Book review - Tim Peake

Martin D18 Guitar Review (Marty)

After owning a variety of Taylor guitars, I decided to try something different and opt for a Martin D18 standard dreadnought.  The Martin D18 is an iconic guitar that has been used all over the world by top class musicians.  It was for this reason I wanted to try one and see if it's one of the best acoustic guitar ever made.  Also, I wanted a high class jumbo that was a natural colour with full gloss.  This one ticked all the boxes so I had to make the purchase. Straight out the box, the guitar provided a tone that I have not experienced before.  It smells incredible and the wood is so thin and super resonate. The top wood was absolutely stunning with beautifully silking due to the perfect quatersawn wood.  At this point, I could see why it has become such an iconic instrument for guitarists across the world.  The top is glossed beautifully covering the golden solid sitka spruce and the mahogany back a sides.  There its a refinement to this instrument that I have not seen before with it's details and its lightness in the hand.  However, when you stand back it looks so humble and working class, such an intriguing instrument. 

Conclusion: 9/10. One of the best guitars I have ever played.  

Follow up:

After a few months, I haven’t actually been playing with the D18 that much.  I prefer to play with my Taylor 200 series because she’s a little more accessible and not so valuable.  This doesn’t mean I want to remove the D18 from my collection. It just means it's kept for best like when I'm recording or playing to others.  

Soundcheck: 

Tone wise, the guitar is still sounding fantastic.  I did change the strings to a lighter gauge and this helped with playability.  Would prefer some elixir strings, rather than Martins but I can make this change over the next few months.  Overall the guitar is built well and no changes to the hardware was needed. I did, however, upgrade the bridge pins to a black plastic type with white dot inlays.  This elevated the guitar and gave it a more classic look, similar to that of a Martin HD28. 

Conclusion: 

Full of resonance and its drive.  This is an amazing instrument that looks incredible.  A keeper for sure.