Martin Custom D18 Buyer's Choice Adirondack Acoustic Guitar (with Case)
No longer available at zZounds
zZounds Gear Experts Say...
Boasting a stunning hand-picked Adirondack spruce top and mahogany back and sides, this buyer's choice guitar is a gorgeous take on the Martin D18.
What's special about this item?
| Feature: | What it does: |
|---|---|
| Adirondack spruce top | Dynamic tone with a loud, clear sound |
| Ebony fretboard | Dark color, tight grain; premium fretboard wood |
| Mahogany back and sides | Dry and airy tone; clear, present midrange |
| Mahogany neck | Great sustain, strength, and warm tone |
Overview
The Martin Custom D18 Buyer's Choice acoustic guitar features a remarkable Adirondack Spruce top hand picked for its beautiful grain and fantastic tonal qualities. Mahogany back and sides compliment the top perfectly, adding great lows, midrange and punch.
This is a special player's guitar. A gorgeous Adirondack spruce top with braces which are scalloped Adirondack spruce too. Additional features are vintage-style Gotoh tuners, vintage-style small logo and a tortoise guard.
Other features include an Ebony fingerboard and bridge along with 5/16 inch scalloped bracing. The classic dreadnought D18 body is Martin's most recognizable and most played shape ever. This Custom D18 Buyers Choice beautifully captures the essence of the D18 with custom-quality tone woods at a great price!
- Mahogany Back and Sides
- Mahogany Neck with Ebony Fingerboard
- Gotoh Open Gear Tuners
- Pearl Inlay
- Ebony Bridge
This is a special player's guitar. A gorgeous Adirondack spruce top with braces which are scalloped Adirondack spruce too. Additional features are vintage-style Gotoh tuners, vintage-style small logo and a tortoise guard.
Other features include an Ebony fingerboard and bridge along with 5/16 inch scalloped bracing. The classic dreadnought D18 body is Martin's most recognizable and most played shape ever. This Custom D18 Buyers Choice beautifully captures the essence of the D18 with custom-quality tone woods at a great price!
Features:
- Spruce Top- Mahogany Back and Sides
- Mahogany Neck with Ebony Fingerboard
- Gotoh Open Gear Tuners
- Pearl Inlay
- Ebony Bridge
Specs
- Construction: Standard; Mahogany Blocks/Dovetail Neck Joint
- Body Size: D-14 Fret
- Top: Adirondack Spruce
- Top Braces: Adirondack/Scalloped 5-16" /Standard Forward Shifted
- Top Binding: Faux Tortoise - Brown
- Top Inlay: .070" B/W/B/W/W/B (Heavy White faces binding)
- Rosette: Old Style 18
- Pickguard: Faux Tortoise
- Back: Solid Mahogany
- Back Panels: 2 Pc
- Purfling: Style 18
- Center Strip: Sitka Spruce Standard
- Back Binding: Faux Tortoise - Brown
- Sides: Solid Mahogany
- Endpiece: Delmar Tortoise Brown 3071
- Neck: Mahogany
- Neck Shape: Mod Low Oval/PA Taper
- Headstock: Solid 6 String No Diamond/Square Taper
- Truss Rod: 2-Way Adjustable 356mm
- Heelcap: Faux Tortoise - Brown
- Nut: Bone
- Headplate: Solid East Indian Rosewood
- Tuning Machines: Gotoh Nickel SE770XN-05 Open Gear
- Fingerboard: Black Ebony
- Fingerboard Radius: 16"
- Scale Length: 25.34"
- Width at Nut: 1 3/4"
- Width at 12 Fret: 2 1/8"
- Fret Wire: German G300, Notched 1 3/4
- Total Frets: 20
- Inlay: Pearl
- Side Dots: White
- Neck Finish: Gloss/Satin Neck
- Bridge: Ebony
- Bridge Style: 1930 Style Belly - Drop in Saddle
- String Spacing: 2 3/16"
- Saddle: Compensated Bone
- Body Size: D-14 Fret
- Top: Adirondack Spruce
- Top Braces: Adirondack/Scalloped 5-16" /Standard Forward Shifted
- Top Binding: Faux Tortoise - Brown
- Top Inlay: .070" B/W/B/W/W/B (Heavy White faces binding)
- Rosette: Old Style 18
- Pickguard: Faux Tortoise
- Back: Solid Mahogany
- Back Panels: 2 Pc
- Purfling: Style 18
- Center Strip: Sitka Spruce Standard
- Back Binding: Faux Tortoise - Brown
- Sides: Solid Mahogany
- Endpiece: Delmar Tortoise Brown 3071
- Neck: Mahogany
- Neck Shape: Mod Low Oval/PA Taper
- Headstock: Solid 6 String No Diamond/Square Taper
- Truss Rod: 2-Way Adjustable 356mm
- Heelcap: Faux Tortoise - Brown
- Nut: Bone
- Headplate: Solid East Indian Rosewood
- Tuning Machines: Gotoh Nickel SE770XN-05 Open Gear
- Fingerboard: Black Ebony
- Fingerboard Radius: 16"
- Scale Length: 25.34"
- Width at Nut: 1 3/4"
- Width at 12 Fret: 2 1/8"
- Fret Wire: German G300, Notched 1 3/4
- Total Frets: 20
- Inlay: Pearl
- Side Dots: White
- Neck Finish: Gloss/Satin Neck
- Bridge: Ebony
- Bridge Style: 1930 Style Belly - Drop in Saddle
- String Spacing: 2 3/16"
- Saddle: Compensated Bone
Reviews
Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
(1 ratings)
Submitted March 31, 2015 by Scott A
"Martin Custom D-18 Buyer's Choice(Adirondack Top)"
Verified Purchaser
zZounds has verified that this reviewer purchased this specific product from us.
