1929 Martin O-29

[jjasilli]

Played one today @ RetroFret in Brooklyn, NY.  WOW!  Rang like a churchbell.  Gotta be the sweetest sounding & loudest acoustic guitar I ever played.  Only $29,500. 

[Ritchie200]

Yikes!


Back when he was going to college in Denver back in the late 70's, a friend of mine traded his old VW Beatle that he paid $500 for to this rich kid for a guitar that he never played because he wanted to get home to see his girlfriend.  This guitar just so happened to be one of the first flat top Martin 12 strings built in the early 60's.  Although not as valuable as the 6 strings, because of it's very low serial number it is worth somewhere in the 5 digits - he never told me the actual number, he just smiles!    Boy does it sound like a dream, so full and frequencies from top to bottom are just unreal.  I've played a lot of 12 strings (some VERY expensive) in my buddy's music store since then thinking they all sounded like that.    I'm no cork sniffer, but wow.  This thing is on another level.


Jim

[jjasilli]

I wanted to verify my evolving preferences; RetroFret was a good place for that.  I've come to like hard V necks; soft V better than no V.  Wide necks, though I got to confirm that 1-3/4" @ the nut is too wide for me; 1-11/16" OK; 1-5/8" unplayable.  12" fingerboard radius.  Flatter & I can't barre chords.  9.5" frets out a tad past the 12th fret for lead playing.  Though maybe a better fret job would cure that.


I don't know of any guitar that meets all my neck criteria.  A Custom neck from Musikraft might work for a Fender style build.  But then I have to build another guitar.  I'm getting by with a Jimmie Vaughn soft V neck on a Strat I built.  Just spent $400 on fret job for that. 


I'm just ramblin. . .

[sluckey]

Must be the year for Martins. Never know when one might just pop outta the woods!

[jjasilli]

Not a Marten




A Martin

[sluckey]

We're on the same page.

[John]

Only $29,500.

Oughta buy 2 at that price. ;)

[Ed_Chambley]

I took have been looking at a little Martin. That one is really a gem. What happened to me is someone offered me a D 45, 1996 an under the bed guitar. It has never had a setup so it still has full bridge and nut.


I Wil post some photos when I get it setup for me. I am waiting on a new fret file. If they need it that is. I am amazed at the condition. It is rare to find 21 year old guitar without a scratch. I was even able to buff the pickguard.


You might say this one came out of the woods, but I still am looking for a parlor with concert tuners.

[jjasilli]

Everyone has their favorites.  I like parlor guitars, but they're too small for me to play.  What are concert tuners?


Hope the D-45 works out for you.

[Ed_Chambley]

Everyone has their favorites.  I like parlor guitars, but they're too small for me to play.  What are concert tuners?


Hope the D-45 works out for you.

Concert tuners are the open headstock. White rollers usually. Martins have Waverly with smaller rollers. I am actually looking for a violin head Martin. Yes, these are expensive.


Want to know the highest gaining production guitar for increasing in value? Well it is the Marin D45. A d Martin is heavy bottomed  but still balanced.


I am selling 2 Yairi acoustics . A GY1 which is the Jerry Garcia model and a DW90 Super Ablone, both molded hard cases. I have decided I have  worked while attending school now for 39 years I find more investments. So I sold most of my amps and now buying guitars.


I bought Marshall Heads in the early 90s for rediculoous prices. No loops non master. I actually bought a kitchen marshall, head and cab for $1800. Sold it last year. I kept only 3 I did not build. 64 Super Reverb, 73 c.f. super reverb with funk mod and the kitchen sink. Oops I forgot, a early 62 Bassman completely restored and 66 jtm45.


What I am seeing in the collectors market is a trend to show and display.. The shows have more acoustics with many great independent builders, but only luck will cause a value increase. The amps are now put in other rooms, and I am sorry, but I will not pay 6000 for a 60 tweed Bassman, Ii do not care how nice it may be.


https://reverb.com/item/7022861-martin-00-45-custom-shop-brazilian-rosewood-12-fret-2003?gclid=CjwKCAiA78XTBRBiEiwAGv7EKhe0ZGBZsSc96rlHKenkf6n3JIkb6WkMk4B89fbwNpkOMhKINg5-RBoCXbAQAvD_BwE&pla=1


The link above is what I am referring to for tuners and I like the guitar. I play a parlor with the lower bout on my legs like a classical player.


If you really are interested in prewar Martin with .25 bracing instead the .825 and thin Adarondac Spruse and bookmatched Brazilian Rosewood. Man those tops really resonate and you can feel the difference.  If you have the cash, what do you have to lose? They are not making 1929 guitars anymore.


Others make guitars, like Collings. Just won't know if these will retain value since most are great copies.

[G._Hoffman]

If you really are interested in prewar Martin with .25 bracing instead the .825 and thin Adarondac Spruse and bookmatched Brazilian Rosewood. Man those tops really resonate and you can feel the difference.  If you have the cash, what do you have to lose? They are not making 1929 guitars anymore.


Others make guitars, like Collings. Just won't know if these will retain value since most are great copies.

The bracing is important, but a big part of the sound of those things is just the age.  They really do get better as time goes by.

As for value, no, modern guitars won't have the same value as old guitars do right now.  Partially, that's just numbers (folks are making a lot more guitars now than they did 80 years ago), but it's also the changing of the generations.  The baby boomers had a lot more cash and a lot more interest than their kids or grand kids are ever going to have, so basic economics tells us not only is there an excess of supply, but there is also a lack of demand.


Gabriel

[Ed_Chambley]

Yes, it is all just numbers. I have heard the boomer thing and it is practicle. But referring to boomers usually refers to players. Maybe players are buying less, I have been buying.


I know a number of collectors most do not play. All the ones I know are buying.