C. F. Martin 0-17 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1946), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 94849, natural lacquer finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a superb playing just post-war Martin 0-17, showing some moderate wear but with a powerful sound for a small body all-mahogany guitar. This 0-17 was built in early 1946 by which time it had already proved a very popular design. Exactly 500 of these little mahogany wonders were made this still heavily rationed year; with WWII only just in the rearview mirror these inexpensive instruments continued to be important to Martin's bottom line. Listing for the now seemingly inconsequential sum of $52.00 in 1946, this guitar still represented an expensive proposition for many Americans at the time. At the time you could get a guitar from Sears for $3.98!
While the 0-17 is plain looking and stood close to the bottom of Martin's guitar line, it is still built of high-grade materials to the company's traditional exemplary standards. The individual riveted tuners with white plastic buttons are fitted in the wartime manner without grommets on the front face. This still reflects production choices made during the war when metals were stringently rationed. Then as now 0-17 is a fully professional-quality instrument, extremely responsive with a rich, singing tone. This is one of the cleaner early post-war examples we have had and a wonderful 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 shows some wear but remains a lovely example, far cleaner than many of these WWII era workingman's guitars. The most obvious damage to the finish are some heavy scratches on the back, there is one spot where the lacquer is worn through to the wood and several heavy rub marks into the finish. The lower bout rim on either side of the endpin shows scratches. The neck shows a couple of scratches at the fifth fret and some rubs and capo wear penetrating the finish in the first position.
Other than this the original lacquer finish is nicely preserved, with the shine intact showing only small dings, dents and scrapes. There is checking throughout the top but hardly any pickwear; there are a few spots where it looks like something spilled and crazed the lacquer slightly. There are two old repaired top cracks, both tightly sealed. One at the top edge of the pickguard runs to the soundhole, and another running from the sound hole just below the treble side fingerboard extension. The top center seam looks to have been resealed as well.
The original rosewood bridge retains its full height, and the original small maple bridge is intact and unaltered. This guitar has had a very clean neck reset, a new saddle and a refret with appropriate wire and plays flawlessly with a stellar sound. We love all these small-body mahogany Martins and this is a well better-than-average example, now 75 years old. Overall Excellent - Condition.
