FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO JOE’S VINTAGE GUITARS in Mesa, AZ with any questions, or to chat about the instrument.

This is a 1936 Martin R-17 archtop, 100% original and crack-free. It plays and sounds great, and on a guitar this old that’s the hard part to find.

Tone And Playability

The voice is dry and woody with a real percussive thump behind it. There’s a snap on the attack and a quick, clean decay, so a strummed chord punches and then clears out instead of smearing into the next one. Single notes come through focused and vocal in the midrange, with none of the low-end boom that can make a flat-top hard to place next to other instruments. Fingerpicked, it’s sweet and articulate. Hit it with a pick and it chunks. It’s a very pleasant guitar to play and an easy one to keep playing longer than you meant to.

The neck angle is good and the action sits nice and low. Nothing about it fights you.

Condition

It’s crack-free. There’s light wear throughout, the kind that comes from a guitar that got played and looked after rather than stored and forgotten. On the top there’s a spot of finish reaction where the pickguard once sat, likely from the old guard breaking down over the years. The frets show light wear in the cowboy chord area from a lifetime of first-position chords. Take a look at the close-up photos for the best read on all of it.

The serial number is 64045. On these Martin archtops the number is stamped on a brace inside the back, so there’s no way to photograph it.

Features

• 1936 Martin R-17 archtop
• Serial #64045 (stamped on an interior back brace, which can’t be photographed on these)
• 100% original
• Crack-free
• Light wear throughout
• A spot of finish reaction where the pickguard once sat
• Light fret wear in the cowboy chord area
• Good neck angle with nice low action
• Dry, percussive archtop voice
• Pictured case included

If you’d like more photos or want to talk through how it sounds, get in touch.

At Joe’s Vintage Guitars, your satisfaction is our top priority. We stand behind every instrument we sell, and we want you to feel completely confident in your purchase. That’s why we offer a 7-day return policy with no restocking fee. Take a full week to inspect, play, and fall in love with your new guitar. If for any reason it isn’t the right fit, simply return it in the same condition for a full refund—no hidden fees, no hassle. We know that buying a vintage instrument is a big decision, and we’re committed to making the process as comfortable and transparent as possible. Shop with peace of mind knowing that every guitar from Joe’s Vintage Guitars is backed by honest service and years of expertise.