Martin Custom Shop D-18 Inspired Flame Koa Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar, Sitka Spruce VTS Top
Player's Perspective
Music Store Live is proud to offer up this beautiful creation from our friends at the Martin Custom Shop department with some stunning highly figured flame koa.
In late 2019 we traveled to Pennsylvania to hand-select the woods and appointments that would go on this run of exclusive custom guitars. This is the first one to roll in and we are absolutely stunned and thrilled. We went through what felt like every piece of wood in their vault and picked ones that we thought looked the best, but would also contribute to an incredible sounding instrument. So we kept in mind how the woods would look together, but also, and perhaps most importantly, how they would sound together.
The inspiration for this came from a fairly bare-bones D-18. We didn't want anything too flashy for binding, inlays, rosettes, etc. We wanted the focus to be on the absolutely gorgeous flamed koa that we selected for this. The beautiful spruce top was also chosen because of the subtle, but very cool figuring that it has, which was emphasized and brought to life with Martin's VTS treatment. The idea behind that process is a simple one; the guitar should feel like a long-lost friend from the moment you pull it out of the box. Unlike most acoustic guitars, where you have to really play it for a while to get the sound to open up and sound its best, this one is already a good portion of the way there thanks to the VTS.
This is a truly special, one-of-a-kind Martin Custom Shop build that will be a fine addition to any collector and player.
Manufacturer's Description
This Custom Shop guitar had all of the woods and appointments selected during a dealer visit to Martin's factory in Pennsylvania in late 2019.
MARTIN VTS SYSTEM
The new Martin Vintage Tone System (VTS) uses a unique recipe that is based on the historic torrefaction system. VTS acts much like a time machine in which Martin can target certain time periods and age the top/braces to that era. This focused method allows Martin’s craftsmen and craftswomen to recreate not only the pleasing visual aesthetics of a vintage guitar, but also reproduce the special tones previously reserved for vintage instruments.
Specifications
BODY
- Model: Custom Shop Dreadnought
- Top: Sitka Spruce - VTS
- Back and Sides: Highly Flamed Koa
- Pickguard: Faux Tortoise
- Binding: Faux Tortoise
- Rosette: Old Style 18 Boltaron
- Bracing Material: Sitka Spruce (scalloped, 5/16", x-brace, forward shifted)
- Body Finish: Gloss
NECK
- Construction: Dovetail Joint
- Fretboard: Black Ebony
- Neck: Select Genuine Mahogany
- Neck Profile: Modified Low Oval, High Performance Taper
- Neck Finish: Satin
- Scale Length: 25.4"
- Fretboard Radius: 16"
- Nut Width: 1 3/4"
- String Spacing: 2 5/32"
- Inlays: Golden Era Diamonds and Squares, Select Abalone
- Frets (clear of body): 14
- Headstock: Highly Flamed Koa Veneer
- Headstock Finish: Polished
- Headstock Taper: Square
- Headstock Inlay: CFM Golden Era Block, Select Abalone
HARDWARE
- Tuners: Grover Gold V97-18GA StaTite 18:1 Vintage
- Bridge: Modern Belly Black Ebony with Drop-In Bone Saddle
MISCELLANEOUS
- Case: 3-Ply Hardshell with Domed Top
- Serial #: 2356720
Overall Condition
Our in-house guitar tech will inspect, test, set up, and clean all of our instruments on site prior to shipping. All of our instruments are guaranteed to be fully functional upon arrival.