C. F. Martin 00-18 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1966)
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Item # 10463
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C. F. Martin 00-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1966), made in Nazareth, PA, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
This is a great feeling and sounding 00-18 from the tail end of the "guitar boom" era, with a feel still more like the older 1950's Martins than the more heavily built '70's instruments to come. The top still has old-style tortoise celluloid pickguard but the newer black edge binding. Other typical features include a short-saddle rosewood bridge, Grover Sta-Tite tuners with hexagonal bushings and a typical '60's rounded-edge peghead.
To many players and Martin fans, the 00-18 has always been one of the company's most propitious and beloved combinations of wood, wire, and inspiration. The mahogany back and sides coupled with a spruce top makes for a transparent but warm and responsive guitar; the narrow-waisted 00-size body contributes both depth and clarity to the sound.
The 00-18 was built in the second half of 1966, one of 550 shipped the up-to-then peak production year for the model. Still, the D-18 sold over 2000 units that same year, making the 00 something of a rarity by comparison. With 55 years of ageing this is an excellent fingerpicker's instrument but also has plenty of punch and clarity as a straight rhythm machine as well.
Overall length is 39 1/8 in. (99.4 cm.), 14 3/8 in. (36.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 15/16 in. (633 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This light and handy mahogany 00 remains nicely original and an excellent player, with a recent neckset and clean period-correct refret. The finish is nicely aged, finely checked and deeply ambered on the top but does not show much wear, either from playing or handling. The top shows a few scuffs and tiny dinks but none of the usual pickwear often seen on older Martins.
The finish on the back and sides shows some light handling marks but not much actual wear, and the back of the neck is very clean. There is one repaired grain crack to the bass side of the back from the top edge a little over an inch from the center seam, other than that the guitar is crack free. The original small maple bridgeplate is intact, and the original bridge has been reglued but was never cut down. The only alteration is a strap button added to the heel.
The frets and fingerboard show only some minimal wear. Well past its 50th birthday this guitar feels and sounds even "older" than it actually is, with a nice dry but still mellow ring reminiscent of 1950's mahogany 000's. A sweet guitar and extremely friendly playing Martin, in far better condition than most from this period. It is housed in a nice recent HSC. Excellent + Condition.
This is a great feeling and sounding 00-18 from the tail end of the "guitar boom" era, with a feel still more like the older 1950's Martins than the more heavily built '70's instruments to come. The top still has old-style tortoise celluloid pickguard but the newer black edge binding. Other typical features include a short-saddle rosewood bridge, Grover Sta-Tite tuners with hexagonal bushings and a typical '60's rounded-edge peghead.
To many players and Martin fans, the 00-18 has always been one of the company's most propitious and beloved combinations of wood, wire, and inspiration. The mahogany back and sides coupled with a spruce top makes for a transparent but warm and responsive guitar; the narrow-waisted 00-size body contributes both depth and clarity to the sound.
The 00-18 was built in the second half of 1966, one of 550 shipped the up-to-then peak production year for the model. Still, the D-18 sold over 2000 units that same year, making the 00 something of a rarity by comparison. With 55 years of ageing this is an excellent fingerpicker's instrument but also has plenty of punch and clarity as a straight rhythm machine as well.
Overall length is 39 1/8 in. (99.4 cm.), 14 3/8 in. (36.5 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/8 in. (10.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 15/16 in. (633 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This light and handy mahogany 00 remains nicely original and an excellent player, with a recent neckset and clean period-correct refret. The finish is nicely aged, finely checked and deeply ambered on the top but does not show much wear, either from playing or handling. The top shows a few scuffs and tiny dinks but none of the usual pickwear often seen on older Martins.
The finish on the back and sides shows some light handling marks but not much actual wear, and the back of the neck is very clean. There is one repaired grain crack to the bass side of the back from the top edge a little over an inch from the center seam, other than that the guitar is crack free. The original small maple bridgeplate is intact, and the original bridge has been reglued but was never cut down. The only alteration is a strap button added to the heel.
The frets and fingerboard show only some minimal wear. Well past its 50th birthday this guitar feels and sounds even "older" than it actually is, with a nice dry but still mellow ring reminiscent of 1950's mahogany 000's. A sweet guitar and extremely friendly playing Martin, in far better condition than most from this period. It is housed in a nice recent HSC. Excellent + Condition.