C. F. Martin 000-28 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1948)
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C. F. Martin 000-28 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1948), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 103721, natural lacquer finish, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
There are certain guitars that are the standard by which others are judged and Martin's 14 fret 000-28 is certainly one of them, made early in 1948. At that time the Auditorium sized 000-28 was the Martin company's largest and most expensive non-Dreadnought model, second in line to the D-28. The fancy pearl bordered flat tops and pricier archtops instruments had all been discontinued after 1941, leaving these two Brazilian rosewood models the standard bearers for the company.
In early 1940 the 000-28 was priced at $127, but that was raised substantially to $140 by mid-year. While always a well-respected instrument, Brazilian rosewood 000s from this period are far from common. Only 144 000-28s were produced in 1948, compared to 450 000-18s and just over 500 D-28s.
The rosewood body in the 15" wide 000 size is generally considered one of the best all-around guitars for both finger- and flat-picking styles. This 000 shows appointments specific to this exact era, a time when some things were changing at Martin. The beautifully bookmatched back and sides have the lovely even straight-grain figure Brazilian rosewood Martin prized, but with a lovely dark streak and more dramatic figuring towards the outer back. The tight, straight grained early Sitka spruce top is bordered with multiple celluloid bands, the model having just shed the famous "herringbone" wood trim that previously defined style 28 models.
The back is triple-bound in celluloid with a chain pattern backstrip. Other features include a mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard, long-saddle ebony bridge, multiple celluloid sound hole rings and a fairly brown tortoise celluloid pickguard. The unbound fingerboard is fit with pearl dots of varied size, another recently introduced feature replacing the prewar diamonds. The peghead is faced in straight grained Brazilian rosewood with the gold "C.F. Martin & Co." decal at the top. The neck profile is just a bit chunkier than the wartime style, round backed with less hint of a "V" profile than Martins since the mid-'30s. The tuners are the very earliest Kluson Deluxe machines with metal buttons, then brand new on the market.
The 000-28 is to some players about the perfect flat-top guitar. The 15" wide body is just over 1/2" smaller than a Martin Dreadnought; the narrow waisted shape yields a generally more focused midrange sound. For a larger rosewood guitar the instrument is extremely responsive, offering considerable power and depth combined with sweetness, sparkle, and a singing character. The scale is slightly shorter than the Dreadnought which makes the action a bit more supple.
Many of these guitars were working instruments for professionals; Cowboy and Country and Western performers of the period (accent on the "Western") found the Martin 000-28 one of the best instruments for this rough-and-tumble world where guitars were often literally "played into the ground" over a career. This one has survived in unusually fine original condition. It plays effortlessly with a smooth and powerful sound and remains a perfect choice for a wide range of musical styles, vintage or contemporary. There is a very old decal on the back of the headstock indicating the guitar was once in stock at Fife & Nichols, the famous Hollywood shop, so perhaps it has some interesting if unknown provenance!
Overall length is 39 3/4 in. (101 cm.), 15 1/8 in. (38.4 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 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This guitar shows some light general wear but remains in excellent playing condition. The finish has a collection of minor dings, scrapes, and dents overall, but far less than many flat tops of this era. The top shows only minor finish loss from pick action mostly in the area just below the pickguard, with some random scratches around the sound hole and fingerboard. The back has several smallish spots of belt buckle wear through the finish. The finish is largely intact on the back of the neck, with some small dings and scrapes.
The guitar shows no major repairs or notable alterations from original. The top has one very small and well-cleated spruce grain split at the upper rear edge of the pickguard, and a visible grain split to the area off the back rim behind the treble edge of the bridge that does not go fully through to the inside. A smaller similar grain split is visible in the upper armwear area, also not visible internally.
The lovely rosewood back and sides remain crack-free. There is no overspray or added finish anywhere. The bone nut and saddle are newer; the ebony bridge and small maple bridgeplate are original. The Kluson tuning pegs remain original, the neck has been neatly reset and the ebony fingerboard refretted with correct style wire. Playability is excellent and this is a simply superb instrument by any standard, a rare example of a clean 1940s rosewood 000 complete in its original HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.
