1934 Martin 000-18 Natural $21,750

To many players and Martin fans, prewar examples of the 000-18 constitute one of the company's most desireable and beloved combinations of wood, wire, and inspiration. This guitar was built in early 1934 and remains a wonderful instrument, a real testament to the enduring quality of these true "Golden Age" Martins. This early 000-18 has the more rare long scale or 25.4" scale that helps push volume and sound strength.

The nut width is 1-3/4" and the string width at the bridge is 2-3/8". The body binding is tortoise celluloid along with the pickguard and simple sound hole rings.

This example is one of a total of 326 000-18s shipped out in 1934, most of which were the new shorter (24.9") scale version. This 000-18 has the typical pre-war features including lovely mahogany on the back and sides, a superb tight straight-grained Adirondack spruce top, ebony fingerboard and bridge, and tortoise celluloid pickguard with black simple body binding. The neck is mahogany with a fairly slim profile with hints of a "V" along the spine that becomes more pronounced as it gets closer to the body. The original bar frets are still fully intact. The fingerboard inlay is small mixed size dots and the tuners are the earliest version of the individual Grover G-98s with "butterbean" buttons and riveted shafts.

Besides the longer scale neck the most notable feature of this 1934 000-18 is the very light scalloped bracing under the top. While all scallop-braced 000s are very fine-sounding guitars, many players feel this earlier pattern gives the guitar a deeper woodier response, especially attractive when combined with the characteristic bite of an Adirondack top and the OM scale neck.

The overall length is 39 3/4 in. , 15 3/16 in. wide at lower bout, and 4 1/8 in. in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/4 in. Width of nut is 1-3/4" in. with a thickness of about 0.900" at the first fret yet the neck carve doesn't feel bulky.
This guitar was serviced by TJ Thompson and had new bar frets installed and dressed, it was pleked, back braces re-glued and all setup work completed. It sounds very loud, woody, and rich either with bare fingers or picks. The bridge is original, the bridge plate is original, the action is 3x3 at the 12th with saddle room left, it has its share of dings, scratches, dents, as a 90 year old guitar does. There is a small area on the upper treble side that has a matched mahogany repair patch (~1/2" x 3/4") and a repaired / cleated small crack upper top. But what a guitar!!! It's got the sustain, clarity, and woody volume that I love!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pz3ogoJR8jo