Martin 000-18 Acoustic Guitar - Natural Reviews

Short and Sweet: A dream come true guitar for me. Expensive? Yes, but looks, build quality, playability, and sound' sure put my mind at ease. Comes with a great case' to protect it while it awaits your attention. I had LR Baggs' Anthem Pickup installed and it sounds 'sweet and natural' out of my acoustic amp. A big shoutout to Sweetwater' team members Chris McCown' Joe Stilwell' and David Bell'…thank you!

Being a complete novice and 70 year old newbie to guitar playing, I feel less than qualified to write a review. One of my high school friends has played his whole life and swears by Martin, and has been guiding me down the path. This instrument in his hands is nothing short of magical! He played all of the oldies, Dylan, CSN, Clapton, and Young. All he could say was WOW! The Martin is beautifully crafted, incredibly light in weight, and an amazing instrument. My finger tips are forming callouses and I am slowly progressing. Thank you Sweetwater for the great service and prompt delivery of my new Martin.

I purchased this guitar from Tyler Moore. It was a phenomenal deal, and a beautiful piece of work. I'm very proud of it. I had them install the Gold Plus pickup and set the action (more on that later).

The guitar is as good of a build as I had hoped for. Awesome grain in the Sitka is going to age wonderfully. I sold Martins in the 80s and 90s. The 16 and 18 series are my favorites, though I feel secure that I'll one day be after a D-28, as well. There is something about a mahogany instrument that just fits my tone niche. This guitar had the punch of a much bigger guitar, and a clarity that you don't find in lower price guitars. But, that's what Martin is all about.

The action: I was disappointed, in the order, due to the fact that I asked for a LOW almost buzzing action, and it came feeling like a standard Martin Bluegrass setup. That may have been a miscommunication, but it is what it is. So, I filed the lower E down a touch, and put a humidifier pack in the case to regulate it back to the right place. Then, a light tweak on the truss rod got it right where I wanted it.

I guess that is the good part about the new Martins. You can get that low action on it. I owned a 70s D-28, and my son has a 66 D-28. If you wanted them lowered, it is a serious task. But, I was able to get this guitar into a great action in a week. Now it plays great.

The case isn't too bad for this guitar, I think it will be fine, as it fits like a glove. Overall, I do recommend this guitar, and if you are not good at setting up your own guitar, find a local luthier to help you out. You will be amazed at the power this little guitar has to offer you.

First I would like too thank Daniel Moore, my Sales Engineer for years now. He's always on top of his game and represents Sweetwater very well. Also I thank Sweetwater for their fine product line and service too me. Now as for the Martin 000 18. It fitted my playing style too a tee. I love the neck on the 000 18 cause it is very comfortable and fast. The sound is unbelievable very rich and mellow. It has a sound of its own, which I love. I have a Martin D 28 that has it specific sound too. Also a 000 15 SM with its own rich sound. They all have their own personality, which I love. Took a while get use too the D 28 with the big body and neck but with the 000 18 it was right on spot. I could play the 000 18 right then and there but I was used too Classical Guitars, also. Thank You Mr. Martin for your line of outstanding acoustic guitars. None Better. Thanks Daniel and Sweetwater for your professional service too me and my music.

I've never bonded with a guitar the way that I have with this one. This guitar is alive and just pulls inspiration out of me. I will never appreciate a dreadnaught the same way again after playing this guitar. The 000 size with the spruce top is just so responsive while remaining full bodied and balanced. I also love the warm voice of the mahogany back and sides. This guitar is so versatile. It sounds great finger picked, strummed, or flat picked and it even riffs very well. The slim, satin neck is a joy to play. The build quality is immaculate and if I had to say anything negative, it would be that there was a thin line of residual glue visible directly on the neck joint. That's some serious nitpicking. After letting rest inside the box for 24 hours, it was setup perfectly for my taste directly out of the box. I have some other high end guitars, but I'm a Martin convert for life now. It's just that good.

I've always been a Dread guy (D18&HD28) but decided to get the 000-18. This guitar sounds great and the action is perfect! If you're considering buying this guitar do it, you won't be disappointed.

Is it worth the money? Undeniably, it is. Stop buying mid level guitars, this guitar has magic built in. Magic you can't just go get anywhere. The feel, the playability, the sound. It's worth every Penney. It will cause you to play more, and that's priceless. Now I have a room full of mid level guitars that can't even come close. Do yourself a favor, and spend the money. You won't regret it. You might regret all the guitars you bought before it though...

This is the finest instrument, of any kind, that I have yet played. It's beautiful to look at, and feels even better, but that's only skin deep. The playability of this guitar is insane. The neck is extremely comfortable. Thenbody shape is conducive to long sessions spent in comfort. Especially for fingerstyle, this guitar was just made to play.

