The first time we saw this guitar was in photos. It looked exceptionally well-preserved, certainly had the original case, and for a Martin of this ilk, was reasonably priced. We had recently spent some time with another 12-fret 000 example from the era that wasn't available, but the guitar stars aligned and dropped this particular 1925 build in our lap.
We only had a few photos and limited information to go on. The original case was rare enough, and its green corduroy interior was vibrant and clean. The guitar finish looked right, and there didn't appear to be any cracks, so paired with the beautiful case, we assumed it was correct enough. What wasn't clear however was whether the neck would need a reset, whether the bridge plate was original, if anything was loose internally, or most of all, whether this one would support steel strings.
We of course jumped on it anyways, it's not every day a 12-fret version of Martin's 000 body style presents itself, plus for 1925 there were only 8 made in the 28 style. The guitar landed after traveling across the country from the great state of Texas and we were more than pleased with what we found. The neck had been set expertly and was good to go. On the interior, everything checked out including the small maple bridge plate. Plus, the X-brace appeared thicker underneath the bridge, versus the more delicately scalloped back of the X, indicating light steel strings would be our choice. The bar frets even appeared to be original and in excellent overall condition.
In our excitement to get the latches opened up we had glossed over one interesting detail: the outside of the case had a small piece of tape attached with the hand-written name Mike Longworth. Author, Historian, and pearl inlay master Mike Longworth is renowned in the Martin community. He began doing inlay work for Martin in the early 60's from his own shop, converting finished D-28s to D-45s, then later that decade began working on the Martin line at the factory inlaying D-45s as the model had just been revived. More importantly, Mike Longworth is known for his book Martin Guitars: A History, the first-of-its-kind historical record of the guitar, specifically Martins, sourced directly from the Martin archive. Later in his career, Mike is credited for the D-41 and other special limited edition models. With no other provenance to go on, we cannot be sure this guitar indeed belonged to Mr. Longworth. The previous chain of custody was not clear, and there could very well be another Mike Longworth Martin collector out there in the wild. Nonetheless, it made us think and reminded us to look up Mike Longworth's contributions and pay special appreciation to his legacy in this industry.
In 1925, the 000 body was the largest guitar that Martin produced, and steel strings were just beginning to come into play (pun intended). Most folks were still purchasing the smaller, more intimate parlor-sized instruments, and Hawaiian styles were still all the craze. This largest, loudest body was not as in-demand as it (and the Dreadnought) would become shortly thereafter, as Cowboys took to the flattop creating a new type of American music leading up to the war. And of course, shortly after production of our 1925 vintage, the 000 model would forever change with the introduction of the 14-fret OM in 1929, and the subsequent phasing out of of 12-fret 000 models in the early 30's. These 12-fret 000 models look great, even if the upper bout has a bit of that beluga whale curve about it. The 14-fret body shape is so iconic and impressed in our minds, the 12-fret can be a touch odd or unfamiliar from certain angles. But within minutes of handling, we felt right at home.
Tonally we were very pleased with this instrument. From light fingerstyle to more intense picking, the guitar reacted well to everything we threw at it. We never stop being amazed at how rich, complex, and wonderful these old Martins can be strummed either tenderly or assertively. The beauty of the 12-fret body is that played intimately it reminds us much of the smaller 0 and 00 parlor guitars, but it can still handle a bit of a jamboree when opened up without much of a ceiling on volume. It will give you back what you put into it. The 12-fret body is a touch boomier maybe than a 14-fret and does sound a touch more antique than modern if we really think hard about it. The 12-fret varieties seem to have a slightly tighter bass response with a subtly more clear and direct attack. Overall a rare enough version of an iconic instrument, and one that has been exceptionally well cared for over it's nearly 100 years on this planet. We choose to believe this once belonged to Mike Longworth, and even if not, we encourage you to read his writings and search his impact on the Martin community at large.
