Very odd D-18

[JimH]

Ran across this on my local craigs list. 1937 d-18 that has seen some modifications.
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/msg...143047557.html

[Slothead56]

I would always be suspicious of anything on Craigslist but if this is truly a 1930’s D-18 that’s a heck of a price, modified or not.

[Napman41]

D-18’s don’t have herringbone trim.

[MFG]

PLEASE....garbage.

[jklotz]

I have a bridge in San Fransisco I'd like to sell. A lot of people know about it, it's even has a name. Golden Gate. It's old and has been refinished, hence the lower price. Normally it would go for......

Reason for the sale - I'm not using it anymore.

[oliverkollar]

Originally Posted by jklotz

I have a bridge in San Fransisco I'd like to sell. A lot of people know about it, it's even has a name. Golden Gate. It's old and has been refinished, hence the lower price. Normally it would go for......

Either the seller is a complete idiot or a bare faced lair. Hard pass.

[Tube Sound]

Originally Posted by JimH

Ran across this on my local craigs list. 1937 d-18 that has seen some modifications.
https://desmoines.craigslist.org/msg...143047557.html

Serial number, please?

[kkrell]

Oh my. Look at that purfling/binding in pic #2.

[lowrider]

I contacted him and he sent me the serial number;



It looks like it's just stamped but 67060 does look correct for the middle 1930's on Martin's serial number list;

https://www.martinguitar.com/about/m...number-lookup/

Was Martin stamping the numbers back then?

[capefisherman]

Originally Posted by MFG

PLEASE....garbage.

Amen. Not even close to being right. Sooooo many things on this guitar are bogus. Perhaps it's a nice instrument but you can buy a LOT of nice guitars for that price, including many spectacular Martins. I'm thinking that maybe - just maybe - someone had a D-18 neck and it was stuck on some no-name body.

[LeftyKev]

I usually love herringbone binding on Martins, but the way that has been done, is truly awful. An acoustic partscaster!

[John Arnold]

Either the seller is a complete idiot or a bare faced lair. Hard pass.

Not sure why you are calling him a 'liar'. The guitar seems to be fairly represented.

I'm thinking that maybe - just maybe - someone had a D-18 neck and it was stuck on some no-name body.

Swapping a neck block is a bit more involved. You could contact Greig Hutton on UMGF to verify that serial number as corresponding to a D-18. There is #67053 listed as a D-18 in the UMGF registry, and this one could very well be from the same batch. The interior shot of the neck block looks correct....the block, bracing and kerfing are all right. I see a possibly original (though refinished) 37 D-18 with modified binding and purfling. The pickguard may even be original, which would be a big plus in my book. I would want an interior shot of the top bracing to verify it is not a retop, though. That would kill any interest for me.
I would be inclined to redo the trim, using grain matched mahogany on the back and a wider version of D-18 purfling on the top. This would require another refinish, but considering the value is already bottomed out, it should be financially viable.

[OKCtodd71]

You could make some coin collecting tolls with that bridge in your portfolio. Is it still available?

[Silly Moustache]

A few years ago, there was an ad on US ebay for a 1964 Martin D12-20 that looked brand new and had a D12-35 trim.

Everybody said is was a scam, rip off chinese copy etc. In fact many warned everyone else of it.

I was looking for a replacement for a throuroughtly worn out D12-35 that I had a buyer for.

I contacted the seller and got the story from him - as much as he knew.
It was, or had been a first year D12-20 which had suffered all the problems of 12 strings and been neglected for some years. It was sent back to Martin in 1998 where it was refurbished - but not in original spec - maybe they had a spare neck with an adjustable truss rod and bound ebony fretboard, so they added an ebony bridge and the white/black/white trim on the body.

The seller sent me pics of the Martin documentation. We had quite a lengthy discussion back and forth, and it all seemed genuine. I took the risk bought it and the seller sent it across the Atlantic for me.

It is a fine, resonant, and accurate guitar.



Maybe this D-18 has a similar story ?