1938 Martin D-18 Advanced X Natural

First of all, this is a superb instrument, far and away the best acoustic I have ever played and I have been playing and collecting for over fifty years. This guitar has paid its dues. It was loved and played to death by its previous owners, as you can see from the wear around the sound hole. You only see that kind of wear on instruments that sound so great that their owners can’t put them down. By the early 2010s, it had two top cracks, side cracks, a small hole in the top, a screwed on plexiglass pickguard, and undoubtedly needed new frets and a neck set. Bill Whitsett, one of the best Martin certified luthiers on the East Coast, took a year and half to lovingly, painstakingly, and meticulously restore this great D-18, bringing it back to exceptional playing condition toward the end of 2014. I’ve owned it for five years, but actually play electric more than acoustic, so I’ve decided it really should be in the hands of someone who will play it every day. Even better, it should be heard in studios and by audiences.

Now to the nuts and bolts. The guitar is an early 1938 Martin D-18 with advanced or forward x scalloped bracing. The bracing is all original. The bridge, nut, saddle, frets, and pickguard have been replaced, and the entire guitar was refinished, with the exception of the headstock faceplate, which wasn’t touched. The guitar was refinished with a shellac sealer coat and McFadden’s nitro lacquer. The frets are era correct with “bull nose” fret ends. The neck is a beefy but soft V shape, comfortable in all positions. The neck reset allows the guitar to play beautifully everywhere on the neck. The sound is incomparable, lively, dynamic, and loud, with great detail and balance, delicious bass detail, wonderful harmonics, and even body for all the notes up and down the neck. Every time I pick it up, I am amazed at how beautiful it sounds. Best of all, it doesn’t need a thing. It will play beautifully for at least another forty years, without having to spend a cent on maintenance. Guitar weighs 4.3 lbs.

The guitar will be shipped Fedex air, insured for the full value. The $250 fixed shipping to the continental US is to guarantee the safest, rather than cheapest, shipping. I have plenty of experience preparing guitars for shipping. The guitar will be shipped in its original (I think) Lifton hard case. The case shows plenty of wear, as you can see in the photos, but its hinges, handle, latches, and wood are sound. My shop policy is no returns, but that is just to discourage tire kickers. If anything is unsatisfactory to the buyer, I will accept returns within two weeks, as long as the buyer pays shipping.

No foreign bids accepted.

Notes on Soundcloud track: Definitely listen to this through headphones or good speakers.