1951 Martin 000-18 — Player Grade Vintage Acoustic

A fantastic player-grade 1951 Martin 000-18 with plenty of history, plenty of character and, most importantly, a really good voice.

This is a very playable and great-sounding vintage Martin that has clearly seen plenty of service over the decades. It has undergone numerous repairs and alterations during its life, all seemingly carried out with the same objective — keeping this wonderful old Martin in playing order. The guitar has numerous marks and signs of wear from decades of use, along with some attractive lacquer checking across the finish, all of which adds to its honest, well-played character. The neck has been professionally reset in the past, and it is a very clean job. It has also had a professional refret, and the guitar currently plays extremely well. There is evidence that the bridge plate has been repaired, and there is some overspray to the back of the neck. The rosewood fingerboard has also acquired some really cool wear over the years, adding further character to what is very much a working vintage instrument.

The original pickguard has been replaced, as has the end pin, which is not the tightest fit. More modern machine heads have also been fitted. There are two very small hairline cracks on the treble-side lower bout. These are stable and do not affect the playability of the guitar.

The 000-18 is one of Martin’s great small-bodied designs and the 1951 specification is a particularly lovely combination. This example features the classic 000 body size, a spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and a rosewood fingerboard and bridge. The 000’s 24.9" scale length gives the guitar a very comfortable playing feel, while the 000 body offers an excellent balance between projection, warmth and intimacy.

Tonally, this is exactly why people love old Martin 000s. There is a warmth and dryness to the sound that is very difficult to replicate in a modern instrument, coupled with excellent note separation and a wonderfully woody midrange. It has a clear, articulate treble without becoming brittle, a rounded bass and that slightly compressed, mature quality that allows individual notes to sit together beautifully.

Interestingly, this particular 000-18 has a surprising amount of headroom for a small-bodied guitar. It responds beautifully when played gently, but there is plenty in reserve when you lean into it, making it particularly well suited to flatpicking as well as fingerstyle playing. The notes remain clear and articulate when pushed, with a lovely woody attack and enough projection to really open up under a confident right hand.

It is equally at home being played softly with the fingers or opened up with a pick. The voice has the kind of natural balance that makes a great songwriting guitar — intimate and expressive when played quietly, but capable of considerably more volume and authority when required. It is also a very useful studio acoustic, with a focused, mature voice that sits beautifully around a vocal.

This is not being presented as a pristine collector-grade example. It is a genuine player-grade vintage Martin, and its numerous repairs, modifications, lacquer checking and decades of honest wear are an important part of its story. The upside is that the significant work has already been undertaken, the neck reset and refret have resulted in a very playable instrument, and there are many decades of service left in this old 000-18.

What you have here is a proper vintage Martin with history under its belt, a lovely mature voice and a great playing feel. A wonderful songwriting partner, a very capable flatpicking and fingerstyle guitar, and an excellent studio acoustic — above all, a guitar that still has plenty of music left to give.

The guitar is supplied with a good-quality Hiscox hard-shell case, providing excellent protection for this vintage instrument.

Please study the photographs carefully as they form part of the description.

Martin 000-18 1951