1942 Martin F-9 Archtop Guitar

Offered here is an extraordinary 1942 Martin F-9 archtop, one of the rarest and most desirable guitars ever produced by Martin.

For those familiar with Martin's history, the F-9 represents the pinnacle of the company's archtop production. While the pre-war D-45 is often considered Martin's "holy grail," the F-9 was actually more expensive and even rarer during its production era. Martin built only 72 F-9s, compared to 91 pre-war D-45s.

The F-9 features a hand-carved spruce top in the tradition of the great Gibson and Epiphone archtops, combined with Martin's legendary Brazilian rosewood back and sides. With its 16-inch body and premium construction, it stands as one of the finest archtop guitars Martin ever produced.

Condition

This guitar is remarkable both visually and historically. Over its lifetime, it has received a few professional repairs:

• A small headstock repair at the lower portion of the volute (visible in the photographs).
• A repaired crack at the lower right side of the soundhole.

Both repairs are solid and stable.

Given the extreme rarity of this instrument, I never considered converting or modifying it in any way. The guitar remains 100% original. It retains a period-correct Martin tailpiece that is original Martin equipment, though not the specific tailpiece installed when the guitar left the factory.

The original frets remain in place and are serviceable, though the guitar could benefit from a refret depending on the buyer's playing preferences.

As expected for an 84-year-old instrument, there are numerous small nicks, chips, dings, dents, and other cosmetic blemishes throughout. Please review the photographs carefully, as they accurately represent the guitar's condition.

Included with the guitar is its original 1942 hardshell case.

This is an exceptionally rare opportunity to acquire one of the most elusive and historically significant Martin guitars ever built. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or requests for additional information.