Official Luthiers Forum!

Some have stated here that they use and have used D18 for fingerstyle.
Because of the larger surface area of top, do you use a different wood for top than you use for smaller body styles-
What in fact do you use?

Understanding the Martin Line


The initial letter(s) usually stand for the body size/type.
D = Dreadnought
J = Jumbo
M or 0000 = Grand Auditorium
000 = Auditorium
OM = Orchestra
00 = 00
B = Acoustic Bass
5 = Size 5 Terz

Other style options include:
C = Cutaway
12 = Twelve-string
H = Herringbone
HP = Herringbone pearl
V = Vintage
Note: Hyphen (-) separates size prefix from style prefix.

Ornamentation
The number after the letter designates the ornamentation or series styling.
The higher that number, the fancier the guitar.
Ornamentation styles of our Standard & Vintage Series models:
18-28-35-40-41-42-45-50-100.
Other styles run:
X-Road-1-15-16-17.

Special Features
The letter after the number denotes a special feature.
S = 12-fret neck to body juncture
GT = Gloss top
N = Nylon strings (Classical)
E = Electronics

Other special features:
A = Thin body
DB = Deep body
LS = Large soundhole


you see a D28 and D18 are the same body


   

The dread style has been used for fingerstyle to blues to bluegrass and everything in between. I saw Phil Keaggy tear a dread up at a show once...trust me, it's the indian and not the arrow (so to speak.)

With a dread for fingerstyle, you just have to have a little harder attack if you're not miked, and if you are miked appropriately, and the action/neck width suits you, it's just fine for fingerstyle.

My opinion, of course.

Bill

_________________
Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Couple additions to Michaels list:
sizes 1-5 - terz
0 - concert
00 - grand concert

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

I fingerpick Blind Blake and Rev Gary Davis stuff on an SCGC Tony Rice (large soundhole dreadnought) with no problems.  I love an OM, but if I am going to flatpick and fingerpick during a jam, I will just use the TR.  The body style doesn't dictate the playing style.  I agree with Bill Greene - It's the Indian, not the arrow.  Unfortunatlly, a lot of the time in my case, the arrow is better than the Indian deserves!

Paul

I agree with Bill! I saw Doc Watson tear up a version of Windy and Warm on a dreadnaught about 10 years ago.

Michael,
Thanks for the great info.
I guess I used the wrong designation for the guitar I had in mind.
I am referring to the '33 D(v?) 18. 12 fret.
It's my understanding that Martin, wishing to use longer scale and neck 14 fret, instead of placing a longer neck of the full size '33 V,D,? shortened the body of the guitar approx. 2 frets, and voila, sqatter bodied D-28-Wrong?

I am not familiar with a 33D-18-v. Now a D-18S would be a Mahogany Dread with 12 fret neck the Scale length would be 24.9. Shorting the body in its self does not get you to 12 frets. In fact the effect would be the opposite if the Scale length stayed the same.

I am in no way a Martin expert so you may know something I don't. I just have nothing in my literature the shows a 33D-18?

I think the only 12 fret D in the 1833 Restricted line is Indian Rosewood. Slope shoulder, style 28 appointments, but a D35 style 3 piece back.

_________________
GregH
Fot Wuth

Back to the D-18. The D-18VS 12 fret slope shoulder has a 21" long body and a 25.4 scale. All 14 fret models have 20" bodies. Notice they had to lengthen the body to use the 25.4" scale with a 12 fret neck. not shorten the body.

Thanks for the great info