Martin’s new D-18 Authentic 1939 started with a CAT scan of the original 1939 D-18 in Martin Guitar’s museum. After all the internal structures and shapes including the 1939 bracing pattern are dimensionally realized, the guitar is built in the same fashion as the original using hide glue construction techniques and historically accurate detailing.
The D-18 Authentic 1939 features mahogany back and sides, a solid Adiron-dack spruce top and period-correct “18” appointments. The D-18 Authentic is then finished in a polished gloss with aging toner on the top and body.
Other details: the new D-18 Authentic has D-18 mahogany blocks/dovetail neck joint, standard X scalloped top bracing made from 5/16-inches solid spruce, mahogany back and sides, Madagascar rosewood (D-28 pattern) purfling on the back, and a mahogany neck with an Authentic 1939 barrel & heel. The fingerboard is solid black ebony and the scale length is 25.4-inches with 20 frets total (14 in the clear). Both the nut and saddle are made from fossilized ivory and the tuning machines are Waverly Nickel 4060s with butterbean knobs.
The D-18 Authentic 1939 is $6,749 retail and comes with a 545V Harptone case. Left-handed models are no additional charge. Check out http://martinguitar.com/series/item/3270.html.
By Barry Rudolph
miniBIO: Barry Rudolph is a recording engineer/mixer with over 30 gold and platinum RIAA awards to his credit. He has recorded and/or mixed: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart, the Corrs and Robbie Nevil. Barry has his own futuristic music mixing facility and also teaches recording engineering at Musician’s Institute, Hollywood, CA.http://www.barryrudolph.com
