Martin D18 (2012)

BigLicks67

Has anyone tried the new version of the Martin D18?

If so, how does it compare with the previous one?

Gru

http://m.musicradar.com/reviews/acoustic/martin-d-18-547504

Good Review about the differences here.

Lewy

Not tried one but they're very well regarded on the Unofficial Martin Forum.

BigLicks67

Yep - I saw the review at the time and liked the fact that it now has an ebony fingerboard and scalloped bracing, but I just wondered how much it made a difference compared to the old one.

crunchman

I think it's the positioning of the bracing as much, if not more than the scalloping that is important.  This has "forward shifted" bracing - which is what the holy grail pre-war guitars had.  The HD28V (with the forward shifted bracing) always sounded a lot better to me than the HD28 which was scalloped but with the bracing in the same place as the normal D28.

They changed the bracing in the mid/late 40's.  I think it was to make the tops more stable with heavy strings which people were putting on to get more volume to compete with other instruments.  The problem is that what they now call "standard" bracing is a lot less responsive.  It might sound good if you are willing to put 13s on, but with sensible string gauges it sounds dead in comparison with the forward shifted pre-war style.

I've always recommended on here that people go for what was the Vintage series (D18V, HD28V, OOO-28EC etc) which always had the forward shifted bracing.  With the revamp they now have a Retro series.  I don't know if this is replacing the Vintage series or in addition to it.

I didn't realise that they had actually put this bracing onto the standard D18, which is at a much lower price point.  It brings the price of a really great Martin down a long way.  I'm trying to work out how to get one now.  I don't have a mahogany bodied dreadnought.

It's interesting that the D28 still has the "standard" bracing not the forward shifted bracing.  If you want a great 28 style dreadnought you will still need to go up the price range.  At least you get the herringbone trim on something like a HD28V.  If you don't have that kind of money I prefer the 16 series guitars to the normal D28 - or better still buy a Furch/Stonebridge.

BigLicks67

I've got a vintage series Martin (OM) model so I know what you mean - but I'm not intent on paying that sort of money again (can't afford it). I was hoping to pick up a second hand D28 or D18 for reasonable money but I will have a go on a D16. What's the fingerboard like I believe it is some sort of recycled material ?

crunchman

To be honest I'd go for a Furch/Stonebridge if you don't want to pay for one of the higher end Martins.  I'd take a 32 or 34 series Furch/Stonebridge any day over a D28.

In terms of decent acoustics I have two Vintage Series Martins and two Furch/Stonebridge guitars. They hold up very well against the Martins.  I'm half tempted to sell the Furch 12 fret dreadnought that I have if anyone wants to make me an offer but the Stonebridge OM is going nowhere.  To be honest I've been playing that one more than my OOO28EC in recent times.

Something like this will be really good:
http://rguitars.co.uk/collections/furch-guitars-stonebridge/products/ds-32-sm

No pic with this one but this has ebony fingerboard, and transparent scratchplate if you don't like the leopard print one.
http://rguitars.co.uk/collections/furch-guitars-stonebridge/products/furch-stonebridge-d24sr-acoustic-guitar

Edit:  If you are willing to fly out to the factory in part of what used to be Czechoslovakia (not sure which bit) then you can get massive savings on UK prices.

BigLicks67

I like the look of the D34 SR on Thomann for £1300. I'll keep my eyes peeled to try one.

This guy certainly seems to like this OM model.

.

strtdv

@crunchman I'm interested to know how much you'd save relative to say rguitars or even thomann?

The Furch D34SR at £1300 on Thomann seems like an incredibly nice guitar, seems the only difference in it and the D35SR is koa binding on the D35SR which is £1800 at Rguitars..

If they're as good as a HD28V then it's quite a bargain seeing as they're £2700..

stickyfiddle

I don't know about changes against previous, but the one I played last summer was a great guitar, if a little plain looking. 

(though I guess plain looking is the point if you're after a D18 )

crunchman

stickyfiddle said:

I don't know about changes against previous, but the one I played last summer was a great guitar, if a little plain looking. 

