{"product_id":"c-f-martin-om-18-flat-top-acoustic-guitar-1933-10368","title":"C. F. Martin OM-18 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1933)","description":"C. F. Martin OM-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1933), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 54589, sunburst top, natural back and sides finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top; ebony fingerboard and bridge, black hard shell case. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis guitar is one of the true delights of Martin history: a late-model OM-18 from 1933, the final original year for this celebrated long-scale 000 variant. The OM-18 is one of the most iconic of all Martin guitars; along with its rosewood sibling the OM-28 it represents the first full flowering of the \"Modern\" American steel-string flat top guitar. The combination of a 14-fret a long scale neck on a 000 sized body created a new paradigm of flat top guitar construction that has been revered ever since. This OM-18 has the early 1930s \"advanced\" scalloped X-bracing on the top that combined with the long scale is the hallmark of the original OM models. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis 14-fret 000-sized design was introduced as a deluxe model with a rosewood body, the OM-28 in late 1929. The more popularly priced mahogany-bodied OM-18 was launched in early 1930 and proved an immediate success, though the growing depression stifled the sales of all instruments. The design was so well received that after 1933 nearly all Martin guitars would be built to this new \"Orchestra Model\" format. The OM-18 designation was dropped and this 14-fret model simply called the 000-18, one of the company's mainstays ever since. Martin made an important change soon after by shortening the scale length, leaving the original 1930-33 OM-18 to become one of the most sought-after of all mahogany Martins. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn one of those great fretted ironies the OM models were described in Martin's catalog as \"designed for plectrum playing in orchestra work\" but they have in later years become renowned as the greatest solo fingerstyle guitar ever built. Archtop guitars ended up ruling the \"orchestra\" roost, but OM's quickly became popular with cowboy, recording and radio entertainers requiring a powerful but well-defined flat top sound. Since the early 1930's the OM-18 and its rosewood sibling the OM-28 have been justly celebrated as one of Martin's crowning achievements, and among the greatest flat tops ever created. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis guitar was built in later 1933 and would be one of the last original OM-18s, with features specific to its time. The original tuners are first-generation Grovers G-98 single openback units with riveted gears and \"butterbean\" buttons. Earlier OM's had banjo pegs that proved a major disappointment in use; the single-unit guitar tuners were a big improvement, both lighter and more accurate in use. This guitar still has bar frets, about to be phased out but also the first silk screened gold \"C.F. Martin\" headstock logo, replaced soon after with a decal. The Martin stamp is still on the back of the headstock; this too would soon disappear.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis OM-18's light mahogany construction coupled with the longer scale neck make for a powerful sounding, transparent but warm and superbly responsive guitar. The 15\" wide narrow-waisted body with a light, scallop-braced top contributes both depth and clarity to the sound. Martin produced all of 200 OM-18's in 1933, the last year the \"OM\" designation was used. The guitar cost $55 in 1933, down from the $60 introductory 1930 price but raised $5 over the rock-bottom $50 it was sold for in 1931 and '32. Even Martin had to make guitars affordable as possible in 1931-4, the Depression's hardest years! This OM-18 is well-worn but remains a superb instrument, a joy to play and to hear.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eOverall length is 40 in. (101.6 cm.), 15 1\/8 in. (38.4 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 25 1\/4 in. (641 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11\/16 in. (43 mm.). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis guitar has been well used over the decades and shows typical wear and repair but remains a wonderful-playing and spectacular-sounding instrument, a real testament to the enduring quality of these genuine \"Golden Age\" Martins. The finish has dings, dents and scrapes overall with some typical play wear to the top. There is picking wear into the wood in several spots; above and below the fingerboard extension, around the pickguard, around the soundhole rim and in between the soundhole and the bridge next to the bass side E string. The deepest spot is off the treble fingerboard extension to the top edge of the pickguard. This area of wear and another at the bottom of the pickguard next to the edge binding have been lightly touched up with shellac to seal the wood. There is some finish worn down on the celluloid pickguard. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe top and back are delightfully crack free, which is rare on a well-used OM from this period. The lower bass side near the end block has two mahogany grain cracks, each less than an inch long, well sealed with some light touch up and polishing out to that area. There are two grain checks, one on either side of the waist on the treble side rim, that do not penetrate through to the inside of the instrument. The apex of the treble rim has two wear marks, through the finish and into the wood running across the grain. It is likely that these were the result of rough handling generations ago in a previous case; the marks look like those caused by scraping against the hinge mountings from an inexpensive case from the era. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe back of the neck is worn down to the wood over much of its length but has very little in the way of dings and dents into the mahogany, with none of the heavy capo wear often encountered. There is a feelable worn spot into the center ridge of the back of the neck, opposite the third fret. The original bar frets are in surprisingly good condition, likely worked on at some point but with no noticeable signs and playing extremely well. The original ebony nut is still intact. The tuners are original and undisturbed, there is light wear to the screened gold \"C.F. Martin\" headstock logo. The \"C.F. Martin\" stamp on the back of the headstock retains its original sharpness\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe original bridge and bridgeplate are nicely replaced, internally the guitar is quite clean. The bridge is made to the correct contours and footprint of the original by T.J. Thompson. As is his preference, the bridge is made with a drop in saddle instead of the older style through saddle. The bridge plate is tucked in under the x-brace legs, as it should be, and is an accurate reproduction of the original done to the correct thickness. The elegant scalloping on the bracework is simply beautiful to behold and demonstrates once again the incredibly high standards Martin's craftsmen maintained in this era; even in this very difficult period for the company. At the time this OM was a distinctly modern guitar design, but still built with the exemplary craftsmanship that Martin's 19th century traditions engendered. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis instrument is both a fabulous piece of history and an exceptionally fine player's instrument nearly 90 years on. A period hardshell case is included; it is a round-bout affair designed more for an arch top body and fairly well worn. Very Good + Condition.","brand":"C. F. Martin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46853395579020,"sku":"10368","price":32500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/8702\/3756\/files\/01_ded62a5c-acdc-47cb-a0d9-5e755959aa9d.jpg?v=1774337270","url":"https:\/\/retrofret.com\/products\/c-f-martin-om-18-flat-top-acoustic-guitar-1933-10368","provider":"RetroFret","version":"1.0","type":"link"}