Martin 15 And 17 Values

The listed 0-16NY groups run through 1989 for this chart. That coverage limit isn’t a claim that production stopped then. The 1-17’s all-mahogany version is discussed in the identification guide but has no figure here because the pricing source supplies no dollar row.

Earlier spruce-top Style 17 instruments fall outside this all-mahogany chart. Earlier 00-17 groups belong in the early Martin value guide. An H designation identifies a Hawaiian configuration and requires a separate examination of any conversion work. The chart doesn’t silently treat those guitars as ordinary six-string Spanish-playing models.

Size and style both affect the comparison. An 0-15, 2-17, 0-17 and 00-17 shouldn’t be combined under one “mahogany Martin” estimate. Record the stamp exactly and photograph it clearly. If the impression is faint, change the lighting angle before deciding whether an extra zero is present.

The same caution applies to small and scarce versions. A 5-17 or a small-run 000-17 needs a matching model row and evidence for its production identity. Rarity alone doesn’t establish a usable price. Original condition, repair needs and the pool of buyers interested in that configuration still matter.

For a guitar with a missing or uncertain stamp, provide body measurements, the neck joint, bridge and headstock. A provisional identification should remain provisional in the valuation. Choosing an attractive price first and fitting the guitar to that category afterwards creates avoidable uncertainty.

Four-string tenors belong in the Martin tenor price guide, while plectrum models have their own value comparisons. Modern 000-15M, 00-15M and 000-17 instruments aren’t included in these vintage rows.

Inspect the top, back and sides separately. An all-mahogany body still has joints, grain direction and repair locations that need documentation. Identify a center-seam opening as such, and distinguish it from a crack elsewhere in a board. Exterior photographs should be paired with interior views when cleats or patches are present.

The repaired 1951 00-17 photograph shows why a neat overall appearance cannot substitute for a condition description. Record what was repaired, whether it remains stable and whether original wood was removed or covered. A repair invoice can explain work that the finished surface no longer reveals.

Finish deserves its own assessment. The dark color associated with some of these guitars can conceal touch-up in ordinary photographs. Use the finish inspection guide to collect views of protected edges and transitions around the bridge and neck. A shiny surface alone doesn’t establish a refinish.

The effect of work depends on its extent, as explained in the refinishing value discussion. Describe a local touch-up, an oversprayed area and a complete refinish separately. This chart’s excellent-original assumption should never be carried over without checking those details.

Repair cost is part of the discussion, but it isn’t a universal subtraction formula. An instrument requiring work may also have finish changes or replaced parts that continue to affect its appeal after the repair is complete. The broader guide to value-reducing condition issues explains why the findings need to be considered together.

The 0-16NY shares this page with the mahogany family for convenience, but its spruce top and New Yorker construction require a distinct comparison. Use the rows that explicitly name 0-16NY. A superficially similar twelve-fret Custom Shop guitar or another Style 16 variant belongs elsewhere.

Preserved examples need the same structural checks as worn ones. Record bridge height, saddle exposure, heel fit and any top distortion. A clean-looking top can coexist with a setup problem, and attractive photographs don’t establish the suitability of the current strings.

Changes to the plain appointments also deserve attention. Document an added guard, replacement tuners or modifications to the bridge and nut. The appraisal should distinguish reversible replacement parts from changes that removed or covered original material. Keep any retained original parts with the guitar.

The rosewood 00-21NY has separate rows in the Style 21 price guide. Its value cannot be inferred from a 0-16NY simply because both carry the NY suffix.

An H-model guitar may retain Hawaiian features or have been converted for conventional fretted playing. Record the current nut, saddle, fretwork, neck relief and string alignment. A useful conversion needs to be evaluated on its workmanship and the original material affected.

The chart retains the configuration stated beside each Hawaiian row. It doesn’t promise that every converted example fits the same range. A heavily altered guitar, an incomplete conversion and a carefully preserved original can attract different buyers and need different condition comparisons.

If the history is uncertain, include close-ups and any repair invoices with the appraisal request. Avoid further modifications before the guitar has been identified. The guide on restoring before a sale explains why early advice can prevent unnecessary work.

The quoted range is a retail estimate under stated assumptions. An actual purchase offer also depends on the instrument’s present condition and the work needed to prepare it for sale. For a guitar outside a supported row, send the evidence for an individual assessment instead of forcing it into a nearby category.