D-18 AUTHENTIC 1937
1937 was an excellent year for guitars with a perfect storm of craftsmanship, innovation, and materials. This Authentic Series replication of a 1937 D-18 stays true to the original with hide glue construction and historically accurate detailing. This guitar features genuine mahogany back and sides and an Adirondack spruce top, and it includes an Authentic circa 1937 bracing pattern. It includes period-correct “18” Authentic-style appointments and an Authentic neck barrel and heel, and new this year, a more accurate body profile based on dreadnought shapes from the early Golden Era of Martin’s history. Martin’s VINTAGE TONE SYSTEM® (VTS) is employed to age the top and braces, which captures the tone from the 1930s era. Martin’s craftspeople can recreate the pleasing visual aesthetics of a vintage guitar and reproduce the particular tones previously reserved for vintage instruments.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Body Size: Authentic D-14 Fret
- Finish Top: Vintage Gloss
- Construction: Dovetail Neck Joint – Hide Glue Construction
- Back and Side Finish: Vintage Gloss
- Bracing Pattern: Forward Shifted X Brace
- Scale Length: 25.4″
- Brace Shape: Scalloped
- Fingerboard Width at Nut: 1 3/4”
- Top Material: Adirondack Spruce with VTS
- Neck Shape: Authentic 1937
- Back Material: Genuine Mahogany
- Neck Taper: Standard Taper
- Side Material: Genuine Mahogany
- Electronics: None
TOP
- Top Color: Clear
- Bridge Style: Authentic Belly – Glue in Long Saddle
- Binding: Brown Tortoise Pattern
- Bridge String Spacing: 2 1/4”
- Top Inlay Material: Multi-Stripe
- Bridge Material: Ebony
- Top Detail: None
- Bridge Pin Material: Black Plastic
- Pickguard: Tortoise Pattern
- Bridge Pin Dots: None
- Pickguard Inlay: None
- Saddle: Bone
- Rosette: Old Style 18 Multi-Stripe
- Saddle Radius: 16″
BODY
- Brace Material: Adirondack Spruce with VTS
- Back and Sides Color: Dark Mahogany
- Brace Size: 5/16″
- Back Detail: None
- Back Purfling/Strip: Madagascar Rosewood
- Back Inlay Material: None
- Heelcap: Ebony
- Side Detail: None
- Endpiece: Brown Tortoise Pattern
- Side Inlay Material: None
- Endpiece Inlay: None
NECK
- Neck Material: Genuine Mahogany
- Fingerboard Material: Ebony
- Finish Neck: Vintage Gloss
- Fingerboard Width at 12th Fret: 2 1/4”
- Neck Color: Dark Mahogany
- Fingerboard Inlay Style: Old Style 18
- Number of Frets Total: 20
- Fingerboard Inlay Material: Abalone
- Neck Joins Body At: 14th Fret
- Fingerboard Binding Material: None
- Side Dots: Grained Ivoroid
HEADSTOCK
- Headstock Shape: Solid with 1937 Taper
- Tuning Machines: Waverly Nickel Open Back
- Headplate Material: Madagascar Rosewood
- Knob: Butterbean
- Headplate Logo Style: Script Old Style Overlay
- Nut Material: Bone
- Headplate Binding Material: None
MISC
- Case: Ply Hardshell
- Label: None