Sorted Martin D18 2012-present

xfogxhat1

I'm looking for a Martin D18 made after 2012. Message me if you've got one that you would like to part with.

I finally got hold of a D18

adampeter

I have a Martin D-28E modern deluxe if thats of interest?

xfogxhat1

adampeter said:

I have a Martin D-28E modern deluxe if thats of interest?

Thanks for the offer, but I'm looking for a D18.

prlgmnr

I've been waiting for one of these to come up near enough to me to actually try in person before buying for about a year - beginning to think I just need to take the 3 hour trip to Coda to try a few acoustics out

xfogxhat1

prlgmnr said:

I've been waiting for one of these to come up near enough to me to actually try in person before buying for about a year - beginning to think I just need to take the 3 hour trip to Coda to try a few acoustics out

There are a couple out there but people are asking nearly the same price as a new one. If nothing turns up soon I may do something I have never done before and buy a brand new guitar. Especially if I know I can sell it for just £200 less than what I paid for it if I need to. 

ronnyb

There's a D18 appeared on a local facebook page, 'buy sell musical instruments in Cumbria'. It's a 2011 though and is in Grange over Sands. £1950.

xfogxhat1

ronnyb said:

There's a D18 appeared on a local facebook page, 'buy sell musical instruments in Cumbria'. It's a 2011 though and is in Grange over Sands. £1950.

Thanks, but I'm looking for something post-2012. 

john_uk

Just out of interest, why post - 2012??

BingMan

2012 was the year Martin gave the D18 a much needed overhaul. 
Forward shifted scalloped bracing, a 1 3/4 inch width nut, ageing toner, open back butterbean tuners and ebony for the fretboard and bridge. 
They went on to do this to their full line up a few years later with the 'reimagined series'

Post 2012 D18s are fantastic and probably the best bang for buck out there.

xfogxhat1

What BingMan said. 

john_uk

BingMan said:

2012 was the year Martin gave the D18 a much needed overhaul. 
Forward shifted scalloped bracing, a 1 3/4 inch width nut, ageing toner, open back butterbean tuners and ebony for the fretboard and bridge. 
They went on to do this to their full line up a few years later with the 'reimagined series'

Post 2012 D18s are fantastic and probably the best bang for buck out there.

Ahh I see..... I looked at quite a few D18's and settled for a 1986 as it just sounded so much better to my ears. I don't think ebony fretboard and open butterbean tuners plus the forward shifted scalloped bracing denote a better guitar  (a different one perhaps?)  I would never exclude any year. Tone is a fairly subjective thing and I guess the moral of all this is to try first and make your mind up. I disagree with the "much needed overhaul"...nothing wrong with pre 2012. Marketing at its best??

BingMan

nothing wrong with the pre 2012... i'd really like one from 1937! 

joking aside, it depends what you want from a guitar, but I would say, in my opinion, from 2012 the changes they made to the standard series is definitely a step up from what they were previously offering. Open back tuners make it lighter than one with rotomatics, scalloped bracing gets the top going better and is more responsive, ebony board and bridge give it the more classic, pre-war look. And tonally, they will sound very different (up to you whether that means better)

If the 2012 D18 it wasn't such a success Martin wouldn't have given the rest of their line up the same treatment... must be doing something right other than just marketing.

john_uk

BingMan said:

nothing wrong with the pre 2012... i'd really like one from 1937! 

joking aside, it depends what you want from a guitar, but I would say, in my opinion, from 2012 the changes they made to the standard series is definitely a step up from what they were previously offering. Open back tuners make it lighter than one with rotomatics, scalloped bracing gets the top going better and is more responsive, ebony board and bridge give it the more classic, pre-war look. And tonally, they will sound very different (up to you whether that means better)

If the 2012 D18 it wasn't such a success Martin wouldn't have given the rest of their line up the same treatment... must be doing something right other than just marketing.

Some would say a more mature wood trumps over a forward shifted scalloped bracing...lol...again, its a very subjective topic no right or wrong, everyone has a different idea as to what tone is for them. All I'm saying is never restrict yourself in choice.

As for marketing...yup that's all it is...it sells ! 

prlgmnr

are you in for the one that's ending on ebay tonight?

I was going to bid up to about 1750 but it now looks like it's going to go past 2000

xfogxhat1

prlgmnr said:

are you in for the one that's ending on ebay tonight?

I was going to bid up to about 1750 but it now looks like it's going to go past 2000

Yeah, I’m watching that one but it’s crazy how much used ones are going for. I doubt I get it. 

xfogxhat1

xfogxhat1 said:

prlgmnr said:

are you in for the one that's ending on ebay tonight?

I was going to bid up to about 1750 but it now looks like it's going to go past 2000

Yeah, I’m watching that one but it’s crazy how much used ones are going for. I doubt I get it. 

I got it. Paid more than I wanted to, but in a few days I should be playing on a D18.

john_uk

I got it. Paid more than I wanted to, but in a few days I should be playing on a D18.

Congrats...welcome to the D18 Club

prlgmnr

ah well done, more than I wanted to shell out on something I haven't actually heard but that seems to be the going rate at the moment 

prlgmnr

What's the verdict?

xfogxhat1

prlgmnr said:

What's the verdict?

It's really good. I've been playing mainly Gibsons for a long time and the Martin is very different, but I like it.