Martin D-18 Acoustic Guitar - Natural Reviews

Playing this new Martin D18 Update!
I've put some time in playing this NEW D18. It is the LOUDEST, best sounding, most balanced sounding and easiest playing, Martin I have ever played!
This thing is a cannon! Really enjoy it! No comparing it to my 1995 Martin D1!
It's truly a different experience!!
Thank You,

I would also like to add that working with Brad, my sales engineer was a great experience! He was both knowledgeable and helpful!

I have wanted a Marting D18 my entire life. It is an amazing instrument and Sweetwater did a great job of assisting with picking it out and shipping.

Wow! Just wow! So glad I got pulled the trigger on this one. It's not a bright sounding guitar but the depth and clarity more than compensate. Great combination of ease of play and quality. Well worth the money.

Just got my new Martin D-18 Natural today from Sweetwater. Love this guitar. Jake was very helpful working with me to decide which D-18 I wanted - love them all! Great guitar and great customer service from Sweetwater. My wife loves the candy and the stickers and I love my guitar so we are both happy! Thanks Sweetwater for fantastic customer service!

D-18 is the only guitar you'll ever need; nothing else is required. If you love the sound of mahogany, then the search ends. When I first played this guitar, I "knew". I really love the sound of the mahogany—warm yet with a great even tone profile. This is such a classic-looking and great-performing guitar. No wonder it has been and continues to be so prominent in the guitar world. I don't need to mention who all played and from what centuries it's been made its an iconic history. First ever Dreadnought shape with scalloped bracing....Thanks Tim from Sweetwater to help me buy my First Martin D-18

For many years my dream was to own a martin D-28. Finally the day came where I had some cash saved up for my first martin. I went into my local guitar shop and played both a D-28 and a D-18 and I surprisingly fell in love with the D-18.

I have never played an acoustic that sounded and felt as amazing as this Martin D-18. The tones that come out of it are next level. There is a reason this guitar has the reputation that it does and it deserves. I am in love and you can absolutely not go wrong with this classic! Thank you to Tommy from Sweetwater on the excellent customer service as always. Between the D-18 and Sweetwater you have literally everything you need.

I purchased a Hummingbird, OM28 and D18 at around the same time. They are all very nice guitars and I'm grateful I have them, but the one I reach to the most is the D18. It has a little more of everything than the other 2, balance, sweetness, a place for your vocals. To me its the finest acoustic guitar I've ever owned. It's a plain jane looking absolute gem of an acoustic guitar, it has fantastic dynamic range and suits me well for fingerstyle and strumming. It took about a year for it to really open up and it has sustain and a sweet ring to it for days. Get one and enjoy life!

Simply the best acoustic guitar I've ever owned. Simply up to all the hype. There's a reason this guitar is used in the studio often on recording. It has the perfect balance between the low, mids, and highs. One guitar I can promise you I will never part with!

I received my new guitar earlier this week. This is the 1st Martin guitar I have ever owned after nearly 40 years of picking guitar. I am extremely satisfied with this D-18, it is clearly the best guitar I have ever owned by a country mile, and I cannot seem to set it down. After playing this D-18 the only disappointment is I didn't buy one years ago. This guitar plays easy with pick or fingerstyle, and the sound is crisp when played loud or soft. It just has a fantastic sound, and it is very pleasing to my ears. If you're going to bow up and buy a great guitar you will not be disappointed with this D-18 or the service at Sweetwater, with that said, I would like to say a big Thankyou to Tim V. at Sweetwater for his assistance and great service regarding my 1st Martin guitar purchase. I am loving my D-18!

I believe my new Martin D18 is the best sounding acoustic I ever played. These really open up after a few months.

Love this guitar. The craftsmanship and the wood grains are beautiful. The sound is very balanced. Excellent for recording. And plays great with 13s which are usually a little stiff for me. Also like to thank Robbie Resnick for working with me on several other guitars that just didn't work out. But this one is a keeper!

I was on the hunt for a Spruce/Mahogany dreadnought. After combing the interwebs for two months and listening to countless videos, I *thought* I had narrowed down my choices to a Guild D40 and Taylor 517BE. I have a spruce/rosewood Taylor and all mahogany Guild M20 in the stable already, both of which I love, but I've never really been a "Martin" guy.

My sales engineer, Nick Reedy, was kind enough to set up a demo room with the two guitars at the time I knew I would be passing through Ft. Wayne. I arrived a little early, so I warmed up on a demo Martin D18 that happened to be hanging in their main acoustic guitar room.

To make a short story long, I loved the sound of the D40 but didn't care for the feel of the neck. I loved the feel and playability of the 517 but it sounded a bit bright and "Taylor-ey" for what I was after. The Martin D-18 totally captured my ears in terms of sound, and after a few minutes of playing it I felt right at home navigating the neck. The factory setup was pretty good, but I think I'll get "my Luthier" to give it a once over and restring it. Amazing guitar. Brand new, but already has a "lived in" sound.

