This beautiful, family-owned Martin 0-30 has just come in for consignment! It was stamped "11829" on January 13, 1914, and shipped to J.A. Handley in Lowell, Massachusetts, on April 5, 1915 -- an interesting window into either a) Martin's production lead times in that era or b) how long this guitar might've stayed at the Martin factory before finding a home. The guitar was brought to us by the granddaughter of the original owner, who performed with it in a professional acoustic ensemble in downtown Boston. The aforementioned granddaughter inherited the guitar, and has preserved it very well. It's a lovely-sounding instrument, incredibly lightly built, and joyously resonant to the lightest touch. While one could certainly use silk n' steel strings for a softer tone, we've got it strung with .011-.052 nickel strings at the moment and it sounds glorious. This is a near-time capsule example of Martin's craftsmanship and fabled tone, with the fatter treble sound and quicker response the 1920's 12-fret guitars are known for.
Condition: in vintage terms, this guitar falls somewhere between "very good" and "excellent." Certainly, for a 110-year old guitar, it's in great shape! There's one previously repaired top crack near the bass foot of the bridge, and an almost-invisible, hairline crack in the top (treble side, upper bout) that isn't through the wood. There are scattered dings and fingernail wear across the soundboard (remember, this guitar was played!). And the back shows a small assortment of scratches and a spot of smudgy wear (possibly from a rubber guitar stand). Our shop has installed a new saddle (the original is in the case), and the guitar plays easily with a straight neck and minimal top belly. The included case is the only one the guitar ever had, to the best of the family's knowledge -- it's a 1960's chipboard hard case. On consignment; expedited shipping required.
