Brand: Martin
Instrument Categories: Acoustic Steel String, Guitars
Here is a fantastic Martin 00-18 steel string guitar built during 1947, well worn and has recently received all the major work. It plays well and has a wonderful sound. The work done at The Twelfth Fret Repair Shop includes a new bridge, sub plate and saddle, neck reset and re-fret.
This Martin 00-18 apparently was first sold at retail by Bergstrom Kellerman Music in Honolulu, Hawaii, at the time one of the largest Martin dealers in the USA.
As an ’18’ style model, the Martin 00-18 construction features a Spruce top (Sitka since the early 1940’s) with Mahogany for the sides, back, body blocks and neck. The bridge, fingerboard and head plate are Rosewood – and unusually for this era, they are Indian Rosewood. For this reason, the new bridge is also Indian Rosewood.
The top and finish on this 1947 Martin 00-18 immediately draws the eye, as it clearly shows that this guitar has been used as intended over the last three quarters of a century.
The tuners are original style Kluson 210 open gear models, original to this guitar and adopted by Martin in 1947 into the early 1950’s.
The 00 body style is one of Martin’s oldest, with the first recorded sale (an 00-33) in 1877. It’s been on offer consistently since that time, and is still in the catalog. The compact body size and fairly short scale length make this a very comfortable guitar to play. There’s good representation throughout the harmonic range and the body produces a fair amount of volume.
This 1947 Martin 00-18 is sold with a newer Blue Martin molded hard shell case.
- Year: 1947
- Finish Natural
- Class: Vintage
- Serial Number: 101281, built during 1947 at Nazareth PA
- Country of Origin: USA
- Condition: Good
- Date Posted: 23/04/2024
- Consignment Item
- Required CITES documentation
- Including Hard case
- Instrument Weight: 3.52lbs 1.6kg
- Scale Length: 24.84in 631mm
- Nut Width: 1.701in 43.21mm
