Custom Martin thoughts

[Gas]

In talking with a Martin dealer, I was told it's possible to take a tour of Martin and hand pick your tone woods for a custom build. So I'm thinking, what would I like.

D18
Adirondack red spruce with some bear claw and silk
VTS top
Forward shifted Adirondack scalloped bracing
Very dark HOG back and sides with some figure
Snowflake inlays
Unbound head stock with vertical Martin logo, like D40 style
Open back Waverly tuners in Gold
Bone saddle and Nut
Herringbone binding top and back
Herringbone back stripe
Fancy rosette, not sure would need to see examples
Liquid metal pins with dots to match rosette
Front strap pin to match bridge pins
Maybe iveroid binding inside the Herringbone
TKL custom tweed case

Boy would this be fun.

What would you do?

[llew]

I like the idea of an upgraded Custom Shop D-18. I would order the bracing in GE style forward shifted. More material removed from the braces. Also like the idea of snowflake 42 style inlays and herringbone.

[DanR]

Originally Posted by Gas

In talking with a Martin dealer, I was told it's possible to take a tour of Martin and hand pick your tone woods for a custom build.

Did the dealer mention how long the custom order would take? I was about to pull the trigger on a custom shop order until the dealer told me it would be about a year and a half wait. I'm 69 and I just can't wait that long.

[Gas]

Originally Posted by DanR

Did the dealer mention how long the custom order would take? I was about to pull the trigger on a custom shop order until the dealer told me it would be about a year and a half wait. I'm 69 and I just can't wait that long.

I didn't ask. I'm 68 so I guess it's a roll of the dice

[Silly Moustache]

I sometimes send myself to sleep at night imaginging my "dream" batch of guitars, but they would be Collings, and they would be a matching set of 12 fret guitars from dreadnought, through 000,00 and an 0. I'd also try to convince them to build be a 12 fret dreadnought 12 string (just use the neck they use on he small body 12s!) They'd prolly be baked adi or European with a style 42 trim.

However, I've just finished restringing my three Collings dreads and the last one was my dead basic DS1 which is their version of a 12 fret D18.

It is beautiful in its simplicity.

[rollypolly]

Nice choices . I'd do something like:

Slope shoulder dread , 14 fret to the body. Dovetail joint. 24.9" scale, 1.75" nut. All solid aged mahogany. Scalloped adi bracing. 15 style rosette. Wood binding - maybe maple and ebony or rosewood. Ebony board and bridge, simple diamond fret markers. Open Waverlies. Not sure if the custom shop even does that combo of specs, but that'd be pretty sweet.

[s2y]

If you want something fast, perhaps take a look at Bob Thompson guitars. I have gotten most of mine in the 3-6 month time frame.

[llew]

Pre-pandemic the Martin Custom Shop ran about 5-6 months. These days it's anybody's guess?

[brencat]

I would never ever wait 1.5 yrs for a custom Martin. Pre-pandemic, the wait was 6 mos tops, same as it always was for years and years.

Nowadays, there are simply too many fish in the sea and plenty of great alternatives without the wait. Based on the OP's spec list, I'd say that would end up being a VERY expensive one-off, and likely much more expensive than a D-18 Authentic 1937 with no guarantees of superior tone. Martin buyers are also fiercely traditional, which would substantially reduce the available pool of buyers in the resale market should you not like it or simply want to unload it someday. The $$ value hit would also likely be substantial given the customizations and deviation from a typical D-18.

Finally, remember that Martin doesn't hand voice their tops and never has. They build to a set spec, so you really are 'rolling the dice' when you order a custom Martin. Hand voicing is no guarantee of a superior guitar, but it helps greatly, IMO.

[Br1ck]

Originally Posted by DanR

Did the dealer mention how long the custom order would take? I was about to pull the trigger on a custom shop order until the dealer told me it would be about a year and a half wait. I'm 69 and I just can't wait that long.

I'm 72, and I want a guitar in my hands, not a build list. Just my luck my dream guitar would arrive a day after the fatal stroke. Just sayin'. I have two Custom Martins, one a new guitar not taken buy a dealer, the other a very nice D 35 that would have cost $5K ordered from the shop.

This is an unrealized expectation waiting to happen, IMHO.

[llew]

I just clicked on the Martin website...a new Standard D-18 is $2799?!? I knew Martin got away from their MSRP pricing to MAP but holy cow? Last time I looked at a new (post 2012) D-18 they were $1890! Man do I miss MFG!

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by llew

I like the idea of an upgraded Custom Shop D-18. I would order the bracing in GE style forward shifted. More material removed from the braces. Also like the idea of snowflake 42 style inlays and herringbone.

These days with Custom Shop Expert dealers available I would splurge and use them to order a guitar with Authentic Spec bracing. It can't be too much more and the tonal upgrades would be immense.

[llew]

Originally Posted by UncleJesse

These days with Custom Shop Expert dealers available I would splurge and use them to order a guitar with Authentic Spec bracing. It can't be too much more and the tonal upgrades would be immense.

Learned something new...didn't know you could do that now? If only I could get them to put a Mod-V neck on the D-18 A !937!