1999 Martin 000-15 – Mahogany – Includes Hard Case – Used Very Good
The 000-15 has one of the more interesting origin stories in Martin's catalog — a model that traces its DNA directly back to 1939, when the Great Depression forced Martin to strip away ornamentation and build a guitar that working musicians could actually afford. What emerged from that constraint was something genuinely special: an all-mahogany 000 body with no binding, no inlay, no cosmetic flourishes of any kind, just solid wood and honest construction. The result was a guitar that sounded warm, focused, and immediate in a way that more elaborate instruments sometimes don't, and players who found one quickly discovered that the lack of ornamentation was not a compromise — it was a design philosophy. The 1999 reintroduction of the model captured that same spirit, and this early example was built with Honduran mahogany — the same species that went into the original 1939 models and one that many players and builders consider superior in voice to the Genuine mahogany used in later production. All-solid Honduran mahogany top, back, sides, and neck, A-frame X-bracing, East Indian rosewood fingerboard with diamond and square short-pattern inlays, rosewood bridge, bone nut and saddle, nickel open-gear tuners with butterbean buttons, and a thin satin finish that lets the wood breathe and develop — this is Martin building a guitar the way they built them when the point was to make music, not to impress anyone. Twenty-five years of play have only made it better.
This one has been loved and played — it has some dings and honest wear consistent with a guitar that has spent its life being used rather than displayed. The top shows a slight belly, which is normal and expected on an instrument of this age and use, and the geometry checks out correctly with good action and room on the saddle for adjustment in either direction. Just set up through our shop, minimal fret wear, nut, saddle, and tuners all in good shape. Warm and smooth in every register — a great player with many miles ahead of it, in shape to last many more decades.
- Make: Martin
- Model: 000-15 (renamed 000-15M in 2010)
- Year: 1999
- Country of origin: USA (Nazareth, PA)
- Body shape: 000, 14-fret
- Top: Solid Honduran mahogany, satin finish
- Back and sides: Solid Honduran mahogany
- Bracing: A-frame X-brace
- Neck: Honduran mahogany, modified low oval profile, simple dovetail joint
- Fingerboard: East Indian rosewood, diamond and square short-pattern inlays, unbound
- Bridge: East Indian rosewood, modern belly drop-in saddle
- Nut: Bone, 1-11/16"
- Saddle: Compensated bone, room for adjustment
- Scale length: 25.4"
- Frets: 20, minimal wear
- Pickguard: Tortoise pattern
- Binding: None
- Tuners: Nickel open-gear with butterbean buttons
- Top condition: Slight belly, geometry correct, plays well
- Modifications: None
- Condition: Used Very Good – some dings and honest wear consistent with a well-played instrument, slight top belly, minimal fret wear, plays great
- Includes: Hard case
Ships carefully packed and insured for full value. International buyers are welcome — please contact us for a shipping quote before purchasing.
About Mill River Music
Mill River Music is an independent, human-powered music shop located in downtown Northampton, MA, run by a team of players, enthusiasts, and certified repair technicians. Every piece of used gear we sell is personally inspected, tested, and set up before it ships — we don't list it until we'd be happy to play it ourselves.
As Martin and Taylor certified techs, we hold our guitar work to a high standard, and we're committed to full transparency about the condition of everything we sell. No surprises.
When you buy from Mill River, you're supporting an independent local business that genuinely cares — about gear, about players, and about doing things right. We're here every step of the way. Reach out anytime.
