C. F. Martin 0-17 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1935), ser. #61503, black tolex hard shell case.

C. F. Martin 0-17 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1935), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 61503, natural lacquer finish, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, black tolex hard shell case. This is a very fine example of an early 14-fret Martin 0-17 in truly excellent condition for its age. Not only does this guitar show only light wear but it is an excellent player with a very powerful voice for a small all-mahogany guitar. This 0-17 was built very late in 1935, when the 14-fret version of the model was still a relatively new design. The 0-17 had been changed from a 1920s style 12-fret neck joint to this modernized version just in time for the 1934 catalog, and started selling well immediately. The Depression was very much still in evidence and this small, unassuming but affordable guitar was Martin's ace in the hole; this model likely had a major role in keeping the company in business during the first half of the decade.The 0-17 is a direct descendant of Martin's first 12 fret, steel string guitars of the 1920's, which were a novel idea for the company at the time. Designed to offer a reliable, great sounding instrument at the lowest price Martin could manage, the Style 17 instruments were a study in elegant minimalism. The body is all mahogany, with no ornament except for the soundhole ring. The unbound, dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard has an ebony nut. The traditional Martin bar frets had been supplanted by modern tang fretwire before this one was built, otherwise it is unchanged from 1934 examples.While plain in appearance and at the bottom of the Martin guitar line, The 0-17 is still built of high-grade materials to the company's lofty standards. Decent guitars could be had much cheaper from the likes of Harmony, Regal or the Sears catalog, but none came close to the sonic value of this instrument. 954 of these little mahogany wonders were shipped in 1935, a huge quantity for Martin at the time and an indication of how their dealers must have been clamoring for an affordable 14-fret guitar. While the original price of $30.00 may seem laughable today, in 1935 this was still a fairly expensive proposition for many Americans struggling to make ends meet.Then as now 0-17 is a fully professional-quality guitar, extremely responsive with a rich, singing tone that belies its humble appearance. The scalloped X-bracing is very delicate the entire instrument is rather more lightly built than subsequent iterations. This initial 14-fret 0-17 is a true treat for both the Martin connoisseur and the casual strummer.Overall length is 38 1/2 in. (97.8 cm.), 13 5/8 in. (34.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.). This is one of the better preserved pre-war 0-17s we have had in some time, showing signs of use and well-done maintenance repair but really quite clean for being well over 85 years old. Many of these were quite heavily played when new, and have not been well cared for since. The original lacquer finish is nicely original, with some light touch up on the back/heel area likely related to a neck reset. There is checking mostly to the top and some dings, dents and scrapes, more heavily to the sides and back while the top remains relatively clean, with some nicks on the lower soundhole rim. A deep ding on the lower back has been touched up as well.There are some discreet repairs. There is a small sealed grain crack right at the waist on both sides of the back, over the kerfing so not visible from the inside. There are also a couple of small sealed and touched up grain splits off the upper edge of the back just above the heel. The top is delightfully crack free and solid, without the bulging sometimes encountered on these lightly built guitars. Besides the upper rim of the back being touched up from an earlier neck set, the heel cap has been reglued.As noted the neck was re-set, and the fingerboard leveled and neatly refretted. The original bridge has been reglued, and was probably lowered just a hair on the front end long ago. The original bridge plate has been replaced with a very nicely done correct thin maple replica. A new bone saddle is fitted. This 0-17 has kept its original metal-button Grover tuners, ebony nut, and teardrop celluloid pickguard. This is a really excellent playing and really superb sounding guitar, is housed in an older (but not period, likely 1970s) hardshell case. Excellent Condition.