C. F. Martin 00-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1945), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 91132, natural lacquer finish, mahogany body and neck, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, black tolex hard shell case.
This lovely 00-18 was made in early 1945, one of only 400 shipped that pivotal year just before the end of the Second World War. Listing at $55.00 (plus case) it was not a particularly expensive instrument by contemporary Martin standards but still represented a fairly substantial investment to many players. It 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".
The 00-18 is not one of Martin's rarer creations, but to many players and flat top fans the model constitutes one of the company's most propitious combinations of wood, wire and inspiration. This 1945 guitar's mahogany body and taper-braced Sitka spruce top make for very light and a superbly responsive instrument. This guitar was made very soon after the switch of the top wood from the Adirondack red spruce used previously, the supply of which was severely depleted during the war.
In the years since, Martins of this vintage have become the benchmark for all subsequent acoustic guitar designs. 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 dry, woody sound but a considerably reserve of power if driven harder with a flatpick.
The tapered bracing pattern was not used at Martin for that long but makes a major sonic impact on the sonics of 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 and original 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. The guitar shows light wear to the very thin finish overall with areas of crazing and small dings, dents and scrapes. The back shows some heavy checking, a bit than the front. The back of the neck is very clean, showing only light signs of use. The top shows very minor pick wear (mostly on the lower soundhole rim) and some light but long scratches on the bass side of the top on the lower bout, but none of the heavy pickwear areas we often see on older flattops.
The bridge, saddle and nut are original and the small maple bridgeplate is untouched original as well. There are only two minor cracks on the instrument, a "B" string crack off the top edge of the pickguard and a mahogany grain split on the back just on the treble side of the center seam, both soundly resealed. The original wartime Kluson tuners plastic buttons with have, unusually, survived in good working order.
Internally the only repair work evident are discreet cleats for the above mentioned cracks. The neck has almost certainly been (very cleanly) reset some time ago, and the guitar retains its original wartime brass frets; they have plenty of life left in them. The bone saddle is cut down somewhat from its original height and the guitar is a very fine player, with a delightful and expansive sound. One of the nicest war-time 00's we have seen in along time, housed in a modern HSC. Excellent - Condition.
