1946 Martin 000-21 (Brazilian Rosewood) -- Gryphon Strings -- Great Condition


This is a 1946 Martin 000-21 in great condition, originally purchased from Gryphon Strings (the legendary vintage guitar store in the San Francisco Bay Area). It’s an absolutely stunning guitar with a huge amount of mojo and volume.

Sitka spruce top with coveted Brazilian rosewood back and sides -- and it’s a beautiful cut of largely straight-grained Brazilian. The whole guitar is light and exceedingly well aged. It has the warmth but also the clarity that everyone dreams about in these 000/OM-body sized Martins.

In my opinion it’s a perfect instrument.

You can strum -- if you put in power it gives you that and more back. Fingerpicking is expressive and melodic.

Condition / Originality

  • Original finish
  • Original tuners
  • Original pickguard
  • Original bridge plate
  • Replaced bridge (previously an oversized one, but the correct bridge is on there now)
  • You can see a varnish blemish from the old bridge footprint.
  • There are a few cracks, but they look very, very old and were repaired well and properly.
  • Neck profile: The neck is a full and lovely shape -- not insanely chunky, and certainly never shaved down.
  • Bracing: Post-war straight, tapered X-bracing (non-scalloped). There's a lot of discussion of scalloping on bracing etc... these war / slight post-war 1945-1946 guitars are absolute sleepers IMHO. There are indeed benefits of a non-scalloped brace. You get a more "focused" sound -- which in an OM style 24.75 scale instrument like the 000-21 in brazilian (already warm), is -- not worse, but different. I love it.


I used to own a 1936 000-18. That guitar is more than 2x the price, but… this is better.


Comes with a hardshell case.

This item is sold As-Described

This item is sold As-Described and cannot be returned unless it arrives in a condition different from how it was described or photographed. Items must be returned in original, as-shipped condition with all original packaging.Learn More.

Listed4 months ago
ConditionVery Good (Used)
Very Good items may show a few slight marks or scratches but are fully functional and in overall great shape.Learn more
Brand
Model
  • 000-21
Finish
  • Natural
Categories
Year
  • 1946
Made In
  • United States
Pickup
  • None
Fretboard Material
  • Rosewood
String Type
  • Steel
Right / Left Handed
  • Right Handed
Model Family
Number of Strings
  • 6-String
Neck Material
  • Mahogany
Body Shape
  • 000
Back Material
  • Rosewood
Sides Material
  • Rosewood
Top Material
  • Spruce
Series
Color Family
  • Natural
Active Preamp
  • No
Number of Frets
  • 20

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Leon Guitars .com

San Francisco, CA, United States
Joined Reverb:2016

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