C. F. Martin D-18 Model Acoustic Guitar (1969), made in Nazareth, PA, serial # 253885, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back and sides, spruce top; mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This serial number in this fine-sounding D-18 dates to later in 1969 a time when Martin's Dreadnought flat tops were greatly increasing in popularity. This trend that would peak in the early 70's, powered by the success of Crosby, Stills & Nash, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and the singer-songwriter boom. Earlier in the 1960s the mahogany D-18 and its pricier rosewood sister the D-28 were practically the emblems of the Folk revival, thanks in large part to the Kingston Trio. As the decade went on the Martin Dreadnought became the acoustic guitar of choice for serious pickers of just about every persuasion.
This D-18 has typical appointments for 1969; it retains the traditional mahogany body and neck with a spruce top and rosewood fingerboard. The pickguard and outer body binding are black plastic which had not long before replaced the earlier tortoise celluloid. The rosewood bridge has the recently adopted short drop-in saddle and sits over the 1968-and-after larger rosewood bridgeplate. The original tuners are "Patent Pending" Grover Rotomatics. The headstock's "rounded" corners are characteristic of this period, the result of Martin's shaping templates having become worn from extensive use.
Martin records indicate 2559 D-18s left Nazareth in 1969, the second the best year for the model to date just under the 2602 shipped in 1967. At $325 (plus case) in 1969 this guitar represented a serious professional level investment, but it was the ambition of a vast number of aspiring flat-top players to own one, if not the even pricier D-28. From its introduction in the early 1930s on, the D-18 has been a workhorse for country, gospel, folk, and other forms of American vernacular music and in the '60's this sonic palette only expanded. This only lightly used 55 year old D-18 sings with a powerful, bright and clear sound, an excellent instrument for just about any flat-top application.
Overall length is 40 3/4 in. (103.5 cm.), 15 3/4 in. (40 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 15/16 in. (12.5 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 21/32 in. (27 mm.).
There has been some light wear and a few typical repairs to this D-18 over the years, but it has preserved much of its originality over the 55+ years since 1969 looking not much the worse for wear. Overall the original lacquer finish has remained in very good shape, with some general light wear including small dings, dents and scrapes. There is fine checking and a smattering of very light pickwear to the top; far less than many while the back of the neck is quite clean with a couple of shallow dents.
The top center seam has been very neatly reglued with no added finish; the bridge has been reglued, also with little outward sign. There is light touch up around the new pickguard that was recently installed, most notable along the upper edge where the old guard pulled the spruce up as is shrank. There is a small impact crack along the lower bout on the treble side, topically sealed with no added finish.
The neck has been neatly reset, the original frets have been polished out with no subsequent wear. Internally the braces and rosewood bridgeplate remain fully original and unaltered. The original "Patent Pending" Grover Rotomatics have remained intact, and fully functional. This D-18 does not appear to have been played a lot over the last half-century but feels nicely aged with a fine ringing tone, and projects very well without undue effort. It is housed in a modern hardshell case. Overall Very Good + Condition.
