Martin Custom Shop 00-18 – Adirondack Spruce / Golden Era Bracing / Long Saddle

This is an exceptionally cool and uncommon Martin Custom Shop 00-18, commissioned by Guitar Riot of Cleveland, Ohio and built in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. While rooted in Martin’s classic Style 18 tradition, this guitar was ordered with a combination of vintage-inspired specifications that you simply don’t see on a standard-production 00-18.

The guitar features an Adirondack spruce top over genuine mahogany back and sides, paired with scalloped 1/4” Adirondack Golden Era bracing. The combination gives this smaller-bodied 00 considerably more headroom, projection, and dynamic range than you might expect from its size.

One of the most distinctive specifications is the Modern Belly bridge with a long glue-in saddle. This extended/long saddle is a particularly desirable vintage-style Martin feature and is rarely encountered on modern 00-18s. Rather than the typical short drop-in saddle found on standard production models, the long saddle gives the bridge the appearance and construction associated with Martin’s traditional prewar-inspired designs. Combined with the Golden Era bracing and Adirondack top, it makes this an unusually vintage-spec’d modern 00. Minor ding on the top of the headstock. Please refer to photos for the exact condition.

The Modified V neck continues that traditional feel, while the 1-3/4” nut width and generous 2-3/8” string spacing make it especially comfortable for fingerstyle playing and players who prefer wider vintage-style spacing.

Specifications:

• Martin Custom Shop 00 / Style 18
• Adirondack spruce top
• Mahogany back and sides
• Adirondack spruce 1/4” scalloped Golden Era bracing
• Modified V neck profile
• Neck depth: .85” at 1st fret / .96” at 12th fret
• 1-3/4” nut width
• 2-3/8” string spacing
• 24.9” short scale
• Modern Belly bridge
• Rare long glue-in saddle
• Serial No. 2739155
• Custom Shop build commissioned exclusively for Guitar Riot

This is essentially a vintage-inspired, hot-rodded 00-18: Adirondack top, Adirondack Golden Era bracing, Modified V neck, wide vintage string spacing, short scale, and the particularly uncommon long glue-in saddle…all wrapped into Martin’s compact 00 body. Returns are not acceptable or available after purchase unless the item arrives condition significantly other than described meaning beyond repair or unrecognizable.

Comes with OHSC!