Here's a beautiful vintage Martin from the "pearl renaissance" period, shortly after Martin began re-introducing the striking -40s models. The guitar is in very good, original condition with only minor issues. The pickguard is believed to be original but is not currently under the finish, suggesting it was reglued. There are areas of finish flaking on the rosette by the pickguard and on the pearl trim and binding at various spots around the guitar. There is a small area of playwear below the pickguard was touched up in the mid '70s by brushing on a light covering of lacquer over the spot, and a very tight crack running from the lower edge of the pickguard to the bridge. There are also one or two very small capo bites on the neck. The fingerboard and frets show wear as this guitar's seen many hours of playing, but there's nothing that affects playability or sound. The guitar is comfortable to play as is, but the action at the 12th fret (1/8" on the low E) is higher than most players' optimal setup. There is a little saddle left, but I would recommend a neck reset sooner rather than later for optimal playability and tone. The -41 model has just the right amount of bling, and a '71 model gives you 35+ years of aging to bring out the best in the guitar without the dramatically higher price that a Brazilian model from a couple years earlier would command. |
