Is the Martin D-18 really worth £2300?

Ted · March 2019

I recently played a D18 at a shop. My initial reaction was that it was nice but not noticeably nicer than other cheaper guitars I have played. But some time ago I played another D18 and it sounded amazing - a clear step up from cheaper acoustics, which suggests there might be some variation in quality.

It would be interesting to hear from any d18 owners about their experience.

Strangefan · March 2019

I had one .... It didn't suit me at all I fount it bland and average at best, I'll stick to my guilds

stickyfiddle · March 2019

I love the D18 family. I almost bought a D18 a few years ago (beaten that day by a Dove, which was spectacular). I then got a full-on Martin itch and swapped the Dove for an HD28 and have never looked back.

2300 feels like a little much (the one I tried was sub-2k, probably 1850 ish), but assuming it's the latest version with all the updates they introduced a couple of years ago it should be great. But that doesn't mean they're for everyone, and doesn't guarantee every instrument will be spectacular.

ICBM · March 2019

All acoustic guitars made from wood vary a bit, there's no way around that because no two pieces of wood are exactly the same. The D-18 isn't a particularly variable one in my experience, although some are still better than others - but I've never played a bad one, only good ones and great ones.

£2300 seems reasonable as a new list price, if you compare it to what other companies and builders charge for a similar spec. It's an icon that will hold its value better than most of them too, you can get as much as £1700-1800 for a second hand one. One sold for that in one day in the shop I work for recently.

BigLicks67 · March 2019

They made a change to D18's in the last few years so that might explain the difference in sound. If you can, try to get your hands on a D18V, the last one I played was a really lively and lovely guitar.

crunchman · March 2019

BigLicks67 said:

They made a change to D18's in the last few years so that might explain the difference in sound. If you can, try to get your hands on a D18V, the last one I played was a really lively and lovely guitar.

The recent changes to the D18 (2012?) actually put it closer to the D18V specs than the older ones.

They do vary - even at the higher end of the Martin range. Several years ago, I bought a Clapton Signature OOO 28 (£3.5k new now) and I tried 3 of them. One of them definitely wasn't as good as the other two.

Andy79 · March 2019

Tricky one for me. D-18 is a very good guitar but it’s a heck of a lot of money for something that is, subjectively, only slightly better than much cheaper guitars. Classic diminishing returns syndrome.
I’m happy to spend way less and have a guitar 90% as good. But then I don’t record or perform. I’m a mere noodler

Moe_Zambeek · March 2019

I like D-18s a lot, marginally prefer the newer ones but not a lot in it. They seem pretty consistent to me, too - I’ve tried a lot of them this year. I was offered a new one at 2169, a very new second hand one privately for 1400, and have seen other used ones priced in between at shops.

In the end I decided I didn’t want to buy used just because of the potential hassles with neck resets you might hear about with more modern Martins, and I didn’t want to spend 2k on a guitar that was intended for open mics and the like, so I bought what is essentially Takamine’s version of a D-18 for a good bit less than half the price of a new D-18. Not quite the same but good enough for now.

idiotwindow · March 2019

If you plan on keeping the guitar for many years (rather than chopping and changing), a standard series Martin like the D-18 is money well spent IMO. £2300 is about 2.5x the cost of an iPhone or other short lived gadget. A D-18 could easily be the only acoustic you need for an entire lifetime.

Sleepyscholar · March 2019

Depends what you mean by 'worth'. If we imagine an artificial unit of worth called the Harry, then I think it's pretty clear that if £1000 gets you 1000 Harrys, the next £100 you spend will probably get you less than 100 Harrys. But the Harry Worth Curve is different for each person. Some people have the means and inclination to pay massive sums for relatively few Harrys -- in part because they get Harrys from being able to show off something expensive.

And that's why, even though I tried out a D-18 a few years ago, I ended up with a Yamaha LJ16. It's not as good, but it was a quarter the price. The only thing that gave me pause was that the Martin would probably hold its value for resale better, but I don't believe in buying stuff and planning to sell it.

Chris_J · March 2019

Worth I think it's quite subjective.

The fact is, it costs 2300.

