5-18 Martin Guitar

for Sale By Owner
Baker City Gal

This website is owned and operated by Jenni Hunt Johnson.

Meet Our Martin

1953 Martin 5‑18 — Vintage, Rare, Family‑Owned (Salt Lake Area)

We are looking to sell our rare, all‑original 1953 Martin 5‑18, family‑owned since at least 1960 and kept in exceptional condition. If you’re a Martin fan, you already know how special these early‑’50s small‑body Martins are — warm, balanced, responsive, and built with craftsmanship you simply can’t replicate today.

This guitar has lived consistently within our family in a smoke‑free, climate‑controlled home — never stored in a basement, garage, or storage unit. It has been cared for properly for decades, and it shows.

Price: $6,500 (serious offers considered)

Click here to see more videos with the Martin on YouTube.

The Story

The big guy in red is my brother, Dave Hunt, playing an amazing little Martin 5‑18 that has been in our family for most — if not all — of its life. Built in 1953, we believe it was acquired soon after by our grandfather, who later passed it on to our mother when my older brothers began learning to play.

This guitar went everywhere with us. It came on every road trip and never stayed behind during the nine summers we spent at Redfish Lake, Idaho. Countless campfire songs were led by that little Martin. The first photo below shows me lying next to it in our cabin at Redfish circa 1960. The second shows me playing it in our Oregon home in 1971. It has been loved, played, and properly cared for across many decades.

Now we’re looking to re‑home it with someone who understands vintage Martins and will continue its story.

Scroll down to see guitar photos.

Features

Year: 1953
Model: 5‑18 (X‑braced, small‑body classic)
Condition: Excellent vintage condition — no cracks, no structural issues, a small puncture on one side was carefully repaired
Originality: All‑original parts
Tone: Clear, warm, articulate — perfect for fingerstyle, folk, and recording
Ownership: One‑family provenance
Case: Like new, heavy duty Gator case included

Hear It Played

There are YouTube videos of my award‑winning musician brother playing this guitar, which beautifully showcase its tone, responsiveness, and character. Click to view.

Serious buyers are welcome to hear it in action.

Local Sale Only

Cash or Venmo
No shipping
Happy to meet in a safe public place
Serious buyers are welcome to play it

Provenance Summary

This 1953 Martin 5-18 has a clear, uninterrupted chain of ownership not long after it was built, supported by family testimony and photographic documentation. Its condition, originality, and well-preserved history make it a strong example of mid-century Martin craftsmanship with exceptional provenance.

Provenance Statement available upon request.

One-page Info Sheet is also available upon request.

Lowball offers will be politely ignored. We are happy to wait for the right buyer.