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Elvis' 75 Martin D28
Elvis in Las Vegas - Dec. 12, 1976
Photo from The Collection of S.E. courtesy
Elvis in Concert
Elvis performed in Las Vegas at the Hilton for the very
last time on December 12, 1976. On October 9, 2009 a 1975
Martin D28 said to be used by him during this engagement sold at auction
for $90,000 (plus
an additional 16,200.00 in buyer's premium + taxes, fees, etc...
bringing the final payment to $106,200.00).
1975 Martin D28 Serial #361827
Photo courtesy
iCollector.com
 According to the
Auction's web site, This Martin D-28 model guitar (serial
number 361827), was used by Elvis in his last Las Vegas stage
performances at the Las Vegas Hilton on December 12, 1976. In January,
1977 Elvis presented this Model D-28 guitar to his bodyguard, Sam
Thompson. The guitar features a blonde wood finish and exhibits some
plastic residue on the back of the guitar body resulting from, what
Elvis relayed to Thompson, a portion of the belt on his stage jumpsuit
melting from the hot stage lights. Following Elvis’ death, Thompson sold
the guitar in 1978 to The National Enquirer to fund his college
education. The National Enquirer presented “The Elvis Guitar” to Cheryl
Schmerr who won a national contest of over 60,000 entries in a
well-publicized event hosted by the tabloid. The guitar, with original
case, is accompanied by a notarized letter signed by Sam Thompson, along
with a notarized copy of a letter from Elvis’ father, Vernon E. Presley,
dated January 4, 1978, attesting that his son gave Thompson the Martin
D-28 the previous year while at Graceland. Also comes with a color
photograph of Elvis performing on stage with this guitar. Without
question, one of the most significant guitars to ever reach the market
and accompanied with exceptional provenance.
The Advertisement for the National Enquirer guitar
contest actually showed a picture of Elvis in concert with his
1976 D35, not the one that they subsequently
gave away.
1975 Martin D28 Serial #361827
Photos courtesy
iCollector.com
In comparing several photos from the performances in Las
Vegas during that period on the
Elvis in Concert
website, it is evident that during several of the dates Elvis performed
with his D35 and not this D28 but may have used it at least for the last show on the 12th
(though we've never seen any photo of him with one in that time period
that suggests he did).
Special thanks to
Jay Gordon for the National Enquirer
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