C. F. Martin D-18 1937 Authentic Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (2008), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 1317256, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with ebony fingerboard, original brown tolex hard shell case.

This 2008 Martin D-18 Authentic takes the company's venerable and much loved mahogany Dreadnought back to its Depression-era roots, with a set of features that experienced players had been begging the company to return to for decades. These include hand scalloped, "forward" X-bracing to the original 1937 pattern on the red spruce top, hot hide glue and cloth strip construction and the wider 1 3/4" nut used in the mid-'30s.

This guitar has the expected mahogany back, sides and neck with the prewar-spec ebony fingerboard and bridge. The top has a fairly bold grain pattern to the red spruce but minimal "aging toner" applied so has a "whiter" more natural look to the spruce than some of their past reissues that sometimes got an "Orangey" hue. A special 2008 "C. F. Martin 175 year" marking is stamped into the beck brace. This is a lovely instrument to play with a still-maturing powerful sound, a nice example of Martin re-imagining their own roots as they began to navigate the 21st century.

Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 15 7/8 in. (40.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 5 7/8 in. (14.9 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).

This not quite 20 year old guitar looks to have never been gigged, just played lightly showing just superficial handling marks but no notable wear or repair. It retains the original hardware and appointments, with no sign of damage or repairs overall the only alteration being a replaced bone saddle. There is just a little wear to the frets in the lower positions. This is a super example of one of Martin's best 21st century ideas, just aging in nicely in the original Deluxe hardshell case. Overall Excellent Condition.