The important part is the sound. Picking up the guitar and feeling its lightness, and obeserving it's comparative "smallness" to a D, I was blown away from the range of sound that this beauty produces. Picked close to the bridge, this thing could battle a banjo. Strummed close to the neck, and it's a harp. Fingerstyle playing rings out sweet and mellow, but when I dig in, its responds. The mahogany really helps create the lows and mids that surprised me. It is just a beautiful guitar that I find myself sometimes talking to. Plus the smell....off the hook. I get my nose right in there. If you're on the fence, do it. You won't be sorry. I do NOT regret going for the 18 over the 28 with rosewood.

I'm pretty new to acoustics (two years). I'm smaller framed (5'7") and have a Martin D-28, which I love, but this 000-18 is now my go-to guitar. It doesn't have the volume of the larger bodied D-28, but it sounds fantastic and fits me perfectly. And it was perfect out of the box. Thank you, Cliff Hackleman. Sweetwater is my first stop for all my music needs (and wants).

Having owned 4 previous acoustics, Yamaha, a couple of PRS' I thought it's time to go for a Martin. I picked this size as I'm tired of the larger acoustics.
This guitar is a comfortable size but still has a great sound quality. It really rings and has a nice crisp sound compared to lesser guitars.
The finish is absolutely perfect as are the frets. You literally can't feel them sliding along the edge of the fretboard.

After first of year I purchased a Martin HD-28...love the sound of rosewood and spruce...but also a big fan mahogany and spruce.. two beautiful guitar's with different voices...got this about a month later and could not be happier..Plays like magic...love Martin acoustic guitar's and sweetwater..and a special thanks to Jeff Law and Brett Moore..for making it happen..

Thanks to Sweetwater and Alan Carter for making this happen!
I've been playing for over 50 years, acoustic and electric. I've always owned dreadnoughts. This is the first 000 size acoustic I've owned. I've own it for a few months now and can't put it down. The sound is pure and balanced. The size and playability is perfect. Although it's smaller, it still has beautiful rich lows and projects surprisingly well. The guitar not only sounds amazing, it's drop dead beautiful. Everything about it is perfect, materials, craftsmanship setup.
I also tried the 00028EC. It's also a wonderful guitar. The V neck just didn't fit my hand. I'm sure some might prefer it though. I can't wait to start gigging with this guitar.

My Martin 000-18 is the best of all the guitars I own or have ever owned, including various electric and acoustic guitars. I will pick up my Martin 000-18 before anything else no matter what kind of music I am playing, even if ultimately I perform it on a different instrument. The intonation is perfect up and down the fingerboard. It is immensely playable. It has that great and unmistakable Martin sound and is plenty loud. This is the most rewarding and satisfying instrument I have ever put my hands on.

Ever since I started playing 16 years ago I've always wanted a Martin. After a strange year and a few single malts I decided to treat myself to an early Christmas present. I must say that I couldn't be happier with both the guitar and the customer service from Sweetwater (shout out to Drew!). The instrument is gorgeous, the playability is phenomenal, and the tone and projection are top notch. If you're on the fence, take the leap. I promise you won't regret it the investment. Treat it right and you'll pass it down for generations.

I have had several other good guitars but just wanted a Martin, mainly because some of my favorite guitarist play them. They are expensive and I was unsure if it was worth the money. But, I am so glad I bought the guitar, it's above my expectations.
I have bought my last three guitars from sweet water and the service is awesome.

First, I've been associating with guitars for over 40 years. Despite all that time, I'm a no-talent hack; just don't have that spark. Still, I play because I love it. All of it. I've held more than a few good guitars over the years, but this one is something special. The neck is fast, the tone is sweet, and she may be little, but she growls when you ask her to, and just sings the rest of the time. A quick shout out to Colton here at Sweetwater for his time and input. It was greatly appreciated, and, dude, you were right.

This is my second Martin. My first was a J40 which is beautiful adorned and has a deep, booming voice with a mellow top. However lately I have been playing fingerstyle blues and ragtime Which requires something ideally smaller than Dreadnought, let alone a massive jumbo. Enter my Martin 000-18. The largest of the small bodies, it has the sweetest, warmest tone of any acoustic I own. The Spruce/Mahogany combo is great. All of my other acoustic guitars are either Rosewood or Ziricote with spruce tops so I wasn’t sure what to expect from a Mahogany back and sides. It extremely comfortable to hold and play, I love the smaller body. My B&G Caletta is between a 00 and 000 so this is just slightly larger. The guys at Sweetwater set it up for me with my preferred .12 gauge brass strings, filed the saddles slightly, oiled the board and checked neck relief and they always do great set ups. When I received the guitar, I was hooked after 3 minutes of playing. Strumming with a light pick yields that gorgeous balanced, round, gentle tone with lovely low mid to mid tone and a sweet top. There is no harshness to speak of. I’m a finger picker at heart though, so that’s the most important part for me and I couldn’t be happier with the guitar’s response. It’s both snappy and punchy while picking, and with the brass strings it produces the piano-like tone and attack I was hoping for. When I play Blind Blake to Robert Johnson or Chet Atkins style to Stefan Grossman plucking, this 000-18 makes me feel so connected to those guys and their music. And the -18 level appointments are also understatedly lovely. The tortoise guard, the simple binding and the silk screened logo all ‘feel’ just right. The over the top appointments of the J40 with its abalone and mother of pearl is beautiful but this is more me. I’ve been a Sweetwater customer for about 15 years and they always do me right. I’m a Martin player for about a year, but it didn’t take me that long to ‘get it’, and man do I get it now. I’m in love.

