C. F. Martin 0-18T Flat Top Tenor Guitar (1955)
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C. F. Martin 0-18T Model Flat Top Tenor Guitar (1955), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 143561, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, black chipboard case.
The Martin 0-18T is one of the finest and most popular tenor guitars ever made, a lovely and well-balanced design. This one is a fine player with some solid repair work but not too much play wear. It dates to the mid-1950's just before the "Folk" boom really took off. The Kingston Trio hit BIG in 1958-9, and the 0-18T was along for the ride in the hands of group member Nick Reynolds. Folk groups who emulated the Trio's sound wanted one in their arsenal and the model definitely had a boost in popularity for a few years.
This 0-18T shows typical Style 18 Martin features including a spruce top, mahogany back and sides, rosewood belly bridge and fingerboard, teardrop celluloid pickguard and 14 fret 23" scale neck. The Brazilian rosewood-faced headstock has a small "C. F. Martin" decal logo and open back Waverly tuners with metal buttons.
The Martin tenor has experienced upswings and downtimes in popularity over the last century. Designed in the late 1920s for tenor banjoists getting pushed out of work by the guitar, tenor guitars like this 0-18T can be tuned in the "correct" fifths tenor tuning (C-G-D-A) or simply as the higher four guitar strings (D-G-B-E) or beyond. In either case they offer a range of possibilities to this day still not fully explored. In the 1930's long before the Kingston Trio Rabon Delmore used small tenor Martin models including the 0-18T to play deftly picked leads on the Delmore Brothers' records, and many others have explored them since.
Overall length is 35 1/2 in. (90.2 cm.), 13 1/2 in. (34.3 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 23 in. (584 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
For just about 70 years along this little Martin is in relatively good shape, although it has had some repairs there has been nothing that impacts its playability or sound. The original lacquer finish survives intact except for some polish out and light touch up to the top. It has ambered somewhat appearing darker than it started out with some checking, mostly to the back. Overall the finish shows some fairly minor dings, dents and scrapes but less pick damage than many and no really heavy wear.
There are several grain repaired cracks to the top, most notably on the lower bouts. The longer ones have been cleated internally and are neatly but visibly sealed, with light touch up to applied. Internally, all original bracing and the original bridge plate are intact. The only additions are the above cleats. The original bridge does not appear to have been lowered, but was reglued at some point and the saddle re-worked.
The frets are original and show minimal wear. No strap button ever installed. The original open back Waverly tuners are intact an functional with some corrosion and darkening to the plating. This little Martin is a sweet but powerful sounding guitar, a fine player with many more years good ahead. It resides in a decent-if-not perfect fit period chipboard case, probably from later in the '60s. Overall Very Good + Condition.
The Martin 0-18T is one of the finest and most popular tenor guitars ever made, a lovely and well-balanced design. This one is a fine player with some solid repair work but not too much play wear. It dates to the mid-1950's just before the "Folk" boom really took off. The Kingston Trio hit BIG in 1958-9, and the 0-18T was along for the ride in the hands of group member Nick Reynolds. Folk groups who emulated the Trio's sound wanted one in their arsenal and the model definitely had a boost in popularity for a few years.
This 0-18T shows typical Style 18 Martin features including a spruce top, mahogany back and sides, rosewood belly bridge and fingerboard, teardrop celluloid pickguard and 14 fret 23" scale neck. The Brazilian rosewood-faced headstock has a small "C. F. Martin" decal logo and open back Waverly tuners with metal buttons.
The Martin tenor has experienced upswings and downtimes in popularity over the last century. Designed in the late 1920s for tenor banjoists getting pushed out of work by the guitar, tenor guitars like this 0-18T can be tuned in the "correct" fifths tenor tuning (C-G-D-A) or simply as the higher four guitar strings (D-G-B-E) or beyond. In either case they offer a range of possibilities to this day still not fully explored. In the 1930's long before the Kingston Trio Rabon Delmore used small tenor Martin models including the 0-18T to play deftly picked leads on the Delmore Brothers' records, and many others have explored them since.
Overall length is 35 1/2 in. (90.2 cm.), 13 1/2 in. (34.3 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 23 in. (584 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.).
For just about 70 years along this little Martin is in relatively good shape, although it has had some repairs there has been nothing that impacts its playability or sound. The original lacquer finish survives intact except for some polish out and light touch up to the top. It has ambered somewhat appearing darker than it started out with some checking, mostly to the back. Overall the finish shows some fairly minor dings, dents and scrapes but less pick damage than many and no really heavy wear.
There are several grain repaired cracks to the top, most notably on the lower bouts. The longer ones have been cleated internally and are neatly but visibly sealed, with light touch up to applied. Internally, all original bracing and the original bridge plate are intact. The only additions are the above cleats. The original bridge does not appear to have been lowered, but was reglued at some point and the saddle re-worked.
The frets are original and show minimal wear. No strap button ever installed. The original open back Waverly tuners are intact an functional with some corrosion and darkening to the plating. This little Martin is a sweet but powerful sounding guitar, a fine player with many more years good ahead. It resides in a decent-if-not perfect fit period chipboard case, probably from later in the '60s. Overall Very Good + Condition.