C. F. Martin 0-17H Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1938)
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Item #14129
C. F. Martin 0-17H Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1938), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 69770, natural lacquer finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a lovely example of a Depression-era Martin 0-17H, originally a Hawaiian guitar but now neatly converted to standard play and in fine condition for its age. Not only does this guitar show only light wear but it is also a wonderful player with a surprisingly powerful voice for a small all-mahogany guitar.
This 0-17H was built in early/mid-1938, one of only 50 shipped that year; the total production of this model is less than 250. At the time the Depression was easing slightly and this small, affordable guitar was aimed at students learning Hawaiian guitar, something increasingly being taken over by the early electric steels even at this point. Within a few years the acoustic flat-top Hawaiian guitar became an endangered species, and nearly all of these pre-war Martins have been subsequently converted for standard "Spanish" playing as this one has.
This 12-fret 0-17 variant is a direct descendant of Martin's first 12 fret, 2-17 steel string budget guitars of the early 1920's, which were a novel idea for the company at the time. The early 0-17s continued the 12-fret design, but by 1934 had been converted to a 14 fret "Orchestra model' layout like most of the line. This 12-fret Hawaiian model is essentially simply a continuation of the earlier 12-fret Style 17, but by this point exclusively intended for lap steel playing.
Designed to offer a reliable, great sounding instrument at the lowest price Martin could manage, these Style 17 instruments were a study in elegant minimalism. The body is all mahogany, with no ornament except for the 5-ply soundhole ring and the tortoise celluloid pickguard. The top has a scalloped X-brace pattern just slightly heavier than the "standard model" and as a Hawaiian instrument fully designed for steel strings. This makes for a sturdier top more likely to have survived almost 90 years in excellent condition, as indeed this one has.
The neck has a shallow very soft "V" profile with a rounded back, quite comfortable although ironically it was never meant to be felt as the instrument was intended for lap-style play! The unbound, tiny-dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard originally had flush frets; it has been expertly refretted with correct period-style bar fretwire. The ebony nut is wider than the typical 1938 standard models at 1 13/16". The tuners are unplated brass strips with black plastic buttons.
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 at the time much cheaper from the likes of Harmony, Regal or the Sears catalog, but none came close to the sonic value of this instrument. The original price of $30.00 may seem laughable today, in 1938 this was still a fairly expensive proposition for many Americans.
This 0-17H is an extremely responsive with a rich, singing and powerful tone that belies its small size and humble appearance. This final 12-fret ex-Hawaiian version with a pickguard is a rare variation of the model and a true treat for the Martin connoisseur as well as the casual strummer. As a bonus this guitar includes the original chipboard case.
Overall length is 38 in. (96.5 cm.), 13 5/8 in. (34.6 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 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 13/16 in. (46 mm.).
This is one of the better preserved early depression-era mahogany Martins we have seen in some time, a really excellent conversion-from-Hawaiian showing signs of light use but really amazingly clean and solid for being almost 90 years old. The thin lacquer finish is completely original showing only small dings, dents and scrapes, with virtually none of the common pick wear on the top. The back and sides have more dings, scratches and scuffs but no really heavy wear, while the back of the neck has just a few tiny dinks to the finish.
Amazingly enough this guitar has survived with no crack repairs to the mahogany top, back or sides. The conversion from Hawaiian was very cleanly done, a particularly nice and largely invisible job. The neck was of course reset, with a small rosewood shim added under fingerboard extension. There is just a bit of finish touch-up around the heel. The refret with original early-30s style bar fretwire is excellent as well.
Internally all original scalloped braces & and the small maple bridge plate remain intact, the top back brace on treble side has been reglued. The bridge is almost certainly a replacement, as the original Hawaiian style would not have had a slanted saddle. It has been reglued and a long crack through center of bridge under the saddle slot sealed. The bone saddle and bone nut are later, although the nut itself looks quite old.
The original brass strip tuners with white plastic buttons are intact; the D string shaft is a bit bent but works fine. The original pickguard shows no signs of lifting. This late-depression-era 12-fret mahogany Martin is a superb example of this rare variation of the 0-17, a lovely sounding instrument combining the 1920s style 12-fret body with the slightly sturdier Hawaiian construction, a real gem for a variety of musical styles. It is still housed in the original chipboard case, Excellent - Condition.
