C. F. Martin 0-21 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (late 1928), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 37491, natural lacquer finish, spruce top, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard, Rosewood binding, modern black tolex hard shell case.

Notes on 0-21:

This guitar is a truly lovely 0-sized Brazilian rosewood Martin with more sound than many jumbos! This Model 0-21 dates to the end of 1928, when the steel string Martin was still a relatively novel idea. The Style 21 -- the lowest price rosewood model -- was cataloged as a gut strung guitar until 1927, when most of the line finally bowed to the reality that the steel-string flat top was the new normal. The scalloped bracing is a bit beefed up but still extremely graceful and delicate compared to what was to come.

The 0-21 is a relatively rare model with just over 76 shipped in 1928, after which this "old fashioned" style quickly dropped out of favor. The traditional 12-fret body was supplanted within a few years on nearly all Martins by the new 14-fret Orchestra Model design, leaving only a few models to carry it on. The 0-21 was only rarely made after 1931 making it a relatively rare model despite its midline status.

Notes on this particular guitar.

First and foremost, this is a players grade guitar. It's structurally sound with no open cracks. There is currently no need for any repairs. The neck is straight, the action is low and the guitar plays great with no buzzes.

However, there have been numerous repairs in the past in order to keep it going. This guitar is a Survivor, and has scars to prove it! First off, there are two large cracks on the top, long ago sealed... So long ago that they feel like they are part of the guitar.

There are cracks on the back, also sealed, that are more pronounced....thus the scars.

In addition, the the ebony bridge is a replacement. The bridge plate has been replaced with a rosewood plate with some extra struts to shore it up. (See the pictures)

The Rosewood back is wavy and rippled in spots, possibly due to water damage. The braces are all firmly attached and there is no need for repairs.

Martin's preference for straight-grained rosewood in it's high end guitars means that the Style 21 instruments often carry the more dramatically figured Brazilian back and sides, which is certainly true of this guitar. The precisely bookmatched back has a spectacular center seam area around the herringbone backstrip that is so finely figured it almost looks like an inlay! The spruce top features a herringbone soundhole inlay and rosewood binding while the ebony fingerboard has small notched diamond pearl inlay. The original nickel Waverly strip tuners have grained ivoroid buttons.

The neck has been long ago very neatly reset and playability is excellent. The original bar frets are in excellent shape showing very little wear, and this is simply a delightful instrument to play or to hear. The guitar resides in a newer hard shell case, a splendid survivor from what many consider Martin's best period.

Overall, this is a truly superb steel-string 12 fret Martin, a real treat to play either fingerstyle or "plectrum" as it would have been termed back when this was a new guitar. In any application it is a featherweight tone machine, a delightful instrument with a voice belying its (by modern standards) small size.

Overall length is 38 in. (96.5 cm.), 13 5/8 in. (34.6 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 13/16 in. (46 mm.)..