Thanks Sweetwater & Nick for a great experience and giving me time to make the best choice for my needs!

Excellent sound and perfect neck shape and fretwork. At first I thought it was a little light on the low-frequency end, but I soon realized it's just a well-balanced tone. Notes really ring out and keep on going. Beautiful wood grain on the fretboard. Never selling this one. Many thanks to the excellent Matt Masek for the patience and assistance.

This guitar is great. Thanks again, Alan.

This guitar was great right out of the box. Figured I would to do a set up to suit me but it was all good. I have 4 other martin guitars and this new d-18 can hold its own with any of them right out of the box. Have always tried to buy from local dealers but I talked to a couple dealers near by that wanted full retail price that I could buy this same guitar form anywhere called Sweetwater and got a good deal that saved me quite a bit. I had never bought anything from Sweetwater but when I need anything else I'll be back.

I'm no guitar player. But just tuning this thing up and strumming an E, I feel like I command the angels of music. The beauty of it, and the lightness of it, the way it feels when I hold it, I don't have the words.

Years ago I lost every thing I owned in a house fire. I told myself I would never, ever, get worked up about possessions, ever again. And I think it sorta stuck. But if it were to happen again, if I had to jump into that fire and save anything, it would be first my cat (Mabel

Pretty ridiculous guitar. Truthfully out of the box I wasn't overly impressed. After about 5 minutes, I was like, "okay, this guitar is pretty good." After about a month, it is one of the best guitars I've ever played (even better than some custom shop Martins and the couple Hendersons I've played). Loud as I'll get out, very "Martin-y" tone. It doesn't have that dry punchy sound that vintage Martin's have, but it sounds very good still. I've only played maybe 2-3 guitars that are better than this one.

This is by far the nicest acoustic I've owned. Love the sound of mahogany paired with spruce. Lots of sweet highs. Clear bass and mids. The d-18 definitely has a ton of character in it's tone. I've heard others say it doesn't have as much harmonic content as a d-28 or HD-28. To my ears it has just the right amount of harmonic content. Go play one and see for yourself!

The build quality seems top notch. The detail of the wood grain on the top back and sides are pretty amazing.The Grover tuners adds a nice touch. In appearance the guitar isn't flashy but when you really look at all the physical details it's hard not to be amazed.

I played a bunch of Collings, Martins and Gibson's over the past few months at a couple stores in Nashville and Houston to really get a feel for what I like. I have a large frame so the dreadnaught body style has always been comfortable for me. For my skill level I felt the D-18 is a good middle ground where I'm not overspending and still getting a quality acoustic that if taken care of properly should last for a long time.

Shoutout to Nick Graham for helping me during the purchase process. Sweetwater's customer service is top notch.

Received it in 2 days with standard shipping. Everything is great except for the strap button. The plastic button won't allow me to put a strap lock on it. I'm going to try a rubber washer. Hopefully, that will work. I sure don't want to drop my new guitar. The guitar case is beautiful and exceptionally well made.

Like many, I held off the review of this instrument until this moment. But I had to post it.

I purchased my D18 on 2019, thanks to Abraham Sanchez, my go-to sales engineer, and thanks to Sweetwater's impeccable customer service. If you haven't experienced it for yourself, Sweetwater is, hands-down, second to none, THE retail store for anything Music and Audio related. The way they have your back covered makes purchasing instruments and equipment a pleasure. Also, the fact that they know their stuff at every level makes for a double safety net which ensures you will get what you want, hassle-free, and have the chance of changing it in case there is the slightest chance of you not being satisfied. Big words to say, but then again, investing a pretty penny on high quality instruments IS a big deal.

As for the Martin D18…holy cow. This is the stuff that makes the dreams of ANY practicing guitarist. I say "practicing" because if you don't constantly play the guitar, of course you will agree with the small percentage of reviews that claim that this guitar is stiff, hard to play, has horrible action, yadayadayada…….

I can't believe there are still folks who say that Martin should have done a better job on this (and some other) guitar. Sheeesh….do you guys play at all?

This is one of those instruments which forces the guitarist to play well, to work on technique in order to achieve pure tones, to press down, and get better every day. It is like a mirror. A top-class, high-quality mirror, which shines and amplifies the reflection of how in or out of shape you are.

If you are a constant guitarist who works on their musicality, technique, and interpretation, then you will love the purity of tones from the D18, the power of the projection of each note or chord, and the sustain that it has. For recording it is stellar. I have recorded it both with small diaphragm condensers (Schoeps MK21) and also large diaphragm tube mics, and in both cases it has delivered. My current favorite setup is large diaphragm tube mic => tube mic pre, and let me tell you…..pure glory, and a grin on your face that will last as long as the guitar lives. If you like James Taylor, Crosby Stills & Nash, Neil Young, Paul Simon, or any folk, bluegrass, or flatpicking style of Music….then look no further. This guitar is what you want without breaking a (not that) big of a hole in your wallet.

