Description
Martin 000-18 1934 – a dream guitar with very balanced and warm and clear vintage voice!
It has the much sought-after scalloped bracing – which turns this guitar into a sound cannon! … one of those “holy grail” acoustic guitars!
Among the unmissable creations put out there by the venerable manufacturer from Nazareth, few guitars have been so adored and copied as these 000-models. The 000-shape with fourteen off-body frets, with its very pronounced size and unsettling curves, has become the standard alternative for guitarists who choose not to go with the Dreadnought. Its smaller size makes it a much more comfortable guitar for players who are not as big as a cowboy, and its texture is less loaded in the bass notes for a more balanced sound. Since it was first created, it has constantly inspired other brands and established the yardstick for the all-purpose guitar, from Paul Simon’s fingerpicking to Eric Clapton’s blues.
The pre-war models are obviously the most prized examples … and this is a true player of that time. These guitars from the time shortly before the 2nd World War and during the war, are very popular among collectors.
With these guitars best materials, a sound-optimized construction and careful manual work come together and form so unique dream instruments. The number of guitars built by Martin was very small at that time, so that very few “Pre War” Martins are for sale nowadays.
Apart from having had a neck reset and wear from play and use —which simply proves that this 000-18 has been played a lot —it still has most of its original parts.
The bridge has been professionally replaced and there are some professional repairs all around. The tuners are newer ones. The top has received a refininish.
This Martin 000-18 1934 really stands out as a very fine example of the timeless quality of instruments built by Martin. With a warm and clear voice, strong fundamental presence, amazingly even string balance and classic Martin focus. It is a wonderful fingerstyle guitar, and a great choice for the recording studio.
It comes with a vintage, but non original case.