What its worth for this Martin guitar

[gibsonchiu]

Someone sells this martin guitar, the model is OOO16 STR. Can some provide information about this model and what is it worth?

[Raj]

I don't think there's any such model as a 000-16 STR, and that's certainly not a Martin headstock. Could be a refinished 000-16 FrankenMartin, I suppose.

 

As such, it's probably worth whatever someone'll pay for it.

[missedmyexit]

Yep that's not a C.F. Martin. Maybe some other Martin. As far as what it's worth hard to say.

[Freeman Keller]

I agree, I have never heard of that model number. However the headstock is reminiscent of the very first Martins back in the early 1800s. CFM (the first) learned his trade from a violin maker named Stauffer (or something close to that) and the very early Martins had a head stock similar to this thing.

 

If that happened to be a Stauffer-Martin it would probably be worth a few million... I think there is one on display at Nazareth.

[Samilyn]

Yup - Freeman has the name right. CF apprenticed in Stauffer's shop and soon became foreman. Later, he opened his own shop. Then a brouhaha between the violin maker's guild and the cabinet maker's guild ultimately caused CF's immigration to New York in 1833.

 

A couple of tidbits of history here, pasted from the Martin site:

 

"A number of Martin guitars manufactured prior to 1840 are labeled "Martin & Schatz" and "Martin & Coupa." "

 

And this:

 

"Until the mid-1840s, Martin guitars were characterized by a headstock that had all the tuning keys on one side. Martin acquired this design from his teacher in Vienna, Johann Stauffer. The headstock design with all the tuning keys on one side was discontinued by Martin and went unused until Leo Fender resurrected the design in 1948 with his Telecaster guitar."

[pk1fan]

Check this out http://cgi.ebay.com/Martin-SP00-16ST-Stauffer-Guitar_W0QQitemZ320156277943QQihZ011QQcategoryZ33028QQcmdZViewItem looks like it .

[Samilyn]

And here is what is purported to be "The Real Thing." Says it was appraised by Martin in 2001 for $150K. Guy is letting it go for a mere $85K.

 

Mucho Eye Candy! Check it out:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/clt/457560288.html

[Freeman Keller]

If memory serves me (I don't have the vintage guitar book handy) the original Stauffers had an adjustable neck with a big key looking thing that you inserted into the heel. Or was that something else?

 

And it is entirely possible (and probable) that Martin did a modern reproduction of the old Stauffer, which apparently is what this thing is. I did drop the number furnished in the original post into the Martin website (which will link to any out of production model - it yielded nothing). However, neither did the number in the e-bay link.

 

By the way, these Martin models are "ought" as in "zero", not "oh" as in the letter O (OM is letters, 000 is triple ought).

[DonK]

 

If memory serves me (I don't have the vintage guitar book handy) the original Stauffers had an adjustable neck with a big key looking thing that you inserted into the heel. Or was that something else? And it is entirely possible (and probable) that Martin did a modern reproduction of the old Stauffer, which apparently is what this thing is. I did drop the number furnished in the original post into the Martin website (which will link to any out of production model - it yielded nothing). However, neither did the number in the e-bay link. By the way, these Martin models are "ought" as in "zero", not "oh" as in the letter O (OM is letters, 000 is triple ought).

 

 

They may well have made a repro. My Blue Book says they made both 00-40ST and 00-45ST Stauffer Limited Editions with the curved headstock in 1997 (which is the last year shown in my 4th Edition; presumably if they made one for the 16 Series it would have been more recent). I guess there's always the possibility of the Martin Custom Shop too.

[Samilyn]

Yup, Freeman. I remember reading that sometime in the early years in New York, CF came up with an adjustable neck. But back then, I guess it was a case of "right track, wrong train." If I remember correctly, though very innovative for the day and age, it tended to go out of adjustment or slip when the strings were under tension, so he dropped the design.

 

I can't find anything definitive for a reproduction with that headstock, but apparently there was indeed a limited edition or signature edition with that Stauffer headstock. I also found a reference to a 00-40 and a 00-45 with the that headstock. But nothing on the Martin website and no pics other than the one on FleaBay and, of course the real Martin & Coupa ones that are either in the museums or that one on Craigslist.

 

As for the 000-16 and 000C-16 (cutaway) models, those were introduced in the '90s.

[pk1fan]

 

They may well have made a repro.

+1 .

 

We did sell Martin in the shop where I work up untill about 4 years ago . Martin has made a lot of limited production models in the last few years.

[Samilyn]

And indeed they did. Late '90s through early 2000s. Just weird that I can't find anything on the Martin website about it. But with a slight adjustment to the model number in the original post, quite a few hits come up.

 

For instance, lookie what I just found:

http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/10U-3870.htm

[Freeman Keller]

The original Stauffer and the Martin-Stauffers were all gut strung, even tho at least some of them had pin bridges (I learned this the other night with Stack's question about the history of pins). So would the repro's be nylon? Or did they just tack that (butt-ugly in my opinion) headstock on a MT neckjoint 16 series small body and call it good?

 

Not to change the subject but speaking of reproductions, there is a rumor of an 000-18A to be released this fall. That one has my attention....

[Samilyn]

LOL, Freeman. Too right - that headstock is butt-ugly. And I'm no fan of the pyramid bridge, either.

[Freeman Keller]

 

LOL, Freeman. Too right - that headstock is butt-ugly. And I'm no fan of the pyramid bridge, either.

 

 

If I buy a 000-18A it better have a pyramid bridge. With some stinky old horse glue under it. And a lovely slotted headstock.

 

Back to topic. I was looking for something else on the Martin site and noticed this page. Look at the icon for the "Inactive Models" A quick look under the 16 series didn't find anything tho, but I might have missed it

 

http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/

[Raj]

I'd forgotten those Stauffer headstocks, I remember seeing pictures of them. So far from what's been done since 1900.

[Samilyn]

If I buy a 000-18A it better have a pyramid bridge. With some stinky old horse glue under it. And a lovely slotted headstock. Back to topic. I was looking for something else on the Martin site and noticed this page. Look at the icon for the "Inactive Models" A quick look under the 16 series didn't find anything tho, but I might have missed it http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/

 

LOL - to each his/her own. If I were to indulge in a special bridge, it'd be the "celtic knot" inlaid bridge from the limited edition D45.

 

And no, you didn't miss that 0016 at the Martin site. I searched high and low and nowhere on that site did I find mention of the 0016RST. Makes me wonder if they're embarassed?