Offered for sale is this 1947 Martin 000-18 (serial # 102998). Sitka top and mahogany back and sides. The guitar is in very good condition considering it is 79 years old. Some vintage guitars have been around for years, but they don’t play very well or sound particularly vintage. In contrast to those other guitars, this guitar plays great with a comfortable neck and its warm voice sounds the way a good vintage guitar should sound. This one really does have the vintage mojo. 

 The guitar has been played over the years. It has a professionally repaired top crack from the bridge to the lower bout (see photo). There is also a small 3.5” hairline crack on the back, also professionally repaired (see photo).  However, none of the repairs have been substantial and they have not made any difference to the playability or the vintage sound of this guitar. A previous owner had installed a sound hole pickup (you can see the slight damage around the sound hole in the photo). This pickup had been removed when I bought the guitar. I installed a passive K&K under saddle pickup that works great. 

 The guitar needs a neck reset at some point, but for many players it will not be a significant problem at the moment. The appraisal that is attached is based on the fact that a neck reset is needed at some point. That is, the appraisal would have been higher if a neck reset had been done (Please see the photo of the professional appraisal). I bought the guitar from Gruhn Guitars in Nashville in 2009. Therefore, the guitar has been authenticated by both Manuel Delgado of Delgado guitars and also by Gruhn guitars.