C. F. Martin 00-18 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1949)
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Item # 9278
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C. F. Martin 00-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1949), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 111910, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, tweed hard shell case.
This just-post WWII 00-18 is not one of Martin's rarer creations, but to many players and Martin fans constitutes one of the company's most beloved combinations of wood, wire and inspiration. 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.
The 14 1/4" light mahogany body makes for a very responsive guitar, with a nice mix of depth and clarity to the sound. This example was built in mid/late-1949, one of a total of 501 00-18s shipped that year just before the Korean War began. This 00 has typical period features with tortoise celluloid binding and pickguard and a nicely ambered top finish. The tuners are the postwar style open back individual Klusons with large baseplate, replaced not long after by the new sealed Kluson Deluxe.
While not a particularly expensive guitar by 1949 standards, listing at $70.00 (plus case) the 00-18 still represented a substantial investment to many players in the early postwar period. Despite its smaller size and lack of flash the 00-18 has always been a fully professional instrument, and equally at home with fingerpicking and plectrum strumming pickers of many styles. This is a very fine example with a nicely lush sound for a smaller body instrument.
Overall length is 39 1/4 in. (99.7 cm.), 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 in. (10.2 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 VERY clean guitar, especially for being over 70 years old! The top has some pickwear into but mostly not through the finish just below the fingerboard, and some worn-away areas on the lower soundhole rim. The rest of the top lacquer has comparatively little wear. Overall the finish shows checking (heaviest on the lower back) and some dings, dents, scrapes but no other large areas of heavy wear.
The top shows one tightly repaired crack just off the edge on the lower bass bout, with a small side crack adjacent. There are no alterations beyond an old clean neckset; the frets show a bit of wear in the first positions just under the B string. The original full height bridge is still intact. The saddle is low but the action remains very friendly, the guitar plays very well with a strong crisp yet warm tone. Excellent - Condition.
This just-post WWII 00-18 is not one of Martin's rarer creations, but to many players and Martin fans constitutes one of the company's most beloved combinations of wood, wire and inspiration. 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.
The 14 1/4" light mahogany body makes for a very responsive guitar, with a nice mix of depth and clarity to the sound. This example was built in mid/late-1949, one of a total of 501 00-18s shipped that year just before the Korean War began. This 00 has typical period features with tortoise celluloid binding and pickguard and a nicely ambered top finish. The tuners are the postwar style open back individual Klusons with large baseplate, replaced not long after by the new sealed Kluson Deluxe.
While not a particularly expensive guitar by 1949 standards, listing at $70.00 (plus case) the 00-18 still represented a substantial investment to many players in the early postwar period. Despite its smaller size and lack of flash the 00-18 has always been a fully professional instrument, and equally at home with fingerpicking and plectrum strumming pickers of many styles. This is a very fine example with a nicely lush sound for a smaller body instrument.
Overall length is 39 1/4 in. (99.7 cm.), 14 1/4 in. (36.2 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 in. (10.2 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 VERY clean guitar, especially for being over 70 years old! The top has some pickwear into but mostly not through the finish just below the fingerboard, and some worn-away areas on the lower soundhole rim. The rest of the top lacquer has comparatively little wear. Overall the finish shows checking (heaviest on the lower back) and some dings, dents, scrapes but no other large areas of heavy wear.
The top shows one tightly repaired crack just off the edge on the lower bass bout, with a small side crack adjacent. There are no alterations beyond an old clean neckset; the frets show a bit of wear in the first positions just under the B string. The original full height bridge is still intact. The saddle is low but the action remains very friendly, the guitar plays very well with a strong crisp yet warm tone. Excellent - Condition.