The Acoustic Guitar Forum - Will 70s Martins ever be valuable? (2024)

If you bought it to play, why do you care what the value is? It's importance is the value to you.

I doubt the 0-18 was ever in big production numbers.

I don't get this urge some people have to try and make money off their guitars.

Using my definition of valuable, I'd say they are now.

Are they ever going to be sought after like a pre-war Martin, no but you already knew that so somewhere in between lies the territory the 70's era Martins will occupy. As of now, they're not highly sought after guitars.

A re-worked 70's Martin done by Brian Kimsey (ck my spelling, I didn't) is a very desirable instrument but you'd invest another 600 dollars or more getting that done.

So now, are you trying to flip it, or keep it. Is the bridge where it is supposed to be? All questions that will determine if it's of value to you.

Magazine,

Your ‘72 0-18 is rarer than any 60s one (one of 175). Overall production of Martin’s may have increased significantly in this period but the 0-18 was falling out of favour. Total production 70s = 1180 compared to 60s = 4759. Production in the 80s was even lower.

My impression is that generally 70s Martin prices have rallied in recent years. With the increased interest in ‘parlour’ sized instruments (not going to get into an argument here about what exactly constitutes a ‘parlour’ guitar) your purchase may yet prove to be a bargain, but nothing is certain in the world of vintage guitars.

Regards,
Clive.

Do you have any pics?

No truss rod in the 70s
I am looking for an O size Martin, aways like to see the model.

IIRC, the 70s Martin bridge misplacement issue was only on Dreads. So the OP's 0-18 would not be affected. Plus I'm not so sure that other 70s issues (oversized RW bridge plate, heavier bracing) was applicable to the smaller bodies either.

But to the question of 70's collectibility, I'd agree that probably not to pre-war, nor even pre-60s levels. But one never knows!

...for the record...a quick look at reverb shows a 1973 D-35 is listed for an average price of almost 3000 dollars....I bought a new one in 1973 for 450 dollars...

....no not in the league of an earlier model Martin.....but a decade ago you could have bought a 70’s Martin for about half of what they sell for now....

In my experience, 70's Martins represent the best value out there in acoustic guitars.

I'm a 100% dread guy and even though there are issues on some guitars to be dealt with, the input is usually worth the effort.

Take a good look at the wood used on early 70's Martin dreads. It's VERY good stuff! And with up to 50 years of aging, the sound just keeps getting better.

In my own experience, my ears definitely prefer the sound of EIR over that of Brazilian RW. That fact has saved me a LOT of money over the years!

You’re correct and I realized that after reading this late night post, this morning.

Glad you pointed it out!

"Everybody knows" that 1970s CBS-era Fenders are crap.

Except now we remember that some guy named Jimi played one and did Just Fine . . . .

Bunch of Classic tunes were written on those very guitars. And the next generation of "Classics" are being written on "Crappy, ugly, Standard-series Martins."

Or a signature model with Clapton's signature on the fretboard...

??

The 0-18 has the 3/8" square tube truss rod, like all the others.

My advice? Don't pay attention to Internet mavins. Go on eBay and Reverb and look at the prices on completed listings.

Back in 1977 I bought a 1974 Gibson Les Paul Standard built in Kalamazoo. When the Internet blew up I asked a couple of forums when this guitar would become vintage and what it was worth. The answers were quite harsh, amounting to "Your guitar is form the nadir of Gibson quality control. It will never become vintage. It will only ever become old. It isn't worth more than about $1200 in excellent condition."

Okay. Nice and gentle.

I recently watched an LP from that period sell for over $8000 on eBay. Now, it was in true mint condition with all case candy and hang tags. But I am now regularly seeing LPs of this period in similar shape selling for between $4500 and $6500. Who do they sell to? Aging boomers looking for nostalgia and up-and-coming touring musicians looking for instant cache'. I've seen quite a few touring guys coming through our studios with these guitars. They are different from the previous ones and modern reissues but they have a sound of their own that many love.

So, keep your eyes open, do your own research, look for people who are sympathetic and follow their research.

All the best,

Bob

When mine got a neck reset and fretboard work to correct relief, it also got the bridge moved and the bridgeplate replaced. And bracing got shaved. And cracks fixed.

Whew!

Let me put it this way... there's no way I could sell my '71 016NY and replace it with something that sounds even half as good -- half as "Martin-y" -- without losing money. I got it for next to nothing in '74 or so because the first owner could never get it in tune. Turns out the bridge was in the wrong spot, by enough that it wouldn't do to simply relocate the saddle. A fix by a top luthier would have given me an invisible repair, but it would have cost me double what I paid for the guitar and it would have taken six months. So I went for the affordable fix, which gave me a fabulous-sounding Martin. And it sounds more fabulous now.

Since then I've found two more specimens of the same guitar with the same bridge issue. Bought one, had the bridge done by the same bargain luthier. It didn't turn out as good as the first one, so I sold it. Didn't buy the second one.

Great post Bob. For electrics, the '50s models are out of price range for nearly everyone now, and the 60s are getting close. People are now gravitating for the '70s models because they're still relatively affordable but going up in price much more than inflation over the past few years due to demand. Even 80s Les Pauls are getting expensive.

Not sure if this is what we'll see in the acoustic market as well?

Well Ive learned a lot after asking. Thank you to those that responded. I have no idea if the bridge is in the wrong place but it sounds great to me. I have a google drive account for a pic. Its very clean without a single crack and very little fretwear. It had 3 sets of old 70s era strings in the box that must have been there all its life. Unfortunately they were used . Lol.
I guess they were in case one broke. Also had a sponge inside an old bar soap container. That probably saved it. The only real issue is the neck angle. The action is perfect but theres hardly any saddle left. I may regret not just getting a new one but for some reason I kinda like it being older as well.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vHH...w?usp=drivesdk

Must have been discounted. Here are the neck cards for the Brazilian Rosewood D-35 that I bought new on Labor Day weekend 1969.

I had a 72 Strat. Worst electric guitar I ever owned. Poly an inch thick. Weighed as much as a Les Paul. Sounded thin and shrill. It is now a vintage guitar and worth $2500. Any modern Fender is a better guitar. Go figure.

I have an Epiphone Texan, with all the "bad" stuff. Skinny neck, plywood bridge plate, adjustable ceramic bridge, etc. I love it.

Some 70s Martins have misplaced bridges. Some don't sound as good as they should, but give one to someone like Brian Kimsey, and they come alive. Some he won't mess with because they are so good. But they all have old wood, and old wood is priceless. That and being played transforms a guitar. So yes, they aren't going down in price. 80s is now the new 70s. They also have the straight braced sound and necks that many really like.

Maybe one owned by Ian Tyson can hold her value, eh?

https://reverb.com/item/35733261-197...d-by-ian-tyson

NO idea who Ian Tyson is...

Ah, he’s Canadian.
Sorry, but no provenance if not a major player.
A 70s D-45 doesn’t intrinsically have a great deal of value anyway.

*1970s Martin D-45 (Formally Owned by Ian Tyson)*

I guess the guitar would be cheaper if it had only been informally owned by Ian Tyson... :)

Clapton actually played with a 000-28 as his only guitar for almost decades. Les Paul is a different story.

....oh yeah...it was likely discounted.....I bought it at Venemans music in the Washington DC suburbs...huge music stores...there was a whole wall of Martins...I had my choice of at least a dozen D-35’s....as I recall the salesman became weary of me wanting to play em all....I know it was 450 because that’s exactly what I sold my Nikon camera gear to my brother-in-law for to buy it...