Martin 1945 D-18, Mahogany & Sitka Spruce - Pre-Owned

This D-18 came out of the transitional year of 1945, when Martin switched to Sitka tops and tapered and rear-shifted bracing. Like its brethren from the same era, it has a distinct sound, defined by a tighter bass, excellent overall balance, and powerful projection. As Folkway Music noted about another D-18 from the same year, "The result of this new brace carving were that tops were stiff around the bridge, but much more free to move through the last 3-4" of their perimeters. As such, the tops of these tapered-braced guitars produce a tone that's unlike both its earlier scalloped and later straight-braced siblings." Coveted as the pre-war guitars are, we think there are many players who might actually prefer this tone when played side-by-side, or in context at a jam or on stage.

This prime example of Martin's master craftsmanship is remarkably well-preserved and has a voice that could command other instruments to stand down. The set-up is as a new guitar fresh off the bench, and is living proof that Martin didn’t need fancy machines to make an extremely satisfying playing experience. From our assessment and what's been communicated by the seller, this 1945 D-18 is all original, with the only repair to note being the area on the top where a strap caused some wear and was repaired (if a little inelegantly). It comes with a non-original hard case. Reach out for an in-hand description!