1934 C. F. Martin 000-18/OM-18 Shaded, Very Good, Hard,

SN: 55649. In 1929, C.F. Martin, a nearly 100 year old company hand-making guitars in little Nazareth, PA, fundamentally changed the design of their guitars and created a paradigm shift that has repositioned the way guitars are thought of and played to this day. The Orchestra Model was a response to requests from professional players and teachers incorporating the latest thinking in guitar design. The result was a slightly longer narrower neck (from a shorter body) fourteen frets clear of the upper bout and 1 ¾” wide at the nut. This made the guitar more versatile for professionals playing fast chord changes up the neck accompanying other instruments or soloing. The OM was available in two flavors – the 28 with its Brazilian rosewood back and sides and the 18 with mahogany back and sides. The OM model delineation was short lived – the name was discontinued in 1934. Martin moved the new design features into virtually all its product lines and changed the name of the OM to 000 and to line up with other models and, more importantly, announce other modern improvements – notably T-bar neck reinforcement, T-frets, bone nut, and shorter friendlier scale. Yet the first 000s made in 1934 are truly OMs with the longer 25.4” scale, bar frets, ebony neck reinforcement, ebony nuts, etc. Here is one of those few hundred rare specially ordered in a handsome “shaded” top. This powerhouse has been played and enjoyed with two predominant patterns – strum wear on both sides of the fingerboard tongue and pick wear into the wood south of the pickguard and some buckle rash on the back. The neck has been reset by Mark Tossman and refretted with some of the last of Mark’s stash of NOS bar fret wire from Martin. I’m a bit of a stickler for the correct bridge footprint so Mark replaced one that was very slightly oversized with a correct one and of course a very thin shadow that could be touched up. The finish, bridge plate, and tuners are all original. The nut looks original as well with minimal chew. The remaining finish on the pick guard has typically oxidized. Overall it has aged well. The guitar has a striking tone with the longer scale giving it piano-like focus on the low end, terrific sustain, and volume. It loves to be driven hard a favors a strong right hand. It’s one of those 000s that has some of the same tonal characteristics of a dreadnought. I currently have it set up with medium low action and light strings but, before shipping, I will have a luthier go through the setup one more time and ship in a new Hoffee case that truly is built like a fortress. My apologies for the long copy. Please email or call for additional information.