Martin D-12-18 Vintage 1983

 C.F. Martin & Co. D12-18 (1983) – Vintage 12-String Mahogany Dreadnought

This Martin D12-18 1983 — also searched as Martin D-12-18, D12 18, Martin 12-string, vintage Martin 12 string, or Martin mahogany 12-string dreadnought — is a classic vintage Martin combining the shimmering sound of a 12-string with the clear, woody character of mahogany.

Built with a solid spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides, the D12-18 produces a warm and articulate 12-string voice with excellent note separation, strong mids and bright, ringing trebles. Compared with Martin’s rosewood 12-string models, the mahogany construction gives the D12-18 a more direct and focused character with less overtone complexity.

The 14-fret dreadnought body provides plenty of volume and projection, making this model an excellent choice for strumming, accompaniment, folk, rock and recording. The natural chorus and harmonic richness produced by the paired strings give chords a huge, spacious character that is difficult to reproduce with a standard six-string acoustic.

As a 1983 example, this guitar has now had more than four decades for its solid tonewoods to mature. Vintage Martin 12-string guitars from this period offer a distinctive combination of traditional construction, understated Style 18 appointments and a naturally aged acoustic voice.

Classic appointments include a mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, black Style 18 binding, simple dot fingerboard markers and the clean, understated appearance associated with Martin’s Style 18 instruments.

The guitar is in very good condition , no cracks, no structure issues, the string action is 2.0-2.5mm with a lot of saddle bone left, a great opportunity to own a genuine 1980s Martin 12-string dreadnought with classic spruce-and-mahogany construction and plenty of vintage character. 

Specifications – Martin D12-18 (1983)

• Brand: C.F. Martin & Co.
• Model: D12-18
• Year: 1983
• Instrument: 12-String Acoustic Guitar
• Body Size: Dreadnought, 14-Fret
• Top: Solid Spruce
• Back & Sides: Solid Mahogany
• Neck: Mahogany
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Bridge: Rosewood
• Scale Length: Approx. 24.9” (632 mm)
• Nut Width: Approx. 1 7/8” (47.6 mm)
• Frets: 20
• Binding: Black Style 18
• Fingerboard Inlays: Dot Inlays
• Electronics: None
• Strings: 12-String