A fine D-18 that I can hand down to my son some day.
Sound
Great sounding D-18, very woody, extra punch from the adirondack top. Slightly more compressed sounding than the too rich and bassy D-18GE(IMHO). This gives it a bit more cut and presence in a bluegrass ensemble and makes it easier to record and play live with through a high quality condenser microphone. I've gone through a lot of D-18 styled guitars(Santa Cruz Prewar, Collings D1, Huss and Dalton TDM, D-18GE, D-18V) and this guitar seems to be what I was looking for all along, good cut, good volume but still a nice, warm, woody sound. Can't wait to hear it improve as the top breaks in!
Features
Adirondack top sounds AND looks great. I'm glad I was able to view photos of the actual guitar to choose it by looks AND the guitar weight(there were 2 available). Luckily the one with the nicer top was also the lightest(win-win). My first guitar with the modified low oval neck(more used to modified V), but I have to say that I like it(at least with this 1 3/4 nut), doesn't feel too small and feels fast and easy to play.
Ease of Use
I like the neck and the action is just right, not too low(like fingerstyle players like) and not too high(like very heavy handed bluegrassers probably like).
Quality
I feel like this latest generation of D-18 guitars represents Martin really stepping up to try to compete better… read more with the boutique makers with a more affordable, standard line instrument. I think they have really succeeded, the reviews seem unanimous(even from fans of other brands). So taking a great instrument like that and adding a high quality adirondack top, just takes everything a little higher and competes favorably with some significantly more expensive instruments.
Value
At the price I paid, I am very happy with this guitar.
Manufacturer Support
Having bought mostly used guitars for the past few years, it's a nice feeling to have a lifetime warranty again, just received my owners/warranty card in the mail after filling out the online registration.
The Wow Factor
Classic D-18, played by so many greats over the years - Doc Watson, Clarence White, Norman Blake, that adds to the Wow factor for me.
Musical Style:
bluegrass, old time, country read less
Sound
Great sounding D-18, very woody, extra punch from the adirondack top. Slightly more compressed sounding than the too rich and bassy D-18GE(IMHO). This gives it a bit more cut and presence in a bluegrass ensemble and makes it easier to record and play live with through a high quality condenser microphone. I've gone through a lot of D-18 styled guitars(Santa Cruz Prewar, Collings D1, Huss and Dalton TDM, D-18GE, D-18V) and this guitar seems to be what I was looking for all along, good cut, good volume but still a nice, warm, woody sound. Can't wait to hear it improve as the top breaks in!
Features
Adirondack top sounds AND looks great. I'm glad I was able to view photos of the actual guitar to choose it by looks AND the guitar weight(there were 2 available). Luckily the one with the nicer top was also the lightest(win-win). My first guitar with the modified low oval neck(more used to modified V), but I have to say that I like it(at least with this 1 3/4 nut), doesn't feel too small and feels fast and easy to play.
Ease of Use
I like the neck and the action is just right, not too low(like fingerstyle players like) and not too high(like very heavy handed bluegrassers probably like).
Quality
I feel like this latest generation of D-18 guitars represents Martin really stepping up to try to compete better… read more with the boutique makers with a more affordable, standard line instrument. I think they have really succeeded, the reviews seem unanimous(even from fans of other brands). So taking a great instrument like that and adding a high quality adirondack top, just takes everything a little higher and competes favorably with some significantly more expensive instruments.
Value
At the price I paid, I am very happy with this guitar.
Manufacturer Support
Having bought mostly used guitars for the past few years, it's a nice feeling to have a lifetime warranty again, just received my owners/warranty card in the mail after filling out the online registration.
The Wow Factor
Classic D-18, played by so many greats over the years - Doc Watson, Clarence White, Norman Blake, that adds to the Wow factor for me.
Musical Style:
bluegrass, old time, country read less
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