C. F. Martin 000-18 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1952)
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C. F. Martin 000-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1952), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 126529, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
To many players and Martin aficionados, the 000-18 has remained one of the company's most beloved combinations of wood, wire, and inspiration. The light mahogany back and sides coupled with a spruce top make for a transparent but warm and responsive guitar; the 15" wide narrow-waisted 000-size body contributes both depth and clarity to the sound. The 14-fret 000-sized instrument was introduced as the OM-18 in 1930. After 1933 nearly all Martin guitars were built in this new "Orchestra Model" format, so the OM designation was dropped and the model simply called the 000-18, one of the company's mainstays ever since.
While not a particularly expensive guitar by 1950s Martin standards, listing at $105.00 (plus case) the 000-18 still represented a substantial investment to many players. This is not a flashy guitar; the trim is discreet with tortoise celluloid on the body edges and a simple multiply sound hole ring. In classic Martin style, the elegant understatement speaks for itself. Despite its lack of flash, this was always a fully professional instrument popular with radio entertainers, most obviously the country acts common in the Southeast.
This example was built in mid-1952, one of 550 000-18s shipped that year. It incorporates typical post-war Martin style 18 features including lovely mahogany on the back and sides, a superb straight-grained spruce top, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, and tortoise celluloid pickguard and body binding. The neck is mahogany with a fairly slim "C" profile; the fingerboard inlay is mixed size dots and the tuners are open back individual large-plate Klusons with metal buttons.
This 000 looks to have seen some use over seven decades but remains more original than many from this period. It is an excellent fingerpicker's instrument but also has a lot of punch and clarity as a straight rhythm machine as well. This well loved 70+ year old guitar has matured beautifully and will continue to provide exceptional sound as the years go on.
Overall length is 39 3/8 in. (100 cm.), 15 in. (38.1 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 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This guitar remains in nicely original condition, played in nicely with some typical wear and very minor repairs. The finish remains all original; overall it has typical dings, dents, and scrapes but no really heavy wear. The top lacquer shows areas of typical playing wear, mostly strumming marks above and below the strings and soundhole and around the pickguard. The deepest is a typical worn-away area of the lower sound hole rim. The back and sides show some typical scuffs and dings, with deeper scratching to the back into but mostly not through the lacquer. The back of the neck has some small dings and dents but no heavy wear.
The top has one tightly sealed "B" string grain split off the top edge of the pickguard sealed with no touchup; no cleat was added in this area. There are no other apparent crack repairs. The rosewood bridge appears original lowered just slightly long ago; the bone saddle has been replaced. The thin maple bridgeplate and all internal bracing is original and unaltered. There appears to have been a nicely done neck re-set some time back; the frets have some minor wear. This 000 feels superbly played in and is just a wonderful-feeling and sounding instrument, housed in a more recent hard case. Overall Excellent - Condition.
To many players and Martin aficionados, the 000-18 has remained one of the company's most beloved combinations of wood, wire, and inspiration. The light mahogany back and sides coupled with a spruce top make for a transparent but warm and responsive guitar; the 15" wide narrow-waisted 000-size body contributes both depth and clarity to the sound. The 14-fret 000-sized instrument was introduced as the OM-18 in 1930. After 1933 nearly all Martin guitars were built in this new "Orchestra Model" format, so the OM designation was dropped and the model simply called the 000-18, one of the company's mainstays ever since.
While not a particularly expensive guitar by 1950s Martin standards, listing at $105.00 (plus case) the 000-18 still represented a substantial investment to many players. This is not a flashy guitar; the trim is discreet with tortoise celluloid on the body edges and a simple multiply sound hole ring. In classic Martin style, the elegant understatement speaks for itself. Despite its lack of flash, this was always a fully professional instrument popular with radio entertainers, most obviously the country acts common in the Southeast.
This example was built in mid-1952, one of 550 000-18s shipped that year. It incorporates typical post-war Martin style 18 features including lovely mahogany on the back and sides, a superb straight-grained spruce top, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, and tortoise celluloid pickguard and body binding. The neck is mahogany with a fairly slim "C" profile; the fingerboard inlay is mixed size dots and the tuners are open back individual large-plate Klusons with metal buttons.
This 000 looks to have seen some use over seven decades but remains more original than many from this period. It is an excellent fingerpicker's instrument but also has a lot of punch and clarity as a straight rhythm machine as well. This well loved 70+ year old guitar has matured beautifully and will continue to provide exceptional sound as the years go on.
Overall length is 39 3/8 in. (100 cm.), 15 in. (38.1 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 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This guitar remains in nicely original condition, played in nicely with some typical wear and very minor repairs. The finish remains all original; overall it has typical dings, dents, and scrapes but no really heavy wear. The top lacquer shows areas of typical playing wear, mostly strumming marks above and below the strings and soundhole and around the pickguard. The deepest is a typical worn-away area of the lower sound hole rim. The back and sides show some typical scuffs and dings, with deeper scratching to the back into but mostly not through the lacquer. The back of the neck has some small dings and dents but no heavy wear.
The top has one tightly sealed "B" string grain split off the top edge of the pickguard sealed with no touchup; no cleat was added in this area. There are no other apparent crack repairs. The rosewood bridge appears original lowered just slightly long ago; the bone saddle has been replaced. The thin maple bridgeplate and all internal bracing is original and unaltered. There appears to have been a nicely done neck re-set some time back; the frets have some minor wear. This 000 feels superbly played in and is just a wonderful-feeling and sounding instrument, housed in a more recent hard case. Overall Excellent - Condition.