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The D-18 appeared in its current form in 1934 and has changed very little since then. Nearly a century later, Martin's flagship dreadnought model is as relevant as ever.
From the rootsiest country bluegrass to Kurt Cobain on MTVUnplugged, Doc Watson, Kris Kristofferson, Elvis, Jerry Garcia or Rich Robinson, there isn't a guitarist worthy of the name who hasn't played a D-18 in the course of his or her career. Where the D-28 represents the refined dreadnought, the D-18 is its little sister, a little rougher perhaps. It's even more restrained, with a mahogany body for a warmer sound. For over a century, the D-18 has represented the ultimate mahogany dreadnought against which all others are judged, the benchmark that all other brands strive to copy.
In 2012, Martin revised its D-18 to offer a model perfectly adapted to the needs of the modern guitarist, without sacrificing the charm of vintage models. The bracing is the famous advanced, scalloped X typical of pre-war examples, the tuners are the little butterbean, a visual nod to the same pre-war (like the Old Style 18 fingerboard markers), but the neck is a concession to the contemporary era, being much thinner than vintage logs. The HighPerformance profile lets you play fast and finely without feeling restricted.
The D-18 has earned the nickname "canon" among guitarists, a reference to the impressive volume of sound it is capable of delivering. Spend just a few minutes with this new reference and you'll realize just how much the historic design, coupled with the advanced X-bracing, allows the soundboard to resonate with a projection that commands respect. It doesn't need to be amplified to compete with a banjo, double bass or mandolin! But if you caress it with your fingers, the D-18 is also capable of nuance. There's a good reason why this model remains a standard.
