C. F. Martin D-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1948), made in Nazareth, PA, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, black hard shell case.
This is a great-sounding and playing 1948 D-18 with a ton of character. This guitar has a fabulous big voice and while it shows some signs of long use has no major damage or repair. It features typical appointments for the just-post WWII era: openback big-plate Kluson tuners, larger varied-dot inlay on the Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, rosewood long-saddle bridge and all tortoise celluloid trim. The top is a lovely piece of spruce with a pronounced "bearclaw" figure, most visible on the bass side. The Martin Dreadnoughts of this era were the undisputed favorites with many professional Country & Western entertainers when new, and are still fantastic guitars for a wide range of styles. This is a great unmodified example, which as time goes by is increasingly hard to find.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 15 5/8 in. (39.7 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.). A nice, original guitar overall-some general finish wear and tear but no major finish loss or alteration. There is some general pickwear to the top, mostly on the treble side and the lacquer shows moderate checking overall. The only notable crack repair is to the treble waist area on the side, well sealed but visible. The guitar has had a well-executed neck set, and the bridge height has been taken down a bit-playability is excellent and the sound is very powerful, with all the character we expect from this era's Dreadnoughts. A nicely original and well-preserved guitar, an excellent example of a just post WWII D-18 and a fiine guitar for just about any musical application. Excellent - Condition.