It's a very nice instrument, stunning even, but again, that is also subjective. I own one and for me the cost was worth it.

Compared to say a nice cello, they are also very affordable, but, affordability is also subjective.

BigLicks67 · March 2019

Sleepyscholar said:

And that's why, even though I tried out a D-18 a few years ago, I ended up with a Yamaha LJ16. It's not as good, but it was a quarter the price. The only thing that gave me pause was that the Martin would probably hold its value for resale better, but I don't believe in buying stuff and planning to sell it.

Funnily enough, that's similar to what I did. I was looking for a D28 couldn't afford it and bought a LL16 instead. However, after about 6 months I was left a small legacy and managed to get a used D28 with the money.

martin8708 · March 2019

It has the power of a dreadnought body .
It has the woodyness of mahogany back and sides.
What's not to like ?

I am biased , I have one .

koneguitarist · March 2019

I would prefer to buy an older model. Cost is lower but also Martins when new are quite dry and take a bit of playing in to start to open up.
When they do, they are awesome.

Rocker · March 2019

Never buy without trying it out first. If it speaks to you in a language you know and like, buy it. The price is immaterial, fifteen years down the road you will have forgotten how much it cost.

richardhomer · March 2019

‘Value’ is a difficult concept - how much disposable income you have, other commitments, etc all play a part. Generally I think US instruments are ‘too’ dear these days - I only buy used on the rare occasions I buy anything now.

That said I bought a brand new Martin D28 in 1993. It remains my only flat top acoustic and has cost me the equivalent of about 12p a day. I reckon that’s decent value....

Misty · March 2019

When I was originally wanting my first decent acoustic some years ago, I asked the question, what is the equivalent of the Fender Strat in the acoustic world? The answer came back almost unanimously as the D28. So I tried loads and bought the one I still have. It's an '03 model, and going nowhere. I have others, but every time I play it I'm reminded why I bought it. I paid £1050 in, I think, '04, as it was not quite new but did still have the plastic on the pickguard. I recently part exchanged it for a Lowden, which sounded fantastic but I discovered a manufacturing defect and returned it. I was totally relieved to get my D28 back.

RandallFlagg · March 2019

I like Martin guitars a lot, I have an HD28 and I think they are worth the money. The tone improves over time notably. I had a D28 before that and after a coupe of years it was really singing. I read that Chris Martin stated that the first day you play a new Martin guitar is the worst it will sound.

Jalapeno · March 2019

koneguitarist said:

I would prefer to buy an older model. Cost is lower but also Martins when new are quite dry and take a bit of playing in to start to open up.
When they do, they are awesome.

This.

Buying new comparing a Martin to a Taylor or whatever - that is the best the other is ever going to be, whereas a Martin gets better over time - which is why the older ones are so sought after / expensive.

I dare say there's a degree of cork-sniffing goes on with this topic, but it is generally an accepted truism.

menamestom · March 2019

Lots of acoustics nowadays seem to be very light and airy sounding. They probably have lighter bracing for the more modern acoustic sounds.

I assume a D18 needs to be played for a few years and driven a bit harder to get the top moving, they came from an era where the guitar needed volume over subtlety of tone. To that end I'm not sure they are the best guitar for the guitar shop test, but if you want that classic sound and are prepared to work for it and wait a bit, they are probably worth the investment.

RandallFlagg · March 2019

The newer D18s have scalloped and forward shifted bracing (which was rolled out across the other models in the Standard Range as "Reimagined"). They are hailed as some of the best D18s made.

HPhillipsmusic · March 2019

I adore my D18 from 2014 (i think), absolutely amazing guitar that just keeps getting better with age. It's pretty beaten up now and gets used all the time, and friends who have other beautiful Martins ask to borrow mine for sessions which is a good sign. Can't recommend them highly enough, I hope mine will be a companion for life! They are definitely quieter and more delicate than a 28, but the balance and tones are unbeatable for me, my favorite bit of wood.

