C. F. Martin 00-18 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1940)
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Item #9432
C. F. Martin 00-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1940), made in Nazareth, PA, natural lacquer finish, mahogany body and neck, spruce top, ebony fingerboard and bridge, black hard shell case.
While the 00-18 is not one of Martin's rarer creations, to many players and flat top fans the model constitutes one of the company's most propitious combinations of wood, wire and inspiration. This 1940 guitar combines a mahogany body and scallop-braced Adirondack spruce top making for very light and a superbly responsive instrument. The top wood shows some subtle bearclaw figure behind the bridge, now considered a premium feature but at the time seen by Martin as a borderline flaw, thus the piece of prime spruce was used on this less fancy model.
This 00-18 was made in early 1940, one of only 176 shipped that pivotal year just before the US entered the Second World War. Listing at an even $50.00 (plus case) it was not a particularly expensive instrument by contemporary Martin standards but still represented a fairly substantial investment to many players. This is not a flashy guitar; the trim is discreet with tortoise celluloid binding on the outer body edges, tortoise celluloid pickguard and a simple multiply celluloid soundhole ring. In classic Martin style, the elegant understatement speaks for itself. Despite its smaller size body and lack of flash this was a fully professional-quality instrument described as fully suitable "for broadcasting or stage work".
In the years since, Martins of this era have become the benchmark for all subsequent acoustic guitar designs. While the 00-18 is on the small side compared to the more ubiquitous dreadnoughts, making for a very easily handling guitar. Despite this it offers a surprisingly powerful sound and is an extremely versatile instrument, a delightful fingerpicker with a strong reserve of sound if driven with a flatpick. The scalloped bracing makes a major sonic difference on smaller bodied guitars, and this instrument has a wealth of tone not evident even on most 00's from later in the same decade. Both as a creative tool and as an object of beauty and grace, this is a wonderful example.
Overall length is 39 3/8 in. (100 cm.), 14 3/8 in. (36.5 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 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This is a very clean guitar for its age, showing only minor wear and some typical maintenance repairs. The finish remains completely original with no touch up or overspray anywhere. There is some play wear to the wood on the back of the neck and very minor pick wear to the top (mostly on the lower soundhole rim) but none of the heavy pickwear we often see on older flattops. The guitar shows light wear to the very thin finish overall with small dings, dents and scrapes but no other notable loss except for a spot down to the wood in the upper back waist area. The back shows more wear than the front generally.
The bridge is a nicely done replacement, the small maple bridgeplate is untouched original. We can find no cracks on the instrument, which for a martin of this vintage is happily unusual. The only oddity on the instrument is someone long ago set colored rhinestones into the bridgepins and endpin, some of which have subsequently fallen out. These could be easily replaced (either the rhinestones or the pins themselves) but we find it a charming part of this guitar's history so have retained them. The plastic buttons on the original Waverly tuners have darkened somewhat and one has a small chip on the edge.
Internally there is no visible repair work. The neck has almost certainly been (very cleanly) reset some time ago, and the guitar refretted with period-correct wire. The saddle is cut with a slight compensation and the guitar is a very fine player, with a delightful and expansive sound. One of the nicest pre-war 00's we have seen in along time, housed in a modern HSC. Excellent Condition.
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While the 00-18 is not one of Martin's rarer creations, to many players and flat top fans the model constitutes one of the company's most propitious combinations of wood, wire and inspiration. This 1940 guitar combines a mahogany body and scallop-braced Adirondack spruce top making for very light and a superbly responsive instrument. The top wood shows some subtle bearclaw figure behind the bridge, now considered a premium feature but at the time seen by Martin as a borderline flaw, thus the piece of prime spruce was used on this less fancy model.
This 00-18 was made in early 1940, one of only 176 shipped that pivotal year just before the US entered the Second World War. Listing at an even $50.00 (plus case) it was not a particularly expensive instrument by contemporary Martin standards but still represented a fairly substantial investment to many players. This is not a flashy guitar; the trim is discreet with tortoise celluloid binding on the outer body edges, tortoise celluloid pickguard and a simple multiply celluloid soundhole ring. In classic Martin style, the elegant understatement speaks for itself. Despite its smaller size body and lack of flash this was a fully professional-quality instrument described as fully suitable "for broadcasting or stage work".
In the years since, Martins of this era have become the benchmark for all subsequent acoustic guitar designs. While the 00-18 is on the small side compared to the more ubiquitous dreadnoughts, making for a very easily handling guitar. Despite this it offers a surprisingly powerful sound and is an extremely versatile instrument, a delightful fingerpicker with a strong reserve of sound if driven with a flatpick. The scalloped bracing makes a major sonic difference on smaller bodied guitars, and this instrument has a wealth of tone not evident even on most 00's from later in the same decade. Both as a creative tool and as an object of beauty and grace, this is a wonderful example.
Overall length is 39 3/8 in. (100 cm.), 14 3/8 in. (36.5 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 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This is a very clean guitar for its age, showing only minor wear and some typical maintenance repairs. The finish remains completely original with no touch up or overspray anywhere. There is some play wear to the wood on the back of the neck and very minor pick wear to the top (mostly on the lower soundhole rim) but none of the heavy pickwear we often see on older flattops. The guitar shows light wear to the very thin finish overall with small dings, dents and scrapes but no other notable loss except for a spot down to the wood in the upper back waist area. The back shows more wear than the front generally.
The bridge is a nicely done replacement, the small maple bridgeplate is untouched original. We can find no cracks on the instrument, which for a martin of this vintage is happily unusual. The only oddity on the instrument is someone long ago set colored rhinestones into the bridgepins and endpin, some of which have subsequently fallen out. These could be easily replaced (either the rhinestones or the pins themselves) but we find it a charming part of this guitar's history so have retained them. The plastic buttons on the original Waverly tuners have darkened somewhat and one has a small chip on the edge.
Internally there is no visible repair work. The neck has almost certainly been (very cleanly) reset some time ago, and the guitar refretted with period-correct wire. The saddle is cut with a slight compensation and the guitar is a very fine player, with a delightful and expansive sound. One of the nicest pre-war 00's we have seen in along time, housed in a modern HSC. Excellent Condition.