On the other hand….if you are starting to play the guitar, lack of consistency in your practicing, or just noodle around every once a month….then you will probably agree with that 1% that says that this is an overpriced, hard to play, instrument.

Personally I couldn't be happier with this D18. It rings till next week, projects beautiful tones with power, has the low balls worthy of a dreadnought, stunning midrange, and shimmering highs without being piercing. It has made me a better guitarist and I will keep this work of art forever with me.

Finally, I did the bridge pin upgrades à la Neil Young. Three ebony pins on the lower strings, three buffalo horn pins on the higher strings. The difference is subtle yet perceivable, more sustain, more volume, and overall a balancing of harmonics. Plus, with abalone inlays, it gives it a classy look.

If you play guitar seriously, this one is a no-brainer. Don't hesitate. Get it for yourself and never look back.

If you're like me and have combed hundreds of reviews and watched dozens of youtube videos, let me be the one thousandth person to tell you that this guitar is it.

Yes, it is exactly as good as everyone says it is.

Aaron hooked me up with the guitar and coordinated a setup to lower the action. (Martin actions are typically higher for bluegrass players, but I have a light hand and like the comfort of low strings). Consider having a setup done if you prefer a low action.

Sonically, this guitar sucks me in. It is incredibly resonant and the sustain is incredible. I just set the guitar down and I can feel it in the other room pulling me in.

As for feel and comfort, which is to me more important to sound, the neck is very comfortable and I've got no qualms about the string spacing. I could play this thing for hours and it is very light.

The case is high quality and fits the guitar very snuggly.

All together, this guitar is going to be something I pass on to my kids and hopefully on to their kids.

Feel free to explore other guitars, but you will inevitably ask yourself, "What about that D-18?"

I've had the D-18 for several weeks now and I am ecstatic with the purchase. I've had a vintage j50 and D-28 for years, but neither compare to this D-18. It is loud and clear and just a joy to play. Sweet Water Luthiers put on a set of Elixir strings and did a setup on the guitar for a very reasonable price. Tomir Denton (my Sales Engineer) made the process completely seamless. No hard sale, no judgement, just excellent service. I highly recommend SweetWater and Martin guitars and Tomir if you are in the market for an exceptional guitar and exceptional service.

Mike Flynt

I have always been a Gibson J45 man but WOW the craftsmanship and QC along with the flamed top blew me away. My best friend is convinced this is not a normal Martin D18 due to the eye popping flamed spruce top that even the pictures online did not show justice to! How does it sound and play? Like a dream come true. This is the best sounding acoustic I have ever owned and I will keep it and cherish it until the day I die.

The D-18 isn't just a flat-picking "cannon" as it is described and intended to be, but it's also a very easy player. Silky smooth fretboard, and very easy to tune (because of its tremendous overtones). Want to be expressive and delicate, -it can do that too. The 5/16 bracing gives it that extra musical punch. The guitar feels very solid because of the superior Martin build and finishing techniques. The greatest pickers in the world will have a D-18 in their collection. There is a definitive D-18 niche and good luck finding a guitar for the same, or even twice the money, that fills this space.
Mine sounds very good now. And in five years, it will really start to come into its own. I have been unhappy with a lot of the guitars that I have bought in the past -but not this one.

Just got my D-18 yesterday (thanks Scott Augustyniak). I had Sweetwater set it up with low action and had a set of Martin Retros put on it (money well spent). Guitar arrived when the shipper said it would.

Beautiful guitar, plenty of silking and a little bear claw on the top. Sounds like a D-18 should. And plays great too.

BTW, Sweetwaters low action is 5/64" 12th fret big E, 4/64" 12th fret little E. I experience no fret buzz when playing.

Long overdue with this review... never wrote a review for anything before but just wanted to give credit where credit is due...

Ed Nystrom is the man. Been dealing with Ed for almost 10 years & he has always been awesome to talk to & me being as tough a customer as I am can attest that his patience is second to none. Thank you Ed for all you do & I really look forward to years of many more purchases.

For the guitar itself... it's a D18. I've played J45s, various Martins & Yamahas all almost exclusively & for whatever reason I've always gravitated towards the D18. My producer has an '89 & back in December I started hunting for a well cared for/used D18 & also some 28s... after talking to Ed though I decided that I was actually interested in a modern brand new D18. It a beautiful instrument but it also has that timeless warm Martin sound you want. When I record with it & hear it, it's hard to believe that it's not a vintage guitar. Keep doin what you're doin Martin.

