1954 Martin 0-18T Tenor Guitar

Above: a fresh video in GDAE "octave mandolin" tuning (current stringing)

Above: an older video in DGBE "Chicago" tuning

Update 2023: this guy's back in for resale! I've updated the photos and added a fresh video for GDAE tuning (which it's in right now), but otherwise it has remained exactly the same as when it left last time in 2021. Now back to it...

I think the Martin 0-18T models are among the best production flattop tenor guitars made -- right from their '30s introduction through the '70s when they petered-out. The smaller "size 5" Martin tenors are excellent guitars in their own right, with a "baritone uke-plus" body shape, but these "squashed-0-size" tenors are where it's at as far as adaptability is concerned. More airspace, more low-end, more volume, more punch! They sound good in any typical tenor tuning. Currently it's tuned DGBE (like a baritone uke) but when I first worked on it I'd set it up for GDAE ("Celtic" or "octave mandolin") tuning where it also sounded glorious.

This particular 0-18T has been played hard, judging by the amount of washboard-style pickwear at the upper bout and soundhole. It also has tons of usewear throughout -- scratches all over, small nicks and dings, and whatnot. There are a few cracks (pictured) repaired as well and overall it has a look that says, "I was loved!" These are the types of guitars that routinely sound superlative, and this one does -- it's louder and punchier than the average 0-18T and responds quickly. It might be the year, though, too -- my favorite Martins tend to cluster in the "magic era" from '52 to '54 or so.

Repairs included: a neck reset, fret level/dress, bridge reglue, recut of the saddle slot to a "faux-through-slot" (I deepened it so it's now a drop-in but has a faux-through-look saddle in it), new saddle, crack repairs (re-repair of a hairline split across the endblock and cleats for the pickguard crack below the soundhole), cleaning, and setup.

Setup notes: it plays perfectly with quick 1/16" action height overall at the 12th fret and a straight neck. String gauges are 32w, 24w, 16, 12 for DGBE tuning. It'll restring with 32w, 20w, 13, 9 gauges for CGDA no problem but I will need to make a second saddle for both that or GDAE octave mandolin tuning. The saddle has decent height.

Scale length: 23"

Nut width: 1 1/4"

String spacing at nut: 1"

String spacing at bridge: 1 3/8"

Body length: 17 1/8"

Lower bout width: 13 1/2"
Waist width: 8 5/8"

Upper bout width: 9 7/8"
Side depth at endpin: 4 1/8"

Top wood: solid spruce

Back & sides wood: solid mahogany

Bracing type: x-braced

Fretboard: rosewood
Bridge: rosewood, bone saddle

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

Condition notes: first-off, a few years ago the guitar got speed-necked. That means the finish was steel-wooled or rubbed-down and then buffed back up satin on the back of the neck. It helps with stickiness to the touch in warm weather but it does look different. I tidied it up a bit but you can still tell that it's not the original, glossy, Martin look.

That aside, everything but the bridge pins, saddle, and endpin is original to the instrument. The finish is glorious and aged-in but it's heavily-worn. There are scratches all over and there's a lot of pickwear on the upper bout and below the soundhole. There's a repaired pickguard hairline crack (uneven surface, though) below the soundhole and a repaired endblock-split/hairline crack in the sides at the endpin area. The finish has loads of weather-check and rubbing around the edges. This guy was played and it looks it. The pickguard has a slightly raised edge (very shallow) on its lower portion, though I reglued any bits I needed to.

It comes with: whatever gigbag or chip case on hand that will fit it. Unfortunately I don't have a hard case for it at the moment.