1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet

Subject: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: Wesley S
Date: 06 May 03 - 01:39 PM

We were at rehearsal last night when a friend of ours - Kent - droped by. He's a pastor of a small church west of Ft Worth. He wanted us to look at a guitar that some church members had found in a closet. It belonged to their dad. They wanted to know if it was worth repairing - and could it be valuable. Yep - it was...

We opened up the original hardshell case and found a pristine 1933 { we checked the 5 digit serial number } OO-42 Martin. The bridge has lifted slightly off the body but that looks like it can be easily repaired. Otherwise it's in fantastic shape. Some discoloration where the hands and arm came in contact with the body and some small dents on the neck where a capo has been used but that's it. No cracks - no major dings - and no structural damage. Just some buckle damage on the back. The only thing that would let you know that it's old is the finish crackles.

We were chomping at the bit to hear what it sounded like but it has to go to a repairman first. Any suggestions in the Ft Worth or Dallas area ? And as to value I told Kent I figured it would start at 10,000 to 15,000. Am I in the ballpark?

Special bonus attractions were : a rattlesnake rattle was inside the body when I looked for the serial number AND the original 1933 Martin catalog it was ordered from. It only cost $115.00 when purchased { I'll take two please! }. It was a real hoot to see an OM-45 sold for a little over $200.00 back then.

Thanks for letting me share - I felt like a kid in a candy store. I'll let you know what it souds like after we get it repaired

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 May 03 - 01:48 PM

Wow!! Antiques Roadshow eat yer heart out!

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 06 May 03 - 02:00 PM

Just in case anyone is curious as to what a 00-42 looks like, here's a link to some pickies Click Here. I didn't see where it said what year the one in the pictures is.   

Bruce

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: catspaw49
Date: 06 May 03 - 02:00 PM

Wouldn't happen to have a '57 Fuelie out in the barn would they?

Spaw

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: Midchuck
Date: 06 May 03 - 03:06 PM

Send it over to Brian Kimsey in the NE corner of New Mexico. They'll have to wait 'till Fall when he ships the steers out, he does most of his lutherie work in the winter, but it's worth the wait.

Peter.

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: Fortunato
Date: 06 May 03 - 03:09 PM

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: Padre
Date: 06 May 03 - 04:50 PM

Jonathan Eberhart always told people to look in old trunks for great songs. The same must apply to old closets!!!

Padre

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: Bill D
Date: 06 May 03 - 04:56 PM

...and Jonathan's closet was a prime example....but HE knew what he had.

It sure must be nice being a part of a doscovery like that.

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: Steve-o
Date: 06 May 03 - 05:50 PM

Drool....slobber....Yes, I would say you're probably in the "low end" of the ballpark. Get a really good luthier, and when you finally play it you won't be able to find the right words to describe it to us.

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: GUEST,emily b
Date: 06 May 03 - 06:07 PM

I don't know much about guitars and am particularly lacking knowledge on vintage Martins however, a friends great aunt many years ago was given a Martin that eventually made it into my friends hands. The date inside is 1896. He had it taken to Martin who looked it over.

It just wasn't all that valuable. They priced it at under $1000. 1896 wasn't a good year. So old isn't necessarily equivalent of valuable.

Wesley, I hope your story ends up with a great ending. I remember going to a guitar sale with the same friend. Without a doubt, our favorite guitar of the day was a vintage Martin priced at $40,000. That guitar absolutely sang.

Tell your friend to be especially careful about who he takes it to. Or maybe he should ship it to Martin. Often the repair job can take away some value.

Good luck.
Emily

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: wordfella
Date: 06 May 03 - 06:25 PM

It still happens every once in a while, doesn't it? Twenty years ago, I bought a '63 Stratocaster at a garage sale for $100. Its last appraisal was $6000.

Lucky buys like this maybe need a thread...