But yeah this guitar is amazing & I can happily say I'm done... if you are considering buying a new D18 don't think twice about this one. It's the real deal

Thanks to Sweetwater Ed for helping me with this purchase. The D18 is light and beautiful. It has that nice and even tone of A Martin where every string rings out in perfect balance. Always wanted to own a Martin acoustic and the D18 was at the perfect price point for my budget. Worth every Penny!

I was very cautious about purchasing an instrument on line. I always have been a play it first type of guy.I had heard about Sweetwater through my brother who purchased a guitar (Martin D 28) and was very happy with the experience. I called Sweetwater and asked to speak to a customer Rep. who also plays. I was introduced to Mitch who is a guitar player and sound engineer. Mitch assured me that the Martin D 18 I wanted would only be shipped once it had passed the 55 point inspection and met Sweetwater and Martin standards. Mitch answered every question I had pertaining to shipping, warranties, and the return policy if needed. Mitch was very knowledgeable and most helpful My new Martin arrived in three days after purchase and talk about secure packing, it arrived double boxed and in tune. The guitar is everything I knew it would be and plays and sounds great Mitch and the Sweetwater team made this a most pleasant experience and I will use Sweetwatyer for any and all musical needs in the future. Great job to the Sweetwater Team. Rock on America

I received my new Martin D18 last week, and I'm having a difficult time putting it down. This is now the best guitar that I've ever owned, and I'm willing to bet that it will always be. The tone is so warm, balanced, and sweet. It definitely has some horsepower when I need it, but I can play it soft when I want to as well. The setup performed by Sweetwater is perfect. It plays so effortlessly. Its inspiring me to be a better player. I would like to personally thank sales engineer Jesse Cabral for a fantastic job helping me find this beautiful instrument. I've been doing business with Sweetwater for 14 years now, and the customer service is far and above any other company I've ever dealt with.

This guitar is simply awesome. It has nice, lovely highs and some good bass. The neck joint and bracing make it sound so good. Also, I love the binding and finish. Beautiful yet simple. Also, this guitar can get pretty loud but sounds awesome played soft. It is my favorite acoustic.

When it comes to acoustic guitars it's hard to beat a Martin. The D-18 has always been my dream guitar. It has the sweetest sound of any guitar I've ever heard. I would highly recommend the D-18.
Purchasing the guitar from Sweetwater was so easy and hassle free. Sweetwater's attention to their customers and making sure they have the answers to any questions you may have is beyond any company I've ever dealt with.

Wow!!! I waited on this guitar to become available and back in stock! True Martin tone and In my opinion the best Bluegrass guitar. Absolutely love my D-18!!

After playing acoustic guitar since 1969 I finally have an exceptional instrument. I didn"t care for the playability of the strings it came with from Martin (thick 13"s) and tried Retro"s (11"s) which lost all fullness but after switching to a phosphor bronze set of 12"s, I"m in love. It records better than I could have hoped which is my reason for buying. I played a D18, D28 and D35 at a local big box store but the D18 won over. The one I got from Sweetwater is better than the one in the other store probably due to all the idiots messing around with it for the time it was on display. Basically the other store is selling a partially used guitar whereas Sweetwater shipped a new one rigt from Martin. I just can"t imagine anything better. Truly an example of getting what you pay for and I"ll never need to upgrade again. I never played a better guitar in my life and you just can"t beat the price and service from Sweetwater.

This is my FIRST Martin. I have owned high end Gibson"s and Taylor acoustics but had never tried a Martin. Also, I had never owned a Mahogany back and side guitar. I had always bought Rosewood and one Cherry (Gibson Dove). But as I listened to the tone of Mahogany and Spruce I heard "The sound" I had been looking for. Philip Courtney and Mitch Dazey really took care of me. My Correspondence was all via Email and they made sure my questions were answered and I got exactly what I wanted. I even ordered via Email and these guys took care of me. For a small charge and the price of my favorite strings I got the guitar set up to perfection. Martin + Sweetwater is a winning combination. In my opinion you can"t go wrong with the D-18. Its loud, balanced and the highs and lows are piano like. It begs to be played in every style. This is the best sounding guitar I have ever owned and as always Sweetwater service is second to none.

This is actually my sixth Martin, and may be the best so far. In my early teens I worked and saved for a 000-18. Then, in my twenties, a beautiful sunburst D-28 which I parted with only out of necessity. Some twenty years later came a smaller auditorium mahogany laminate with beautiful tone which I held for ten years then passed on to my son. Enter next: 000-15SM, D-15M, and now this gorgeous D-18. Only time will truly tell but for starters I am well pleased with the tone, the sustain, and the look of this Martin staple. Very comfortable neck!
Thanks to Josh Kattner at Sweetwater for a very good buying experience, as well for a very good price. To all you Taylor owners: Next time make it Martin!
Robert 'Stan' Campbell from Cedarville, NY

