1938 is a transitional year for Martin flattops: it's when the manufacturer moved to what's known as "rear-shifted" (i.e. a bit further back from the edge of the sound hole) X-bracing.

And this 00-18, serial number 71642, is amongst the earliest guitars to receive the new bracing pattern (it was stamped on November 17, 1938, and cleared final inspection on May 31, 1939).

The sound of this D-28 is uniquely powerful, stunningly full and complex, focused and penetrating, warm, sweet, and clear all at once.

Martins from 1945 are the first ones made in the post-scalloped brace era; and their "tapered," non-scalloped braces, working in conjunction with a Red Spruce top, yield a massive midrange throttle while tempering some of the low-end boom associated with instruments from the pre-war era.

This is a particularly sweet-sounding postwar Martin, with a very full voice alongside excellent warmth and balance.

The soft V neck carve and short scale make it a dream to play; and it moves an incredible amount of air for a small guitar when it's put in drop-D tuning.

For anyone interested in a late 1940's small-bodied Martin -- this one receives our highest marks for sound and playability.

If you’ve been dreaming of an early ’60s Gibson ES with unmatched mojo, vibe, and tone, this 1961 Gibson ES-345TD in Cherry might be the one.

Recently acquired from its longtime local owner, who bought it in the early 1970s, this guitar shows its character with a beautifully aged original Cherry finish and lacquer checking in all the right places. While its original PAFs, Bigsby tailpiece, and Kluson tuners were replaced long ago, it retains its Stereo Varitone circuitry, original wiring harness, and features a mix of rewound Patent # and T-Top pickups (by Ron Ellis no less).

From the first strum, its potential as a diamond in the rough was unmistakable.

This early '60s Stratocaster is a standout, featuring a crack-free mint celluloid pickguard, three exceptional black bobbin pickups, and an original harness with Stackpole pots and a 3-way switch. The original tremolo bridge, saddles, and block are in excellent condition.

Weighing just over 7 pounds, it offers a perfectly balanced feel and delivers an open, airy tone with punch and clarity across all pickup positions, whether clean or overdriven.

If you’re after an outstanding player’s Strat that embodies the early '60s magic without chasing collector-grade status, this one’s an easy recommendation.

By all accounts this SG Special shipped out sometime in the earlier part of '64 as its serial number and original wiring harness would indicate (late '63 pots).

Polaris White was a great alternative to the standard Cherry finish offered at the time, but not often seen. Somewhat akin to the 50s TV finished guitars, their total production is but a fraction of Cherry finished SGs from the same period.

This custom color 1967 Telecaster is a rare and exciting find, featuring a factory Bigsby top-loader with no string-through holes or ferrules.

It sports a Medium C neck carve typical of mid-to-late ’67 builds, a Rosewood fingerboard, and vintage-feeling original frets. The single-coil pickups deliver a warm, full neck tone and bold bridge bite, with modern Tele wiring while retaining its original pots, switch, plate, and knobs.

Weighing in at under 8 pounds, this Tele is as comfortable as it is cool.

Rickenbacker's 330 model is one of the coolest electric guitars in our humble opinion. There's really nothing quite like these 60s semi-hollows.

When it comes to model popularity, the 330 has long been championed by players such as Tom Petty, Peter Buck, and Kevin Parker, continuing to solidify its position among Golden Era vintage electrics.

This 1974 Rickenbacker 330 in original Mapleglo finish takes the top spot in terms of the cleanest we've had in the shop to date.