Martin D-18 Authentic 1939

Name: Martin D-18 Authentic 1939
Brand: Martin
Price: 5982 USD
Availability: Discontinued

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Key Features

A historically accurate masterpiece
Divine detailing showcases Martin's superior craftsmanship
Strum with the warm resonance of a mahogany body carrying your chords
Every note will be articulated courtesy of the spruce top's sonic clarity

Martin D-18 Authentic 1939 Overview

The Martin D-18 Authentic 1939 Acoustic is the product of fine, detailed, innovative craftsmanship. And let's be honest, what else would you expect from Martin? Its Adirondack spruce top and mahogany back and sides mirror the original D-18, presenting vintage-inspired details confirmed by a CAT scan machine. From Authentic 1939 bracing to dazzling fretboard inlays, every inch of this guitar showcases the beauty of an instrument with history flowing through its veins.

As well as period-correct features, the sound of this guitar is just as important. Constructed with Martin's Vintage Tone System, the mahogany and spruce body delivers luscious waves of sound, full of richness, warmth, and astounding clarity. And thanks to an exquisite ebony fretboard, you'll have sensational sustain and a silky-smooth surface to waltz across. A hardshell case is included, giving this heavenly guitar the protection it deserves.

Product Ref: 218856

Full Description

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A pristine vintage design...

Created with Martin's renowned innovation. The D-18 Authentic allows you to experience that deliciously classic Martin tone as soon as you start playing. The Adirondack spruce top and braces have been carefully crafted with Martin's Vintage Tone System (VTS), a relatively new process that enables such glorious tonewoods to resemble tones from the early 1900s. It involves a thermochemical treatment which removes any water at a high temperature, leaving the wood extremely dry, superbly stable, and more importantly, with that sublime, vintage sound. This model proves that you don’t have to buy a vintage guitar to experience the esteemed, wondrous tone of the original D-18.

Complementing the spruce top are genuine mahogany back and sides. Mahogany comprises a punchy, warm, all-encompassing tone that teams perfectly with the glassy clarity of spruce. And it grows more focused with age, meaning the more you play, the more beautiful your sound will become.

Flawless fretting

Attached onto such a divine body is a mahogany neck. It's wonderfully strong, meaning you can play as excessively as you like without worrying about it growing tired or worn. This is the type of robustness that is needed for the thinnest part of the guitar, granting you a lifetime of playing. On top lies an ebony fretboard, the real showstopper. Ebony's high oil content gives it a smooth and fast finish, allowing you to practise quick fretting techniques. And it's fantastically durable, so it won’t wear away from the frequent attack of your fingertips.

Better still, every note will be enhanced with ebony's stunning sonic capabilities. Ebony is an extremely responsive tonewood that offers a beautifully bright sound, making it a gorgeous accompaniment to mahogany and spruce. Project your music with purpose and brilliant volume, ebony's snappy and crisp attack ensures that every single note cuts through the mix astonishingly well, leaving nothing unheard.

Stability and durability

We all know that beauty comes from within, and the D-18 Authentic is no different. Even the inside of the body has been meticulously designed for robustness and superb sound. Scalloped, rearward-shifted X-bracing reflects the 1939 model in incredible detail, offering stability and a depth of tone. The scalloped shape of the bracing means that parts have been scooped out, allowing the spruce top to vibrate more freely, which results in a more dynamic sound and greater structural reliability. Scalloped bracing is an enticing feature, particularly on Martin guitars as it takes us back to their "Golden Era" when all their steel-string guitars featured this sturdy and resonant brace shape. Such instruments are still held with such high regard now, and so you can trust that the D-18 Authentic has been constructed with history, experience, and an abundance of knowledge behind it.

The benefits of scalloped, forward-shifted X-bracing do not stop there. An X-bracing pattern offers an exceptionally sturdy structure that accommodates high-tension steel strings. Tune up and play without worrying about any potential guitar body tragedies, X-bracing is strong enough to withstand any amount of pressure.