This is a very fine guitar. Immensely playable and the tone is very sweet. You will love this guitar and the sound it makes. I put Martin metal bridge pins in and new medium/light strings. And WOW! This is also an excellent guitar if you are just starting to learn to play or been playing for a long time. Worth every penny. And of course Sweetwater service is excellent.

I have been playing this for a few hours since I received this guitar and I have to say this thing is about as perfect as can be. The sound, the playability, I don't know if it could be to much better than this with out spending a small fortune on a guitar. So, if you have a small fortune go ahead and spend it. If not, I would recommend you just buy this guitar. I used to think I would never be happy with anything other than a Dreadnought guitar. Not anymore. I have other pretty nice guitars, including a D35. I have to say if I could only have one guitar I would be perfectly happy with this one.

I had been wanting a smaller bodied Martin for years and finally decided to pull the trigger. I went to the Sweetwater store in Ft. Wayne and narrowed the choice to an OM28, 00028 and 00018. Greg Baum was working with me and after I eliminated the OM I spent the better part of an hour going back and forth between the 18 and 28. I fell in love with both guitars but eventually decided on the 18.

The shorter scale and 000 body make this a very comfortable guitar to play. I play with a pick and fingerstyle about 50/50 each. Everything about this guitar reflects quality from the finish to the tuners. The spruce top has some "bear claw" markings which I really like. Every string comes across as balanced and clear, all the way up the neck. I installed K&K Pure Mini pickups and run through a Fishman Loudbox amp.

I would recommend anyone shopping for a smaller body guitar to give this a try.

I don't normally think to give a review but the customer service from Sweetwater is really quite amazing. After I decide to get this guitar and ordered it , my rep. Kevin Spunde called and discussed the particulars. He even sent me pictures to review. I ordered on a Friday and wanted it shipped on a Monday so it would arrive on Wednesday. I didn't want it sitting in a warehouse over the weekend. I always worry when an acoustic guitar is shipped. Sweetwater double boxed the guitar. I think they have a 55 point checklist when a guitar is sold. After receiving and leaving in the box for a day, I got it out and it played perfectly right out of the case!

I love this guitar. The tone is sweet. I have an OM21 and it's rich and bold. This guitar is sweet in tone. They complement one another well. I've wanted a 00018 for quite some time, and I'm not disappointed. The Sweetwater agent also worked with me well. Thanks Kent!

One of the best values that Martin has right now!
Very satisfied!! and a great job by Sweetwater! as always!!!

This Martin 000-18 was a recent purchase from Sweetwater. My favorite acoustic guitars were normally Rosewood back and sides with a Sitka or Adirondack spruce top. I love the 800 series Taylor guitars and Chris my sales engineer has lined me up with several of these models. I've tried guitars with Mahogany back and sides but never really bonded with them, until I picked up a 2015 fall limited edition Taylor with flamed Mahogany/Sitka top, that guitar is incredible. Which opened me up to trying another Mahogany/spruce guitar, and also trying another Martin. The 000-28 EC model I previously owned had a gloss Nitro finish on the neck and was always sticky, along with the modified "V" profile wasn't as comfortable as the Taylor necks which mine are all satin finish, and much nicer for me to play.

Well the 000-18 has a satin neck, and a profile that Martin calls a modified low-oval neck profile with the Performing Artist taper. So I thought I'd give this Martin Mahogany/Stika model a try, and as you can tell by the 5 star rating, this guitar is awesome. Deep voice, incredible action, love the short scale and resulting string tension and playability. At this price point and with the incredible service from the Sweetwater team it's no wonder these guitars are so highly rated. I play mostly finger style but this guitar seems very versatile, and should remain in my collection for a very long time.
Thanks again...

Purchased the Martin 000-18 Acoustic Guitar about 6 weeks ago with the help of Sales Engineer Chris Neyman. Opened the box, started playing some heavy handed Blues Picking and Strumming, I new this was The One! The neck and string action are amazing. I also have a Martin D-Mahogany 09 and CEO-7. I love the CEO-7 but the OOO-18 is so much more comfortable and the medium 12 gauge strings bend effortlessly.
I immediately sold the CEO-7 because it doesn't even come close to the 000-18 in sound or play-ability
The craftsmanship on this instrument is flawless. Just a great all around instrument.
Can't say enough good things about Sales Engineer Chris Neyman. I couldn't decide which guitar would be right for me and he immediately chose the Martin 000-18 to enhance my Blues Playing Style.
Thank you Chris! & Thank you Sweetwater!