Stunning guitar, Stunning service, thanks Nick LaMendola,and Noah???
Setup was exactly as l asked for. I have setup many guitars in the last 40 years, I know it can be a little tricky.
If you must order a guitar on-line, Sweetwater is the only way to go.
P/S the small price for the set-up service is well worth it

I bought a used 2017 Martin D-18. Its a post-2012 (duh!) D-18. It sounds great. Its very light for a dreadnought. Has a really pretty smell, like a light perfumy woody smell, wonderful, especially when I first opened the case. Easy to play. Very balanced. Great volume. Beautiful amazing pretty, wholesome, woody, earthy tone, that's has a bit of pretty brightness but not shrill or jangly or thin like a Taylor (I like it much more than my Taylor 314e). My Taylor sounds anemic in comparison. The tone is full, rich, a bit of shimmer but not excessive in overtones. The tone has no harshness at all, unlike many guitars. Its great for a variety of styles, it doesn't deserve to be stereotyped as a 'bluegrass' guitar for folks that want to play loud quick leads. I love it I have no regrets paying up for this (though I got a good deal on a used one). It has a 1.75" nut which I love. Nitro finish is great. It looks simple but when you strum or pick some notes... wow, very pretty woody tone! Funny thing is I recently tested another D-18, and that one was AMAZING, I never played any guitar in any store that made me feel like that ever, that one is probably even better than mine. My consolation is that that's a 2016 (I noted the serial# and looked it up later) and mine is a 2017, so mine has the possibility of opening up in 1 year and sounding that great. So my conclusion is that the post 2012 Martin D-18 is a fabulous guitar.

Ive had several Martin guitars have 4 right now. I like the sound of this mahagony one better than my D28 or my D45. This has turned out to be my go to living room player.

The Martin D18 Dreadnought is incredible. It's full rich sound is detailed and articulate. Martin has returned to its historic forward shifted bracing that allows the spruce top to vibrate producing warm and woody tones. The solid mahogany back and sides provide punch and clarity that is well balanced. The D18 is the classic dreadnought and after playing just a few chords it will quickly becomes obvious why. The sound and playability of this guitar right out of the box produces the tone of an instrument with a historic past. Thank you to the Sweetwater staff for their knowledge and commitment to helping customers find the instrument best suited to their needs.

This is a fabulous guitar, beautiful design, construction quality, and most importantly has an addictive sound that wants you to keep playing it as long as possible. This is my favorite guitar of my collection and can't imagine ever getting rid of it. Arrived in perfect condition, extremely playable with moderate low action and has a great feel in your hands. This guitar delivers 100% Satisfaction!

Hi Acoustic Guitar Lovers, Its the Old Time Picker again, I'm back at Sweetwater, And yes I've bought a new Martin D18 its a Sweet Heart sounds great and looks and feels great, I'm Blind so the feel and sound has to be right, So hears some advice, First listen for that one of a kind sound your looking for, and Second look for that great finish, I know Martin guitars are hand made and can have some little problems with the binding, But ask your sales agent to take the time and look at all the guitars they can get their hands on and find the best finish possible, You might have to wait for some more to come in but Sweetwaters sales agents will do the looking for you no matter how long it takes, I sent two back free shipping of course for they had bad spots on the binding but my sales agent Jon found the right one for me and at a great price, Playing them and look at them good and hold out for the best you can get, but its worth the time to get a good one, I own three Martins, and ten Alvarez two Epiphones and I'm still looking for another, But for now my new Martin D18 has my little Puppy Mister Snickers and my wife Bunny happy listening to me play and sing, Oh ya Mister Snickers sings to, His favorite song is Tip Toe Through The Tulips. Well I better get back to Pickin and Grinin, Till next time from the Old Time Picker, Keep on Pickin.

The D-18 has the sound I have always wanted in an acoustic guitar. I went through many other (cheaper) Martin models, returning them week after week. Every time I went back into the store, the D-18 was the guitar I ALWAYS returned to. Do not let the price deter you... The sound is unmatched. It is rich, full bodied and balanced in every spectrum of sound. The D-18 has one of the most playable necks I have ever played on an acoustic and the dreadnaught body fits right into yours.
The new 2012 D-18 has that classic Martin appearance that everyone loves and in my opinion will be an heirloom for many generations to come.

