C. F. Martin D-18 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1937)
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C. F. Martin D-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1937), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 65871, natural lacquer finish, Mahogany back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
On practically anyone's list of all time great guitars, the pre-WWII Martin D-18 Dreadnought ranks among the very highest. This is a fine example of a 1937 D-18; well used but not abused, solidly maintained and a superb player with the enormous yet ever clear sound these have always been prized for. There were only 426 D-18's made in 1937, which by later standards is a very small number indeed. With a list price of $65 (plus case) this was an expensive instrument for most players in depression era America, and many once acquired were played for decades, sometimes virtually into the ground.
This guitar was built in early 1937 with the earlier style "advanced" scalloped X Bracing and wider nut 1 3/4" that have become the firm connoisseur's choice features on pre-war Martin dreadnoughts. Other typical classic features of the era including a very close-grain Adirondack red spruce top, ebony bridge and fingerboard, tortoise celluloid pickguard and binding and openback Grover G-98 tuners. This neck is not only wider but also somewhat chunkier in feel than Martin necks from the next decade, with a residual "soft V" profile that is not prominent in the lower positions but becomes more noticeable as the neck approaches the body. The unbound ebony fingerboard has mixed-size pearl dot inlay and a bone nut.
This D-18 plays effortlessly with a smooth and exceptionally powerful sound typical of these original "Golden Age" Martins. The Dreadnoughts of this era were undisputed favorites with professional Country & Western radio and stage entertainers when new, and are known as perfect guitars for a wide range of styles. This D-18 is a fantastic recording guitar in any context, with the mellow depth of the Dreadnought mixed with the crisp slightly dry ring of a mahogany body. This is a fairly early prewar example, played, loved and solidly ready for many more decades of musical delight.
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 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This early D-18 has seen some well-deserved heavy use over the last eight+ decades but has survived in better condition than many, showing overall superficial wear but fewer repairs than average. The original thin lacquer finish survives intact with no overfinishing or notable touch up. There is moderately heavy play wear overall; the top shows a decent amount of checking, noticeable pickwear, plus dings, dents and some oddly random scratches. Whoever played this guitar the longest rested their hand on the bridge, causing wear into the wood around the bridge base on the treble side and the area between it and the rear edge of the pickguard. The back and sides have numerous dings, dents and scrapes the heaviest being to the lower side and the belt buckle wear into the finish and down to the wood on the lower back. The back of the neck is worn down to bare wood on both edges and in the lower positions.
Amazingly enough we can find NO cracks on this guitar, which for a 1937 well-used Martin is fairly extraordinary. Visible repairs are confined to general maintenance with the obligatory neck reset (very neatly done) and the fingerboard trued and nicely refretted with appropriate wire. There are a few unfilled small divots to the ebony fingerboard in the first position, otherwise it has worn very well. There was never any strap button added at the heel.
The original ebony bridge was lowered slightly long ago, possible reglued but if so the work was exceptionally neat. Internally all the beautiful original scalloped braces and small maple bridgeplate remain intact, the only reglued bracework is the fourth back brace on the treble side. The original tuners remain intact and functional with some plating wear. A newer endpin was recently installed due to the old one shearing; the bridgepins are older, possibly period if not original.
The guitar is simply a wonderful instrument; The frets have some very light wear and playability is excellent. This is simply a truly fine guitar for the serious player, with the advanced X-braced sound and feel that countless Dreadnoughts since have sought to re-create. While far from pristine cosmetically, structurally this is one of the finest D-18's from this exalted period we have seen, the sort of guitar that instantly shows why the praise for and obsession with these guitars is ongoing nearly a century after their creation. Overall Very Good + Condition.
On practically anyone's list of all time great guitars, the pre-WWII Martin D-18 Dreadnought ranks among the very highest. This is a fine example of a 1937 D-18; well used but not abused, solidly maintained and a superb player with the enormous yet ever clear sound these have always been prized for. There were only 426 D-18's made in 1937, which by later standards is a very small number indeed. With a list price of $65 (plus case) this was an expensive instrument for most players in depression era America, and many once acquired were played for decades, sometimes virtually into the ground.
This guitar was built in early 1937 with the earlier style "advanced" scalloped X Bracing and wider nut 1 3/4" that have become the firm connoisseur's choice features on pre-war Martin dreadnoughts. Other typical classic features of the era including a very close-grain Adirondack red spruce top, ebony bridge and fingerboard, tortoise celluloid pickguard and binding and openback Grover G-98 tuners. This neck is not only wider but also somewhat chunkier in feel than Martin necks from the next decade, with a residual "soft V" profile that is not prominent in the lower positions but becomes more noticeable as the neck approaches the body. The unbound ebony fingerboard has mixed-size pearl dot inlay and a bone nut.
This D-18 plays effortlessly with a smooth and exceptionally powerful sound typical of these original "Golden Age" Martins. The Dreadnoughts of this era were undisputed favorites with professional Country & Western radio and stage entertainers when new, and are known as perfect guitars for a wide range of styles. This D-18 is a fantastic recording guitar in any context, with the mellow depth of the Dreadnought mixed with the crisp slightly dry ring of a mahogany body. This is a fairly early prewar example, played, loved and solidly ready for many more decades of musical delight.
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 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This early D-18 has seen some well-deserved heavy use over the last eight+ decades but has survived in better condition than many, showing overall superficial wear but fewer repairs than average. The original thin lacquer finish survives intact with no overfinishing or notable touch up. There is moderately heavy play wear overall; the top shows a decent amount of checking, noticeable pickwear, plus dings, dents and some oddly random scratches. Whoever played this guitar the longest rested their hand on the bridge, causing wear into the wood around the bridge base on the treble side and the area between it and the rear edge of the pickguard. The back and sides have numerous dings, dents and scrapes the heaviest being to the lower side and the belt buckle wear into the finish and down to the wood on the lower back. The back of the neck is worn down to bare wood on both edges and in the lower positions.
Amazingly enough we can find NO cracks on this guitar, which for a 1937 well-used Martin is fairly extraordinary. Visible repairs are confined to general maintenance with the obligatory neck reset (very neatly done) and the fingerboard trued and nicely refretted with appropriate wire. There are a few unfilled small divots to the ebony fingerboard in the first position, otherwise it has worn very well. There was never any strap button added at the heel.
The original ebony bridge was lowered slightly long ago, possible reglued but if so the work was exceptionally neat. Internally all the beautiful original scalloped braces and small maple bridgeplate remain intact, the only reglued bracework is the fourth back brace on the treble side. The original tuners remain intact and functional with some plating wear. A newer endpin was recently installed due to the old one shearing; the bridgepins are older, possibly period if not original.
The guitar is simply a wonderful instrument; The frets have some very light wear and playability is excellent. This is simply a truly fine guitar for the serious player, with the advanced X-braced sound and feel that countless Dreadnoughts since have sought to re-create. While far from pristine cosmetically, structurally this is one of the finest D-18's from this exalted period we have seen, the sort of guitar that instantly shows why the praise for and obsession with these guitars is ongoing nearly a century after their creation. Overall Very Good + Condition.