C. F. Martin 000-18 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1943)
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Item # 13476
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C. F. Martin 000-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1943), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 85981, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back and sides, spruce top, mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
This 000-18 may not be one of Martin's rarer creations, but to many players and Martin fans this mid-WWII era model constitutes one of the company's most beloved combinations of wood, wire and inspiration. The very light mahogany body coupled with a delicately scallop-braced Adirondack spruce top makes for a superbly responsive guitar; the larger but narrow-waisted 000 size body contributes both depth and clarity to the sound. The neck has an ebony reinforcement under the fingerboard instead of metal, making for a truly featherweight guitar
This example was built in mid-late 1943, one of 400 000-18s shipped that year which was the model's largest annual total to date, interesting as most other builders were forced to severely curtail production at the time. While not particularly expensive by Martin standards in 1943 listing at $67.00 (plus case) the 000-18 still represented a substantial investment to many players. Compared to some competitors this is not a flashy guitar; the trim is discreet with tortoise celluloid on the body edges and a simple multiply soundhole ring. In classic Martin style, the elegant understatement speaks for itself.
This guitar has the typical mahogany body with an Adirondack spruce top, scallop-braced having been built about a year before Martin eliminated that feature across the line. The mahogany neck is fairly slim with a subtle rounded "V" profile typical of wartime Martins. a rosewood fingerboard (with mixed size pearl dot inlay) and bridge, recently introduced replacing the more expensive (and harder to source) ebony on Style 18 models. There is no metal rod in the neck but the ebony reinforcement has helped it stay straight and true, making this guitar among the lightest 000s out there. The original tuners are wartime Klusons without bushings designed to use the minimum of metal, which was severely rationed at the time.
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. In the years since WWII, Martins of the pre-1944 have become the benchmark for all subsequent acoustic guitar designs. This scallop-braced 000-18 is an extremely versatile instrument; it can be used to play effectively in virtually any style of music. Both as a creative tool and as an object of beauty and grace, this is a wonderful example of Martin's consistency in creating the finest instruments possible even during the worst days of WWII.
Overall length is 40 in. (101.6 cm.), 15 1/8 in. (38.4 cm.) width, 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 is a fine playing specimen of a mid-WWII 000-18 showing some general finish wear but no damage, only typical maintenance repair. The original thin lacquer finish shows scratches, dings and dents overall, most heavily to the back, which has a couple of deeper scratches and an area of belt buckle wear. The lower side has some deeper dinks and there is isolated pickwear to the lower soundhole rim and the treble side of the top below the pickguard. The back of the neck was worn down to the wood over part of its length long ago and appears to have at least a partial very light ancient clear overspray, some of which is worn through again. There are a few small dinks but none of the often seen deep capo marks; there is a small soft-contoured imprint in back of neck possibly from clamp, directly behind the 7th fret that has some light touch up.
There are NO cracks detectable on the instrument, a hallelujah moment on a Martin this old! The original bridge was slightly lowered long ago on the top and a newer saddle added; it does not appear to have ever been reglued. Internally the lovely scalloped bracing and the original small maple bridgeplate are intact and unaltered. The original thin-gear openback Kluson tuners are intact, with some worn plating but still working well. The neck has been reset, internally neck block has small stains running down from it along the back from both ends but other than this it is a very neat job. The frets appear original, lightly recrowned with little subsequent wear.
This is a truly superb playing guitar. The sound is both precise and expansive, with an unmatched combination of transparent clarity and depth. This mahogany 000 excels as both a finger- or flatpicked instrument, the action is low at 3/32" bass and 2/32" treble and it particularly excels as a fingerpicking machine, still perfectly suited to a wide range of musical applications. This is a structurally excellent example but not "to clean to play", ready to go in the rare original (or at least period) HSC Excellent - Condition.
This 000-18 may not be one of Martin's rarer creations, but to many players and Martin fans this mid-WWII era model constitutes one of the company's most beloved combinations of wood, wire and inspiration. The very light mahogany body coupled with a delicately scallop-braced Adirondack spruce top makes for a superbly responsive guitar; the larger but narrow-waisted 000 size body contributes both depth and clarity to the sound. The neck has an ebony reinforcement under the fingerboard instead of metal, making for a truly featherweight guitar
This example was built in mid-late 1943, one of 400 000-18s shipped that year which was the model's largest annual total to date, interesting as most other builders were forced to severely curtail production at the time. While not particularly expensive by Martin standards in 1943 listing at $67.00 (plus case) the 000-18 still represented a substantial investment to many players. Compared to some competitors this is not a flashy guitar; the trim is discreet with tortoise celluloid on the body edges and a simple multiply soundhole ring. In classic Martin style, the elegant understatement speaks for itself.
This guitar has the typical mahogany body with an Adirondack spruce top, scallop-braced having been built about a year before Martin eliminated that feature across the line. The mahogany neck is fairly slim with a subtle rounded "V" profile typical of wartime Martins. a rosewood fingerboard (with mixed size pearl dot inlay) and bridge, recently introduced replacing the more expensive (and harder to source) ebony on Style 18 models. There is no metal rod in the neck but the ebony reinforcement has helped it stay straight and true, making this guitar among the lightest 000s out there. The original tuners are wartime Klusons without bushings designed to use the minimum of metal, which was severely rationed at the time.
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. In the years since WWII, Martins of the pre-1944 have become the benchmark for all subsequent acoustic guitar designs. This scallop-braced 000-18 is an extremely versatile instrument; it can be used to play effectively in virtually any style of music. Both as a creative tool and as an object of beauty and grace, this is a wonderful example of Martin's consistency in creating the finest instruments possible even during the worst days of WWII.
Overall length is 40 in. (101.6 cm.), 15 1/8 in. (38.4 cm.) width, 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 is a fine playing specimen of a mid-WWII 000-18 showing some general finish wear but no damage, only typical maintenance repair. The original thin lacquer finish shows scratches, dings and dents overall, most heavily to the back, which has a couple of deeper scratches and an area of belt buckle wear. The lower side has some deeper dinks and there is isolated pickwear to the lower soundhole rim and the treble side of the top below the pickguard. The back of the neck was worn down to the wood over part of its length long ago and appears to have at least a partial very light ancient clear overspray, some of which is worn through again. There are a few small dinks but none of the often seen deep capo marks; there is a small soft-contoured imprint in back of neck possibly from clamp, directly behind the 7th fret that has some light touch up.
There are NO cracks detectable on the instrument, a hallelujah moment on a Martin this old! The original bridge was slightly lowered long ago on the top and a newer saddle added; it does not appear to have ever been reglued. Internally the lovely scalloped bracing and the original small maple bridgeplate are intact and unaltered. The original thin-gear openback Kluson tuners are intact, with some worn plating but still working well. The neck has been reset, internally neck block has small stains running down from it along the back from both ends but other than this it is a very neat job. The frets appear original, lightly recrowned with little subsequent wear.
This is a truly superb playing guitar. The sound is both precise and expansive, with an unmatched combination of transparent clarity and depth. This mahogany 000 excels as both a finger- or flatpicked instrument, the action is low at 3/32" bass and 2/32" treble and it particularly excels as a fingerpicking machine, still perfectly suited to a wide range of musical applications. This is a structurally excellent example but not "to clean to play", ready to go in the rare original (or at least period) HSC Excellent - Condition.