There are few finer universally applicable and infinitely versatile guitars known to mankind (and beyond) than an older Martin D-18. This one’s top has oranged to a tangy and flavorful shade - a pumpkin-type color we sometimes see in nature but that no type of aging toner can duplicate. Its secure and professional precision tuners are the original Grover Rotomatics with “Pat. Pend. USA” etched on their round back plates. The headstock decal is dark in color (gold script outlined in black); its headplate is Brazilian rosewood and so is the 14-fret to the body fingerboard that is inlaid with 6 mother of pearl dots of decreasing size, and so again is the bridge. Said bridge was in the past re-glued and one can see glue around it; the neck was, in the past, reset, and one can see signs of that on both sides of the heel of the neck where it abuts the body. Its comely face has a replacement black teardrop pickguard, and overall the instruments shows only the most minor signs of use and wear, as well as light finish checking. There is a semi-circular impression (some say you get only one chance to make the first one) on the back of the neck behind the 7th fret, bass side, and other small marks on the neck, scuffs on edge of headstock, a 1 ½” scratch on the bass side near the waist, light pick scratches on and beyond the black teardrop pickguard, including finish wear underneath the pickguard and on the lower treble side of it; there is light buckle marks on the back but not through the finish. In other words, it looks like a 44 year old D-18.
1967 was the transition year for the maple bridge plate under the top, (it was specified as rosewood late that year) but, happily, this guitar was made early enough to have that maple bridge plate. 1966 was the last year for the tortoise pickguard, so this guitar having a black pickguard is period correct. The guitar has just received a never-too-soon set-up and restring at the hands of our most experienced lutherers and now it plays the way the good maker intended. Its nut width is 1 11/16th, and string spacing at the bridge is 2 1/8th”. Although guitars from this period have “the old style Martin neck” we find its oval shape to be most comfortable and inviting to the left hand fingers and palm. The top is bordered in 8-plies of white and black (and you thought -18s were plain), its sides and back in black. This is a most classy six-string, large-bodied acoustic model that has been, at times, called The Working Musicians’ Friend. Gordon Lightfoot wrote some of the finest songs of the late 20th century using an old D-18, and if you set your mind to it, you can create musical masterpieces on this exceptional example as well.
WAS $3753 BUT NOW ON SALE FOR: