70's Martin D18?

[Fresh1985]

Im considering a 70's martin D18. They seem relatively affordable and the tone is exactly what Im looking for to compliment my 00-28vs.

Are all D18's from the 70's the same under the hood and spec wise?

Other than the obvious structural issues is there anything I should be looking out for?

Are some years better than others?

Also what are the necks like? (I like a chunky neck)

Thanks in advance.

[GoneTroppo]

I can't say much about the 70s D18s except what I have heard, that the 70s were pretty much the worst decade for Martin.

I can personally vouch for my '88 Martin D16m which essentially carries the same specs as the D18V. Beautiful light build and great D18 tone! I think they can be a remarkable deal on the 2nd hand market..

[warfrat73]

A lot, though not all, Martin dreads from the 70s have intonation problems because the bridge was misplaced because of a worn measuring stick or some such thing. Google it for more details.

[Borderdon]

You may find some helpful info @ www.UMGF.com
Many ‘70’s Martins are wonderful instruments, with superior materials.

[Jim in TC]

I sold a 1970 D-18 a few years back after buying used in the mid 80's. I learned of the "off" Martins from that era long after that purchase but never had an issue with the guitar. Sounded great, seemed durable under adverse conditions (I knew little about humidity at the time). I had one issue repaired, a peeling pick guard that I had replaced and general inspection, probably in the early 2000's, maybe late 90's. Nothing was noted as problematic by the tech. If possible I would have a Martin from that time checked over by someone knowledgeable; that said, my understanding about these guitars was that if a problem was going to show up, it would have in the first decade or so.

[6L6]

I think 70's Martins and used USA-built Guilds represent the best values out there.

With the 70's Martins, you do need to check the intonation issue and adjust the price accordingly if work needs to be done.

It's tough to beat 50 year old wood, and I've owned D-18/28/35's from the 70's that needed NO work and were truly fine instruments.

[Osage]

I have played and repaired a large number of 70's Martins so everything I'm about to say is firsthand information, not just recycled internet babble.

To start with, if you find a really good one, it will be a bargain and you should grab it. Thing is, finding a good one is not as easy as it is with basically any other era of Martin. Starting in the mid 60's Martin began changing things on the designs that had been essentially unchanged since the late 40's. There were a number of changes but I'll list what I consider the big three.

First, and the one with the biggest impact on tone is the bridge plate. Martin had always used traditional sized maple bridge plates. In the late 60's they switched to these huge oversized rosewood plates in order to reduce warrantee work and these oversized plates had a detrimental effect on the sound.

Second, they switched from the t-bar to a non-adjustable metal tube in the neck. It is the worst neck reinforcement that Martin ever used. The T-bars before and the adjustable rods after both are superior to the tube.

Third, and you'll see this written everywhere, a large number of 70's Martin's shipped with the bridge in the wrong place. In my estimation it is somewhere around 25%. A long time tech, who has been fixing these since the 70's claims it's a third of them. Some are only slightly off while others are unplayable. I have personally recorded this issue from basically the entire decade although it none of the really bad ones are from the later 70's. This is usually a fairly straight forward fix and many are already done but definitely check the intonation.

Now, I'm not trying to scare you off. As I said, if you find a good one, jump on it as it will be a bargain. I've played some excellent 70's Martins but I personally wouldn't buy one that I couldn't play first.

[zombywoof]

The main issues with 1970s Martins, aside from misplaced bridges (the problem was corrected but I am not sure how long it persisted)) but in the late 1960s they went with an oversized rosewood bridge plate. Martins though have a long way to go to beat the crappy reputation of 1970s Gibsons which from 1971 on were ridiculously overbuilt. If there was a bright spot when it comes to guitars made in the U.S. in the 1970s it was Westerly-made Guilds and the Harmony Opus line.

[budglo]

Originally Posted by Fresh1985

Im considering a 70's martin D18. They seem relatively affordable and the tone is exactly what Im looking for to compliment my 00-28vs.

Are all D18's from the 70's the same under the hood and spec wise?

Other than the obvious structural issues is there anything I should be looking out for?

Are some years better than others?

Also what are the necks like? (I like a chunky neck)

Thanks in advance.

I have a 72 D35 and it’s a fantastic guitar. It had the misaligned saddle that I had repaired for less than a 100 dollars. I had a d35 from 2012 and this is a superior instrument in every way. Things you need to pay attention to are relief , as the truss rod is non adjustable , intonation and action to see if it needs a neck reset. Also check for cracks , loose bracing and pickguard curling. Aside from the intonation issues , all the other issues could arise with any older used guitar.

[Maryc-k]

Originally Posted by warfrat73

A lot, though not all, Martin dreads from the 70s have intonation problems because the bridge was misplaced because of a worn measuring stick or some such thing. Google it for more details.

I have not heard this about Martin, I believe this was an issue at Gibson way back in the 1920’s. The ruler had shrunk over time and a lot of the fretwork, especially on mandolins was badly intonated.

[bufflehead]

I've played two D-18's from the early 70's recently, and have found the neck profiles to be cumbersome. In terms of playability, they're not even close to recent instruments with MLO necks. A shame, because the prices of early-70's D-18's are so attractive.

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by GoneTroppo

I can't say much about the 70s D18s except what I have heard, that the 70s were pretty much the worst decade for Martin...

So here's the thing. Martin screwed up a lot in the 70s. So those guitars have a bad reputation. BUT. The things they screwed up (ie bridge placement) are easily fixable. Many of those guitars have already been corrected. And many of them were actually made properly. So, due to bad reputation, if you can find a good one or an easily repairable one, they're a KILLER deal for a naturally aged Martin guitar. Best value vintage instruments out there.

-

Re: another poster "I've played two D-18's from the early 70's recently, and have found the neck profiles to be cumbersome. In terms of playability, they're not even close to recent instruments with MLO necks. A shame, because the prices of early-70's D-18's are so attractive. "

This is all a matter of setup. If the guitar needs a neck reset, well that's not just a 70s problem but a potential issue with any vintage guitar. Otherwise, you check the neck angle and relief, get a tech to dial in the nut and saddle, and there's no reason it shouldn't "play like a Taylor" (yuck, I can't believe I just said that). No, seriously though. This is not a real problem.

[Tony Burns]

doesnt sound like you played the guitar your talking about-
so dont do it -martins are all over the place -
honestly the new D-18's are about the best their ever has been.
And i wouldn't buy anything i didnt play first !

[warfrat73]

Originally Posted by Maryc-k

I have not heard this about Martin, I believe this was an issue at Gibson way back in the 1920’s. The ruler had shrunk over time and a lot of the fretwork, especially on mandolins was badly intonated.

Well, now you have, I guess.

Several other people on this thread have mentioned it... maybe it wasn't because of the measuring stick, but there were definitely many 70s Martins with misplaced bridges, and I'm pretty sure it was only dreads.

[budglo]

Originally Posted by Tony Burns

doesnt sound like you played the guitar your talking about-
so dont do it -martins are all over the place -
honestly the new D-18's are about the best their ever has been.
And i wouldn't buy anything i didnt play first !

I get where you are coming , but..... with a good return policy they can be a great guitar at a great value. The odds of being able to try out a bunch of 70s Martins in shops are slim unless you live in LA or NY or are willing to drive a lot. I bought my D35 on Reverb and immediately took it to a luthier who was an expert on Martins. Much better than the new d35 I sold several years back.

While I love my 2013 d18 , I prefer the V neck on the 72 better, but that’s just a preference. I guess my point is , if it has a good return policy( mine was a 3 day inspection period) , it might be worth the risk.