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: GUEST,Pre-Cites
Date: 06 May 03 - 06:28 PM

Don't mess around with this.
Take it to Gruhn's in Nashville for the appraisal.
If it's everything claimed, I expected it would fetch in the realm of 40-50K maybe even more.

George will offer to consign it for 90 days at at even higher price, and then sensing your frustratration that it hasn't sold in the 90 days, he'll offer you half of what it's really worth.

Just get the appraisal from him.
Then, throw it on Ebay for 8 or 9 days (set the reserve at about 30K) and then the bidding will determine it's REAL market value.

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: open mike
Date: 06 May 03 - 08:33 PM

what, pray tell, is the story behind the rattle snake rattle?
a custom? a tradition? superstition? ever heard of it before?

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: GUEST,Jeep Man
Date: 06 May 03 - 09:47 PM

SEND IT TO MARTIN. THEY MADE IT AND THEY KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. JIM

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 May 03 - 01:12 AM

open mike, we've had a few references to it before:

Giac once said, Rattlesnake rattles sound best inside a fiddle. They'll really "sing" then. I once had some with 13 rattles in my long-ago-stolen Gibson. I hope the SOB got bitten by the snake spirit.

And, Les said they make a fiddle sound sweeter in this thread.

I am sure we've talked about the tales concerning this practice, but I cannot find the reference at the moment. Sorry:-<

kat

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: GUEST,Les B.
Date: 07 May 03 - 03:39 PM

Kat - I'd forgotten that post. Part of the folklore rationale is that the tail collects dust and/or moisture, and also scares away mice. Plus the idea that the rattle's own natural resonance will impart a better sound to the instrument. I've got one in my fiddle and my guitars, but it's hard to get a very big one through a fiddle's F hole.

Les

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 May 03 - 04:42 PM

Thanks, Les! Good to know more about it...I'd just have a problem getting the tail off the rattler, let alone getting it through my fiddle's f-holes!**bg**

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: Wesley S
Date: 07 May 03 - 05:08 PM

Kat - I'm suprised you don't know how to charm the tail off a rattler.

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: catspaw49
Date: 07 May 03 - 05:13 PM

Wes, on a completely honest note here........If they intend to sell it, DO NOT have it repaired. The vintage buyer is going to know what it's worth and have his own favorite luthier. Most would prefer it in the condition it's in rather than repaired badly, or even a decent job, just not perfect.

Don't get too excited on super big bucks either. Here a 1925 00-42 going for $6500.

Spaw

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 May 03 - 05:15 PM

Oh, now you've done it, Wesley! No one was 'sposed ta know I graduated from that ACME Snake-Charmer's Long-distance, Genuine & Endorsed by ALi Baba Correspondence Course with veils, basket and snake included! Of course that was a cobra and didn't have any rattles to charm, so, well...um..mebbe if I practice some more? I can get him to dance real pretty!

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: GUEST,Pre-Cites
Date: 07 May 03 - 10:08 PM

Here's a 1925 00-42 going for $6500


- Yes but, bridge isn't period authentic (should be a through saddle
and
- not "Golden Era" (1930 - early 1944)

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 09 Nov 11 - 06:08 AM

More crap

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: Paul Burke
Date: 09 Nov 11 - 06:35 AM

I assume you're responding to a dleted post John (freelance writer perhaps?).

Just as a matter of interest, what DID it sell for?

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: GUEST,mayomick
Date: 09 Nov 11 - 08:42 AM

I think it might have been mine. I seem to remember leaving an old Martin in a closet in Fort Worth some time ago . Fort Worth - that's in Texas , right? If you want to send it over to me , I would be happy to pay any mailing costs incurred.

Subject: RE: 1933 Martin OO-42 found in a closet
From: Splott Man
Date: 10 Nov 11 - 04:05 AM

On a video I have, Bill Monroe says he keeps a rattlesnake rattle in his mandolin because it stops black widow spiders making webs in there and settling in.