Pennsylvania

C. F. Martin D12-18 Twelve String Guitar, 1977

On May 4, 2018 /

This fine example of the Martin D12-18 was built during 1977, possibly around May. It’s in overall good condition and most importantly, its has just had a neck reset and full setup at The Twelfth Fret Repair Shop. Consequently, it plays very well and should be ready for years of use. The finish is in good shape with just a few small dings and dents, some of which show up in an exaggerated way in the photos due to lighting effects. The Grover strip tuners are an unusual model, and work well.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

C. F. Martin D-21 Steel String Guitar, 1967

On May 1, 2018 /

The C. F. Martin D-21 Steel String Guitar is less common than its classic D-18 and D-26 brethren. Drawing on the same Dreadnought body design, the D-21 combines D-18 level decoration with the D-28 wood choice of Rosewood for the back, sides and headplate. In 1967, the word ‘Rosewood’ almost always meant Brazilian Rosewood, and this D-21 uses avery nicely figured set. By 1969, Martin had stopped offering Brazilian as an option. This C. F. Martin D-21 is fresh from being maintained and set up in our repair shop and it plays very well.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

C. F. Martin Grand J-12 40e Twelve String Jumbo Acoustic, 2011

On April 17, 2018 /

This C. F. Martin Grand J-12 40e Special is a close cousin of the fantastic 2005 Martin J-40 posted recently. The Grand J-12 40e is a 12-string guitar, using a slightly larger version of the J body, with ’40’ level Abalone decorations and a DTAR multi-source pickup system. The Grand J body is somewhat bigger than a the standard J, and has a remarkably full bottom end and midrange presence delivered without hesitation. The top end is as bright and sparkly as you would expect from a Sitka Spruce top.

Used

This instrument has sold

C. F. Martin 000-15S Steel String Guitar Mahogany, 2006

On April 5, 2018 /

The C. F. Martin 000-15S Steel String Guitar body size looks back to Martin’s early history, first appearing in 1906 as the 000-18. Previously, the 0 and 00 sizes drew from Georg Stauffer and traditional designs. As far back as the 1820s, C F Martin worked with Stauffer in Vienna, Austria as shop foreman. In 1833 he moved to New York, finally settling in the more familiarly Germanic area of Nazareth, Pennsylvania. The early guitars built there strongly resemble the ‘0’ body size. These body designs produce a well balanced, even tone with good representation across the frequency range. As the body size increases, the potential for output volume does too – the 000 is the loudest of the group. The use of mahogany for the top provides a warm, rich tone, not quite as bright or sparkly as spruce can provide.

Used

This instrument has sold

C. F. Martin J-40 Steel String Acoustic Guitar, 2005

On February 16, 2018 /

Sometimes a guitar can surprise you. I picked up this Martin J-40 having handled a number of 000 guitars recently, and was taken aback by its depth and power. It sounds fantastic! Though the J body is not a lot bigger than a triple-0, it has a remarkably full bottom end and midrange presence delivered without hesitation.

Used

This instrument has sold

C. F. Martin 000-45 Steel String Guitar, 1942

On February 6, 2018 /

In terms of provenance, this guitar has had three owners and was used in a popular band during the 1950s. It has had an amount of work over the decades, some of it significant. One side appears to have been replaced, and the top has had a section replaced. This work was done very cleanly and may have been performed by Martin at their factory, though they have no record of it. Recently, in our shop, it has been refretted, had the first-position mother of pearl snowflake marker replaced, and received a full set up. It plays very well, and has a full, rich, even tone. The tonal nature of Brazilian Rosewood (denser than Indian) is evident in an slight added clarity.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

Pennsylvania

C. F. Martin D12-18 Twelve String Guitar, 1977

C. F. Martin D-21 Steel String Guitar, 1967

C. F. Martin Grand J-12 40e Twelve String Jumbo Acoustic, 2011

C. F. Martin 000-15S Steel String Guitar Mahogany, 2006

C. F. Martin J-40 Steel String Acoustic Guitar, 2005

C. F. Martin 000-45 Steel String Guitar, 1942

THE TWELFTH FRET

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