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This is a lovely example of a Depression-era Martin 0-17H, originally a Hawaiian guitar but now neatly converted to standard play and in fine condition for its age. Not only does this guitar show only light wear but it is also a wonderful player with a surprisingly powerful voice for a small all-mahogany guitar.
This 0-17H was built in early/mid-1938, one of only 50 shipped that year; the total production of this model is less than 250. At the time the Depression was easing slightly and this small, affordable guitar was aimed at students learning Hawaiian guitar, something increasingly being taken over by the early electric steels even at this point. Within a few years the acoustic flat-top Hawaiian guitar became an endangered species, and nearly all of these pre-war Martins have been subsequently converted for standard "Spanish" playing as this one has.
This 12-fret 0-17 variant is a direct descendant of Martin's first 12 fret, 2-17 steel string budget guitars of the early 1920's, which were a novel idea for the company at the time. The early 0-17s continued the 12-fret design, but by 1934 had been converted to a 14 fret "Orchestra model' layout like most of the line. This 12-fret Hawaiian model is essentially simply a continuation of the earlier 12-fret Style 17, but by this point exclusively intended for lap steel playing.
Designed to offer a reliable, great sounding instrument at the lowest price Martin could manage, these Style 17 instruments were a study in elegant minimalism. The body is all mahogany, with no ornament except for the 5-ply soundhole ring and the tortoise celluloid pickguard. The top has a scalloped X-brace pattern just slightly heavier than the "standard model" and as a Hawaiian instrument fully designed for steel strings. This makes for a sturdier top more likely to have survived almost 90 years in excellent condition, as indeed this one has.
The neck has a shallow very soft "V" profile with a rounded back, quite comfortable although ironically it was never meant to be felt as the instrument was intended for lap-style play! The unbound, tiny-dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard originally had flush frets; it has been expertly refretted with correct period-style bar fretwire. The ebony nut is wider than the typical 1938 standard models at 1 13/16". The tuners are unplated brass strips with black plastic buttons.
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 at the time much cheaper from the likes of Harmony, Regal or the Sears catalog, but none came close to the sonic value of this instrument. The original price of $30.00 may seem laughable today, in 1938 this was still a fairly expensive proposition for many Americans.
This 0-17H is an extremely responsive with a rich, singing and powerful tone that belies its small size and humble appearance. This final 12-fret ex-Hawaiian version with a pickguard is a rare variation of the model and a true treat for the Martin connoisseur as well as the casual strummer. As a bonus this guitar includes the original chipboard case.
Overall length is 38 in. (96.5 cm.), 13 5/8 in. (34.6 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 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 13/16 in. (46 mm.).
This is one of the better preserved early depression-era mahogany Martins we have seen in some time, a really excellent conversion-from-Hawaiian showing signs of light use but really amazingly clean and solid for being almost 90 years old. The thin lacquer finish is completely original showing only small dings, dents and scrapes, with virtually none of the common pick wear on the top. The back and sides have more dings, scratches and scuffs but no really heavy wear, while the back of the neck has just a few tiny dinks to the finish.
Amazingly enough this guitar has survived with no crack repairs to the mahogany top, back or sides. The conversion from Hawaiian was very cleanly done, a particularly nice and largely invisible job. The neck was of course reset, with a small rosewood shim added under fingerboard extension. There is just a bit of finish touch-up around the heel. The refret with original early-30s style bar fretwire is excellent as well.
Internally all original scalloped braces & and the small maple bridge plate remain intact, the top back brace on treble side has been reglued. The bridge is almost certainly a replacement, as the original Hawaiian style would not have had a slanted saddle. It has been reglued and a long crack through center of bridge under the saddle slot sealed. The bone saddle and bone nut are later, although the nut itself looks quite old.
The original brass strip tuners with white plastic buttons are intact; the D string shaft is a bit bent but works fine. The original pickguard shows no signs of lifting. This late-depression-era 12-fret mahogany Martin is a superb example of this rare variation of the 0-17, a lovely sounding instrument combining the 1920s style 12-fret body with the slightly sturdier Hawaiian construction, a real gem for a variety of musical styles. It is still housed in the original chipboard case, Excellent - Condition.
