C. F. Martin 000-18 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1938)
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Item #5846
C. F. Martin 000-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1938), made in Nazareth, PA, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back and sides, spruce top, mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
The pre-war 000-18 is not one of Martin's rarer creations, but to many players and Martin fans constitutes one of the company's most propitious and beloved combinations of wood, wire and inspiration. The light mahogany body coupled with a scallop-braced Adirondack spruce top makes for a very responsive guitar; the larger but narrow-waisted 000 size body contributes both depth and clarity to the sound.
This example was built in the first half of 1938, one of a total of 277 000-18s shipped that year. It incorporates several construction features changed over the next year or so, notably the "forward" X-bracing with the center closer to the soundhole and a slightly wider 1 3/4" nut. Recently, as older Martins have been studied in ever more detail both of these have become much discussed and sought after features.
While not expensive by Martin standards in 1938, listing at $55.00 (plus case) the 000-18 represented a substantial investment to most players at the time. This is not a flashy guitar; the trim is discreet with tortoise celluloid on the body edges and a simple multiply soundhole ring. In classic Martin style, the elegant understatement speaks for itself. Despite its lack of flash this was always a fully professional instrument popular with radio entertainers, most obviously the country acts common in the southeast.
In the years since, Martins of this era have become the benchmark for all subsequent acoustic guitar designs. The 000-18 is an extremely versatile instrument-this one can be used to play effectively in virtually any style of music. Both as a creative tool and as an object of beauty and grace, this is a wonderful example of Martin's contribution to the art of the American guitar.
Overall length is 40 in. (101.6 cm.), 15 1/8 in. (38.4 cm.) width, 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 3/4 in. (44 mm.). This is an exceptionally fine specimen of a pre-WWII 000-18, one of the nicest we have seen in a very long time. Apart from some belt buckle wear into the finish on the back, this guitar does not exhibit a lot of scars from its time on earth. The original bridge has been neatly re-glued, and there appears to have been a superb professional neck set. The original small bridgeplate is intact and unmolested. There has been no finish work at all; there are some small scars to the top (mostly around the soundhole and some scratching through the lacquer on the lower treble bout) but overall both top and neck finish are far cleaner than most from this era. The back of the neck is very little worn with none of the often seen capo dings.
As noted, there is some fairly heavy buckle marking to the back, into but mostly not through the finish. The original Grover Sta-Tite tuners are working well and the plating on them still shines. The action is currently 3/32" on both bass and treble sides. This guitar is a perfect example of what makes these pre-1939 Martins so sought after by connoisseurs; the sound is both precise and expansive, with an unmatched combination of clarity and depth. This mahogany 000 excels as both a finger- or flatpicked instrument, and is perfectly suited to a wide range of musical applications. A truly fine example for the player or collector, complete with an original period hard case marked from a banjo teaching studio in Spokane.
Overall Excellent Condition.
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The pre-war 000-18 is not one of Martin's rarer creations, but to many players and Martin fans constitutes one of the company's most propitious and beloved combinations of wood, wire and inspiration. The light mahogany body coupled with a scallop-braced Adirondack spruce top makes for a very responsive guitar; the larger but narrow-waisted 000 size body contributes both depth and clarity to the sound.
This example was built in the first half of 1938, one of a total of 277 000-18s shipped that year. It incorporates several construction features changed over the next year or so, notably the "forward" X-bracing with the center closer to the soundhole and a slightly wider 1 3/4" nut. Recently, as older Martins have been studied in ever more detail both of these have become much discussed and sought after features.
While not expensive by Martin standards in 1938, listing at $55.00 (plus case) the 000-18 represented a substantial investment to most players at the time. This is not a flashy guitar; the trim is discreet with tortoise celluloid on the body edges and a simple multiply soundhole ring. In classic Martin style, the elegant understatement speaks for itself. Despite its lack of flash this was always a fully professional instrument popular with radio entertainers, most obviously the country acts common in the southeast.
In the years since, Martins of this era have become the benchmark for all subsequent acoustic guitar designs. The 000-18 is an extremely versatile instrument-this one can be used to play effectively in virtually any style of music. Both as a creative tool and as an object of beauty and grace, this is a wonderful example of Martin's contribution to the art of the American guitar.
Overall length is 40 in. (101.6 cm.), 15 1/8 in. (38.4 cm.) width, 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 3/4 in. (44 mm.). This is an exceptionally fine specimen of a pre-WWII 000-18, one of the nicest we have seen in a very long time. Apart from some belt buckle wear into the finish on the back, this guitar does not exhibit a lot of scars from its time on earth. The original bridge has been neatly re-glued, and there appears to have been a superb professional neck set. The original small bridgeplate is intact and unmolested. There has been no finish work at all; there are some small scars to the top (mostly around the soundhole and some scratching through the lacquer on the lower treble bout) but overall both top and neck finish are far cleaner than most from this era. The back of the neck is very little worn with none of the often seen capo dings.
As noted, there is some fairly heavy buckle marking to the back, into but mostly not through the finish. The original Grover Sta-Tite tuners are working well and the plating on them still shines. The action is currently 3/32" on both bass and treble sides. This guitar is a perfect example of what makes these pre-1939 Martins so sought after by connoisseurs; the sound is both precise and expansive, with an unmatched combination of clarity and depth. This mahogany 000 excels as both a finger- or flatpicked instrument, and is perfectly suited to a wide range of musical applications. A truly fine example for the player or collector, complete with an original period hard case marked from a banjo teaching studio in Spokane.
Overall Excellent Condition.
