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2012 Martin D-18 NOT NGD!


FretFiend.

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Sam Ash had one 2012 Martin D-18 on the wall, so naturally, I just had to have the sales guy pull it down and tune it up for me. Yep. It's NICE! :love: Plenty of bottom end boom kinda like an HD-28... but surprisingly bright and loud. Plenty of treble. It's still sounds like a D-18 ought to.

 

Yep. My days of being content with my D-28 are over. I had $1800 of Harley fund money just burning a hole in my pocket, but... Sticker shock. $2199 and tax. :eek:

 

Sooo, I start prowling around on the web. Seems that these are in short supply. Only a few places are advertising them as in stock... and they are all $2199. :mad: No 60% of list deals on this one... at least for now. :cry:

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Doesn't Sam Ash take trade-ins? I mean, if you're truly past being satisfied with your D-28, it's an option. Or, better yet, scrape up a few more bucks, buy the D-18 and sell your D-28 outright.

 

You might also want to give Elderly a call and get their rock bottom price. I've heard nothing but great things about the new D-18s.

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I'm not quite ready do dump the D-28. It's possible that I might part with it... someday... but that's only if it has gathered dust for a good long while.

 

 

Yeah, I think I'd think long and hard before letting your D-28 go. I recently read one post at AGF from someone who'd tried out two of the new D-18s. One of them really impressed him, but he judged the other one as "mediocre". So, maybe they're not all gems. Who knows? That's the ONLY negative comment I've read about 'em, though.

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I prefer the "punch" of Mahogany (d18) over the complex tones of rosewood for bluegrass flatpicking, but just my little pea brain opinion..

 

I played a 2012 d-18 the other day and loved it , but it wasn`t really The Golden Ticket. It wasn`t as loud or cutting as my 2008 d-18, but I truly scored when I got mine (yeah I know, everyone says that). Plus I`ve beat the snot out of my d18 so I`m sure it`s opened up a bit.

 

I think Janet Davis has about the best martin prices around. Calling and talking to a salesman will always get you the best deal. It`s a huge shop, but a small town vibe and they go out of their way to help.

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Aside from a cheapie beater I keep for putting in harm's way;

 

Start: I have one guitar which gets played regularly, which holds the title of my "go to" guitar.

 

But then occasionally, I'll buy another guitar because; it really talked to me, or I thought I always wanted one, or I couldn't pass it up. (such as a 2012 D-18.)

 

If that happens, both guitars will get played fairly equally until, eventually, one or the other gradually wins out.

 

And then the new one becomes my "go to" guitar, or the original one retains the title, and the loser begins to gather dust... and I'll eventually sell it... but not until I'm sure I won't miss it.

 

Back to Start.

 

That's my system and I'm sticking to it. :o (Works better if you buy used.)

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I haven't had the chance to audition one yet, but I chose the D-16GT over a 2010 D-18 and have since tried a D-18GE and still feel completely satisfied in my decision. The new D-18 would have to be one helluva guitar to sway me, but then again GAS is completely unpredictable.

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To each his own, but I bet I played 15-20 D-16`s of different varieties when I was on the hunt because I wanted one. A good friend is a luthier and he took a d-16 and built a really nice neck for it turning it into a "Super D-16"....

 

I went to Janet Davis Music and she has 20-25 examples of each Martin model to choose from (huge inventory). I played probably 50-60 different Martins over a couple of days and almost had it narrowed down to an HD-28, or a D-18GE when the hot flatpicker that worked there said "oh yeah there is this one"..It was the D-18 standard I ended up getting, but he had it squirreled away behind the counter as it was the one he wanted.. lol..They had a dozen D-18`s and most sounded too punchy/boxy, and were a bit stiff but this one just has the right combination of mojo I guess, because I have owned LOTS of guitars over the last 38 years and I don`t ever see myself getting rid of this guitar.

 

My bandmate who is also a luthier refused to scallop the braces as he said it didn`t need it and that was the best d-18 he had ever heard.

 

At that time in my life it was my turn for something really good to happen..

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Knockwood, your linky didn't work, but thanks anyway.

 

Maury's hidden price list is available for the asking from Maury's. BTW, a Google search turned it up too.

 

Pull the trigger? Don't pull the trigger? What to do? What to do? :eek::idk:

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One other option is to buy a 70's D18 for 700 to a thou, send it to Bryan Kimsey with a check for 5-700 to fix neck, frets, possible intonation, any cracks, new pick guard and tuners. You'll end up with something like this

 

Martins.jpg

 

The term "cannon" gets over used, but fits here.....

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