1945 Martin D-18
A late wartime Martin D-18 with incredible tapered-brace tone, plenty of playwear charm and patina, and top-tier playability thanks to a reset and refret by our shop about 8 years back.
Martin's last scalloped-braced guitar rolled off the line in late 1944, some 1200 guitars prior to this '45 D-18. But the change from scalloped to straight bracing wasn't without its own evolution. The first "straight" braced guitars were anything but and employed a gradual tapering of the X and lower face braces, which left a much longer thin section at the end of each brace. The result of this new brace carving was that tops were stiff around the bridge, but more free to move through the last 3-4" of their perimeters. As such, the tops of these tapered-braced guitars produce a tone that's unlike both its earlier scalloped and later straight-braced siblings.
Expect a lot of fundamental power and presence, and much more open bass response than a later guitar, but with greater definition in the lows than an earlier scalloped version. Sitka spruce replaced red spruce also in '44, so comparing this Sitka / tapered '45 to a red / scalloped '44 has its limitations.
This D-18 is a remarkable guitar. It was clearly heavily played and saw more belt buckles than case lids, yet, despite its upbringing, it managed to survive without any real issues. There are a few very insignificant and cleanly repaired cracks: a couple of hairline cracks at the soundhole, a very tiny pickguard crack and just a few very short side cracks, but there are no significant cracks to be concerned with. There are two back brace ends that have been cleanly reglued. All the top's braces and bridge plate are unaltered and have never come loose, and the guitar is completely original but for frets, nut, saddle, and bridge pins.
The bridge shows a few scars behind pin holes, there is minor touch-up to the finish around sections of the bridge, and the treble-side of the fingerboard has been thinned somewhat in an earlier refret. All told, the repairs to this guitar are minor - especially considering how well used it has been.
We reset the neck on this guitar in 2014. The frets, nut and saddle were replaced at the same time. The repair quality is top-notch, and the guitar plays incredibly well. The frets now show very light and even wear and play cleanly in all positions.
Ebony fingerboard and bridge (note the factory original Style 28 dots), Sitka spruce top, mahogany back and sides with typical style 18 trimmings. Wartime era Kluson tuning machines with new Antique Acoustic buttons. Nut measures a well-worn 1-11/16”; 25.4" scale; 2-1/8" string spread at the saddle. Action set at 5-6.5 64ths with 3/32-1/8" of saddle above the bridge. Neck depth at the 1st fret is .855”, and it has a comfortable C shaped carve.
The guitar will come with a Hutton’s Registry certificate. Its serial number was stamped on April 11, 1945, and it cleared final inspection on July 12, 1945.
With deluxe hard shell case.
Martin's last scalloped-braced guitar rolled off the line in late 1944, some 1200 guitars prior to this '45 D-18. But the change from scalloped to straight bracing wasn't without its own evolution. The first "straight" braced guitars were anything but and employed a gradual tapering of the X and lower face braces, which left a much longer thin section at the end of each brace. The result of this new brace carving was that tops were stiff around the bridge, but more free to move through the last 3-4" of their perimeters. As such, the tops of these tapered-braced guitars produce a tone that's unlike both its earlier scalloped and later straight-braced siblings.
Expect a lot of fundamental power and presence, and much more open bass response than a later guitar, but with greater definition in the lows than an earlier scalloped version. Sitka spruce replaced red spruce also in '44, so comparing this Sitka / tapered '45 to a red / scalloped '44 has its limitations.
This D-18 is a remarkable guitar. It was clearly heavily played and saw more belt buckles than case lids, yet, despite its upbringing, it managed to survive without any real issues. There are a few very insignificant and cleanly repaired cracks: a couple of hairline cracks at the soundhole, a very tiny pickguard crack and just a few very short side cracks, but there are no significant cracks to be concerned with. There are two back brace ends that have been cleanly reglued. All the top's braces and bridge plate are unaltered and have never come loose, and the guitar is completely original but for frets, nut, saddle, and bridge pins.
The bridge shows a few scars behind pin holes, there is minor touch-up to the finish around sections of the bridge, and the treble-side of the fingerboard has been thinned somewhat in an earlier refret. All told, the repairs to this guitar are minor - especially considering how well used it has been.
We reset the neck on this guitar in 2014. The frets, nut and saddle were replaced at the same time. The repair quality is top-notch, and the guitar plays incredibly well. The frets now show very light and even wear and play cleanly in all positions.
Ebony fingerboard and bridge (note the factory original Style 28 dots), Sitka spruce top, mahogany back and sides with typical style 18 trimmings. Wartime era Kluson tuning machines with new Antique Acoustic buttons. Nut measures a well-worn 1-11/16”; 25.4" scale; 2-1/8" string spread at the saddle. Action set at 5-6.5 64ths with 3/32-1/8" of saddle above the bridge. Neck depth at the 1st fret is .855”, and it has a comfortable C shaped carve.
The guitar will come with a Hutton’s Registry certificate. Its serial number was stamped on April 11, 1945, and it cleared final inspection on July 12, 1945.
With deluxe hard shell case.