Martin 1-26 (ca. 1860s)

This Civil-War era Martin 1-26 was recently brought to the store by a local resident whose mother had purchased the guitar in the late '70s (the 1970s, to be clear). She purchased the guitar while in her folk music phase (perhaps its iconic, small-bodied 12-fret design brought to mind Joan Baez), and left it to her children after passing on. What's clear about this guitar is that it's been loved, and played, and played, and played some more (to say nothing of its beautiful patina and emblematic craftsmanship). The sound these guitars make isn't going to knock anyone out of a chair with power; but they have an intimacy and sweetness that shows us why the folkies loved them in the first place (as well as the generations of players who came before them). Condition: normally, there's a dividing line between "player" and "collector" grade guitars ... but when an object of any kind is still intact, vital, and serving the purpose it was meant to serve when Abraham Lincoln was in office, isn't it inherently collectible regardless of how it looks? This old Martin has had a number of cracks repaired over its lifespan: most recently, our shop glued and repaired several top cracks, a side crack, and several back cracks. There's heavy capo wear on the back of the neck, that has been lightly touched up with finish. Most interestingly, an old-fashioned 'bridge doctor' or sorts has been installed, keeping the bridge pinned to the top of the guitar and anchored at the end wedge. This is a guitar meant for someone who loves and appreciates Martin guitars and their history, so we have elected to leave it otherwise as-is. Priced with hardshell case. On consignment; shipping calculated at checkout.