The Martin D-18 1935 Gloss Sunburst Dreadnought takes everything players love about a classic D-18 and leans hard into that prewar personality. With its spruce top finished in a rich 1935 sunburst and mahogany back and sides under full gloss, this guitar looks every bit the part of an old soul, while still offering the consistency and precision you expect from a modern Martin build.

Once you start playing it, the reason the D-18 has earned its reputation becomes obvious. The forward-shifted, GE-scalloped bracing gives this dreadnought a lively, open response with plenty of headroom, making it easy to drive without losing clarity. The spruce and mahogany pairing keeps the sound punchy and direct, with a strong fundamental that works beautifully for rhythm playing while still letting single notes jump out with authority. It has that dry, woody character that flatpickers and singer-songwriters gravitate toward, and it sits effortlessly in a mix without ever feeling overbuilt.

The feel is exactly what you want from a guitar inspired by this era. A GE-modified low oval neck with a high-performance taper and 1 3/4 inch nut width gives it a comfortable, confident grip that works across styles. The ebony fingerboard and bridge, bone nut and saddle, and nickel open-gear tuners all reinforce the traditional build, while modern details like Plek fretwork keep the playability dialed in. Housed in a ply hardshell case and built with a dovetail neck joint, this D-18 is a nod to Martin’s golden-era design philosophy, made for players who want vintage character without giving up modern reliability.

SPECS
-Overview-
Body Size: D-14 Fret
Finish Top: Gloss
Construction: Dovetail Neck Joint
Back and Side Finish: Gloss
Bracing Pattern: Forward-Shifted X-Brace
Scale Length: 25.4"
Brace Shape: GE-Scalloped
Fingerboard Width at Nut: 1 3/4''
Top Material: Spruce
Neck Shape: GE-Modified Low Oval
Back Material: Mahogany
Neck Taper: High-Performance Taper
Side Material: Mahogany

-Top-
Top Color: 1935 Sunburst
Bridge Style: GE Modern Belly - Drop in Saddle
Binding: Black
Bridge String Spacing: 2 5/32"
Top Inlay Material: Multi-Stripe
Bridge Material: Ebony
Top Detail: Custom Ink
Bridge Pin Material: Ebony
Pickguard: Faux Tortoise
Bridge Pin Dots: None
Pickguard Inlay: None
Saddle: Compensated Bone
Rosette: Old Style 18 Multi-Stripe
Saddle Radius: 16"

-Body-
Brace Material: Spruce
Back and Sides Color: Dark Mahogany
Brace Size: 5/16"
Back Detail: None
Back Purfling/Strip: Style 18
Back Inlay Material: None
Heelcap: Black
Side Detail: None
Endpiece: Black
Side Inlay Material: None
Endpiece Inlay: None

-Neck-
Fingerboard Material: Ebony
Finish Neck: Satin
Fingerboard Width at 12th Fret: 2 1/8''
Neck Color: Dark Mahogany
Fingerboard Inlay Style: Old Style 18
Number of Frets Total: 20
Fingerboard Inlay Material: Abalone
Neck Joins Body At: 14th Fret
Fingerboard Binding Material: None
Side Dots: White

-Headstock-
Headstock Shape: Solid with Square Taper
Tuning Machines: Nickel Open Gear
Headplate Material: East Indian Rosewood
Knob: Butterbean
Headplate Logo Style: Script Old Style Overlay
Nut Material: Bone
Headplate Binding Material: None

-Misc-
Case: Ply Hardshell
Label: None
Pleked: True


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