From the Factory, Players | September 17, 2025
Loud, Fast, and Unplugged: Motörhead’s Battered DC-16WE Lives On in the Martin Museum
Yes, that Motörhead. And yes, this is a Martin.
Among the many legendary artist guitars on display at the Martin Museum, you might not expect to see one tied to the godfathers of speed metal. But just inside our 2000s-era case, past the folk legends and singer-songwriters, sits a damaged DC-16WE—a guitar once borrowed (and accidentally smashed) by Motörhead.
Yes, that Motörhead.
Known for pioneering a ferocious blend of punk and heavy metal in the late ’70s, Motörhead helped birth genres like thrash and speed metal. Their leader, the late Lemmy Kilmister, wasn’t just loud—he was louder. And while the band's blistering riffs and biker attitude may seem worlds away from acoustic guitars, the DC-16WE proves otherwise.
“Even when metal artists—someone you don’t think of with an acoustic guitar—want to play an acoustic, they think of Martin,” says Jason Ahner, Martin’s archives and museum manager.
Borrowed, Smashed, Returned—and Paid For
So, what’s the story behind the battered guitar in the display?
Back in the early 2000s, Motörhead requested to borrow a Martin for acoustic use, and the company gladly obliged. The guitar? A DC-16WE: a solid spruce and walnut Dreadnought cutaway with built-in electronics, ideal for stage or studio. It featured the kind of upper-neck access shredders love and a tone profile that could hold its own—even unplugged.
Unfortunately, the guitar met an untimely end.
“We’re not exactly sure who played it,” Jason explains. “But somehow it got dropped and damaged. It wasn’t like they threw it out of a hotel window or something—they were gentlemen about it. They felt bad and paid for it.”
Inside the case, a handwritten note remains:
Instead of repairing it or hiding it away, Martin decided to preserve the guitar as it was. Not because of its condition—but because of what it represents.
Acoustic Guitars in a World of Distortion
“It's just one of those things that helps to illustrate that Martin guitars are for players of any genre,” Jason says. “When we were redesigning the museum cases in 2021, I saw the note in our records about Motörhead borrowing a D-16 and immediately said, ‘This is awesome. We need to display this.’”
And it’s true—Martin guitars have long been found in the hands of artists you wouldn’t expect. From Metallica’s James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett to Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols and even André 3000 of Outkast, the Martin sound has proven its range far beyond folk, country, and bluegrass circles.
“What’s more ‘not Martin’ than the Sex Pistols?” Jason jokes. “But Steve Jones had a custom-painted D-28 Authentic. I was just going through files and found André 3000 playing an HD-28. It really is every genre.”
In other words, even in a world full of amps and distortion pedals, sometimes only an acoustic will do—and when that moment comes, artists across the spectrum reach for a Martin.
A Guitar That Tells the Truth (Even When It’s Busted)
Could Martin have repaired the DC-16WE? Sure. But that would’ve erased the story—and the truth is, guitars are meant to be played, loved, and sometimes broken. In this case, the break says more than a flawless finish ever could.
“This guitar has that story behind it,” Jason says. “It wasn’t something that was done on purpose, but it happened. So why not keep it in the state we received it in and just tell the story?”
That’s exactly what the Martin Museum is all about: preserving not just instruments, but the lives and legacies they touched—sometimes loudly, sometimes gently, sometimes both.
See the Motörhead Guitar for Yourself
If you ever find yourself in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, swing by the Martin Museum and check it out in person. The DC-16WE is proudly on display as part of our 2000s artist case—a fitting reminder that even metalheads need acoustic guitars now and then.
Whether you're into folk, punk, rap, or thrash, you’ll find something that speaks to you here. And you might just leave thinking: If it’s good enough for Motörhead…
More From the Martin Museum
Explore other artist guitars on display, including:
- Judy Collins’ 1971 D12-35
- Eric Clapton’s 000-28EC prototype
- Joan Baez’s 1880 0-40
- Kurt Cobain and Elliott Smith’s 1953 D-18
- Les Paul’s first “good” guitar
- John Mayer’s original OM-28JM prototype
- Johnny Cash’s D-42
- Hank Williams’ 1947 D-18
Stay tuned for the next story behind the strings—only at the Martin Museum.
Until next time, happy playing!
