www.vintageamericanguitar.com
1943 Martin 0-17
Many players find the war year Martins the best “prewar” Martins (of course, in vintage Martin parlance, “prewar” means any Martin made prior to mid-1944, at which time Martin stopping using scalloped braces). Why? Wartime metal shortages meant that Martin did not use metal truss rods. They went back, temporarily, to ebony truss rods, and the result is a lighter weight neck, a more resonant top end of the instrument.
Original finish. No cracks whatsoever. Neck has just been set by us, so it’s set up and ready to go. Original Ebony nut, ivory saddle, and bridge pins; full height original bridge (bridge has never been off). Original tuners. Original plastic tuner buttons in great condition (no shrinkage). Lack of tuner ferrels of course (because of war-time metal shortages). Brazilian rosewood bridge, fingerboard, and peghead veneer.
Scalloped braces. Original bridge plate. Frets show almost no wear. It shows almost no pick wear around the soundhole. Minor superficial scratches on back, and sides, and neck. There are some nicks on the neck.
Original plastic tuner buttons (more wartime metal rationing) and tuning machines.
Bass tone and volume is great, typical of war-time "pre-war" Martins, that featured more deeply scalloped braces. Many believe these more deeply scalloped braces found only in these few wartime years give them better bass tone than the mid-30s Martins.
In original soft shell case. No longer available
More Images:
