And that's exactly what it's done with its latest model, the 00L Earth guitar. Painted by longtime Martin collaborator and artist Robert Goetzl – who was inspired by climate activist Greta Thunberg's School Strike for Climate movement – the new acoustic sports an illustration of the Earth, sun and stars.
“When I first heard this eloquent young woman, Greta Thunberg, speak so passionately about climate change, I was immediately inspired and thought, why not design a guitar with a visual element as a tool to promote the message ‘Save the Earth,’” Goetzl says.
(Image credit: Martin)
“Perhaps this is a way to help raise awareness of resource sustainability and our society’s failure to take action against the global crisis that this troubled planet is facing.”
In keeping with its climate change-inspired design, the 00L Earth guitar is 100 percent FSC-certified and 100 percent plastic-free. Even the included gigbag is made of hemp, a fast-growing, highly sustainable material.
Says Tim Teel, Martin's Lead Instrument Designer who helped build the guitar, “I respect working for a company that takes environmental issues seriously.
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(Image credit: Martin)
“This project illustrates the importance of our planet and is depicted in this amazing graphic by Robert Goetzl. By using responsibly harvested materials, we will ensure the next generation of musicians and luthiers will have great tonewoods to choose from when designing, building, and playing stringed instruments of the future.”
As Martin CEO Chris Martin adds, “There’s so much that we can do as individuals to fight climate change in our daily lives. Yet we are continually looking for ways that our company can inspire musicians and their fans to take action. Not just on Earth Day, but every day. Music has always been a powerful tool for bringing people together for change.”
The 00L Earth guitar is available now for $2,249. For more information, head to Martin Guitars.
Sam was Staff Writer at GuitarWorld.com from 2019 to 2023, and also created content for Total Guitar, Guitarist and Guitar Player. He has well over 15 years of guitar playing under his belt, as well as a degree in Music Technology (Mixing and Mastering). He's a metalhead through and through, but has a thorough appreciation for all genres of music. In his spare time, Sam creates point-of-view guitar lesson videos on YouTube under the name Sightline Guitar.
