C. F. Martin 0-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1963), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 191458, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This clean and lovely little Martin 0-18 was built in mid-1963, one of 502 of these 13 9/16" marvels shipped out of Nazareth that year. The mahogany body carries the typical "old style" period features including tortoise celluloid binding on the edges, tortoise celluloid pickguard and long-saddle Brazilian rosewood bridge. All these appointments would be changed before long; like all made prior to 1964, this guitar is the product of the "old" red brick Martin North Street factory. The move to the modern facility down the road in mid-'64 resulted in many alterations in the way the guitars were made that changed their character somewhat.
The spruce top has some noticeable long grain striping for a period Martin, enhanced by the nicely ambered thin nitrocellulose lacquer finish. The headstock corners are the very rounded style typical of the period, caused by worn templates that had been in use for decades. The peghead face adorned with the "CF Martin" gold decal on the face and fitted with individual openback Grover Sta-Tite tuners.
These early 1960s 0-18s are still fine-sounding instruments, not as heavily built as those produced later in the decade. Priced at $154.50 (Plus case) in mid-1963 the 0-18 was not expensive for a Martin but hardly a cheap flat-top by the standards of the day. This one has a nicely even ringing tone with more depth than many might expect from a small body guitar. This is a superb-playing and sounding small-body Martin, showing only minor wear and repair and minor repair and still in excellent playing order for all the just under six decades since it first left Nazareth PA.
Overall length is 38 3/4 in. (98.4 cm.), 13 9/16 in. (34.4 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 does not appear to have seen too much use over the last nearly six decades. Showing some very minor repairs it has remained fully original over the last nearly 59 years. The original thin lacquer finish is generally well preserved; there are some dings, nicks and scratches to the body, but little wear to the back of the neck beyond a few small dinks. There is a virtually no strum wear on the top, which is unusual for n older Martin. Beyond a couple of dings behind the bridge the top is very clean.
The top shows one tiny sealed crack off the top edge of the pickguard from celluloid shrinkage, neatly sealed up. There are two small parallel cracks sealed up on the lower side at the turn of the treble bout, without any added finish. There are no other cracks on the instrument. A newer bone saddle has been installed on the original rosewood bridge, which has been lowered a hair on the treble side and reglued. Internally the guitar is untouched and the original small maple bridge plate is in excellent shape.
The neck has been very cleanly reset and no strap button was ever added to the heel. The fingerboard and original frets have hardly any wear and the bone nut remains untouched. This 0-18 remains in far more original condition than most from this period and has a sweet, lovely tone, with great playability up and down the neck. It is housed in a modern tolex hardshell case. Excellent Condition.