Played this guitar for 18 months. I continue to be amazed by this instrument! It is easy to tune, holds a tune, frets accurately across the entire fret-board, has great volume, tone and sustain. When I record this guitar the tone, volume and sustain are as good as it gets. People always comment on it, and I just say "its a vintage Martin". If you are looking for a acoustic, this one is worth a play at you music store

Oh wow! What a guitar! The post 2012 d-18 is so impressive with its beautiful balance and power. It has always been considered a professional level Martin and really lives up to the name. I can't say enough good things about this model, if you've not played one you need to. This was the 4th Martin guitar I purchased from Sweetwater this year and they have all been flawless transactions. Thanks again Nathan

Is there really anything else? I've played lots of nice acoustic guitars over the years, (Taylors, Gibsons, Takamines, Seagulls, Guilds, Yamahas, Ovations, etc, etc,) and thought a few sounded pretty decent, but when I took my D-18 home, my other acoustics, which I previously though sounded great, sounded thin and weak. The tone of the D18, I feel, is what every acoustic player is looking for, but doesn't know it, because they think their current guitar is just fine. Take your guitar to your local shop, and play it, then play a D-18 ... You will be amazed as I was! The tone is balanced perfectly ... Light finger picking is pronounced and smooth and harder strumming projects, and all the nuances in between are picked up, giving so much expression to one's playing. And the playability is so nice, makes some of those difficult progressions much easier to play. A good Martin is not cheap, but with the D-18 you get a guitar that will put a smile on your face every time you play it!

Well I've been playing guitar on and off since the late 60's, a lot of the time it was acoustic but I did take a serious plunge into the electric side of music. I have put most of the electrics back in their cases and have concentrated on acoustics again (finding my roots). I have a lot of fine acoustics - Martins, Taylors, Guilds, Tacomas, Eastmans, etc. some vintage and some not, even boutiques. I recently pulled the trigger on the D-18 because I felt as though my stable was not complete. Wow, I was really impressed with the magic that popped out of this thing right out of the box, I just couldn't put it down. The action is setup pretty good, in a couple of weeks I will have my Luther do a set up to my liking. The finish work on this guitar is top notch as it should be...it's a Martin. Buy one, you won't be disappointed.
Now to tell about the service from Sweetwater, Aaron T. is super to work with. He answered all my questions and worked with me to make this all happen. I bought with confidence knowing I would be taken care of no matter what. I will be buying again from him in the future.
Well, I must now go play!!!
THANK YOU SWEETWATER!!!

Blown away is right....wow! I am lucky enough to live close to many of the finest guitar stores out there. I've played so many guitars, custom and authentic from numerous brands. After owning a Rosewood/Adirondack Martin for two years (and loving it), I find it hard to believe how much louder and more sustain this guitar produces. It's louder in the mid strings than my HD16RADI, while still having a very deep bass sound. Of course the rosewood does the bass twice as deep but honestly it does it at a cost of balance...and that's where this D18 has just shined! The balance and pureness of each note is so sweet. Speaking of sweet, this guitar smells like candy, like sunscreen and bikinis with caramel. It's lust-inducing! I really believe this to be the perfect example of what my soul wants a Martin to be, smooth neck, bone everything, padded handle on the case, butter bean incredibly accurate tuners and just overall balance and beauty. It's so perfect.

Like another reviewer, the D 18 completes the "trio" of the HD 28, D 35 and D 18. Three guitars that compliment each other but sound entirely different from each other.

Perfect compliment to my HD-28 & D-35. Thanks to Bart. He's a great sales tech. You should call him. I know I will again.

In my 40+years of playing I have never owned such a beautiful instrument. The bass is awesome , the highs are shimmery and the balance between the 2 is perfect. My wife who usually doesnt notice these things said WOW its loud! Everything you could wish for in a guitar. My salesperson Chris Sanders was very nice and very helpful. I would for sure buy this all over again

This D-18 is now right up there in sound with Martin's higher-priced models, due to the return of the forward-shifted scalloped X bracing.
Loved it immediately right out of the case! Sound & playability are awesome! As always, Mike Soper & the other guys at Sweetwater shipped this to me quickly, & well-padded within the boxes. Ask for Mike Soper for the best of advice, knowledge, & ultra-friendly service!

I own a 1969 D-18 that I bought in 1970. It is my go-to guitar for playing folk and Americana both with a flat pick and individual finger picks. For many years I used 80/20 light gauge strings and I also tried the phosphor bronze flavors as well. The reason I am writing this review is because I want to pass on some string info for you current and future D-18 players. Try the Martin Monel strings - the Tony Rice strings are medium gauge and the Retro strings come in a light gauge. Monel strings on a mahogany guitar are a total game changer. While the D-18 is a rich, mello, woody guitar, Monel turns it into even a more beautiful guitar. While I use Martin SP PB Life Lights on my rosewood and sitka Martin OM-21, there is no going back on the D-18 - it's Retro light monel forever. And guess what - the D-18 gets better and better over the years - mine is 45 years old.

Martin guitars have long since established a proven track record of building one of the industries best guitars - Love my new D-18!

Where this really get's awesome for me is in the personal attention that I receive from my sales engineer - Dave Brow. The service is more than just "service" it's an EXPERIENCE! Sweetwater is the "difference" that I have been looking for.

Great versatile iconic guitar. Sweetwater gave a great price and the shipping was very fast. Guitar arrived in perfect condition, double boxed. Setup perfect out of the box.

The Finest New Guitar a person could buy. The Martin Guitar Company really are making the finest guitars in their history The new D-18 is Superb.