There are certain guitars that are the standard by which others are judged and Martin's 14 fret 000-28 is certainly one of them, made early in 1948. At that time the Auditorium sized 000-28 was the Martin company's largest and most expensive non-Dreadnought model, second in line to the D-28. The fancy pearl bordered flat tops and pricier archtops instruments had all been discontinued after 1941, leaving these two Brazilian rosewood models the standard bearers for the company.
In early 1940 the 000-28 was priced at $127, but that was raised substantially to $140 by mid-year. While always a well-respected instrument, Brazilian rosewood 000s from this period are far from common. Only 144 000-28s were produced in 1948, compared to 450 000-18s and just over 500 D-28s.
The rosewood body in the 15" wide 000 size is generally considered one of the best all-around guitars for both finger- and flat-picking styles. This 000 shows appointments specific to this exact era, a time when some things were changing at Martin. The beautifully bookmatched back and sides have the lovely even straight-grain figure Brazilian rosewood Martin prized, but with a lovely dark streak and more dramatic figuring towards the outer back. The tight, straight grained early Sitka spruce top is bordered with multiple celluloid bands, the model having just shed the famous "herringbone" wood trim that previously defined style 28 models.
The back is triple-bound in celluloid with a chain pattern backstrip. Other features include a mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard, long-saddle ebony bridge, multiple celluloid sound hole rings and a fairly brown tortoise celluloid pickguard. The unbound fingerboard is fit with pearl dots of varied size, another recently introduced feature replacing the prewar diamonds. The peghead is faced in straight grained Brazilian rosewood with the gold "C.F. Martin & Co." decal at the top. The neck profile is just a bit chunkier than the wartime style, round backed with less hint of a "V" profile than Martins since the mid-'30s. The tuners are the very earliest Kluson Deluxe machines with metal buttons, then brand new on the market.
The 000-28 is to some players about the perfect flat-top guitar. The 15" wide body is just over 1/2" smaller than a Martin Dreadnought; the narrow waisted shape yields a generally more focused midrange sound. For a larger rosewood guitar the instrument is extremely responsive, offering considerable power and depth combined with sweetness, sparkle, and a singing character. The scale is slightly shorter than the Dreadnought which makes the action a bit more supple.
Many of these guitars were working instruments for professionals; Cowboy and Country and Western performers of the period (accent on the "Western") found the Martin 000-28 one of the best instruments for this rough-and-tumble world where guitars were often literally "played into the ground" over a career. This one has survived in unusually fine original condition. It plays effortlessly with a smooth and powerful sound and remains a perfect choice for a wide range of musical styles, vintage or contemporary. There is a very old decal on the back of the headstock indicating the guitar was once in stock at Fife & Nichols, the famous Hollywood shop, so perhaps it has some interesting if unknown provenance!
Overall length is 39 3/4 in. (101 cm.), 15 1/8 in. (38.4 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 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This guitar shows some light general wear but remains in excellent playing condition. The finish has a collection of minor dings, scrapes, and dents overall, but far less than many flat tops of this era. The top shows only minor finish loss from pick action mostly in the area just below the pickguard, with some random scratches around the sound hole and fingerboard. The back has several smallish spots of belt buckle wear through the finish. The finish is largely intact on the back of the neck, with some small dings and scrapes.
The guitar shows no major repairs or notable alterations from original. The top has one very small and well-cleated spruce grain split at the upper rear edge of the pickguard, and a visible grain split to the area off the back rim behind the treble edge of the bridge that does not go fully through to the inside. A smaller similar grain split is visible in the upper armwear area, also not visible internally.
The lovely rosewood back and sides remain crack-free. There is no overspray or added finish anywhere. The bone nut and saddle are newer; the ebony bridge and small maple bridgeplate are original. The Kluson tuning pegs remain original, the neck has been neatly reset and the ebony fingerboard refretted with correct style wire. Playability is excellent and this is a simply superb instrument by any standard, a rare example of a clean 1940s rosewood 000 complete in its original HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.