(though I guess plain looking is the point if you're after a D18 )

I don't know for sure. Someone else on here once said that you could get big savings if you flew out there but I think that was in comparison to UK prices.  Given what you are saving at Thomann though I don't know how much you could save.

woody

Ill go one further here with a very big claim.. my stanford d5m (by furch) sounds better than my friends collings d1.. and it hurts to say that as i own a collings myself.i know the collings is very stiff and hasnt opened up yet...nevertheless furch/stonebridge and older furch built stanfords take some beating..mind you i will say they are lightly braced and suffer badly with bowling tops as they get older..but at prices they sell at a neck reset after a decade not big price to pay

richardhomer

^ I'll go one further still; I've played several Collings guitars - all new to be fair - and have been less than bowled over by any of them.

woody

Yes, very stiff when they're new..takes them a very long time to open up..one i have now is from the 90, s and im very happy with it..however i wouldnt deny that there could be something equally good out there at half the price..

crunchman

Furch are paying Eastern European type wages rather than US wages, and they are in the EU so there are no import duties.  You get a lot of guitar for your money.

Sometimes you can get really good guitars from some of the small UK makers as well, because you can buy direct and cut out the middlemen.  If you buy a Martin then the UK distributor will pay the import duty and then put a markup on it, and then the shop will put another 30% so so on that.

The real bargains might be finding a UK made guitar second hand.  Most of them don't hold their value that well.

woody said:

Ill go one further here with a very big claim.. my stanford d5m (by furch) sounds better than my friends collings d1.. and it hurts to say that as i own a collings myself.i know the collings is very stiff and hasnt opened up yet...nevertheless furch/stonebridge and older furch built stanfords take some beating..mind you i will say they are lightly braced and suffer badly with bowling tops as they get older..but at prices they sell at a neck reset after a decade not big price to pay

I've had one of mine for about 8 years and the top is fine.  I don't go for heavy strings though.  Given that they are so responsive you don't need to put 12s or 13s on them.  They sound great with 11s.

woody

I always use 12, s.it hasnt been a problem with other brands. with these it is a problem..literally every one i own, or know off, has needed work..4 of them my own ones..having said that, there is a stanford d10 on its way to me as we speak.. so it hasn't put me off..

AuldReekie

richardhomer said:

^ I'll go one further still; I've played several Collings guitars - all new to be fair - and have been less than bowled over by any of them.

My experience as well.  When I compared my Larrivee TSB SD50 agains a similar 12 Fret Collings dreadnought, I reckoned my Larrivee was ahead in all departments

woody

Funny how opinions vary, i think that a 12 fret d2 was one of the very finest guitars ive played in a shop..i left with a santa cruz because it ran it fairly close but the price was much more agreeable..ive yet to get my paws on a larivee..

richardhomer

woody;579367" said:

Funny how opinions vary, i think that a 12 fret d2 was one of the very finest guitars ive played in a shop..i left with a santa cruz because it ran it fairly close but the price was much more agreeable..ive yet to get my paws on a larivee..

The best Dreadnought I've ever played was a Santa Cruz.

It wiped the floor with a Collings I compared it to.

It also had an amazingly low action for a high-end acoustic, yet played really cleanly.

It was so good, I nearly part-exchanged my old Martin for it. If I'm honest, it was only sentimentality which stopped me!

crunchman

I've played a couple of absolutely exceptional Santa Cruz guitars.

There was a Pre-war Dreadnought model that belonged to someone else that was stunning. I tracked down another of the same model but it wasn't quite as good so I ended up buying something else.

I also played a 12 fret OM in a shop.  It might be the best sounding acoustic I've ever played.  It was a lot of money though - £2,800 and that was 11 or 12 years ago.  From memory I didn't like the neck profile over much either.  I think it was a pre-war style wide one if I remember correctly.

Another maker that might be worth mentioning is Moon.  They are made in Scotland.  I played a Moon dreadnought in Ivor Mairants that was up there with anything I've ever played.

woody

My santa cruz was a phenomenal guitar.. again though, its down to very light build, thats why they can sound better than a martin, but dont last the course as well .. it didnt blow away the collings d2 12 fret in the shop though..it was the 1200 euro price difference that made my decision..