C. F. Martin 0-17 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1943)
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Item # 10204
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C. F. Martin 0-17 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1943), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 89173, natural lacquer finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a superb playing and sounding if somewhat scruffy looking war-time Martin 0-17, a "genuine relic" showing a heavy aged patina and some typical wear and repair. It still offers a very powerful sound for a small body all-mahogany guitar, as often is the case with these pre-1944 examples. This one was built in early 1943, a year that saw only 475 of these little mahogany wonders made. During WWII inexpensive instruments remained important to Martin's bottom line; sales of this affordable model had been a big part of the company's survival since the early-mid 1930's.
While the humbly unadorned 0-17 stood near the bottom of the Martin guitar line, it is still built of high-grade materials to Martin's lofty standards. The war-time scallop braced examples are truly exceptional guitars despite their budget status. Listing for $35.00 in 1943, this guitar still represented a fairly expensive proposition for many Americans at the time…you could get a guitar from Sears for $1.98! Then as now 0-17 is a fully professional-quality instrument, extremely responsive with a rich, singing tone. This one shows the effects of ageing in what was probably a damp environment but remains a wonderful player's instrument in every way.
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 guitar is definitely a "genuine relic" showing fairly heavy crazing to the original finish, with the deeply checked and somewhat clouded appearance of a guitar left for some time in a damp environment. It also shows some typical wear for a wartime era workingman's guitar but remains a lovely player's example.
The body appears to have some very light old clear lacquer overspray, done to stabilize the crazed original finish. The finish on the neck, and the back of the headstock has been removed and a very thin hand-rubbed finish added. It is likely the original lacquer was simply too crazed for comfortably playing. The face of the headstock, including the original water-slide decal, remains original. The ebony nut is original as well.
The instrument shows small dings, dents and nicks and general playwear overall, particularly evident around the pickguard, the unbound edges of the body and on the front face of the headstock. The top center seam has been resealed but not finished over. There are no other cracks on the guitar (which is sort of amazing!) and all internal elements are solid and original.
The tuners are correct modern repros of the original flat-plate wartime Kluson machines, installed with no extra drilling required. The rosewood bridge and saddle are carefully made replacements with the correct contours and footprint of the original. Thee are some areas of finish disturbance around the bridge, evidence of the bridge replacement.
The bridgepins are later and the endpin has been drilled out for a passive pickup installation. This pickup has three sensors glued to the underside of original undisturbed bridge plate. The neck has been cleanly reset and refretted with period-correct small fret wire. This "Real Relic" wartime Martin is a truly excellent playing guitar, with a huge ringing sound for a small mahogany instrument. In an era of faked age and simulated authenticity, this guitar is as real as it gets! It would make an excellent gigging stage instrument and/or recording guitar, and is supplied with a modern HSC Very Good + Condition.
This is a superb playing and sounding if somewhat scruffy looking war-time Martin 0-17, a "genuine relic" showing a heavy aged patina and some typical wear and repair. It still offers a very powerful sound for a small body all-mahogany guitar, as often is the case with these pre-1944 examples. This one was built in early 1943, a year that saw only 475 of these little mahogany wonders made. During WWII inexpensive instruments remained important to Martin's bottom line; sales of this affordable model had been a big part of the company's survival since the early-mid 1930's.
While the humbly unadorned 0-17 stood near the bottom of the Martin guitar line, it is still built of high-grade materials to Martin's lofty standards. The war-time scallop braced examples are truly exceptional guitars despite their budget status. Listing for $35.00 in 1943, this guitar still represented a fairly expensive proposition for many Americans at the time…you could get a guitar from Sears for $1.98! Then as now 0-17 is a fully professional-quality instrument, extremely responsive with a rich, singing tone. This one shows the effects of ageing in what was probably a damp environment but remains a wonderful player's instrument in every way.
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 guitar is definitely a "genuine relic" showing fairly heavy crazing to the original finish, with the deeply checked and somewhat clouded appearance of a guitar left for some time in a damp environment. It also shows some typical wear for a wartime era workingman's guitar but remains a lovely player's example.
The body appears to have some very light old clear lacquer overspray, done to stabilize the crazed original finish. The finish on the neck, and the back of the headstock has been removed and a very thin hand-rubbed finish added. It is likely the original lacquer was simply too crazed for comfortably playing. The face of the headstock, including the original water-slide decal, remains original. The ebony nut is original as well.
The instrument shows small dings, dents and nicks and general playwear overall, particularly evident around the pickguard, the unbound edges of the body and on the front face of the headstock. The top center seam has been resealed but not finished over. There are no other cracks on the guitar (which is sort of amazing!) and all internal elements are solid and original.
The tuners are correct modern repros of the original flat-plate wartime Kluson machines, installed with no extra drilling required. The rosewood bridge and saddle are carefully made replacements with the correct contours and footprint of the original. Thee are some areas of finish disturbance around the bridge, evidence of the bridge replacement.
The bridgepins are later and the endpin has been drilled out for a passive pickup installation. This pickup has three sensors glued to the underside of original undisturbed bridge plate. The neck has been cleanly reset and refretted with period-correct small fret wire. This "Real Relic" wartime Martin is a truly excellent playing guitar, with a huge ringing sound for a small mahogany instrument. In an era of faked age and simulated authenticity, this guitar is as real as it gets! It would make an excellent gigging stage instrument and/or recording guitar, and is supplied with a modern HSC Very Good + Condition.