1961 Martin D-18 # 181291
60-year old Martin D-18 ready for another half century of hard playing!
1962 Martin D-18 # 181291
1961 C. F. Martin D-18 181291. A well-played, great-sounding 60-year old Martin Dreadnaught guitar in very good condition. According to Martin records, this was one then last guitars cleared for inspection in 1961 (181297 was the last). This guitar is mostly original (including the finish), but has required a few minor adjustments over the years including: neck reset, new frets, a minor side crack repaired (in bass bout) and original bridge and pick guard reglued. The top exhibits wear from pick scratches around the soundhole and back of pick guard and the back and sides show some scuffing, and no attempt has been made to buff this out, although we suspect it would clean up nicely (if you’re into that sort of thing). There was evidently some impact to the side at the bass bout that has resulted in a two minor cracks, one 3 inches and the other 2 inches, both in the same area, and both have been professionally repaired. The only other alteration from original that we are aware of is the addition of ebony bridge pins with pearl center dots and new bone saddle. We understand that at least some of the repair work was done by the legendary luthier Randy Wood of Savannah, Georgia. Features include an extremely nice Sitka spruce top with a great deal of cross-grain; rear-shifted X-braces; Mahogany back, sides and neck; Brazilian rosewood fingerboard, bridge and peg-head overlay; “C. F. Martin” scroll transfer; steel T-bar neck reinforcement; tortoise-colored acetate body binding; black back-stripe; small maple bridge plate, Kluson closed back tuners and original case. Top, back and neck are all crack-free. In the early ’60s, the Martin company was still doing a lot of things right; in fact, they were making essentially the same D-18 as they did in the late ’50s, the only difference now is you can get this guitar for a lot less money than one from a few years earlier. We are asking $4550 and will include UPS ground shipping and Heritage insurance in transit east of Mississippi and shared costs to other destinations.
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