C. F. Martin 00-21NY Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1961), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 180116, natural lacquer finish, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, spruce top, mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard & bridge, black alligator chipboard case.
This beautiful 00-21NY is as close as the 1960's Martin company got to making a 1920's guitar. The "folk boom" of the late '50's made the old-style 12-fret Martins fashionable among discerning traditional players, and several so-called "New York' models were officially added to the line in 1962. These were named to honor both the Martin company's original roots in that city and the strength and influence of the contemporary Greenwich Village folk scene. With lighter bracing, no pickguard and an older style 12-fret neck with wide fingerboard, no markers and a slotted headstock these were nearly identical in look and feel to their 1920's ancestors.
This example is actually from the first batch of 103 built in late 1961, and as such is one of the very earliest Martin "re-issues". The guitar itself has spectacularly grained Brazilian rosewood back and sides (often seen on older Style 21's) and a lovely tight grained spruce top. The only real differences from a 1920's guitar are the "modern" 1960 Waverly strip tuners, headstock decal, slightly different bracing and the tang frets instead of '20's style bar fretwire.
These models were originally sold as suitable for nylon or steel strings; the construction is lighter than most '60's Martins but the guitar performs excellently with light gauge steels. This is simply a superb playing and sounding guitar, now itself closer in age to 1922 than 2012! One of the coolest 1960's Martins we have seen in a while, and a splendid instrument.
Overall 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 7/8 in. (48 mm.). This is one of the best preserved 1960's Martins we have seen in a looong time-No damage or repairs except a small top grain seperation just off the center seam by the edge, overall only very slight signs of wear. This came to us from the original owner, purchased new by him in 1962 and exquisitely well cared for since. Complete with the original period chipboard case, a real time capsule guitar that also sounds and plays fantastic. Excellent + Condition.