I have always been a Taylor guy, or so I thought, but for some reason I never kept them long! I recently had the opportunity to play a D-18 with the Eclipse factory installed pickup, and HOLY MOLEY!! What a loud and resonant guitar!! All the bass that is missing from a Taylor, but still very balanced!! The neck profile is very much like my Stratocaster, which is a plus, and the butterbean tuners are very smooth and accurate!! I grew up with Martin guitars, but I never thought I could afford one.. now I have a "Holy Grail" D-18!! This is a KEEPER!!

After a bad experience with a 70's Martin (intonation problems) I stayed away from Martins and used Taylors for their spot-on intonation and very playable necks. But I always missed the tone of my old D-35. I started looking at Martin Dreads again hoping to find that elusive mojo that the D-35 had. After playing everything in sight, I finally came across the new 2012 D-18 and never looked back. Martin has done it RIGHT with this new model! Everything I didn't like about the old style D-18 has been fixed: The neck profile is very comfortable (Modified low profile/performing artist taper), which is much like a Taylor neck including the 1 3/4 nut width, which I prefer. Ebony fingerboard, beveled tortoise shell pickguard, premium grade Sitka top, open geared butterbean tuners, old-style Martin Decal headstock logo, and best of all, 5/16 scalloped, forward shifted X bracing!. This D-18 is the real deal and the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. It sounds GREAT! Huge bass, warm tone, great mids, clear, balanced trebles!
And the intonation is perfect all the way up the neck, as it should be.
I use Elixir Nanoweb .13's Phosphor Bronze and tune down to Eb, which is perfect for my vocal range and keeps the string tension just right for bending and fingerpicking. LOVE THIS GUITAR!!!
Made me a believer in Martin again. Nothing else touches this guitar in this price range. GET ONE!!

My D-18 arrived two day ago - can't put it down - the strings were .13s (ouch!), which I replaced with Martin SP .12s - other than that, perfect out of the box - kudos to Sweetwater for being the best in the biz...

I have an HD-28, which I thought was loud - it is nothing compared to the 18 - this mahogany beauty can really sing, yet can be sweet and subdued too, just like the 28, with no loss in sustain or clarity - amazing dynamics; pure tonewood, no mic...

I AB'd the D-18 and the D-17 - no comparison - the new D-18 is in a class all its own - spend the extra $$$ and you will see why...

Love the 1 3/4" neck - I had my doubts because I have small hands, but they feel right at home...

thank you Martin...thank you Sweetwater...

I don't think I could ad anything to the other reviews...very impressed...haven't set it down. Playability is superb... set up , dead on right out of the box... my thanks to Kent and the staff that helped on the purchase and set up... nice job guys.. thanks... can't say enough... if your on the fence; go for it...beautiful highs, mellow mid range with just a nice touch of low end.....jim b.

D18
New design D18
This new redesigned D18 is a great all around acoustic—great sound and sustain--easy playability with neck improvements. Once you start playing this guitar you will find it hard to put it away. No matter what your style—country, bluegrass, clawhammer, folk finger style, or down home country blues this guitar will work for you.
Sound Engineer Arron at Sweetwater was very calm, good listener and helpful.
This Guitar will soon become one of Americana's great treasures.

I spent months trying to decide which Martin to purchase. In the end I was drawn to the D-18. I simply love everything about my first Martin. The neck is without-a-doubt one of the nicest feeling necks I have ever played. The ebony fingerboard has a very comfortable and precise feel to it. The open geared nickle tuners with butterbean knobs adds to that vintage feel. Bone nut and saddle are a definite plus. The tonewoods are a perfect marriage and quite beautiful. The tone is superbly balanced throughout. Take one strum and WOW , the D-18 resonants thru your whole body. Martin kicked it up a notch with this guitar!! I am one proud Martin owner. And this is a great year to buy a Martin as they are celebrating their 180th anniversary!!
And everything I have heard and read about Sweetwater's customer service is true.The D-18 came set up perfectly right out of the box. My sales engineer, Lindsey, went above and beyond in answering all my questions and assisting me in my purchase. Just a real positive experience all the way round.
Which Martin should you buy? The answer is simple- the D-18!!
And who should you buy your D-18 from? The answer is simple- Sweetwater!!
I

Being an active professional musician I've owned almost every kind of guitar made, but this is my first Martin. I'm not sure why I waited so long. This D-18 is a great guitar!!
I've owned many boutique guitars and truly this guitar can run with the best of them. Now, I've only had this guitar for a few days, but I've nearly played the strings off it.
The build is absolute perfection. I got one that has silking plus on the spruce top and the mahogany is just gorgeous. The ebony neck is flawless and the neck feels just right for aggressive strumming or finger picking. I love the new 1.75" nut width. The overall understated appearance is just beautiful.
Tone, WOW, this has got it!! The bass is just what you can imagine a Martin is known for but the mids and trebles are great also which all adds up to a very nice balanced tone.
I guess the only thing I would change on this guitar is the plastic bridge pins, which I plan to change. The case is very nice, not Martins top of the line but really very good quality.
Sweetwater came through again. I would rather play a guitar before I buy it but I'm so confident in Sweetwater's guitar shop I've bought several guitars from them and would buy another one.
Thanks Sweetwater for another great guitar!!

