1946 C. F. Martin 000-28

$12,500.00

  • SOLD!

  • Year: 1946
  • Manufacturer: C. F. Martin
  • Model: 000-28
  • Case: Hard
  • Color: Natural
  • Condition: Excellent
  • Description: ON HOLD: SN:95915. The last Martin with scalloped bracing shipped in 1944. But before the transition to straight braces in the late 1940s there was a period of guitars with tapered bracing that is relatively under defined and explored. Whereas scalloped bracing consisted of a concave carving of the braces and tone bars, the tapered brace is a convex carving of the tone bars only where they join the X-brace. It seems the idea was to build a guitar with a responsive, lively top but to improve the integrity of the top to the extent that it reduced cracks, bellying, and cut down on warranty repairs. These guitars are now over 60 years old and just beginning to be embraced by players and collectors as a mini “golden era” of their own. This beautifully voiced 1946 000-28 has been beautifully refinished by someone who really knew what they were doing. It’s a mystery as to why it was refinished. I’ve looked through the guitar inside and out and can only find a possible E string pickguard crack that is only detectable from the inside. There are no cracks in the binding or slop inside the sound hole or any other issues that sometimes result from sanding, harsh stripping chemicals, or aftermarket spraying. The top is the correct thickness and it even looks right under a black light. I’ve wondered if it was just overspray during a warranty repair but overspray usually reveals itself under the black light. At any rate, it’s a first class job and one that is quite old. Everything appears original except the tuning machines and the bridge pins. The pins have the slightly amber/reddish dots that I associate with the 1960s. They may date from the refin. Nineteen forty six is the last year for the herringbone trim, the only year for the large dot fret markers, and a great year for straight grain, golden era quality rosewood. The neck has a tailored feel, a nice soft V that does not have the huge shoulders of some other guitars of that year. It’s very comfortable. The nut is 1 11/16ths inches with the narrower string spacing at the bridge making it a fast crosspicking machine as well as a versatile finger style guitar. The neck angle is perfect, the frets are newer, and the saddle has just the right amount of height. The tone has it all going on; surprising volume, great note separation, and lovely chordal blooming. It has solid attack and sustain, complexity throughout. The bass runs and hammers are sharp, the trebles bright without being shrill, and the mids full and strong. It’s a terrific way to add a seasoned Brazilian rosewood tones to the arsenal without forking over the price of a BMW. As always, thanks for reading this far. If you have any additional questions, don’t hesitate to call or email.