Some of the loveliest Martin guitars made in the 1930’s are the small-bodied, size 0 and 00, instruments, and here is a perfect example.
Serial number 42235 was stamped on April 23, 1930 and cleared final inspection on August 18. This guitar is from the first batch of 0-28 guitars made with a belly bridge.
Interestingly, it also comes from one of the only batches of guitars that indicates when Martin started to make their guitars slightly heavier, to better handle the tension of steel strings. The shop order slip documents that this batch of twenty-five guitars comprised fifteen guitars (including this one) with 5/16″ wide top braces with ten being made with 1/4″ wide top braces, the usual specification to this point.
Martin may already have switched to wider braces on other sizes and the size 0 guitars may have been one of the last holdouts. This is not too surprising as Martin preferred to make 0-28 guitars for gut or silk and steel strings.
Photos courtesy of Willi Henkes
