C. F. Martin 00-18 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1957)
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Item # 13593
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C. F. Martin 00-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1957), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 157792, natural lacquer finish, mahogany body and neck, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, black tolex hard shell case.
This lovely 1957 00-18 is a typical '50s grand concert model, a longstanding mainstay in the Martin company's line. The mahogany back and sides coupled with a spruce top make for a transparent but warm and responsive guitar; the 14 3/8" wide narrow-waisted 00-size body makes for a very handy player. This 00-18 still retains the classic older style features including the "long saddle" rosewood bridge and the tortoise celluloid outer binding and pickguard, all changed by the mid-1960s. The tuners are individual Grover Sta-Tites mounted on the typically rounded-edge headstock, the inadvertent result of Martins well-worn templates. This 1950's 00 is more lightly constructed than later 1960s examples and has a very lively sound.
A total of 677 00-18s were shipped in 1957, priced at $125, plus case. At the time the large Dreadnought guitars were becoming ever more popular, already starting to eclipse these smaller-bodied flat tops in sales. These days the smaller Martins are once again more appreciated, and have experienced a renaissance among players of many styles. This mahogany 00 is one of Martin's most versatile designs, equally at home fingerpicking ragtime and blues, as a strummer's songwriting and recording mainstay, leading a band onstage with a pickup added or just the perfect couch guitar. This is a fine playing and great sounding example, a super friendly guitar to play.
Overall length is 39 3/8 in. (100 cm.), 14 3/8 in. (36.5 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 is a well preserved for nearly 70 years on Earth showing some light average wear and typical maintenance repairs. The original lacquer finish has ambered and checked on the top, lending it a lovely "vintage" patina. There are small scratches, scuffs and dings overall but less play wear than many older Martins, There is just very light strum wear on the top along the treble side of the soundhole rim worn through the finish. The back has more dings and dents and the lower side below the endpin has some odd touched up spots that look like maybe someone trying out a lacquer brush?
The celluloid pickguard has shrunken up a bit, causing two old repaired grain cracks to the top off the bottom edge of the guard over the waist, sealed with some fill and minimal touchup but still quite visible. There are some deep scratches to the sides but no other cracks on the instrument. Internally the original braces and bridgeplate are fully intact. The original openback Grover tuners are still fully functional.
The guitar has a very neatly done neck set, with a new bone saddle set into the original rosewood bridge which was lowered somewhat long ago and probably reglued. The bridge pins have been recessed into the bridge a bit, something folks used to do occasionally. What appear to be the original frets show some light wear in the lower positions, where the fingerboard has some slight divoting. This is an excellent player with a lovely sound that really calls for playing for hours, one of those guitars you don't want to put down. It happily resides in a newer HSC. Overall Excellent - Condition.
This lovely 1957 00-18 is a typical '50s grand concert model, a longstanding mainstay in the Martin company's line. The mahogany back and sides coupled with a spruce top make for a transparent but warm and responsive guitar; the 14 3/8" wide narrow-waisted 00-size body makes for a very handy player. This 00-18 still retains the classic older style features including the "long saddle" rosewood bridge and the tortoise celluloid outer binding and pickguard, all changed by the mid-1960s. The tuners are individual Grover Sta-Tites mounted on the typically rounded-edge headstock, the inadvertent result of Martins well-worn templates. This 1950's 00 is more lightly constructed than later 1960s examples and has a very lively sound.
A total of 677 00-18s were shipped in 1957, priced at $125, plus case. At the time the large Dreadnought guitars were becoming ever more popular, already starting to eclipse these smaller-bodied flat tops in sales. These days the smaller Martins are once again more appreciated, and have experienced a renaissance among players of many styles. This mahogany 00 is one of Martin's most versatile designs, equally at home fingerpicking ragtime and blues, as a strummer's songwriting and recording mainstay, leading a band onstage with a pickup added or just the perfect couch guitar. This is a fine playing and great sounding example, a super friendly guitar to play.
Overall length is 39 3/8 in. (100 cm.), 14 3/8 in. (36.5 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 is a well preserved for nearly 70 years on Earth showing some light average wear and typical maintenance repairs. The original lacquer finish has ambered and checked on the top, lending it a lovely "vintage" patina. There are small scratches, scuffs and dings overall but less play wear than many older Martins, There is just very light strum wear on the top along the treble side of the soundhole rim worn through the finish. The back has more dings and dents and the lower side below the endpin has some odd touched up spots that look like maybe someone trying out a lacquer brush?
The celluloid pickguard has shrunken up a bit, causing two old repaired grain cracks to the top off the bottom edge of the guard over the waist, sealed with some fill and minimal touchup but still quite visible. There are some deep scratches to the sides but no other cracks on the instrument. Internally the original braces and bridgeplate are fully intact. The original openback Grover tuners are still fully functional.
The guitar has a very neatly done neck set, with a new bone saddle set into the original rosewood bridge which was lowered somewhat long ago and probably reglued. The bridge pins have been recessed into the bridge a bit, something folks used to do occasionally. What appear to be the original frets show some light wear in the lower positions, where the fingerboard has some slight divoting. This is an excellent player with a lovely sound that really calls for playing for hours, one of those guitars you don't want to put down. It happily resides in a newer HSC. Overall Excellent - Condition.