that's correct.. Dick boak from Martin told me that himself. They built me a couple of guitars. I played a bunch of the guitars in the museum. Good timesWell I also heard that with the CITES Treaty back in the late 60's that Martin was having a shortage of Brazilian Rosewood and thus as a way to save wood the powers to be at Martin came up with the 3 piece back and hence forth the D-35 was born and Christened . The Man in Black himself Johnny Cash used an all black D-35 with a 3 piece back also .