The D18 and what it's for.
 

We played an Assisted Living gig this evening which lasted an hour or so.
We usually do some very melodic ballad type stuff and include Lee's Mando and Harp skills.
We closed out with four uptempo country/ bluegrassy tunes so as to awaken those who may have been napping. The one thing you can say is the D18 is the Alpha and Omega of fast-strumming songs of that type. It's as if Martin literally created the ultimate strummer/picker guitar, it just sounds so right.

Yeah...the D-18 (in all it's variations) is a great guitar!

The D-18 is truly a great guitar and thank you for taking it to the assisted living center. Music helps heal the soul.

It's a beautiful thing. We always enjoy doing it.

So true...several of us visited a low income housing project and played. Gotta get back there and to the local assisted living facilities. It's a great way too give back and they really enjoy it!

Yeah, I know what you mean. I have a D-18 variant I wouldn't sell for three times what I bought it for. I love and appreciate it more each day.

We play at a "Welcome Table" church dinner every Thursday evening. Everyone is invited. The food is good and the people appreciate the live music. My old D18 does is all from a leading a delicate waltz, a fast fiddle tune, Amazing Grace, or picking an occasional lead. The D18 and the bass gets the job done keeping 5 fiddles and a banjo in line. The D18 can really growl if needed be.

The Martin D-18 is good for everything from flatpicking to fingerpicking but so is just about any dreadnought-style guitar.

The Martin D-18 is my favorite Martin dreadnought. I finally nabbed a superb example two and a half years ago. It’s an excellent rhythm guitar that cuts through beautifully, but its clarity of tone and projective qualities make it a great lead guitar, as well.

Tony Rice has mythologized Clarence White’s old Martin D-28, but White himself actually preferred using his D-18 over his D-28. The D-28 was more or less a backup guitar for him, because he always grabbed his D-18 first.


Wade Hampton Miller

Brownie McGhee who is one of my favourite guitar players of all time played a D-18 for years. They are pretty much the standard.

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Gibson slope? Check

Martin D18? Check

I feel you. And the simplicity of the 18 is so elegant. It belies that the instrument can be used to flat pick against the devil, then sing a cowboy song, delta blues, and finish with gypsy jazz.

It’s Martin’s perfect dread.

...geez....just when I think I can get by without a d-18 after owning 4 of them but currently none...you folks start up thr D-18 love and I gotta hankering to acquire a fifth...curse you AGF!!...

Playing at an assisted living gig is almost as good for you as it is for the folks living there. Good on ya!!

Love the D18 too, but have moved on from dreads...almost sadly. :D

scott

That's a fact...we only get as good as we give! :)

In another life, I was the weekend RN manager at a long term care facility. Having music was probably the most "normal" activity in many of our residents lives. The staff, many working all weekend, really appreciated the tunes also. We were always grateful for the musicians who shared.