C. F. Martin 000-18 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1946)
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C. F. Martin 000-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1946), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 97749, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top; rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
To many players and Martin aficionados, the 000-18 has long remained one of the company's most beloved combinations of wood, wire, and inspiration. This is a just-postwar "real relic" example, an excellent player showing some older wear and repair but retaining a great woody sound. 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. This pattern 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; it has remained one of the company's mainstays ever since.
While not a particularly expensive guitar by Martin standards listing at $77.00 (plus case) in late 1946 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 bling, this was always a fully professional instrument popular with radio entertainers, most obviously the country acts common in the Southeast.
This example was built right at the end of 1946, as the company settled back into peacetime routine and not long before their serial numbers rolled over into six digits. It is one of exactly 500 000-18s shipped that year, almost certainly a rationed total. It incorporates typical post-war Martin style 18 features including lovely mahogany on the back and sides. The straight-grained spruce top is made up of four pieces, very unusual on a Martin and likely an indicator the company's stock of top wood was severely depleted just after the war. Other features include the Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge with tortoise celluloid pickguard and body binding. The neck is mahogany with a fairly slim profile with a soft "V" shape that becomes more noticeable as it heads towards the body. The fingerboard inlay is mixed size dots; and the tuners are flat-plate pre-war style open back individual machines with plastic buttons.
This 000 has seen some serious use but remains more original than many from this period. It is an excellent fingerpicker's instrument but also has exceptional punch and clarity as a straight rhythm machine as well. This is a very well played just about 80 year old guitar that has matured beautifully and will continue to provide exceptional sound as the years go on.
Overall length is 39 3/4 in. (101 cm.), 15 3/16 in. (38.6 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 well-played guitar survives in largely original condition with some typical wear and repair. The thin lacquer finish remains nicely original; it has a collection of dings, dents, and scrapes overall. The top shows areas of heavier wear to the wood, mostly strumming wear on the treble side of the soundhole rim and all around the pickguard, most heavily off the bottom edge. There is also a long deeper scratch over the top between bridge and endpin just below the center seam. The back and sides show scratches, scuffs and dings and a few deeper gouges but no heavy belt buckle wear spot. The back of the neck only appears to have an ancient thin lacquer overspray with some small dings and chips but no heavy wear. The headstock area has some general wear, including several deeper dings.
The top center seam has been resealed and cleated. There are old impact repairs on the sides on either side of the endpin, touched up and patched fairly discreetly but visible. The endpin hole had been previously reamed, so the endpin is a modern replacement. The back has one grain split near the neck block just below the center seam; for some reason both sides of the backstrip were given large cleats in this area.
The rosewood bridge is a later repro, fitted with a more recent style drop in saddle. The original maple bridgeplate has been capped with newer very thin strip of maple likely to correct pin hole wear. The neck has been reset, the fingerboard trued and refretted with correct style wire. There are still very light divots over the area of the first four frets. The original tuners were fitted with slightly later plastic buttons, done a long time ago by the look of it!
This guitar is a very fine player, superbly played in and a wonderful-feeling instrument with a huge expansive sound that is a bit darker than some mahogany 000s. It is housed in a modern hard case. Overall Very Good + Condition.
To many players and Martin aficionados, the 000-18 has long remained one of the company's most beloved combinations of wood, wire, and inspiration. This is a just-postwar "real relic" example, an excellent player showing some older wear and repair but retaining a great woody sound. 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. This pattern 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; it has remained one of the company's mainstays ever since.
While not a particularly expensive guitar by Martin standards listing at $77.00 (plus case) in late 1946 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 bling, this was always a fully professional instrument popular with radio entertainers, most obviously the country acts common in the Southeast.
This example was built right at the end of 1946, as the company settled back into peacetime routine and not long before their serial numbers rolled over into six digits. It is one of exactly 500 000-18s shipped that year, almost certainly a rationed total. It incorporates typical post-war Martin style 18 features including lovely mahogany on the back and sides. The straight-grained spruce top is made up of four pieces, very unusual on a Martin and likely an indicator the company's stock of top wood was severely depleted just after the war. Other features include the Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge with tortoise celluloid pickguard and body binding. The neck is mahogany with a fairly slim profile with a soft "V" shape that becomes more noticeable as it heads towards the body. The fingerboard inlay is mixed size dots; and the tuners are flat-plate pre-war style open back individual machines with plastic buttons.
This 000 has seen some serious use but remains more original than many from this period. It is an excellent fingerpicker's instrument but also has exceptional punch and clarity as a straight rhythm machine as well. This is a very well played just about 80 year old guitar that has matured beautifully and will continue to provide exceptional sound as the years go on.
Overall length is 39 3/4 in. (101 cm.), 15 3/16 in. (38.6 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 well-played guitar survives in largely original condition with some typical wear and repair. The thin lacquer finish remains nicely original; it has a collection of dings, dents, and scrapes overall. The top shows areas of heavier wear to the wood, mostly strumming wear on the treble side of the soundhole rim and all around the pickguard, most heavily off the bottom edge. There is also a long deeper scratch over the top between bridge and endpin just below the center seam. The back and sides show scratches, scuffs and dings and a few deeper gouges but no heavy belt buckle wear spot. The back of the neck only appears to have an ancient thin lacquer overspray with some small dings and chips but no heavy wear. The headstock area has some general wear, including several deeper dings.
The top center seam has been resealed and cleated. There are old impact repairs on the sides on either side of the endpin, touched up and patched fairly discreetly but visible. The endpin hole had been previously reamed, so the endpin is a modern replacement. The back has one grain split near the neck block just below the center seam; for some reason both sides of the backstrip were given large cleats in this area.
The rosewood bridge is a later repro, fitted with a more recent style drop in saddle. The original maple bridgeplate has been capped with newer very thin strip of maple likely to correct pin hole wear. The neck has been reset, the fingerboard trued and refretted with correct style wire. There are still very light divots over the area of the first four frets. The original tuners were fitted with slightly later plastic buttons, done a long time ago by the look of it!
This guitar is a very fine player, superbly played in and a wonderful-feeling instrument with a huge expansive sound that is a bit darker than some mahogany 000s. It is housed in a modern hard case. Overall Very Good + Condition.