Martin Custom Shop D-18 #2

Martin Custom Shop D-18 Style – Adirondack Spruce & Premium Mahogany

This Martin Custom Shop dreadnought takes the classic D-18 formula and pushes it toward Golden Era-inspired construction, with tonewoods personally selected by New Canaan Music. The build features an Adirondack Spruce top paired with a Premium Mahogany set, specifically noted on the Custom Shop order as New Canaan Music selections Adirondack  and Premium Mahogany

The Adirondack top is built to Authentic thickness and paired with forward-shifted, scalloped Adirondack Spruce X-bracing. The bracing receives Martin’s Golden Era hand shaping, giving this guitar a construction package aimed squarely at the powerful, open character associated with vintage-inspired Martin dreadnoughts. 

Traditional Style 18 appointments keep the aesthetic clean and understated, including black binding, an Old Style 18 rosette, faux tortoise pickguard, ebony fingerboard and bridge, and Old Style 18 fingerboard inlays. Aging toner gives the Adirondack top a warm, broken-in appearance. 

The neck features a Modified V profile with Martin’s High Performance Taper, along with a 1 3/4” nut width and 2 5/32” string spacing, providing a comfortable combination of vintage-inspired feel and modern playability. 

Key Specifications

• Dreadnought body, 14-fret
• Adirondack Spruce top
• Premium Mahogany back & sides, selected by New Canaan Music
• Authentic top thickness
• Forward-shifted scalloped X-bracing
• Adirondack Spruce bracing
• Golden Era hand-shaped bracing
• 25.4” scale length
• Modified V neck profile
• High Performance Taper
• 1 3/4” nut width
• 2 5/32” string spacing
• Black ebony fingerboard & bridge
• Old Style 18 appointments
• Select abalone fingerboard inlays
• GE Modern Belly bridge
• Long bone saddle
• Dovetail neck joint
• Aging toner
• Gloss body with satin neck and polished headplate 

This is a thoughtfully designed Custom Shop D-18 style build that combines the simplicity of the traditional mahogany dreadnought with some of Martin’s most desirable vintage-inspired construction features, particularly the Authentic-thickness Adirondack top and hand-shaped Golden Era forward-shifted bracing.

Feel free to reach out to our shop with any questions at (203) 920-1800, or stop by New Canaan Music, 90 Main Street, New Canaan, CT to see and play it in person.