1939 D-18 Authentic

[good_hillbilly]

Has anyone tried the newer 1939 D-18 Authentic? It looks like the recipe for a screamer! I have played a 1937 D-18 Authentic and it sounded amazing but the neck was too gigantic -- and I generally like massive necks. I don't know if this would be better but I like the overall writeup for sure.

Too bad they don't make these with a little more modern neck profiles. Although I realize they wouldn't be entirely "Authentic" then. (One thing I really liked about my Collings was the neck. The sound was too wimpy and pretty, but the neck itself, their thinnest with a 1-3/4 nut, was absolute perfection.)

I think these ancien regime kinds of necks that are okay at the first position and then become enormous tree trunks above the ~5th fret are just too anachronistic for how most people play now.

[JNowlin]

I have not had a chance to play the 1939 D-18 Authentic. If it is anything like the rest of the Authentics I'm sure it is a quality guitar. I may just be the anomaly but I have no problem whatsoever with my 1937 D18 Authentic neck or any of the other of Martin's Authentics that I own. I play leads and chords all the way up the neck comfortably.

[rmyAddison]

Gotta disagree with the OP, the necks come with the territory and I think that mass may contribute to the overall sound.

The Authentics are a huge hit for Martin, the folks I know who own one (or more), myself included, consider them the best Martins they own. I have Martins more than twice the price of my OM-18A 1933, but the Authentic rules them all.

I understand the necks aren't for everybody, but then Authentics aren't for those people who don't like or have problems with chunky necks. Martin isn't going to put a modern neck on an Authentic body, nor do the people who buy Authentics want them to, there are plenty of other Martin choices for those folks.

[littlewing6283]

I played one at a Martin experience event. Pretty awesome. If it was a 1 3/4 vs 1 11/16 it likely would have came home with me

you might not like it though, there is aging toner in the finish

[brencat]

I have not had the chance to play the 1937 Authentic dreads yet, but the 1939 D-18A is hands down my favorite of the others. Huge sound, and notes just explode off that thing. Clarity is excellent too, as I own 3 Collings guitars and ultimately I end up comparing tone to that benchmark.

The neck profile on the 1939 D-18A is a little narrower (because of the narrower nut and string spacing) but top to bottom depth is similar to a 1 3/4 nut necked Collings OM. It's reasonably comfortable but I personally would really need that extra room. I can handle big necks provided they are rounded into a nice medium/fat C shape, so I hope I run into a 1937A someday to compare.

But yes, great guitar the 1939 D-18A !!

[billgennaro]

Originally Posted by rmyAddison

Martin isn't going to put a modern neck on an Authentic body, nor do the people who buy Authentics want them to, there are plenty of other Martin choices for those folks.

I would think there are at least some folks who have purchased an Authentic that would want them to come with a more modern neck, no?

[00-28]

Originally Posted by rmyAddison

Gotta disagree with the OP, the necks come with the territory and I think that mass may contribute to the overall sound.

I agree with the opinion that the mass of the neck has a big influence on the overall tone of a guitar. It's not necessarily the size of the neck, but the density of the wood used for the neck. I like to feel a bit of weight in the neck. I find that guitars with denser or thicker necks sustain better and transmit more sound to the body. Part of the equation that makes the Authentics so great. .....Mike

Originally Posted by JNowlin

Jared

Olson SJ, Braz/Adirondack
Harvey Leach Dred, Braz/Adirondack
Martins: D-35, '37 D18A, '37 D28A, '41 D28A, & a Backpacker
Larrivee Jumbo, Aus Blackwood/Sitka
Taylor GS Mini

Holy cow! Nice group of guitars you've got there!

[Zorker]

I've owned one for 6 months, it's great. The neck is a smaller profile than '37. It's hard to do sometimes, but better to try one.

[good_hillbilly]

Originally Posted by brencat

I have not had the chance to play the 1937 Authentic dreads yet, but the 1939 D-18A is hands down my favorite of the others. Huge sound, and notes just explode off that thing.

As per my other thread, I'm starting to formulate a theory that **rear**-shifted scalloped bracing, like they use in the 1939 D-18A, is the magical route to explosive sound, albeit possibly at the expense of some bass. Your post is another data point supporting that.

[brencat]

Originally Posted by good_hillbilly

As per my other thread, I'm starting to formulate a theory that **rear**-shifted scalloped bracing, like they use in the 1939 D-18A, is the magical route to explosive sound, albeit possibly at the expense of some bass. Your post is another data point supporting that.

Yes, I definitely think there is less bass dominance with RSSB, which I prefer personally. The extra clarity thing is likely more attributable to Hog vs Rosewood differences than the bracing.

[rmyAddison]

Originally Posted by billgennaro

I would think there are at least some folks who have purchased an Authentic that would want them to come with a more modern neck, no?

Who knows Bill, perhaps, but I would also wonder about spending that kind of money on a guitar whose neck you don't like.

When you spend $5K on a guitar, IMO, you need to like everything about it or move on to a better fit. A modern neck on an Authentic does make it a little less "Authentic", no?

No set of specs will perfectly suit anyone. For example, I wouldn't buy an Authentic if it had "modern" feeling neck.

[Dwight]

Originally Posted by good_hillbilly

One thing I really liked about my Collings was the neck. The sound was too wimpy and pretty, but the neck itself, their thinnest with a 1-3/4 nut, was absolute perfection.

The Collings is wimpy AND in the past tense? What happened? Was it the bolt on neck?

[SugarmillMan]

Artisan Guitars in Franklin, TN has a nice sounding used '39 Authentic on their eBay website if anyone is looking. I'd be going for it if I had the coin.