Martin D-18E Acoustic-Electric Guitar

6-string Acoustic-electric Guitar with Solid Spruce Top, Mahogany Back and Sides, Hardwood Neck, Ebony Fingerboard, and Fishman Electronics – Natural

A Classic Martin for the Performing Guitarist
The Martin D-18E acoustic-electric guitar will take you back to the days when acoustic guitars were king and players depending on their dreadnought’s rich tone to convey their musical message. But onboard Fishman Aura VT Enhance electronics also make the D-18E perfect for today’s stages. Of course, you still get the classic Martin experience: premium tonewoods — a solid Sitka spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides — along with traditional dovetail neck-joint construction and forward-shifted X-bracing, deliver the foundation for glorious sound. And the Martin D-18E will only sound better as it ages.

Legendary Martin flat-top tone
The Martin D-18 has been a top choice for serious performers for decades. The guitar’s combination of solid Sitka spruce and mahogany gives it a sound that sits perfectly in a mix, cutting through and holding its own without crowding out the song’s other elements. But how do you improve upon perfection? Martin enhanced playability with a sleeker-profile neck featuring their modified Low Oval profile and Performing Artist taper. They also tapped the talent of legendary acoustic guitar pickup designer Larry Fishman to capture the sonic essence of the D-18 using the finest modern and vintage mics, essentially “bottling” the sound, so when you plug in your D-18E, the sound that emanates from the speakers is the purest possible expression of the instrument.

Fishman Aura VT Enhance electronics for rich, natural sound
Fishman is just as much a leader in acoustic amplification as Martin is in guitar manufacturing. Martin has spec’d Fishman’s Aura VT Enhance electronics system for this D-18E to give it a natural and expressive voice when performing live through an amp or PA system. The Aura preamps have been favourites of Musiekwerelds guitarists for years. But VT Enhance raises the bar by using discreet soundhole-mounted controls for the pickup’s volume and tone. The system is completely unobtrusive, and there are no control holes cut into the side of the guitar. You can rest easy knowing that the natural sound of your D-18E will come through the speakers loud and clear.
Fishman’s breakthrough acoustic imaging technology makes you sound like you’re playing into a great mic in a room with impeccable acoustics. Aura VT Enhance is designed to capture the guitar top’s longitudinal energy while rejecting transverse energy that reveals itself in the form of string squeaks, handling noise, and feedback. The D-18E’s onboard Aura VT Enhance system gives you the studio-quality sound you can take to the stage.

The choice of session guitarists for decades
The Martin D-18E’s ideal tonality is just as useful in the studio as it is on stage. Just ask any recording engineer that’s been in the business for a couple of decades: the D-18 has an uncanny ability to set itself into any mix nicely, with a minimum of processing. Just grab your Martin D-18E, point your favourite small-diaphragm condenser mic at the 12th fret, and you’ve got a gorgeous acoustic guitar sound that practically mixes itself.

A cornerstone of modern music history
You’ve already heard the sweet sound of the Martin D-18 more times than you probably realize. It was the guitar of choice for legends such as Clarence White, Elvis Presley, and many more. Even Andy Griffith played one on The Andy Griffith Show. It’s been a workhorse dreadnought acoustic for singers and songwriters since its original release in 1934. The Martin D-18E is a perfect example of this instrument that became iconic because of its tone and craftsmanship.

SPECS

Tech Specs:

• Series: Artist 30 Series
• String type: Steel
• Body Shape: Dreadnought
• Body Style: Cutaway
• Left-/Right-handed: Right-handed
• Number of Strings:6
• Body Material: Alder
• Body Finish: Gloss Polyester
• Colour: Natural
• Neck Material: Maple
• Neck Shape: Modern C
• Radius: 9.5″
• Fingerboard Material: Maple
• Fingerboard Inlay: Black Dots
• Number of Frets: 22, Medium Jumbo
• Scale Length: 25.5″
• Nut Width: 1.650″
• Nut Material: Synthetic Bone
• Bridge/Tailpiece: 2-point Synchronized Tremolo
• Tuners: Fender Standard Die-cast Sealed
• Neck Pickup: Player Series Alnico 5 Strat Single-coil
• Middle Pickup: Player Series Alnico 5 Strat Single-coil
• Bridge Pickup: Player Series Alnico 5 Strat Single-coil
• Controls: 1 x master volume, 2 x tone, 5-way blade pickup switch
• Strings: Fender NPS, .009-.042
• Manufacturer Part Number: 0144502506