C. F. Martin 0-17 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1934)
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Item # 9999
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C. F. Martin 0-17 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1934), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 56473, natural lacquer finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a truly superb example of a very early 14-fret Martin 0-17 in extremely fine condition for its age. Not only does this guitar show only light wear and minor repair but it is also a fine player with a very powerful voice for a small all-mahogany guitar. This 0-17 was built in early-mid 1934, when this 14-fret version of the model was a brand new design. The model was altered from a 1920s style 12-fret neck joint just in time for the 1934 catalog; this one was built a few months later. At the time the Depression was very much still in evidence and this small, unassuming but affordable guitar was Martin's best seller. This one model may well have had a major role in keeping the company in business during the first half of the decade.
The 0-17 is a direct descendant of Martin's 12 fret, steel string budget guitars of the 1920's, which were a novel idea for the company at the time. Designed to offer a reliable, great sounding instrument at the lowest price Martin could possibly manage, the Style 17 instruments were a study in elegant minimalism. The body is all mahogany, with no ornament except for the soundhole ring. The unbound, dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard has an ebony nut. The traditional Martin bar frets were only retained on the 14-fret model for the first part of 1934, supplanted by modern tang fretwire not long after this batch was built.
While plain in appearance and at the bottom of the Martin guitar line, The 0-17 is still built of high-grade materials to the company's lofty standards. Decent guitars could be had much cheaper from the likes of Harmony, Regal or the Sears catalog, but none came close to the sonic value of this instrument. 1100 of these little mahogany wonders were shipped in 1934, a huge number for Martin at the time and an indication of how their dealers must have been clamoring for an affordable 14-fret flat top. While the original price of $30.00 may seem laughable today, in 1934 this was still a fairly expensive proposition for many Americans struggling to make ends meet.
Then as now 0-17 is a fully professional-quality guitar, extremely responsive with a rich, singing tone that belies its humble appearance. This initial 14-fret bar fret version is a fairly rare variation of the model and a true treat for the Martin connoisseur as well as the casual strummer.
Overall length is 38 1/2 in. (97.8 cm.), 13 5/8 in. (34.6 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 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is one of the loveliest and best preserved early 14-fret mahogany Martins we have seen in some time, showing definite signs of use but really quite clean for being 85+ years old. The finish is completely original mostly showing only small dings, dents and scrapes, with not much playing wear anywhere. The back and lower side have sone deeper dings and scrapes and one long scratch but the face is quite clean.
No cracks are evident, which is very unusual for these after so many decades in the field. It does have replaced tuners, which is very common as the original riveted-gear Grovers were not especially reliable in action. Modern repros with correct-style dark plastic buttons are now in place; several different styles have been fitted over the decades leaving some minor scarring on the back of the headstock.
The original bar frets show just some minimal wear, the neck has been very neatly reset and the original full-height bridge cleanly reglued. The original non-slotted black plastic bridgepins are intact. The original tiny maple bridgeplate has been neatly replaced with a new repro that has a slightly larger footprint than the original, installed and tucked to the neat period Martin spec. It is correct in all dimensions except for being just a bit deeper than an original footprint, which helps stabilize the thin mahogany top. This is just a lovely find with a huge shimmering sound for a small mahogany guitar, one of the nicest examples of this popular instrument we have ever had. Overall Excellent Condition.
This is a truly superb example of a very early 14-fret Martin 0-17 in extremely fine condition for its age. Not only does this guitar show only light wear and minor repair but it is also a fine player with a very powerful voice for a small all-mahogany guitar. This 0-17 was built in early-mid 1934, when this 14-fret version of the model was a brand new design. The model was altered from a 1920s style 12-fret neck joint just in time for the 1934 catalog; this one was built a few months later. At the time the Depression was very much still in evidence and this small, unassuming but affordable guitar was Martin's best seller. This one model may well have had a major role in keeping the company in business during the first half of the decade.
The 0-17 is a direct descendant of Martin's 12 fret, steel string budget guitars of the 1920's, which were a novel idea for the company at the time. Designed to offer a reliable, great sounding instrument at the lowest price Martin could possibly manage, the Style 17 instruments were a study in elegant minimalism. The body is all mahogany, with no ornament except for the soundhole ring. The unbound, dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard has an ebony nut. The traditional Martin bar frets were only retained on the 14-fret model for the first part of 1934, supplanted by modern tang fretwire not long after this batch was built.
While plain in appearance and at the bottom of the Martin guitar line, The 0-17 is still built of high-grade materials to the company's lofty standards. Decent guitars could be had much cheaper from the likes of Harmony, Regal or the Sears catalog, but none came close to the sonic value of this instrument. 1100 of these little mahogany wonders were shipped in 1934, a huge number for Martin at the time and an indication of how their dealers must have been clamoring for an affordable 14-fret flat top. While the original price of $30.00 may seem laughable today, in 1934 this was still a fairly expensive proposition for many Americans struggling to make ends meet.
Then as now 0-17 is a fully professional-quality guitar, extremely responsive with a rich, singing tone that belies its humble appearance. This initial 14-fret bar fret version is a fairly rare variation of the model and a true treat for the Martin connoisseur as well as the casual strummer.
Overall length is 38 1/2 in. (97.8 cm.), 13 5/8 in. (34.6 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 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
This is one of the loveliest and best preserved early 14-fret mahogany Martins we have seen in some time, showing definite signs of use but really quite clean for being 85+ years old. The finish is completely original mostly showing only small dings, dents and scrapes, with not much playing wear anywhere. The back and lower side have sone deeper dings and scrapes and one long scratch but the face is quite clean.
No cracks are evident, which is very unusual for these after so many decades in the field. It does have replaced tuners, which is very common as the original riveted-gear Grovers were not especially reliable in action. Modern repros with correct-style dark plastic buttons are now in place; several different styles have been fitted over the decades leaving some minor scarring on the back of the headstock.
The original bar frets show just some minimal wear, the neck has been very neatly reset and the original full-height bridge cleanly reglued. The original non-slotted black plastic bridgepins are intact. The original tiny maple bridgeplate has been neatly replaced with a new repro that has a slightly larger footprint than the original, installed and tucked to the neat period Martin spec. It is correct in all dimensions except for being just a bit deeper than an original footprint, which helps stabilize the thin mahogany top. This is just a lovely find with a huge shimmering sound for a small mahogany guitar, one of the nicest examples of this popular instrument we have ever had. Overall Excellent Condition.