"made by Ryman"--like in Ryman Auditorium where the Opry was held? And they make guitars? For six grand U.S. I'd at least want to know who the luthier was...

But here's another bargain you might want to snap up, say if you have successfully plundered the assets of a small oil-rich country, or found Bill Gates' PIN number and bank card....offered by Elderly Instruments:

MARTIN D-45 (1942) photos VG-EC except 2 repaired pickguard cracks and one hairline 2-1/2" crack repaired behind the bridge, this most rare and desirable prewar Martin was originally bought and played by hillbilly singing cowboy Smiley Maxedon, who can be heard to great advantage on the Columbia anthology "Hillbilly Boogie!" (our stock number COLU-CD53940, selling for $10.95) singing "Give Me a Red Hot Mama and an Ice Cold Beer", recorded on October 9, 1953, almost certainly using this as his rhythm guitar. The guitar features Brazilian rosewood sides and back, Adirondack spruce top, scalloped braces, tortoise plastic pickguard, original closed back nickel tuners with butterbean buttons, finest abalone on every border of the top, back and sides, as well as around the soundhole and the endpiece that surrounds the endpin, bound ebony fretboard with hexagonal abalone inlays, w-b-w-bound headstock with abalone block letter "C.F. MARTIN" logo, 45-style mosaic marquetry backstrip, no cracks except those mentioned above. Recent neck reset, refret, and new bridge, some finish touchup on the top and back of neck - all work professionally done. Also added is a set of fossil ivory bridge pins and endpin. Smiley was pretty lucky to get this guitar, since it was the first produced in the second of three batches of D-45s made in 1942, after which the model was discontinued! There were only 91 prewar D-45 guitars ever made, and we are confident that this is one of the best remaining - it sounds GREAT, with a very balanced (not over-bassy) sound, plays like a dream, and even includes the OHSC and a nice autographed photo of Smiley holding this guitar. On consignment. (SN:81578) 10U-2736.....$160,000.00