1931 Martin 1-17P Plectrum Guitar

Just this year I've worked on two other Martin plectrum guitars from the same era -- another 1-17P and a 1-28P as well. Why not have a third via consignment to round-out the year, huh?

My opinion is that these instruments are incredibly cool "alternative guitars" to tenors or 6-strings. Their extra-long scale length gives them sustain, ring, and chime one usually only associates with openback 5-string banjos and that long scale also makes them perfect alternate-tuning instruments. The sound of these put in an open tuning of one sort or another is just sublime flatpicked or fingerpicked.

That said, plectrum banjo players or 5-string banjo players can move over to these boxes on the quick because the necks will be quite familiar and the same playing styles work beautifully on them.

This one arrived with minor needs, but now that they're addressed it's playing spot-on and has that sweet, chimey, woody, sustained sound that I've come to expect from this model and, to a lesser degree, other '30s mahogany-top Martins.

Repairs included: a fret level/dress, one brace reglue to the top, adjustment and compensation of the saddle, cleaning, and a good setup.

Setup notes: action is 1/16" treble and hair-over 1/16" bass at the 12th fret, which is perfect for such a long scale. The neck is straight and stable in service and the original bar frets still have a good amount of life in them. I have this tuned DGBE at the moment (low to high) but it can retune to standard CGBD or an open CGCE tuning easily with the same gauges. Those gauges are 26w, 18w, 13, 10.

Scale length: 26 13/16"

Nut width: 1 1/4"

String spacing at nut: 1 1/32"

String spacing at bridge: 1 3/8"

Body length: 18 3/4"

Lower bout width: 13"

Waist width: 7 3/4"

Upper bout width: 9 1/4"

Side depth at endpin: 4 3/16"

Top wood: solid mahogany

Back/sides wood: solid mahogany

Neck wood: mahogany

Bracing type: light, scalloped x-bracing

Fretboard: Brazilian rosewood

Bridge: Brazilian rosewood, ebony nut

Neck feel: medium soft C/V shape, flat board

Condition notes: overall it's in good shape but it does have an older repair to a long side crack on the bass side. Otherwise, I see no cracks. There's plenty of pickwear in the usual spot for a strumming-buddy plectrum (right below the fretboard extension and alongside it) on the top, but other wear and tear is relegated to the usual mix of small scratches and dings throughout that are mostly non-obvious. The finish shows an average amount of weather-checking but looks good. The saddle is original but has been cut down and modified several times over the years. The endpin is replaced, but otherwise the guitar is original throughout including its cool geared banjo-style tuners.

Case: it comes with a molded, grey-black, hard case in good order.

The saddle is low but has a little bit peeking above the top. That's pretty average for period Martins -- which tended to ship from the factory with 1/32" to 1/16" saddle proud of the bridge top. This one can be shimmed up/down as desired as it's no longer glued into its slot.