C. F. Martin 0-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1964), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 198429, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This is a lovely and beautifully preserved Martin 0-18 from 1964, the year the guitar boom went stratospheric. Starting in 1958 the Kingston Trio helped make Martin guitar the height of fashion, but after the Beatles hit guitar sales climbed to unprecedented heights. This 0-18 dates to later that year, when total of 550 of these small body spruce top guitars were shipped, each costing $154.50 without a case -- a fairly significant sum at the time! By the mid-60s larger guitars had started to eclipse these small-body Martins; they would be somewhat forgotten in the 1970s but are enjoying a renaissance today.
The concert sized, 14-fret mahogany body carries many traditional Martin features including tortoise celluloid binding on the body edges, tortoise celluloid pickguard, long-saddle Brazilian rosewood bridge, and a nicely ambered nitrocellulose lacquer finish. The headstock corners are the rounded style typical of the period, with the peghead face adorned with the "CF Martin" gold decal on the face and individual Grover Sta-Tite G98 openback tuners with hexagonal bushings.
The neck is slimmer than some earlier models, with a very soft "V" profile without a noticeable spine. These are lovely-sounding instruments; this one has plenty of volume (a lot more than many expect in a smaller guitar) and an even ringing tone. This is a superb-playing and sounding guitar, far better preserved than most from this period and a joy to play (and hear)!
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 is an excellent and nicely original 1964 guitar with just some typical minor wear and tear from the past 55+ years. The only crack is a small spruce grain split on the top in the typical "B-string position, well sealed up. The top finish has only light wear with some small dings and scrapes and wear to the wood on the lower soundhole lip. The rest of the lacquer shows mostly small dings, scuffs and dents, with one larger area on the lower back showing some larger spots of scuffing and loss down to the wood for no obvious reason. The lower edge of the fingerboard edges has some dings and chips where it meets the neck but nothing severe.
The neck has been cleanly reset and a new bone saddle fabricated for the original bridge which looks like it was lowered slightly some time back. The original frets have plenty of life left and playability is excellent. The interior is clean and free of repair, with an original unblemished small maple bridge plate. This is a truly excellent vintage small-body Martin, fine-sounding and playing, a product of the 1960's that will be making music well into this 21st century and beyond. Excellent Condition.
