1955 Martin 00-18 Flattop Guitar

00-18s are some of the most-requested guitars filling-up my inboxes in various places. "Do you have one?" Well, not this time! This is owned by a local customer and it's definitely a sweetheart of a guitar now that it's back to rights -- warm, woody, with that scooped-upper-mids Martin sweetness, but with plenty of power and punch when you dig-in. They're good "use for everything" boxes, these 00-18s...

Ancel had his work cut out for him when working on this one, though. He gave it a neck reset, fret level/dress, fit a new, custom bridge and saddle, and cleaned it all up and set it up. He did a bang-up job, too, and it plays spot-on and looks excellent. The oversize bridge is easily spotted but he did a good job balancing the practical (Martin had placed the original bridge poorly and a big old ugly bit of mucked finish would have been evident if a normal-sized bridge were used) with the aesthetic, I think.

The proof's in the pudding, anyhow, and this one is definitely delicious.

Per the usual, it's solid spruce over solid mahogany, x-braced with a tapered, '50s style pattern, and has a mahogany neck and rosewood board and bridge. The neck is a medium, soft-ish V shape and the radius on the board feels about ~16" or so.