1957 Martin 000-18 Flattop Guitar

A local customer brought this sweetheart old Martin in for sprucing-up. It's a '57 and has the sort-of dry, punchy, airy tone I think-of when I think of mid-'50s 18-series models. It's clearly been played a bunch over its years, but it did arrive here in fairly-good order. There were a few repaired side cracks and top cracks that needed cleating and then it needed the usual other work (neck reset, fret level/dress, new saddle, etc.) but post-work it plays a treat and is good to go with plenty of saddle height.

What's interesting to me is that the neck is a little faster and thinner (front to back,) which reminds me more of '40s models or modern reissues than the sort-of beefier '50s and '60s soft-V/C hybrid necks that I'm more used-to on Martins from the time.

Per the usual, it's solid spruce over solid mahogany and has a rosewood board and bridge. The bridge has the old "long saddle" cut which is not my preference structurally but they do look gorgeous.

This came to me with some not-so-hot modern Grover openback tuners but I happened to have a set of vintage tuners on hand. While the original tuners on this were round-ended Waverly types with metal buttons (like one would also see on vintage Harmony and Gretsch guitars), the set I put on is a mid-'50s Grover set with the scalloped knobs like one would see on many other period Martins. It's not right for the guitar but it's right for 000-18s from the same year and a darn sight better than a modern repro set, looks-wise.

Aside from those tuners, the saddle, and the brige pins and endpin, it appears to be original throughout.