Gallagher, Melody Maker, June 1975.

The importance of this Martin within Rory's musical practice can be seen in this interview for Guitar Magazine in 1978: "I get tunes in my head, in taxis and buses and hotels, and jot down a couple of lines. As often as not you're sitting in the dressing room and a riff will come out of the guitar, and then naturally it'll tend to be the Stratocaster, or at home it'll probably be the Martin."

Thus, as well as being a key instrument for both live and studio work, the Martin was sometimes used in more intimate settings, often at home, but nonetheless central to his process of creating music.

In 2007, Martin Guitars paid tribute to Rory's use of the D-35, by introducing the limited edition D-35 'Rory Gallagher' model.

Live performance
Rory Gallagher, 'Out On the Western Plains', Cork Opera House, 4th November 1987, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19hdE2JmBf8.

Exhibition
'The UK Guitar Show', Olympia, London, UK, 2018.
'Born To Rock', National Museum of Ireland in Dublin, Ireland; Harrods, London, UK, 2006-2007.

Literature
Brian Harrigan, 'Grinding the axe, MM's Focus on instruments', Melody Maker, 14 June 1975, www.roryon.com/grinding161.html.
John Dalton, 'Rory Gallagher: I try to keep the balance between madness and technique', Guitar, September 1978, www.roryon.com/balance384.html.
Josh Gardner, 'Rare Guitars, Rory Gallagher battered 1968 Martin D-35', 4 June, 2019, Guitar.com.

Martin Guitars:
The Martin D-35 is arguably the most esteemed model in the Martin guitar line-up. Introduced in 1965, the D-35 was developed in response to the growing demand for a dreadnought with a more pronounced bass response and a unique aesthetic. It features a three-piece back, made from high-quality rosewood, which not only enhances its visual appeal but also contributes to its deep, resonant sound. The D-35's tone is characterised by a warm, powerful low end, balanced with clear mids and sparkling highs, making it a favourite among singer-songwriters, bluegrass players, and folk musicians. Over the years, the D-35 has become synonymous with Martin's legacy of producing guitars that blend tradition with innovation, offering players an instrument that is both visually striking and sonically versatile.