When I bought mine I think it was around the £1800 mark new, but as the shop were fitting a jack input they used the wrong size drill bit and split the wood on the bass of the guitar, knocked a large chunk of money off and had it fixed perfectly by a luthier - was very good timing actually as I was having a coffee while they fitted it and going through the usual 'i cant afford this, i wonder if its too late to tell them i cant afford this', and then as I went back to the shop I was greeted by the bad/good news that it was now far more affordable than before. It was meant to be. Everyone needs a truly great acoustic that they can make their own. You won't go wrong with a D18 friend.

terada · March 2019

I generally prefer slope shoulder dreads for spruce/mahogany flat tops. But as has been said, a Martin D18, 28 or 35 is something very special indeed.

It'll also save your life if you’re freezing to death and need something to burn. So, you know, it’s a no brainer really

McSwaggerty · March 2019

I saved up for ages for a D18 convinced I would love it and it would be my guitar for life.
But no matter how much I tried to love it, I didn't, and sold it a month later.

BigLicks67 · March 2019

McSwaggerty said:

I saved up for ages for a D18 convinced I would love it and it would be my guitar for life.
But no matter how much I tried to love it, I didn't, and sold it a month later.

So you had the guitar 4 weeks before you sold it?

p90fool · March 2019

Whatever the individual merits of the D-18, any acoustic guitar which sounds like a significant proportion of your favourite records and will last you the rest of your life is probably going to cost you at least a couple of thousand.

In the grand scheme of things it's one of life's genuine bargains, it's really only a question of whether you have the money available or not.

terada · March 2019

p90fool said:

Whatever the individual merits of the D-18, any acoustic guitar which sounds like a significant proportion of your favourite records and will last you the rest of your life is probably going to cost you at least a couple of thousand.

In the grand scheme of things it's one of life's genuine bargains, it's really only a question of whether you have the money available or not.

Exactly. For context, a d18 is currently the same price as a MacBook Pro, which will last a few years and then be largely useless.

The guitar will keep giving for the rest of your life, and then your kids’ too.

Brize · March 2019

A good D-18 is a wonderful thing.

Ted · April 2019

Thanks for the replies.I played the Martin's again at the shop, and yes they were lovely instruments particularly the D28(reimagined), which had an almost orchestral sound and was a joy to handle.

The issue for me was I am just not worthy of them, I don't think an expensive Martin is going to magically transform my playing by sheer osmosis. The guitar shop were kind enough to let me test the d18 and D28 side by side with my Guild d-20(which cost half as much) and although the Martin's sounded slightly better than the Guild in terms of note distinction and clarity,I just felt that £2k could only be justified if and when I put in the work to become a more a more professional player.

stickyfiddle · April 2019

Ted said:

Thanks for the replies.I played the Martin's again at the shop, and yes they were lovely instruments particularly the D28(reimagined), which had an almost orchestral sound and was a joy to handle.

The issue for me was I am just not worthy of them, I don't think an expensive Martin is going to magically transform my playing by sheer osmosis. The guitar shop were kind enough to let me test the d18 and D28 side by side with my Guild d-20(which cost half as much) and although the Martin's sounded slightly better than the Guild in terms of note distinction and clarity,I just felt that £2k could only be justified if and when I put in the work to become a more a more professional player.

You’ll get better quicker on a guitar you adore playing...

I don’t buy the “not worthy” argument. Unless you make money playing guitar then any instrument over £200 is arguably frivolity, but if it’s something you enjoy and can afford I see no issue. A decent Martin will keep its value as well, after the initial chunk of depreciation when you leave the shop with it.

crunchman · April 2019

Ted said:

Thanks for the replies.I played the Martin's again at the shop, and yes they were lovely instruments particularly the D28(reimagined), which had an almost orchestral sound and was a joy to handle.

The issue for me was I am just not worthy of them, I don't think an expensive Martin is going to magically transform my playing by sheer osmosis. The guitar shop were kind enough to let me test the d18 and D28 side by side with my Guild d-20(which cost half as much) and although the Martin's sounded slightly better than the Guild in terms of note distinction and clarity,I just felt that £2k could only be justified if and when I put in the work to become a more a more professional player.

People blow £2000 on the latest OLED TV and no-one bats an eyelid. That will be rotting in landfill in 15 years time.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Is the Martin D-18 really worth £2300?

Comments