C. F. Martin 0-17 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1936)
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Item # 12481
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C. F. Martin 0-17 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1936), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 62758, natural lacquer finish, mahogany body and neck, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, molded black plastic hard shell case.
This is a truly superb prewar Martin 0-17, nearly 90 years along an extremely fine player with an amazingly robust tone for a small mahogany guitar. This 0-17 was built in early-mid-1936, when the 14-fret version of the model was still a relatively new design. While the humbly unadorned 0-17 stood near the bottom of the Martin guitar line, it is still built of high-grade materials to the company's lofty standards. The guitar is austere in appearance, with no binding anywhere and only a small sound hole ring, tortoise celluloid pickguard and Martin headstock logo as trim. The body and neck are mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard and bridge. The thin mahogany top is delicately scallop braced with a small maple bridge plate.
An impressive total of 861 of these little mahogany wonders were made this year, when the Depression was still very much in evidence and inexpensive instruments were of the utmost importance. This model listed for $30.00 throughout the early-mid '30s and at the worst of the depression did a lot to keep C.F. Martin & Co. in business. Although priced for amateur players the 0-17 was always a fully professional-sounding guitar, and this one remains a wonderful player and among the last relative bargains to be had in a scallop-braced pre-war 1930s Martin flat-top.
Overall length is 38 1/2 in. (97.8 cm.), 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 7/8 in. (632 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is a very nicely preserved original guitar, in far better condition than many pre-war survivors really looking not too heavily used over the last nearly 90 years. The unaltered original finish shows light play wear overall, with scuffing and small dings and dents but almost none common pick marks to the top. Some small areas of finish are dinged and worn away on the back/side edges, typical of these unbound bodies. The back has some deeper scrapes and scratches, but nothing too serious. The back of the neck is lightly worn down some very small dents but nothing too distracting.
There are no visible crack repairs, which is a delightful find on a Martin of this vintage. The original bridge has excellent height, with a more recent bone saddle. Internally the guitar is untouched, with a clean original small maple bridgeplate and the typical super neat and delicate Martin scalloped bracework. The neck has been reset neatly and the original frets and fingerboard show some light wear. This is a truly excellent playing guitar with a low, comfortable action and a lovely sound, ringing but never shrill, with a wide dynamic range. It is housed in a modern molded HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.
This is a truly superb prewar Martin 0-17, nearly 90 years along an extremely fine player with an amazingly robust tone for a small mahogany guitar. This 0-17 was built in early-mid-1936, when the 14-fret version of the model was still a relatively new design. While the humbly unadorned 0-17 stood near the bottom of the Martin guitar line, it is still built of high-grade materials to the company's lofty standards. The guitar is austere in appearance, with no binding anywhere and only a small sound hole ring, tortoise celluloid pickguard and Martin headstock logo as trim. The body and neck are mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard and bridge. The thin mahogany top is delicately scallop braced with a small maple bridge plate.
An impressive total of 861 of these little mahogany wonders were made this year, when the Depression was still very much in evidence and inexpensive instruments were of the utmost importance. This model listed for $30.00 throughout the early-mid '30s and at the worst of the depression did a lot to keep C.F. Martin & Co. in business. Although priced for amateur players the 0-17 was always a fully professional-sounding guitar, and this one remains a wonderful player and among the last relative bargains to be had in a scallop-braced pre-war 1930s Martin flat-top.
Overall length is 38 1/2 in. (97.8 cm.), 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 7/8 in. (632 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is a very nicely preserved original guitar, in far better condition than many pre-war survivors really looking not too heavily used over the last nearly 90 years. The unaltered original finish shows light play wear overall, with scuffing and small dings and dents but almost none common pick marks to the top. Some small areas of finish are dinged and worn away on the back/side edges, typical of these unbound bodies. The back has some deeper scrapes and scratches, but nothing too serious. The back of the neck is lightly worn down some very small dents but nothing too distracting.
There are no visible crack repairs, which is a delightful find on a Martin of this vintage. The original bridge has excellent height, with a more recent bone saddle. Internally the guitar is untouched, with a clean original small maple bridgeplate and the typical super neat and delicate Martin scalloped bracework. The neck has been reset neatly and the original frets and fingerboard show some light wear. This is a truly excellent playing guitar with a low, comfortable action and a lovely sound, ringing but never shrill, with a wide dynamic range. It is housed in a modern molded HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.