I had this guitar shipped from Sweetwater's warehouse to my son's home in Pittsburgh for his birthday present so I did not really get to audition it for myself but going by what he had to say when he called to thank me for his"special surprise present" this guitar is something special indeed. I am not at all surprised because it is after all, a Martin. I own a D-45 myself and according to my son, his 000-18 comes in a close 2nd in terms of great sound, ease of play and overall workmanship. In all the various reviews I've read of other Martin Guitars, I have only seen very favorable write-ups.

If you are in the market for an acoustic guitar, do not let the higher price deter you from stepping up to a Martin. You will never regret buying what is arguably the best guitar made. I remember once reading a sign in a clothing shop window that said: Long after you forget price.....you'll remember quality.

Back in '91, I bought my last guitar--a 12-string. My choices were between Guild, Martin, and Taylor. Ultimately, I ended up going with Martin. One of the reasons I chose Guild was that I had a bias against Martin because I had heard and felt they were hard to play, they had to be broken in to get that "Martin" sound, and Guild was THE maker that seemed to be popping up on MTV's unplugged when it came to 12-strings. I mean check out Stevie Ray Vaughn on unplugged--he's playing a Guild (BTW: RIP Stevie).
Fast forward to now, and wow--all those biases I had were complete misconceptions! Thanks to my father for showing me the light of this guitar and the joys of mahogony. First the playability: what a dream it is to play the 000-18. Anything from finger-picking to playing leads, to barring chords up and down the fret is so easy! And the shorter scale-length does wonders for bending notes when playing lead. Second: the sound--holy cow! The changes Martin made to the 000-18 in 2014 are awesome! There is such a balance between the lows and highs! This isn't to say the sound is thin or flat, in the contrary, the lows ring out beautifully. The sustain is incredible for such a small guitar. I should also mention the attack, or how some would say responsiveness. The tones of each string really pop even when lightly picked or strum. And mind you, this beautiful sound is from a guitar that hasn't even been broken in yet!
If you wondering about this guitar and other 000 models, I can say that this guitar will not disappoint! And this is coming from a peraon who loves rosewoods or maple bqck and sides! But this guitar has made me a mahogony convert!

Superlative in build, playability and tone - Fantastic!

I was very concerned about ordering an acoustic guitar online. I searched for my last guitar for a very long time. Guitar "Tone" varies so much between guitars.. I can say that I'm very satisfied with my Martin 000-18. The finish is superb, the setup/action was perfect. The packaging was great. The shipment was prompt. I'll definitely order from Sweetwater again.

Excellent guitar. Looks and sounds amazing. Mine has a k&k pure mini pickup and sounds great. The bummer is that mine came with sharp fret ends ( not from sweetwater) and the the edges of the neck also feels sharp. Too expensive of a guitar for that problem. ANYWAY, it's loud, mid range with a nice bass response, but come on Martin, and dealers, better final inspections.

This guitar is the best 000 Martin has to offer for the price. The Spruce/Mahogany does not have the same biting crisp high's as rosewood, but it is gorgeous to play by yourself finger style... With a pick, it can still cut through a mix of multiple musicians, and does not break up as easily as you might think with hard strumming. This is a very well rounded and versatile guitar. I would definitely recommend the shorter scale length on a 000 vs. OM (longer scale length), as even the 000 is still quite stiff to bend near the nut.

Martin really got this redesign right a couple of years ago, and I am very happy to own one. Playability is top notch with a new slim neck, but the classic Martin sound is not compromised. This guitar will only get better with age.

Con: There are a few sharp fret edges that I wish were filed down a bit smoother, but other than that, this guitar came in perfect shape (I must say that the fret edging is not a Sweetwater issue, but should be a Martin QC Issue).

Very nervous about buying online, but Sweetwater offers a good return policy. So you really can't go wrong. Keep up the good work guys.

When I think about my 000-18, I think that it's good. It was a whole process for me to find a small 000/OM size that I really enjoy and I tried a handful of Martins including the modern deluxe. I'm not real pleased with the price point but I do feel like I just sit and play this one instead of nitpick at it. I'm not real happy with some of the finish, it's very easy to scratch vs anything that I am used to. I ended up with this and a FYM60HD and depending on my mood I go between both.

Nice guitar. First guitar I've ever owned that is developing a cracking finish. If you need a tough guitar stay away. Expensive repair. Keep guitar at 40 % humidity or higher. Beware if you live in dry climates. Hope the wood stays stable.