Up for sale, a 1961 Martin D-18, heavily played, professionally serviced and complete with the original Harptone hardshell case. This well-loved Martin has received all the work due an instrument of its vintage and reflective of its previous use, benefitting from a neck reset, carved bone saddle and nut, and a full refret with slender, vintage-spec fretwire. Crafted at Martin's North Street factory, this D-18 boasts a bevy of desirable features including hot hide glue construction throughout, a small maple bridge plate, tortoise binding and pickguard, and a rounded peghead. And in spite of its playwear, this D-18 retains both its original small maple bridge plate and Kluson Deluxe single line tuning machines.

Tonewoods include a solid X-braced spruce top and mahogany back and sides, with a Brazilian rosewood fingerboard and bridge, offering a traditional Martin dreadnought tonal profile. This D-18 absolutely sings, with fantastic projection, power and immediacy, and there’s an open, ringing quality to the sound that is indicative of a top that’s been worked-in for decades. Notably balanced and musical, there's a woody, percussive quality to the trebles that works in concert with the warmth and expansive bloom of the wound strings. This D-18 weighs 4lbs 1oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 12-53 bronze strings and easy-playing action.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: Mahogany
-Shape: Soft V, measuring .880” 1st fret, 1.020” 9th fret
-Fretboard: Brazilian rosewood, dot inlay, light finger wear beneath the High E from frets 2-5
-Frets: Slender (refret), no wear
-Scale Length: 25.4”
-Nut: 1 11/16”, bone (modern)
-Tuners: Kluson Deluxe single-line
-Serialization: Stamp on neck block dates to ‘61

Body Specs:

-Wood: Spruce, mahogany
-Bracing: X
-Bridge: Brazilian rosewood, bone saddle (modern), small maple plate
-Pickguard: Tortoise (original, reseated)
-Marquetry: Tortoise binding

The original nitro lacquer finish is intact and heavily worn as pictured, with only light touch-up on the heel related to the neck reset. A few professional-addressed splits are present on the top, both extending from the lower bout behind the bridge and the usual "B string crack" between the bridge and pickguard. Crack repairs on the mahogany rims are more numerous, with some repairs on the treble side of the back as well. There are a couple diagonal splits along the neck profile extending from the nut on either side of the carve (more prominent on the treble side as pictured), cleanly repaired, and palm wear on the neck results in a smooth satin, open-grain feel.

The original Harptone hardshell case with blue plush interior is included. The case retains all of its latches, with a replacement handle and some wear on the lid.