C. F. Martin D-18 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1967)
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Item # 13215
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C. F. Martin D-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1967), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 218132, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back, sides and neck; spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, original black hard shell case.
This is a fine-sounding D-18 built in early 1967, a time when Martin's Dreadnought flat tops were steadily increasing in popularity. This trend would peak in the early 70's, when the singer-songwriter boom made them more than ever the world's de rigeur flat top. Earlier in the 1960s the mahogany D-18 and its pricier rosewood sister the D-28 were already practically emblems of the Folk revival, thanks in large part to the Kingston Trio. As the decade went on the Martin Dreadnought became -- and pretty much remained ever since -- the acoustic guitar of choice for serious pickers of just about every persuasion.
This D-18 has the standard mahogany back, sides and neck with a spruce top and a set of transitional appointments specific to 1966-7. The pickguard is still the older style tortoise celluloid; good thing too as the new style black acetate it was replaced with later this year proved to have serious shrinkage issues. The outer body binding is black plastic, a change made the year before. The rosewood bridge has the short saddle recently introduced but rests over the traditional small maple bridgeplate, replaced year or so later with a much larger rosewood piece. The original tuners are "Patent Pending" Grover Rotomatics, a recent fitting on this model at the time. The headstock's "rounded" corners are characteristic of this period, the result of Martin's shaping templates having become worn from extensive use.
Martin records indicate 2602 D-18s were shipped in 1967, the best sales year for the model to date. At $295 (plus case) this guitar represented a serious professional level investment, but it was the ambition of a vast number of aspiring flat-top players to own one. From its introduction in the early 1930s on, the D-18 has been a workhorse for country, gospel, folk, and other forms of American vernacular music and in the '60's this sonic palette only expanded. This D-18 sings with a powerful, bright and clear sound, and is an excellent instrument for just about any flat-top application.
Overall length is 40 3/4 in. (103.5 cm.), 15 3/4 in. (40 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 15/16 in. (12.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
Overall this nearly 60 year old D-18 shows some wear and repair but survives in fine playing shape. The finish remains original except for some discreet touchup along the bottom edge of the top, done for no obvious reason and really only noticeable under blacklight. The lacquer has some typical checking (mostly on the top) but with the most notable pickwear is to the lower lip of the soundhole. The top shows are some random dings, dents and pick scrapes but nothing too serious. The back and sides show some dings, scratches and scrapes but no really heavy wear; nobody wore a cowboy belt buckle with this one!. The back of the neck is fairly clean with light wear.
The only top cracks are one in the typical spot along the upper edge of the pickguard, cleated with a maple strip running alongside the upper x-brace on the treble side, and a resealed center seam under the bridge, neatly cleated. There are also two tight side cracks on the treble rim between the waist and lower bout that have been internally sealed with bias tape; no finish was added for any of these repairs.
The original short-saddle rosewood bridge looks to have been lowered just a bit in front of the saddle long ago and reglued. There is a small repair to a split on top of the bridge which is practically invisible. Internally the small maple bridgeplate is original and nicely intact as well, the braces remain original and unaltered.
The neck has been neatly reset, the original frets lightly recrowned with minimal subsequent wear. The bone nut appears to be a replacement. No strap button was ever added to the heel have been. In general this is a used but well cared for guitar, and it remains a fine playing and sounding piece of 1960's Martin goodness from the last great year before the guitars began to be noticeably more heavily built. It resides in the original HSC. Very Good + Condition.
This is a fine-sounding D-18 built in early 1967, a time when Martin's Dreadnought flat tops were steadily increasing in popularity. This trend would peak in the early 70's, when the singer-songwriter boom made them more than ever the world's de rigeur flat top. Earlier in the 1960s the mahogany D-18 and its pricier rosewood sister the D-28 were already practically emblems of the Folk revival, thanks in large part to the Kingston Trio. As the decade went on the Martin Dreadnought became -- and pretty much remained ever since -- the acoustic guitar of choice for serious pickers of just about every persuasion.
This D-18 has the standard mahogany back, sides and neck with a spruce top and a set of transitional appointments specific to 1966-7. The pickguard is still the older style tortoise celluloid; good thing too as the new style black acetate it was replaced with later this year proved to have serious shrinkage issues. The outer body binding is black plastic, a change made the year before. The rosewood bridge has the short saddle recently introduced but rests over the traditional small maple bridgeplate, replaced year or so later with a much larger rosewood piece. The original tuners are "Patent Pending" Grover Rotomatics, a recent fitting on this model at the time. The headstock's "rounded" corners are characteristic of this period, the result of Martin's shaping templates having become worn from extensive use.
Martin records indicate 2602 D-18s were shipped in 1967, the best sales year for the model to date. At $295 (plus case) this guitar represented a serious professional level investment, but it was the ambition of a vast number of aspiring flat-top players to own one. From its introduction in the early 1930s on, the D-18 has been a workhorse for country, gospel, folk, and other forms of American vernacular music and in the '60's this sonic palette only expanded. This D-18 sings with a powerful, bright and clear sound, and is an excellent instrument for just about any flat-top application.
Overall length is 40 3/4 in. (103.5 cm.), 15 3/4 in. (40 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 15/16 in. (12.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.).
Overall this nearly 60 year old D-18 shows some wear and repair but survives in fine playing shape. The finish remains original except for some discreet touchup along the bottom edge of the top, done for no obvious reason and really only noticeable under blacklight. The lacquer has some typical checking (mostly on the top) but with the most notable pickwear is to the lower lip of the soundhole. The top shows are some random dings, dents and pick scrapes but nothing too serious. The back and sides show some dings, scratches and scrapes but no really heavy wear; nobody wore a cowboy belt buckle with this one!. The back of the neck is fairly clean with light wear.
The only top cracks are one in the typical spot along the upper edge of the pickguard, cleated with a maple strip running alongside the upper x-brace on the treble side, and a resealed center seam under the bridge, neatly cleated. There are also two tight side cracks on the treble rim between the waist and lower bout that have been internally sealed with bias tape; no finish was added for any of these repairs.
The original short-saddle rosewood bridge looks to have been lowered just a bit in front of the saddle long ago and reglued. There is a small repair to a split on top of the bridge which is practically invisible. Internally the small maple bridgeplate is original and nicely intact as well, the braces remain original and unaltered.
The neck has been neatly reset, the original frets lightly recrowned with minimal subsequent wear. The bone nut appears to be a replacement. No strap button was ever added to the heel have been. In general this is a used but well cared for guitar, and it remains a fine playing and sounding piece of 1960's Martin goodness from the last great year before the guitars began to be noticeably more heavily built. It resides in the original HSC. Very Good + Condition.