This is a gorgeous example of a 000–18 from my personal favorite era for Martin Guitars. In 1949 and the early 50's, Martin purchased Adirondack spruce from Eaton Lumber Co. in Rochester, Vermont that was used on batches of guitars throughout 1950 to late 1953. Collectors often refer to these as "Mystery Tops" because they looked different from the typical Sitka spruce tops that have been used since 1945. They also had a distinct tonal signature- they have tons of headroom with dry crisp trebles which works especially well for flatpicking and strumming.

There are no cracks anywhere only a reglued center seam on the back. It’s had a perfect neck reset that was done some time ago and a refret done by our neighbors at Braxton and Hyde. The early 50s was a special time at Martin; the use of straight braces, combined with the red spruce gave the guitars of that era a completely different sound than anything that came before or after. Overall this is a great choice for someone looking for a balanced, versatile guitar that excels when played with a pick. Please note: these photos were taken before the refret was done.