C. F. Martin D-18 Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1958), made in Nazareth, PA, natural lacquer finish, mahogany back, sides and neck, spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, hard shell case.
A great-sounding and playing 1958 D-18. This guitar has a lovely voice, and while it shows signs of wear has no major damage or repairs. Typical appointments for the late 1950's: single-line logo Kluson deluxe tuners, larger varied-dot inlay on Brazillian rosewood fingerboard, rosewood long-saddle bridge, and all tortoise celluloid trim.
One interesting oddity of this guitar is the decal logo -- it is period correct (and original; we have checked under black light), but is the smaller style usually used on mandolins and ukuleles! We can only assume that someone at Martin ran out of the larger decals and had a few guitars to get finished and out that day in summer '58, and made a quick substitution. This sort of thing was common at Gibson or guild, but rare at C.F. Martin! Anyway, it gives this guitar a bit of extra character!
Martin Dreadnoughts of this era were undisputed favorites with professional country & Western entertainers when new, and are still known as fantastic guitars for a wide range of styles. This is a fantastic recording guitar, with the mellow depth of the Dreadnought mixed with the crisp, slightly dry mahogany ring. This is a great unmodified example, now becoming increasingly hard to find.
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 15 3/4 in. (40 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.).
Overall well-preserved; some small areas of topwear and a scraped section of the lower side likely from a badly-mounted case fitting. Appears to have had a neck set some time back; bridge looks slightly cut down. An odd but somewhat elegant strap button is fitted next to the heel consisting of an aluminum shaft and a tortiose celluloid pick. A very good player with a cool vibe. Excellent Condition.
