Can anyone tell me what kind of Martin this is?

[guit3090]

Azaro,
Cool,so you got to play his guitar, Did he mention what kind of strings He used?

[mjz]

Originally Posted by GuitarDogs62

Just from the sound when he takes a break and flat picks the sound states I am a D-18.

^^^^^ This

max

[mjz]

Originally Posted by HHP

It has an ebony board, that would put it before '74.

See pic in post #5. That's not ebony.
I think rosewood can render like ebony due to exposure value, but that doesn't happen the other way around. Pretty sure the board is rosewood.

max

[HHP]

Originally Posted by mjz

See pic in post #5. That's not ebony.
I think rosewood can render like ebony due to exposure value, but that doesn't happen the other way around. Pretty sure the board is rosewood.

max

The stage shots do look like rosewood. But the color of the D-18 board in that photo looks roughly the same shade as the F5 mandolin and the banjo, both of which are probably ebony. Only the violin, which is tilted away from the lighting, looks black. The photo in post 6, without stage lighting, looks like solid black ebony to me.

[Azaro Ariño]

Originally Posted by guit3090

Azaro,
Cool,so you got to play his guitar, Did he mention what kind of strings He used?

I never asked, I was still in shock when he invited me to play it.

There was a thread about the "best guitar you've ever played" a few months ago. I mentioned his guitar, that D-18 has some serious mojo.

[mjz]

Originally Posted by HHP

The stage shots do look like rosewood. But the color of the D-18 board in that photo looks roughly the same shade as the F5 mandolin and the banjo, both of which are probably ebony. Only the violin, which is tilted away from the lighting, looks black. The photo in post 6, without stage lighting, looks like solid black ebony to me.

Ooh... good eye. You are right.
max

The guitar here looks older than 1974 due to the headstock shape. It doesn't have the rounded headstock shape of the 60's, and with the darker gold decal, I'm leaning more toward late 40's or early 50's.

In the past, especially pre-1965, Martin chose the darkest BRW they could find for Style 18 fretboards and bridges. They sometimes dyed it to even out the color. It's often very hard to pick that up in photos. This '57 has a BRW bridge and fretboard, but it's hard to be sure just from the photo.

[jeepnstein]

Originally Posted by David-NJ

Perfect sound and very good band for sure! D-18 plonking away very tastily.

This makes me laugh a little because, while I have a Taylor in addition to my Martin, you would be laughed off the stage in traditional bluegrass if you showed up with a Taylor. You can wear wierd sunglasses or whatever but you still need to show respect and taste. You don't necessarily need a Martin but a Taylor just doesn't work. The idea that on the same planet that has Tony Rice there are also Taylor guitars isn't quite registering.

I played a bluegrass show last year and when we were packing up a kid stops by to visit. He was a very good flat picker and was really tearing it up on my buddy's Martin. Then he made some statement about how if it wasn't a Martin it didn't have any business on a bluegrass stage. My friend asked me to hand the kid my guitar. The headstock was covered with my Snark so he just assumed it was another Martin. He sang it's praises until all the guys in the band said in unison "Made in China!".

A good guitar and a good player will be welcomed by anyone who loves the music. On that day we had a D-45, a D-15, a Bourgeouis, a Gary Cotton, and my Eastman. They all got passed around so much it was kind of difficult to keep track. The 15 was an interesting addition, would have never thought about that in a traditional bluegrass band.

What we really want, though, is people who can sing. You could show up with an Esteban as long as you are willing to sing.