1929 Martin 2-17

The Martin 2-17 was introduced in 1922 and has the distinction of being the company’s first model to be offered as a steel-string, without the option for gut string set-up. Throughout the 1920s Martin offered steel string set up (or ‘Regulation’ as they called it) as an option for any model, but the humble 2-17 ushered in the steel string era without any fanfare. It was well received and helped Martin ready for the transition to steel strings for all of their models.

This example is a lovely specimen of the 2-17 model. Unlike the 17 series guitars that date from 1930 and later, the 1920’s 2-17 featured a rosewood-bound body with wooden purflings to the top, attractive three-color wooden rosette, and simple dark center strip in the back. The body and neck are mahogany, and the fretboard and bridge are rosewood. The slotted headstock is fitted with brass Waverly tuners with ivoroid buttons, the fretboard is radiused and has a short 24.4” scale, and the nut width is 1-3/4” - a 1/16” narrower than Martin’s other slotted headstock guitars of the period. The neck is fabulously comfortable and feels much more like an OM than a 12-fret model.

This guitar is in excellent playing condition and has just had its neck reset and bridge replaced here in our shop as the original was shaved too low. The new bridge’s footprint is dimensionally identical to the original and looks just right. The guitar is crack-free; its only other repairs are two cleanly reglued back-brace ends and a new bone nut; all compliments of Folkway’s repairshop. The original frets are well dressed and play cleanly. We’ve set up the guitar with 12-54 stings and a fingerstyle action of just under 5/64ths under the high E to about 5.5/64ths under the low E string at the 12th fret.

This 2-17 has a width across the lower bout of 12-1/8”. It’s a rather small and intimately sized guitar, but thanks to its light build and bracing, it has surprising volume, openness, and more bass response and midrange projection than most any comparably sized contemporary guitar. A strong fingerstyle player, comfortable couch guitar, and capable flatpicking lead guitar, this 2-17 offers a lot more that you’d likely expect.

The neck has a soft-V carve that’s easy to handle and remarkably comfortable. The depth at the 1st fret is a modern-spec .825”. String spread at the saddle is 2-3/8”. The guitar weighs in at 2.6 lbs.

With period / original chipboard case.

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