Trigger (guitar) - Wikipedia
Trigger is a modified Martin N-20 nylon-string classical acoustic guitar used by country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson. Early in his career, Nelson tested several guitars by different companies. After his Baldwin guitar was damaged in 1969, he purchased the Martin guitar, but retained the electrical components from the Baldwin guitar.
Nelson based his desired style on Django Reinhardt's playing and guitar sound.[ 1] He opted to amplify the acoustic guitar, resulting in his signature sound.
As Nelson was an RCA Records artist, several guitar manufacturers would either loan or gift him their instruments to test them. Earlier in his career, Nelson played instruments of the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, with models including the Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jaguar, and Jazzmaster. Nelson later moved on to Gibson Guitars. In 1969, before a concert at Panamerican Ballroom near Houston, Texas, Baldwin Company gave Nelson the 800C Classical Acoustic-Electric Guitar model with a Prismatone pickup and an amplifier to test.[ 2]
In 1969, after a concert at Floore's Country Store in Helotes, Texas, a drunk man stepped on Nelson's Baldwin, breaking it beyond playability. David Zettner and Jimmy Day, members of Nelson's band The Record Men, took the guitar to Shot Jackson, a luthier in Nashville, Tennessee.[ 3] Jackson, who considered the damage irreparable, offered Nelson a Martin N-20 nylon-stringed classical guitar made out of Brazilian rosewood with a Sitka spruce top (serial number 242830).[ 4] Nelson instructed Jackson, during a phone conversation, to move the pickup from the Baldwin to the Martin.[ 5] The pickup allowed him to amplify his classical acoustic sound to perform in large dance halls, contributing to his signature style.[ 6] Nelson bought the modified Martin N-20 unseen, for $750 (equivalent to $6,200 in 2023).[ 5] [ 7] Two decades later, he named it after Roy Rogers' horse "Trigger". When asked about the name, Nelson often replies: "Roy Rogers had a horse named Trigger. I figured, this is my horse!"[ 4] Nelson desired approaching the playing style and sound of jazz musician Django Reinhardt.[ 1]
