1951 Martin D-18

ARCHIVED • SOLD

1951 Martin D-18

Serial # 120509. Obviously not used very much throughout its life, this D-18 doesn't really look a third as old as it actually is. The story as we've heard it is that a pair of brothers from Tennessee bought a pair of D-18s to use with their band way back when, and ended up only using one of them. The second guitar (this one) lived a lonely life in its chipboard case at the back of a closet, only to be discovered some many years later. It dried out and formed a few cracks along the way, but it stayed in mostly excellent condition as a result. A while back the guitar was brought back to life with a professional neck-reset, a new bridge, and repairs to one top crack and four back cracks; it was played for about a decade and then finally made its way here last week. We've replaced the replacement bridge with a much more accurate Brazilian rosewood replica, repaired a pickguard crack, and set the instrument up with Martin Mediums. It now plays excellently, looks fabulous, and sounds - simply - quite wonderful. Original finish throughout, original Kluson tuners, replacement bone nut and saddle, new bridge pins, original endpin and pickguard. One very tight and nicely repaired top crack south of the bridge; the four back cracks are all located in the lower treble bout and are well glued. If not for the repaired cracks, this D-18 would be on our short list of the cleanest 50 year old guitars we've yet offered for sale. It's a good one, folks. It has a wide open voice, with a noticeable amount of that woody dryness you'll find in a good early 50's Martin. It's loud and resonant, and is definitely a flatpicker's instrument.
With a newer Calton hard shell case
1951 Martin D-18
  • 1951 Martin D-18
  • 1951 Martin D-18
  • 1951 Martin D-18
  • 1951 Martin D-18
  • 1951 Martin D-18
  • 1951 Martin D-18
  • 1951 Martin D-18
  • 1951 Martin D-18
  • 1951 Martin D-18
  • 1951 Martin D-18

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