1928 Martin 00-18

***REDUCED FOR A QUICK SALE*** I was hoping to keep this sweet estate auction find, but unfortunately circumstances dictate that it needs to move along the line to someone who can restore it to full playability and enjoy many more years of beautiful music. I believe this guitar to be all original, and had two local vintage experts (Jim Bennett and Randy Lucas) agreed. The specs and materials all conform with what is typical for a 00-18 of this era, and while it's certainly been played, it's in excellent shape.

The guitar does exhibit some horizontal crazing (most notable towards the edge on the lower bout of the top and back. That type of crazing is more typical of later lacquer finishes, so there is a chance that this one has some overspray in the distant past. A black light examination did not reveal any visible differentiation of finish, nor is there orange peel or other tipoffs to an overspray. Again, based on a careful examination and the opinions of those who have seen it in person, I do believe that this guitar is all original, but I certainly want its next owener to be comfortable with every detail. If my standard 72 hr satisfaction guarantee will not allow you to get this guitar in front of the expert of your choosing for an evaluation, please call me at 317-509-4247 to discuss. I'm certainly open to an extension of that evaluation period if it would offer protection to all parties involved.

As you can see from the photos, the guitar is not really currently playable (though shockingly it arrived tuned almost to pitch). The long split of the original bridge will need to be repaired if possible or will need to be replaced. The neck should be reset to a proper angle, and the original bar frets have moved and will need to be re-seated. There are also three tight (possibly already repaired?) cracks on the treble side as indicated by the arrows in the picture. The estimates for all work needed that I solicited from local and national repairpersons ranged from $500-$1000, with the majority below $750. To help you ascertain the originality of the finish and the needed repairs for yourself, larger high resolution photos are available here.

Please note that the guitar did not come with a case, original or otherwise. I had it sent to me in a dreadnought Calton Deluxe case. Depending on your preferences and the distance the guitar will need to travel, we can arrange for shipment in my Calton case (to either be purchased by you or returned upon arrival), in a case that you provide, or in an alternate dreadnought case (with extra packaging inside, of course). Please contact me at 317-509-4247 to discuss the options for shipment and we'll find the most practical and cost-effective solution.