#1 Signature Series OM40
Blues Edition Martin Guitar

​Rare collectible guitar with a vibrant legacy and historic significance.

Here it is- the #1 of my Signature Series, the only one in the world, the rarest of the series- a collector's item. The design was conceived by Martin Guitar artist rep Dick Boak and myself while drawing ideas on dinner napkins at a local restaurant. Four prototypes were constructed, design and function were approved, and after that, #1 through #38 of the official series were released to the public.

This #1 Signature model guitar has been with me on every single stage across the USA, Canada and Europe since the day it was debuted in 2004. It has been featured on every recording I have ever done, every photo session since the release, and you can see me playing it in countless live shows on Youtube, in my Homespun Tapes teaching videos, featured in my official music videos, and in all the 227 live stream home broadcasts thus far. There's a chapter in my autobiography "When A Woman Gets The Blues" dedicated to this guitar, from conception to fruition. My Signature guitars symbolize everything good that I have worked for my entire life.

My signature is in mother of pearl inlay on the fret board as well as on the label inside the guitar, signed by Chris Martin IV and by me. It has been regularly maintained by Martin and was at the factory in 2023 where it received TLC, tweaking and polishing. It has had neck and fret maintenance over time and a crack below the bridge repaired. It retains certain elements of typical wear resulting from my personal playing style, which I am told are part of the mystique. 

Hip Shot Tuners were added approximately 4 years ago for ease of tuning. When the tuners were upgraded to the new tuners (much easier to use), the small holes from the original tuners were not filled. They were apparently not filled in case the new tuners did not meet Rory’s approval (which might have required reinstalling the originals)- however she loved them, and the original holes were accidentally not filled. It would be a simple task for someone to fill them should they wish to have this done.

Please visit roryblock.com/rory-s-guitars to view a video with Rory detailing the condition, marks of wear and tear, plus performing two songs on the guitar. You will also see Martin Guitar's original release article, which includes all the specs for this instrument.

Rory Block