{"product_id":"c-f-martin-00-21-flat-top-acoustic-guitar-1968-10092","title":"C. F. Martin 00-21 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1968)","description":"C. F. Martin 00-21 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1968), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 231709, natural lacquer finish, Brazillian rosewood back and sides, spruce top, mahogany neck, original black chipboard case. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis 00-21 is an interesting throwback, about as close as the 1960s Martin company got to making a 1920s-style rosewood guitar. Starting in the late '50s \"folk boom\" aesthetics made old-style 12-fret Martins fashionable among discerning traditional-minded players, often inspired by Joan Baez' 0-45. Several \"New York\" models were added to the line in 1962 with the older style 12-fret neck, a wide fingerboard and a slotted headstock, but the 00-21 had been there all along. The 21-style 00 model was one of the few Martins to retain its 12-fret \"standard\" model status when the rest of the line went to the 14-fret \"Orchestra Model\" in the early 1930s.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis model was sold in very small numbers right through the '40s and '50s, picking up a bit in the '60s. This example was built in early 1968, one of 153 shipped that year. It has beautifully grained Brazilian rosewood back and sides and a lovely tight grained spruce top. The detail differences from a c.1930 guitar are the rosewood fingerboard and bridge, pickguard, 1960s Waverly strip tuners, headstock decal, slightly different bracing and the tang frets instead of '20's style bar fretwire. This later 60s model has black binding and pickguard in place of the tortoise plastic used earlier. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe construction is lighter than most '60's Martins; this guitar retains the small maple bridge plate replaced by heavier rosewood on many models starting this year. This is a superb playing and surprisingly powerful sounding guitar, not a flashy piece but in its understated elegance a splendid traditional-styled instrument.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eOverall length is 38 1\/2 in. (97.8 cm.), 14 1\/16 in. (35.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 in. (10.2 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.). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is a nicely preserved guitar for the most part, showing some general wear but in excellent playing condition. The finish overall shows light checking (mostly on the top) and some minor dings, scrapes and press marks. There are a few barely feelable marks on the back of the neck, mostly up around the heel. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere are no cracks anywhere on the guitar. The pickguard was replaced some time ago; the original black acetate 'guards of the '68 era have often curled up like potato chips by now! The rosewood bridge has likely been reglued, there is minor finish disturbance around the perimeter. It appears to have been very slightly lowered in the saddle area long ago. The neck looks to have been very cleanly reset. The frets are original and show some light wear in the lower positions, but nothing that affects play. Resting in the original chipboard case, this is a very fine playing and sounding guitar, a 55 year old Martin that in both feel and sound is surprisingly close to its depression-rea forbearers. Overall Excellent - Condition.","brand":"C. F. Martin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853478056076,"sku":"10092","price":6500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/8702\/3756\/files\/01_3c75ac0a-7e6b-4052-8963-05238aac2818.jpg?v=1774339631","url":"https:\/\/retrofret.com\/products\/c-f-martin-00-21-flat-top-acoustic-guitar-1968-10092","provider":"RetroFret","version":"1.0","type":"link"}