Maritn 00-17 Authentic 1931 - My Review

[OneMansGuitar]

And so my Winter Martins reviews begin, with the 00-17 Authentic 1931.

"This 12-fret 00 generates tone that expands in all directions, filling the room with clearly defined notes and woody sympathetics, while creating a soundscape of inner depth that seems far greater in size than the physical dimensions of the instrument should allow."

Read the Full Review with Video HERE

[JBF_AR]

My head is reeling...

00-17 1931
WL-12 MH
00-15S Custom
E10-00M

Only one of these will be coming to live with us this year. Finding all four in a single shop nigh on impossible in these here parts..

[FantasticMrFox]

Really nice review and nice site. Thanks for sharing

[brencat]

Hey Spoon, that's a great sounding guitar! You look like you're having fun playing it too.

Thanks for sharing

[Organic Sounds Select Guitars]

I sure like that one. Nice review!

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by OneMansGuitar

"This 12-fret 00 generates tone that expands in all directions, filling the room with clearly defined notes and woody sympathetics, while creating a soundscape of inner depth that seems far greater in size than the physical dimensions of the instrument should allow."

Hey, the note on the side of this can of expanding foam filler just happens to read;

'This can generates foam that expands in all directions, filling the hole with clearly defined foam with woody sympathetics, while creating a workspace of inner depth that seems far greater in size than the physical dimensions of the hole will allow.'

Use With Caution!

[MartinMan1990]

My head is reeling...

00-17 1931
WL-12 MH
00-15S Custom
E10-00M

Only one of these will be coming to live with us this year. Finding all four in a single shop nigh on impossible in these here parts..

I'm in the same boat, although I am looking at the 00-17 1931, LA customs 00-15sm (which I'm told will be available later this spring), or a Santa Cruz 1929 00.

What do you think the actual street price of these 1931's will be going for? I assume it would still cost more than a brand new SC 1929.

[OneMansGuitar]

You might find one for $3,600 or near that.

I have played one custom 00-15S, that was made right before Martin stopped allowing customs based on the 15s (to stop GC and some others from ordering what looked like D-18s but were really D-15s in terms of their guts and bones.)

It is a very fine guitar. But I do not think I would say it equates to the Authentic. But a custom 00 based on the 000-15S will be a very fine guitar, for a lot less than $3,600.

[Tenzin]

Lovely guitar and a lovely written review. I am aware that trying to use words will betray a writer when trying to indicate the subtleties your reviews strive for-- your reviews are obviously painstakingly written and re-written. It shows and it is very much appreciated.

Thank you

[MartinMan1990]

How beefy are these authentic necks. I don't mind a V but are we talking baseball bat?

[OneMansGuitar]

As I said in my review, this is a typical 1931 neck, which means it is not the baseball bat neck that arrived in 1935 and got really big in 1936.

It is still a bigger neck compared to something like their modern High Performance Neck, but the V does not go all way to the headstock, it dies out pretty much before you get to the Cowboy Chord area. And does not get real bulky up near the body - relative to other vintage Martin necks.

[zoopeda]

Wow, stunning! Thanks for the review (as always).

I have never played a LIGHTLY built mahogany top guitar. Does this one ring with sustain and harmonics like a spruce guitar (00-18A)? Or does it have a more mellow, muted, warm mahogany tone? I've always lusted after the 00-18A, and now this one is stunning as well. Thanks again.

[OneMansGuitar]

The best answer is both.

Very old guitar with mahogany tops still retain that mellower, warmer tone with precise unwound strings. But they they have more fundamental sustain (the main note from the played string stays in place longer before it drops off) than spruce-topped guitars, which makes them particularly good for slide players. But their harmonic sustain, that swell and hang in the air kind of resonating sustain increases dramatically compared to most new guitars with new mahogany tops.

This guitar has a lot more of both kinds of sustain compared to other mahogany-topped guitars I have played, as well as sounding more open in terms of the "sound stage" and the torrefied top has as much to do that as the lighter build.