Adirondack on a D-18...

Shades of Blue · #1 02-23-2020, 12:53 PM

What does Adirondack do for a D-18? I love D-18s, and am considering looking around for a Custom with an Adirondack top. I’ve played and owned rosewood guitars with an Adirondack top, and it seems to make them brighter and louder.

I’d assume the same for a D-18, but not sure the brightness is a good thing on a D-18. I’ll have no way to play one first, so that is why I’m asking...

zmf · #2 02-23-2020, 01:49 PM

I once owned a D-18 with red spruce, and based on that one example, I'd say that you don't have to worry about the guitar having too bright a tone. Rich and authoritative come to mind as descriptors.

I currently have two rosewood guitars with red spruce, and I wouldn't call them bright.

Guess my experience with red spruce doesn't match yours. Maybe we're hearing differences in how particular guitars were built?

Tony Burns · #3 02-23-2020, 01:57 PM

depends -where i feel adirondack ( red spruce ) brightens up a guitar .
I feel it has a quicker cleaner response -
on brazilian RW , redspruce is the way to go ( IMO )
EIR depends on the individual guitar from a quality maker. ( or builder )
you should never judge guitars as a whole -they vary as people vary.
and wood can vary by the piece .

Kh1967 · #4 02-23-2020, 02:01 PM

I believe each one needs to be played. I have played some Adi D-18s that I put right back, but I have also purchased some, too. Same holds true with the Sitka standard.

That was probably no help, but an honest answer.

docwatsonfan · #5 02-23-2020, 02:02 PM

while I don't have a D18 , I do own an Eastman E6D, and the adi version
of that guitar, the E10D

I would say in a nutshell you can get greater clarity with much less effort

Wade Hampton · #6 02-23-2020, 02:09 PM

Blue, the 2014 Martin Custom Shop D-18 I bought used has an Adirondack spruce top, and it’s one of the best D-18’s I’ve ever played in my life, much less owned. Several years prior to lucking across that one, I played a new D-18GE with an Adirondack top at our local Martin dealership, and was almost as impressed with it as with the one I bought a few years later.

In addition to my D-18 I also own an Eastman E1SS with an Adirondack top. That guitar has sapele back and sides, and is essentially a J-45 True Vintage at less than a third of the price of the Gibson.

It also sounds terrific.

Normally I’m very leery of assigning specific benefits to specific species of tonewoods, in large part because the individual pieces of wood themselves can be so variable. But I’ve gradually become convinced that the usual treble response characteristics of Adirondack spruce is what makes it especially suitable for use in dreadnoughts.

Short version: an Adirondack spruce top might give you exactly what you want in a D-18.

Hope that makes sense.

Wade Hampton Miller

brencat · #7 02-23-2020, 02:19 PM

As a rule, I tend to prefer Adirondack on Rosewood instead of Mahogany, but the D-18A 1937 and 1939 models sound incredible...big, deep bass, and authoritative as another poster noted.

I think what I really like is broken in Adi. Green/new Martin Adi can sometimes sound strident and 'tight', and maybe if Martin tap-tuned their tops (they don't and never have), maybe I would feel differently.

Bottom line...try before you buy if possible, or buy something well played in.

Jaden · #8 02-23-2020, 02:20 PM

Sounds like a good idea. The Sitka D-18 doesn’t have the clarity in the lower midrange that I like, although it’s sweet up top.

Jaden · #9 02-23-2020, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brencat

As a rule, I tend to prefer Adirondack on Rosewood instead of Mahogany, but the D-18A 1937 and 1939 models sound incredible...big, deep bass, and authoritative as another poster noted.

I think what I really like is broken in Adi. Green/new Martin Adi can sometimes sound strident and 'tight', and maybe if Martin tap-tuned their tops (they don't and never have), maybe I would feel differently.

Bottom line...try before you buy if possible, or buy something well played in.

I don’t think you’ll get any better advice than this ^^^

mcduffnw · #10 02-23-2020, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

What does Adirondack do for a D-18? I love D-18s, and am considering looking around for a Custom with an Adirondack top. I’ve played and owned rosewood guitars with an Adirondack top, and it seems to make them brighter and louder.

I’d assume the same for a D-18, but not sure the brightness is a good thing on a D-18. I’ll have no way to play one first, so that is why I’m asking...

What Red Spruce does for any given D-18...or any guitar actually...depends entirely on whose making it, what the makers typical tone profile is on the given model with Red Spruce...but mostly...how that particular Red Spruce top reacts/interacts with the design of the soundbox...the top/top bracing,sides/side bracing if any, and back/back bracing...of the given guitar your looking at.

So, if you are looking at Martin, and have no way to play one first, you have to pick the model/series level...Standard, GE, Authentic...etc...and you have to trust the basic tone profile Martin seems to get on a Red Spruce topped D-18's in that model/series, and if you like the basic tone profile, hope you get one that matches it well.

That's where buying from an online dealer like some of our forum dealers who will work through their inventory for you and find one that seems to match your tonal preferences is soooo nice.

duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

llew · #11 02-23-2020, 02:34 PM

I have a CS D-18 with Adi top and GE bracing. Sort of like a D-18GE in the standard package. I also own a 75th anniversary D-18 with Adi top which is essentially a D-18GE with the 75th anniversary label under the CF Martin on the headstock. I also like the standard D-18 very much. I believe the Adirondack top just gives you "more" of what the standard D-18 delivers. Maybe a tad more sharp or maybe more vintage voiced. It's difficult to describe tone in words? I have a feeling you wouldn't be unhappy with one!

Boozehound · #12 02-23-2020, 02:54 PM

I have one paired with Golden Era bracing. It has excellent tone with fantastic note-to-note separation, but tends toward the bright side of the tonal spectrum for a Martin Dread. Overall a very nice tone.

6L6 · #13 02-23-2020, 04:32 PM

If you can afford a Martin ‘39 D-18 Authentic with VTS, you’ll know how good it can really be.

SpruceTop · #14 02-23-2020, 04:41 PM

My favorite local dealer cautions against ordering a custom guitar with an Adirondack top as it often doesn't measure up to a customer's expected benefits versus the significant upcharge of Adirondack.

brencat · #15 02-23-2020, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

My favorite local dealer cautions against ordering a custom guitar with an Adirondack top as it often doesn't measure up to a customer's expected benefits versus the significant upcharge of Adirondack.

If he's referring to new Adi-topped Martins in particular, or any other builder that doesn't optimize/tap-tune their tops, I would agree.