# Finally found an old Martin.



## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

I finally found a 19th century Martin that might be fun. And ...... I bought it.
1898 - Martin 00-18. These guitars were made with spruce top and Rosewood back/sides. (They changed the 18s to Mahogany later) This is a cool guitar.
I'll have to post some pics. Does anyone want to see pics?


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## Grenvilleter (Dec 22, 2007)

I'd love to see some pics ....... PLEASE...


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Of course we want to see pics! Thats like asking a bunch of junkies "Does anyone want some heroin?"


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

where are you going to find gut strings for it and besides its going to look an awful lot like the older Washburns, if memory serves there was a tie in to each other for some years there, put post lots of pictures we can never have enough, and I am rubbing my guitar patch as I am writing this.ship...............................oh and watch out for that drool pile on the corner, not sure who did that, bad mike, bad mike its a good thing we are friends mike oe else I would be making you help with these guitar ( no buying ) patch's


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Sweet! Pictures would be good. Do you plan to resell it or is it for your own collection?

I used to see more such things when I got around to visiting repair places more. Someday something will fall into my lap maybe. 

Peace, Mooh.


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## Guest (Jun 23, 2010)

I have an Uncle Martin who is a long haul truck driver, and he is older. He travels across Canada and the US in his Volkswagen rig with his acoustic.

Ooooopps you meant that you found and old Martin Guitar, sorry for the confusion.


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

Pictures, please!

Congrats on the snag.


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## simescan (May 15, 2007)

And so the pics are where????...


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)




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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Thanks for the photos. Very nice!

Peace, Mooh.


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## Younggun (Jul 2, 2008)

Very nice looking 00-18. Congrats. It really looks excellent and it appears to have already been modded for light steel strings because they weren't braced for steel strings until the 1920's. So this one has the rosewood back and sides in Braz as well. Very tasty indeed. I bet it sounds like heaven. A friend's Dad has a '57 Martin 00-18 (Hog back and sides) and I got the opportunity to play it for around an hour. It is a player that is well set up and the tone was incredible. I think you may have a real winner here. Nice score. If you have a chance, a little audio clip would be great.


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

It hasn't been modified for Steel strings. It would require significant changes to the bracing. The pin bridge can be a little confusing and is the reason why many of these critters were damaged over the years. The tuners are Peg-Hed tuners. A cool fiddle tuner that has internal planetary gears that give the tuner a 4:1 ratio but look traditional. They are finding their way into Ukuleles and old-tyme banjos.
The guitar currently has a classical set, but I intend to try a few things on it. I have access to gut strings and a company called Aquila make a brilliant synthetic gut string that makes a ukulele really jump, Newtone of England also makes a set of even tension steel strings they call their Heritage set - I have a set on my 1928 0-18K. The Thomastik Infeld Plectrum set of lights might also work I have a set of these on my 1925 2-17. It is a very cool guitar and I'm really enjoying it.


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## Sneaky (Feb 14, 2006)

Wowza. That is nice old guitar for the collection. Where do you find these things (I'm guessing not a garage sale).

Glad you are liking it.


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

I'm somewhat connected. When you are in the business, people come to you with these things. This one I found in California. The Koa Martin I found in North Carolina. Many of the guitars were somewhat local. The Martin ukes were from all over the West Coast and a couple from the SE US and one from England.


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## gregsguitars (Aug 16, 2010)

It does resemble my 1890 Washburn.


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

Yep Greg thats a beautiful Washburn they will never ever be made like those were again.Ship


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

Lovely guitar. Is it just the picture, or is there a big gap between the D and G strings at the bridge? 



gregsguitars said:


> It does resemble my 1890 Washburn.


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

Purty guitar. Early Washburns are marvellous instruments.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

bagpipe said:


> Lovely guitar. Is it just the picture, or is there a big gap between the D and G strings at the bridge?


Yeah, I noticed that too. That's strange!


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## Ship of fools (Nov 17, 2007)

Thats how they made them for a short while and I think there were two or three models that had that gap, not a lot of volume to them but they sure do sound great when you find one that has not been modified or repaired on the top.ship


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