1971 Martin D-18
The Martin D-18 is the Holy Grail for many acoustic guitar players, preferring its mahogany sound to the famous D-28’s rosewood. It is a full-sized dreadnought, with a 15.625” lower bout, 11.75” at the lower bout, and a 25.4” scale, and has more power throughout its range than most jumbos. And of course it has all the legendary quality and mystique implied by the Martin logo proudly emblazoned on the square Martin headstock. I can add that the current MSRP for a new Martin Standard Series D-18 is $3,149.
Naturally, this guitar has the D-18’s solid Sitka Spruce top, and solid mahogany back, sides, and neck. The 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard has pearl dots, and ends with a plain Martin-style squared-off mahogany headstock with the old-school gold logo decal and the enclosed chrome Grover tuners used by Martin in the 1970s. The dark rosewood bridge and the equally dark rosewood fingerboard are standard, as are the black Martin bridge pins. It has full black body binding, multi-striped black and white inlay at the rosette, and the Martin tear-drop pick guard is black as well.
As I expect you can tell from the pictures, this particular vintage D-18 is in well-used condition, with no current structural issues to report. It dates from 1971 (serial number 281263), giving it plenty of time for the resonance of its tonewoods to develop, and it is structurally about a 6 out of 10 for its appearance and a 9 out of 10 for its performance. Cosmetically, it has only a little pick wear below the sound hole, but a number of repaired cracks in the top, including a 1” x 8” strip of re-finishing along one crack in the lower bout (which looks yellowish in the flash from my camera). It also has about a 3” section of the back which has been subjected to serious buckle rash. There are chips on the corners of the headstock, miscellaneous dings and bruises, the crazing of the finish which one expects on a 49-year-old guitar, and noticeable divots in the fretboard (although the frets are fine).
All that’s the bad news. The good news is that its sound is as powerful and sensitive as any Martin I’ve played, and the action is fast and comfortable at 3/32” at the 12th fret low E. Further, the repairs are kinda homely but certified solid by my luthier, and if you’re a mojo kinda person it drips with stories and songs from its decades of music-making. It looks like what it is: a veteran D-18 ready to continue to play the hard-driving music for which it was made.
The black hard shell case is obviously not original, but it is in very good condition: the latches and hinges are shiny and work perfectly, the black plush interior is in good shape, and it offers outstanding protection for the guitar. It is an excellent complement for this fine vintage instrument, so everyone will know you’re a serious player when you walk into the room.
The buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states; shipping costs elsewhere will be calculated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashier’s checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.
I have tried to give an accurate and thorough description of this guitar and case. Therefore, its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before bidding; I will respond within 24 hours.
Thank you for your interest in this fine Martin guitar.
Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.
From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.
I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.