I purchased this from a local dealer, it was a display model. However that did not detract from it's ability to blow me away when I played it. The ease of playing it suprised me, being new to playing the guitar this was my first purchase of a high-end guitar. I would recommend this to anyone beginner or advanced player. GET IT NOW!!!!!!!

the new D18 delivers! it is an absolute tone machine and hugely playable in every way- Martin done right!

GET IT!

One of the best moves Martin has made is the remake of the time honored D18. No longer straight braced with a 1 11/16th inch nut width. The new D18 has scalloped forward shifted bracing and the new high Prefomance neck with 1 3/4inch nut width. This D18 has the deep base of the vintage golden era Martins but remains well balanced not over powering the trebles. It has a beautiful high end and the smooth playing up the fretboard now made much easier with the High Preformance neck and a 1 3/4in nut width. Gone is the black Pickguard replaced with a Delmar tortoise pickguard. The ebony fretboard is smooth and feels wonderful and the set up out of the box was a perfect 3/32in and 2/32in at the low E and high E 12th fret. Plus the D18 now comes with a bone saddle and bone nut the only downer for me was the black plastic bridge pins which I replaced with ebony bridge pins. Martin also upgraded the grade of Sitka Spruce used for the solid top which is a major reason for the vintage sound that now is closer to the old original D18's of the 30's , 40's and 50's. I didn't buy my D18 at Sweetwater as I have most of my acoustics due to the fact that when they are in stock at Sweetwater they are sold out in no time so I had to search for a dealer that had one. Sweetwater stil is my first choice however when I am looking for a new acoustic..The new D18 is one of the best acoustics I have played in a long time and wil only get better with age if you love Martins this is a must have acoustic guitar.

The new D-18 sure has that vintage vibe and look to it. It was great right out of the box. My particular D-18 was light as a feather also, meaning that this guitar already had that vintage/broke in sound. In time it will only get better. Martin really got it right on this particular guitar. It is becoming one of my favorite guitars. I would HIGHLY recommend this guitar to anyone wanting a new guitar regardless of style they play.

I purchased my first ever Martin last week. It's a Model D-18 and its brand new. I was determined to own a Martin because of all the information I have read about them over the years in many different articles, journals, etc... This will be my 5th guitar purchase in the past two years. Previous models are Gibson J-45, Epiphone inspired by Texan, Epiphone Masterbuilt DR-500, Sea Gull Entourage Rustic. I like all of them, they all offer something different in sound/playability and value for the dollars spent. I would put my newest purchase (D-18) at the top of the list as far as high-quality sound goes. The Gibson J-45 is right there with it, for the most part. The others offer reasonable sound for the fewer dollars. I use medium gauge Martin SP strings on all of them and I like the deeper bass tones and the beautiful blending of sound reproduction with that particular string type. I also include adding Mitchel's plates to all of them in order to protect the bridge plates. I probably won't keep all these guitars for long, but the Martin and Gibson aren't going anywhere.

Soundwise my Martin d18 is is good as it gets. Entonation is spot on and it plays fast and easy. That being said.... There is on thing to beware of. Martin, in order to improve playability, saw fit to design the guitars with very thin necks. For those of us with big hands and fat fingers.....this requires being spot on with every lick. Theres no room for any mistakes or bad habits. It took a month of playing before I could play without my fingers falling off of the high e string. But once I got rid of the bad habits, this became my " go to " steel stringed guitar. It plays every bit as good as my 67 Tele, only no twang... Lol

Let me tell you, this is the most expensive guitar I own and it is the most difficult to play, which is something I simply can't put up with. Fretboard feels totally stiff, like a two-by-four or slab of metal which makes it not only difficult to fret, but also difficult to play simple chords/notes up the neck. What a terrible disappointment for a guitar that is billed as a legendary instrument.

Sold My Martin 0015M to buy this guitar based (mistakenly), on all the love in the reviews. I understand the D18 is new and needs broken in, however, it's REALLY stiff out of the box. The notes are a bit muted, and it's not nearly as loud as I thought it would be. The tone? MEH. It doesn't compare or project as well as my Martin 00-15m (which I regret selling).
Considering the investment, I'm pretty disappointed . I've had cheaper acoustics that sound and play better than the D-18. Maybe I just got a dud from Sweetwater.
Anyway, I think all the people that are giving the D-18 rave reviews are drinking some special kool-aid.