The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > FOR SALE! > AGF Classifieds - Guitars

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 11-23-2020, 12:02 PM
Kashmir Kashmir is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Arizona, USA
Posts: 15
Default Marvelous Martin D-16M - 1990 D-18V Prototype

This guitar is a remarkable 1990 Martin D-16M that is now looking for its next home. Martin experimented with the 16 series in the 90s including the guitars that would serve as the prototypes for the Vintage series. The D-16M being the prototype for the D-18V.

What you get with this guitar is a huge dreadnought volley of sound. I attribute this to the forward shifted X-bracing. Every part of this guitar resonates when strummed, the whole thing feels alive in your hands. Deep rich bass and mids respond immediately with a sweet upper range nicely rounding off the sound. Harmonics bloom and develop continuously as a note is sustained, and it will sustain at length. The tone is simply unparalleled. This is also a very loud guitar, sometimes it's a bit much.

Price: $1,795 pp/shipped contiguous United States, fully insured. I'm a motivated seller looking to ship this before Thanksgiving, make me your best offer. If you're outside the continental United States and want to purchase this guitar, please contact me first so I can check shipping rates and any possible restrictions (such as rosewood).

The action is set for medium-low using 12-54s but there's plenty of room on the saddle for lowering the action. This has the exact same specs as a D-18V except for the fingerboard and bridge are rosewood, and the tuners are Grovers. The 16 designation has been used a few time, this guitar bares no similarity to the modern 16-series or 15 models. Highlights include: forward shifted scalloped X-bracing, dovetail neck joint, small maple bridge pad, tortoise pickguard and binding, solid mahogany/spruce. At the time of this guitar's introduction, it was the closest model to a pre-war Martin since 1946.

Care has always been taken when using this guitar. The original owner played it as a backup for a D45, and thus was seldom used. It's always been kept in its case when not in use and humidified. This guitar has never needed repair and is not likely to any time soon. Neck is very stable, nowhere near a reset.

Condition is near mint. It still even has the protective plastic on the pickguard. There is a single blemish on the finish which has been photographed, the blemish resulting from a stand that interacted with the finish. First three frets show a bit of wear from the usual cowboy chords, all others are untouched. I've intentionally photographed the guitar to be reflective, demonstrating the lack of abrasions. Weight is 4lb 5oz. If you'd like more information I'd be happy to answer an questions, there's also some testimonials of this model on umgf.

All original manuals, sales, and warranty information is included. Addition is a fascinating piece of history. This guitar was used at a 1991 US-USSR Friendship Concert bringing Soviet musicians to mingle and perform with American musician in San Francisco. The concert pamphlet will be with all the other paperwork.

The guitar comes with the original hardshell case. All latches are operational.

If you're a gigging musician looking for a guitar where all the attention has been put into the tone, not frills. Or a collector seeking a guitar at the beginning of Martin's modern era that would heard the high quality guitars around the turn of the millennium. This would be an ideal fit.

























  #2  
Old 11-23-2020, 12:28 PM
upsidedown upsidedown is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 2,618
Default

1 11/16” nut?

Also, what’s the neck shape?
  #3  
Old 11-23-2020, 02:37 PM
Kashmir Kashmir is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Arizona, USA
Posts: 15
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by upsidedown View Post
1 11/16” nut?

Also, what’s the neck shape?
Correct, 1 11/16" nut width.

The neck shape is very similar to the performing artist shape, a gently sloping contour with significant shoulders. 1st fret is .818" and the 10th fret is .902"
Closed Thread

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > FOR SALE! > AGF Classifieds - Guitars

Tags
d-16, d-18v, dreadnaught, martin, mint near mint condition

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:25 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=