1966 Martin 00-16C Classical Guitar

I'm a fan of Martin classicals from the '50s and '60s and the 00-16C, with its retro-flavored 00 12-fret body shape, fan-bracing, and round-ends bridge design, has always been a model I've loved the look of. It also doesn't hurt that their folksy, even, sweet sound happens to fit my ears, too. It's a sort-of "refined, plainspoken" classical voice that's perfect for fingerpicking folk anthems and the like.

This was in for a level/dress of the frets, some saddle adjustments, and setup work. The owner wanted "brighter" strings than the nylon that was on it and so I mixed a set of strings for him -- standard D'Addario Pro-Arte basses with Aquila Nylgut trebles. It's just about perfect as it's cleaned-up the sound and given the trebles more of a direct, punchy "snap" rather than a subdued twum.

Per the usual, it's styled like a Style 18 Martin but with plainer trim. The top is solid spruce, the back and sides are solid mahogany, the bridge and fretboard are rosewood, and it's fan-braced with a shorter (vs. most "Spanish" classicals) scale length.