Martin D-18 Standard Series

Martin’s “refreshed” take on its iconic mahogany dreadnought is a fabulous guitar.

May 7, 2025

There was a time when a Martin guitar series named Standard would have been unnecessary. For decades, players had the choice of a body size and style, and that was it. But ever since the company began making multiple variations of its popular models, the Standard series has been a way to distinguish Martin’s basic models from the Vintage, Golden Era, Authentic, and other lines. The Standard series has not been static over the years, as Martin has introduced occasional modifications and tweaks. Earlier this year, Martin announced that it was refreshing the series, so all models in the line now include a set of updates. (Check out our video with product specialist Mike George from the 2025 NAMM show, in which he talks about the line.) We recently featured a demo of the new D-28, and in this new video, San Francisco Bay Area flatpicking master Jim Nunally and I demonstrate the D-18.

Martin’s D-18 sometimes seems overshadowed by the rosewood D-28, but many experienced players know that mahogany dreadnoughts have their own appeal. For the refreshed version of the Standard series D-18, Martin added several vintage-style features. Most significantly, the new guitar now has Golden Era–style forward-shifted and scalloped X-bracing. It also includes a new “Golden Era modified low oval” neck shape, which, while not as chunky or V-shaped as on previous D-28 variations, has a much more vintage feel than earlier Standards. Other updates include a modified vintage-style heel shape, a smoother nut angle, a thinner fingerboard with gently beveled edges, and ebony bridge pins.

The instrument we checked out has a great-looking set of woods, it’s lightweight, and the craftsmanship is up to Martin’s best standards. Jim and I agreed that this is a very impressive instrument that delivers just what one expects from a good D-18, with great tonal clarity and a wonderfully elastic dynamic range. It has the classic, punchy Martin dreadnought rhythm sound, while single-note lines have the kind of definition that has made the D-18 popular with lead players. The guitar offers a rich spectrum of overtones without becoming muddy, and it’s responsive enough to sound good when played fingerstyle. Jim and I both found the neck very comfortable and the guitar’s factory setup very playable.

As with the refreshed D-28 we demoed previously, we were duly impressed by the new Standard series D-18. Jim and I agreed that this is a guitar that could easily go neck-to-neck with much pricier mahogany dreadnoughts, and it is a remarkable value.