C. F. Martin D-18 Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1947)
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Item # 9757
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C. F. Martin D-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1947), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 102261, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
There are certain guitars that are simply the standard by which all others are judged; the vintage Martin D-18 is certainly one of them. This just post-war example made in 1947 shows far less playwear and repair than most, remaining in excellent playing condition with the expected splendid sound in spades. The power and depth of a Dreadnought combines with the sweetness, sparkle, and singing character of the best mahogany Martins in a magical mix, an exceptionally versatile flat-top guitar suited to practically any musical situation.
This D-18 shows the classic features of the model, widely imitated in the decades since. The back and sides are Honduras mahogany and the top is tight-grained Sitka spruce, bound on the outside with tortoise celluloid. The Rosewood bridge has a canted bone saddle. The pickguard is made of tortoise celluloid in a small "teardrop" shape which often proved too small to fully protect the top from enthusiastic picking, but this one has escaped too serious wear!
The neck has a slightly chunkier feel than typical wartime examples, round backed but with a noticeable dress away to the shoulders. The rosewood fingerboard is unbound with mixed-size pearl dot inlay. The headstock is fitted with large-plate open backed individual Kluson tuners specific to this era, faced with rosewood and adorned with the gold Martin logo decal.
In the minds of most acoustic guitar players, collectors, and historians very few instruments approach the pantheon of the vintage Martin Dreadnought in terms of sound and historical importance. While not as sought after as pre-WWII examples the just post war guitars like this D-18 have much to recommend them. It is a fantastic performing or recording guitar, a great early postwar example that was very well-cared for and ready for many more years of picking.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 15 5/8 in. (39.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 7/8 in. (12.4 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.).
This is very finely preserved and excellent sounding '47 D-18, one of the nicest we have had from this period. The original finish is clean overall with some general play wear, small dings, dents and scrapes and most noticeably pickwear adjacent to the pickguard by the treble side of the bridge and a few small dents and press marks on the treble side of the pickguard and in between the bridge and the tailblock. The bridge has been shaved down somewhat and has been reglued. The interior of the guitar, including the bridgeplate, is clean and free of repairs.
There is an added strap button on the side of the heel but no other alterations. There are no cracks anywhere, a very good neck reset and new saddle make this an excellent player with a very powerful sound. Simply a superb just postwar D-18, this would make an exceptional recording or gigging instrument for just about any style player. Includes a more recent HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.
There are certain guitars that are simply the standard by which all others are judged; the vintage Martin D-18 is certainly one of them. This just post-war example made in 1947 shows far less playwear and repair than most, remaining in excellent playing condition with the expected splendid sound in spades. The power and depth of a Dreadnought combines with the sweetness, sparkle, and singing character of the best mahogany Martins in a magical mix, an exceptionally versatile flat-top guitar suited to practically any musical situation.
This D-18 shows the classic features of the model, widely imitated in the decades since. The back and sides are Honduras mahogany and the top is tight-grained Sitka spruce, bound on the outside with tortoise celluloid. The Rosewood bridge has a canted bone saddle. The pickguard is made of tortoise celluloid in a small "teardrop" shape which often proved too small to fully protect the top from enthusiastic picking, but this one has escaped too serious wear!
The neck has a slightly chunkier feel than typical wartime examples, round backed but with a noticeable dress away to the shoulders. The rosewood fingerboard is unbound with mixed-size pearl dot inlay. The headstock is fitted with large-plate open backed individual Kluson tuners specific to this era, faced with rosewood and adorned with the gold Martin logo decal.
In the minds of most acoustic guitar players, collectors, and historians very few instruments approach the pantheon of the vintage Martin Dreadnought in terms of sound and historical importance. While not as sought after as pre-WWII examples the just post war guitars like this D-18 have much to recommend them. It is a fantastic performing or recording guitar, a great early postwar example that was very well-cared for and ready for many more years of picking.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 15 5/8 in. (39.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 7/8 in. (12.4 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.).
This is very finely preserved and excellent sounding '47 D-18, one of the nicest we have had from this period. The original finish is clean overall with some general play wear, small dings, dents and scrapes and most noticeably pickwear adjacent to the pickguard by the treble side of the bridge and a few small dents and press marks on the treble side of the pickguard and in between the bridge and the tailblock. The bridge has been shaved down somewhat and has been reglued. The interior of the guitar, including the bridgeplate, is clean and free of repairs.
There is an added strap button on the side of the heel but no other alterations. There are no cracks anywhere, a very good neck reset and new saddle make this an excellent player with a very powerful sound. Simply a superb just postwar D-18, this would make an exceptional recording or gigging instrument for just about any style player. Includes a more recent HSC. Overall Excellent Condition.