C. F. Martin 000-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1959), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 169349, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
This is a really great sounding 000-18 built in mid-late 1959, just as the "guitar boom" was about to really take off. To many players and Martin fans, the 000-18 has always been one of the company's most propitious and beloved combinations of wood, wire, and inspiration. The mahogany back and sides coupled with a spruce top makes for a transparent but warm and responsive guitar; the 15" wide narrow-waisted 000-size body contributes depth and clarity to the sound.
This guitar's mahogany neck is fairly slim with the subtlest of rounded "V" profiles, which becomes more noticeable as it approaches the body. The very tight-grained spruce top has the traditional tortoise celluloid pickguard and binding, which would be replaced by black plastic later in the 1960s. Other typical older-style features include the long-saddle rosewood bridge, individual Grover Sta-Tite tuners with hexagonal bushings and a typical '60's rounded-edge peghead. This guitar retains the older traditional feel of the instruments built in Martin's original North Street factory, which would change after 1964 when the company's new modern factory came into operation.
The 000-18 was a moderately expensive guitar for the time listing at an even $150 (plus case) in mid-1959. This still represented a substantial investment to many folk and amateur players, especially as the increasingly popular D-18 could be had for only $30 more. This example was built around the third quarter of 1959, one of a total 326 000-18's shipped that year. With 55+ years of ageing behind it this is an excellent all-around instrument, a fine fingerpicker but with plenty of punch and clarity for use as a straight rhythm machine as well.
Overall length is 39 7/8 in. (101.3 cm.), 15 3/16 in. (38.6 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 11/16 in. (43 mm.). This is a very nicely preserved guitar overall, played just enough to be well broken in but without much serious wear.
The all-original finish remains in relatively clean condition, marred seriously only by some noticeable "strap burn" marks along the back and bottom of the guitar that have been lightly touched up. There are some dings, scratches and nicks overall, with some fairly random marking to the back and neck, and one noticeable scratch to the top just above the fingerboard extension.
This 000 has had a thorough maintenance routine with very finely done neck reset, refret, replaced correct-pattern rosewood bridge and a new bone nut. Internally the original small maple bridgeplate remains intact, as well as all of the original bracing. The only crack repair is to a very minor grain split just off the top edge of the pickguard, where it is very common to find the spruce pulled up a bit from pickguard shrinkage.
Well past its 60th birthday this guitar feels and sounds even "older" than it actually is, with a nice dry woody but still mellow ring. This is a super sweet guitar and extremely friendly playing Martin, clean overall but played in perfectly. The action is low and even along the entire fingerboard, and the guitar is very responsive for a 000. It is housed in a later black tolex HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.
