You know how certain guitars have long been the standard by which all others are judged; the Pre-war Martin 000's are always one of them. This mid-1939 example represents a beautifully played-in 100% original 14-fret Brazilian Rosewood 000 size that has seen endless imitations but very few peers since its birth. While the guitar shows quite a bit of playwear it remains in excellent playing condition and offers the expected fantastic sound one expects. The power and depth of a 000 combines with the sweetness, sparkle, and singing character of the best pre-WWII Martins in a magical mix,. This 000-21 is 1 of only 75 made in 1939 in its 2nd year of production & shows the classic pre-war features of the model, introduced 1st in this form in 1938 and widely imitated ever since. These "21" models are better than their "28" counterparts for some reason. They are lighter & more resonant. The top is made of tight-grained Adirondack spruce, its Brazilian Rosewood back & sides have aged nicely & bound on the edge with celluloid. Its 1 piece mahogany neck has the wonderful V shaped feel that only top line models had between 1937 & 1939. These also had their "Scalloped Braces" making the magic. The pickguard is made of tortoise celluloid in a small "teardrop" shape, it's a design that often proved too small to fully protect the top from the ravages of enthusiastic picking if you haven't noticed all over this cool axe. The original tuners are open back individual Grover G-98 pointed plate tuners with metal buttons. Its neck set & original long saddle bridge are perfectly set up, she plays perfectly & sounds incredible. Other than 1 side crack well repaired, it's completely crack free ! Today at 87 years young, finding a 1939 example even as original as this one is a fairly rare occurrence.In the minds of most acoustic guitar players, collectors, and historians, very few instruments approach the pre-war Martin 000's just ask Eric Clapton, in terms of sound and historical importance. Compared to all that's come down the pike since, this is still one of the finest performing or recording guitars imaginable. This thing plays itself & is 1 of the most desirable Flat Tops ever made. It's very good overall yet has that patina 1 can only dream of owning & now is your chance. It's ready to go & complete w/its original black tolex/blue lined hard case.