C. F. Martin 0-15 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1940), made in Nazareth, PA, natural lacquer finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
A nice old pre-war Martin 0-15. Some wear and repair, but a fine player with an extremely robust sound for a small mahogany guitar. This 0-15 was built during the very brief period around 1940 when Martin experimented with tortoise shell plastic peghead overlays, quite a rare and attractive feature. While this was the least expensive Martin guitar offered, listing for $25.00, it still is built to the highest Martin standard. The 0-15 is a fully professional-sounding guitar, and these are among the last bargains to be had in scallop-braced pre-WWII Martin flat tops.
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.) deep. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
Recent neck reset and refret; bridge original and not altered or cut down. Tuners are post-war Waverly strips. There are three repaired and touched-up top cracks on the lower bout, one on the center seam and two on the treble side out past the bridge. Typical repaired pickguard crack under the B string and some noticeable pickwear above and under the pickguard in the soundhole edge and waist area, along with general play wear.
Several repaired back cracks and the upper side shows a fairly large repaired area at the widest point. There is a small crack between the fingerboard and soundhole edge on the bass side, with a tiny gap in the soundhole ring. All the repairs are completely solid and this very attractive little 0-15 would make a great gigging prewar Martin; a fantastic-sounding guitar at a relatively affordable price. Very Good + Condition.
