C. F. Martin 2-17 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1930), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 44816, natural mahogany finish, mahogany body and neck, ebony fingerboard, original black chipboard case.
The 2-17 is a small and rather unassuming guitar, but as Martin's first dedicated steel-string it helped change the course of the company's history. Until the early 1920s, the C. F. Martin Company considered gut-strung guitars the norm, with steel stringing a cheap and somewhat low-class anomaly. The popularity of Jazz and Hawaiian styles made this a very redundant strategy, and in 1922 the all-mahogany 2-17 was introduced with steel strings as the standard appointment. It was a low budget guitar, in keeping with the concept that only cheap players used steel strings!
The 2-17 is very basic, with all mahogany construction and minimal appointments. At the end of 1929 -- by which time nearly all Martins came stock strung with steel -- it was made more basic still by eliminating even the discreet rosewood bindings on the edges. This allowed the guitar to be sold for $25, which was a paltry sum for a Martin, but actually still a fairly expensive guitar at the time. You could get a pearl-trimmed rosewood instrument from Sears for not too much more! The minimal appointments included a plain straight bridge and small-dot inlaid fingerboard of rosewood, all else being mahogany.
The 2-17 was the right guitar at the right time, a Martin mainstay through the worst early years of the Depression. This one was made in later 1930, as the US economy was seriously collapsing and many instrument makers were scrambling to survive. It is one of the first of the "New Model" unbound 2-17s, of which only 50 were shipped this year. It shows a decent amount of wear but remains a fine playing and sounding example with a sparkly tone and a surprising power and depth for its diminutive body. This model is most associated with Jimmy Rodgers, who played one before his Victor records successes enabled him to purchase the considerably more costly Custom 000-45 that became his trademark!
Overall length is 37 in. (94 cm.), 12 1/4 in. (31.1 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 in. (10.2 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/8 in. (619 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This is a fairly well-worn guitar externally with a number of old repairs but remains very solid, nicely original and an excellent player. The finish over the entire instrument shows numerous small dings, scrapes, dents, and scratches. The top has some noticeable pick/finger wear through to the wood below and behind the sound hole and some scattered deeper dings and scrapes. The sides have a couple of isolated spots of somewhat melted looking finish for no discernable reason.
There are several visible crack repairs on the upper side bass bout, with several grain splits running from this area down into the waist. This is sealed up solidly but a bit artlessly, but on the plus side has no added finish does not present any functional problems. The treble side also shows a couple of tightly sealed grain cracks in the waist area.
The top has a slight arch but is very solid with less bulging than often seen on this model; it also appears crack free. There are two prominent sealed grain cracks on the back off the rear edge; these were repaired solidly but again not particularly neatly and remain conspicuous. There is a deep scratch in the center of the back that looks like a crack but does not go through the wood.
The bridge and small maple bridgeplate are original, as is the lovely delicately sculpted scalloped bracing. The bar frets, ebony nut and the unplated strip tuners with black composite buttons are original as well. The finish on the back of the neck. Is surprisingly clean with just some minor dings. The neck has been neatly reset, the frets polished and playability is excellent. This guitar is a good player's example of this early Depression-era Martin, with a very big sound for such a small guitar. It is complete in its original chipboard case which has somehow survived in surprisingly functional condition. Overall Very Good + Condition.
