Vintage-inspired D-18 with Modern Flair
Since the mid-1940s, the Martin D-18 dreadnought acoustic has been a staple of folk, country, and bluegrass. In the 1960s and 1970s, it became a go-to acoustic for rock guitarists and studio musicians. Today, it maintains a ubiquitous presence on stages and studios around the world. The Modern Deluxe D-18E starts with the hallmarks of this classic instrument and adds a slew of premium appointments for a guitar that listens to the past yet is wholly contemporary. Vintage-inspired features such as a spruce Vintage Tone System top, dovetail neck joint, and natural protein glue construction culminate in a characteristically rich tone with immaculate presence and formidable projection. And modern additions, including a steel truss rod, Liquidmetal bridge pins, and a carbon fiber bridge plate, reinforce the instrument's performance and durability. When you need to electrify, the onboard Fishman Aura VT Enhance electronics provide exemplary amplification that preserves the D-18E's natural tone. And guitarists at Sweetwater enjoy the comfort and playability of the slightly asymmetrical Vintage Deluxe neck shape for moving around the fingerboard with ease.
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Top wood aged to perfection with Martin’s VTS
Sweetwater’s tone connoisseurs are always in search of the perfect guitar tone, and in the acoustic world, one of the most loved tones is that of a vintage Martin. Martin Guitars perfected a unique way of torrefying the top woods and braces of their guitars to achieve the sound of an aged and played-in instrument. The Vintage Tone System (VTS) lets Martin age the woods to a specific age/time period without the typical change in color of the wood from the torrefaction process. Martin VTS guitars not only look and play like lovingly cared-for vintage guitars, they also have that sought-after sound.
The choice of session guitarists for decades
When it comes to recording flatpicked acoustic guitars, professional recording engineers tend to prefer instruments with mahogany backs and sides for tracking in thick arrangements. And the Martin D-18 — the granddaddy of mahogany dreadnoughts — has the uncanny ability to sit pretty in any mix, with a minimum of processing. Point your favorite small-diaphragm condenser mic at the 12th fret, and you’ve got a gorgeous-sounding acoustic guitar sound that practically mixes itself. It also sounds rich and full-bodied on its own. Whether solo or tracked, the Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe will do you proud.
Fishman Aura VT Enhance pickup system for rich, natural sound
Fishman's breakthrough acoustic sound imaging technology makes you sound like you're playing into a great mic in a great room. The GPC-28E's onboard Aura VT Enhance system gives you studio-quality sound to take to the stage or use in home recordings. Unlike modeling, Aura is derived from real pro recordings and is designed to preserve the tone of your acoustic guitar. The Aura VT Enhance is also equipped with an automatic search-and-destroy notch filter to latch onto feedback and eliminate it after a few seconds.
The CF Martin legacy
What hasn’t been said about the CF Martin company? Martin — a name virtually synonymous with the acoustic guitar — took root in the United States in 1833 with a little shop in lower Manhattan. Five years later, Christian Frederick Martin moved his business and family to the rolling hills of Pennsylvania, where Martin’s been located ever since. From the dreadnought body shape to the 14-fret neck, Martin innovations parallelled (and indeed, drove) the development of the acoustic guitar itself. When you play any Martin guitar, you’re holding a piece of music history. When you play a Martin D-18E Modern Deluxe, you’ve got the real deal in your hands.
Martin D-18E Modern Deluxe Acoustic-electric Guitar Features:
- Spruce VTS top, mahogany back and sides
- Fishman Aura VT Enhance electronics capture your true acoustic tone
- East Indian rosewood binding
- Natural protein glue construction
- Dovetail neck joint
- Asymmetrical neck shape for maximum comfort
- Liquidmetal bridge pins with red dots
- Carbon fiber bridge plate
- Steel truss rod
