Wartime 1943 Martin 000-21

CF Martin did not introduce the 14 fret 000-21 model until the late 1930’s and then produced the auditorium sized Brazilian Rosewood flat top acoustic in relatively limited quantities. This 1943 000-21 is one of the few made early enough to have an Adirondack Spruce top supported by scalloped bracing. Additional features include the ebony fingerboard & bridge, herringbone rosette & backstrip, and slotted diamond fingerboard inlays.

Due to the diversion of metal to wartime manufacturing, Martin used tuners with no bushings and an ebony rod for neck support. Players prize ebony rod Martins for their responsiveness, and this 000-21 delivers a memorable playing experience with shimmering, detailed tone.

Thankfully this delicate vintage Martin was properly maintained over the last 80 years, so it still has its original finish, pickguard, bridge, white dot bridge pins and bridge plate. The guitar arrived with a set of more recent closed back Kluson tuners, so we installed a set of original 1943 open back Klusons which dropped right in the same holes. Bushings had never been installed. The original hard case is still with the guitar and even has the key. Recent maintenance work included a neck reset, refret and repairing a barely visible pickguard crack. No other cracks are apparent on the instrument, and the condition is very pleasing with some scratches and scuffs that hardly detract from its simplistic beauty.