❌SOLD❌ Martin D18 Dreadnought Steel String Guitar, 1956

The Martin D18 Dreadnought appeared in 1931 as banjo players increasingly converted to guitar, and required ever increasing volume levels. For the first three years, the D-18 was built with a 12-fret neck, but the banjo influence quickly added two more frets clear of the body. As a 14-fret dreadnought, the D18 and its sibling the D-28 rapidly became the guitar of choice for country, bluegrass and folk players.

The Dreadnought or D-body design has established itself as one of the most successful instrument designs, and has been widely copied by countless builders, from beginners and one-off guitars to high end production shops.

Here we are looking at a Martin D18 dreadnought built during 1956 at the Martin plant in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. While it has some honestly acquired play wear, dents and scratches, it has also had its major maintenance work done.

Specifically, the neck was re-set at The Twelfth Fret Repair Shop. Over time, virtually all steel string guitars will require the neck joint to be re-built to improve the angle at which the neck rises to the bridge top, allowing saddle height. With dovetail joints as used on Martin and Gibson models, this is an advanced, relatively expensive repair that restores decades of usable life to the guitar.

This guitar now plays very well, and sounds great. As a D18 Dreadnought, it uses Martin’s traditional wood selection: Sitka Spruce for the top and its braces, Mahogany for the sides, back, body blocks, linings, back bracing and neck, with Rosewood for the head plate, bridge, and unbound fingerboard. This example was built during 1956, so the Rosewood in use was Brazilian.

A strap pin has been added to the heel, and a pickup was removed though the end pin jack is still in place.

A non-original brown hard shell case is included.