A Sitka spruce top for powerful frequencies

The choice of the top material in particular is fundamental for a fast and perfect sound development. Therefore the manufacturer relies on the North American Sitka Spruce, which has been used for decades for the construction of the finest musical instruments due to its fine structure and high vibration behaviour. Thanks to a Forward-Shifted Scalloped-X-Bracing and a wafer-thin finish, the high quality spruce wood can resonate freely and produces a fast responding tone, which gives the instrument a powerful expression in the mid- and treble frequencies and fades out long-lastingly in the overtones. The aging toner finish allows the observer a deep insight into the even and tight grain of the wood, which is gently emphasized by a simple faux-tortoise binding, a corresponding faux-tortoise pickguard and a filigree Old-Style 18 Multi-Stripe rosette.

Warm midrange frequencies thanks to a mahogany body

In order to give the sound a warm saturation, the Martin D-18 Standard Series is constructed with a body of high-quality mahogany wood that creates golden reflections depending on the angle of view and lighting conditions. Due to its even structure, the tropical wood colors the sound in the mid frequencies with a gentle warmth, providing the sound with a soothing note and perfectly complements the bright frequencies of the top wood. The right finish also plays an important role in the thin back material, as it allows the raw wood to vibrate freely and promotes a fast and powerful attack. A thin Style-18 backstrip divides the opened back wood almost imperceptibly and emphasizes the symmetry of the fine grain in a very aesthetic way. In combination with the dark binding it creates a soft transition between the individual components of the entire body.

Easy to play thanks to the flat neck

For a high level of playing comfort, the manufacturer uses a Select Hardwood neck equipped with a modified low oval profile. Thanks to a meticulously crafted bone nut with a width of 44.45 mm and a compensated saddle, the neck not only intonates perfectly over the entire 645 mm scale length, but is also easy to play up to the highest of the 20 frets. A noble ebony fingerboard with Old-Style 18-Abalone inlays perfectly rounds off the neck construction in its function and value and harmonizes optically perfectly with the other materials of the body. The characteristic Martin headstock is equipped with open nickel tuners, which in combination with the venerable Script Old-Style overlay are a subtle reminder of the company's almost 200-year history and enable the player to tune precisely with their smooth-running Butterbean knobs.

The Martin D-18 Standard Series at a glance:

• Solid acoustic guitar
• Standard Series
• Sitka spruce top with Aging Toner finish
• Forward-Shifted Scalloped-X-Bracing
• Mahogany body with faux-tortoise bindings and Style 18 backstrip
• 645 mm scale length
• Mahogany neck with modified low oval profile
• Ebony fingerboard with Old-Style-18-Abalone inlays
• Saddle with 44.45 mm width and compensated bone bar insert
• Open gear tuners
• Including Ply-Hardshell-Case