1921 Martin 00-45 Acoustic Guitar - Used

$25,000.00

Details

Martin was making lots of guitars for steel strings in the early 1920s, especially the all-koa models, but even some of the company's most traditional models were sometimes ordered for use with steel strings, and this is one of them. Martin's serial number log, compiled by Mike Longworth from factory foremens' notes, shows serial numbers 15409-16414 in 1921 as 00-45 models, with the added note "some steel". One look at the top braces of this example confirms that it was intended for lots more string tension than gut strings would deliver. Despite the extensive restoration described below, all the top bracing is original, including the thin original bridge plate, and after many years of steel string tension the top has only a moderate "belly" behind the bridge. Tuners are also original and in great shape, with grained ivoroid buttons. Although it's hard to play because of needing a neck reset,, you can tell it's a great sounding guitar and one that's not fragile or in need to other structural salvation.

This 00-45 saw rather rough use in its early life and needed serious restoration when it was brought to Hideo Kamimoto's Oakland, Calif. repair shop in the mid-1970s. Work done included replacing the treble side, doing a 1/4" wide inlay in the top from bridge to tailblock, doing a similar narrow inlay from the bridge to the rosette, with another inlay to the treble side of the back, plus replacing a 6" by 3/4" wide outer edge of the back (treble side, lower bout). Cracks to the top on either side of the fingerboard were repaired with spruce reinforcements between the neck block and the No. 1 brace above the soundhole (they are beneath the pearl bordering and difficult to detect, and do not extend to the soundhole rosette or the soundhole rim itself). A tight 3/4" C-curve hairline crack in neck heel was repaired, and has held up so well it's difficult to detect even now. All this work was done through the soundhole or from the outside the body, there's no sign the top or back were removed. The original bar-stock frets were replaced with T frets. The guitar was completely refinished with lacquer, and the bridge replaced with an excellent facsimile of the original pyramid style (looks like it had a slightly longer bridge before the restoration, and screw holes in the end bout tell us there was a tailpiece at one time). The photos show cracks in the rosewood on either side of the endpin, which were reinforced when the tailblock crack was glued. A cleat reinforcing that crack on the treble side, near the tailblock, would be a good idea. There are some nicks and dings to the top as the guitar saw several years of use after the 1970s restoration. There's no argument about this Martin needing a neck reset now, string action at the 12th fret is 6/32" at the 12th fret (low E) and 5/32" for the high E (strung with Stringjoy Phosphor Bronze .011 to .052)
Please note that our photos are a critical part of the description of this instrument so do NOT rely on a little cell-phone screen to give you an adequate view of the details!
Comes with an excellent Harptone hardshell case of the proper size.