A 1942 Martin C-2 Archtop.

Style C-2 arch top.

Arch top body size is equivalent to the flat top 000 body size, 15″ wide across the top, carved sruce top, back is not carved but is arched by bracing, rosewood back and sides, unbound elevated tortoise pickguard, style 28 type multiple bound top and back with white outer layer, zipper zigzag backstripe, trapeze tail piece, rosewood fingerboard, vertical “Martin” peghead logo, nickel plated parts, sunburst top finish.

The C-series archtops were long scale until mid-1934, same as the 000 models. Sometimes a C model is converted from an archtop to a 000 style flat top. A conversion of a short scale C-2 (mid-1934 and later) won’t exactly be a 000 either. The neck must be shortened to get the shallower angle required for a flat top. This amounts to about 1/3 of a fret, so the guitar ends up having a 13 2/3 fret neck. This puts the bridge position a little lower on the top, closer to the OM bridge position (but not exactly the same). The other feature on the C models that is different from a 000 is the back arch and the back braces. The archtops have more arch in the back and taller #3 and #4 back braces. Note the 1939 and later C-2 models have no abalone, the neck inlays are pearloid.

• • Round sound hole.
  • Unbound fingerboard.
  • Slotted diamond fingerboard inlays.
  • f-holes introduced instead of round sound hole. Made either way this year.

  • Learn to play guitar

  • Round sound hole completely dropped in favor of f-holes.
  • Bound fingerboard.
  • Scale length shortened (much like the 000 models).
  • Fingerboard inlays change to hexagonal pearloid inlays at frets 3,5,7,9,12,15.

1931 Martin C-2 guitar introduction specs:1932 Style C-2 specs:

1933 Style C-2 specs:

1935 Style C-2 specs:

1939 Style C-2 specs:

1942 Martin Style C-2 guitar discontinued.