2012 Martin D-18 Golden Era 

In the last few years I’ve noticed that guitar stores are getting more and more very recent used guitars in stock. Whenever I see a two or three year old guitar on the shelf in nearly perfect condition I ask what its story is. The most common answers are the previous owner has too many guitars (is there such a problem?); the previous owner is selling some lesser expensive guitars to buy one really expensive guitar (I’ve done this a couple of times); or, if it’s a vintage reissue, it’s because they found an original example of the guitar in question. I don’t know what the story is on this 2012 Martin D-18 Golden Era, but I do know the next owner is going to get a great guitar at a good price.

Martin’s Golden Eras are not exact replicas of vintage guitars, but are instead instruments that combine the most popular features from the 1930s-era. (If you want an exact replica Martin, you want their Authentic Series.) This particular D-18 has an Adirondack spruce top, forward shifted X-bracing, a long saddle and a 1 3/4-inch nut width, all features that were common in the 1930s. It also has a sunburst top, something that was available as a special order back then. I have seen quite a few vintage Martin sunbursts over the years and I have to say that they look a lot better on the new guitars. This D-18 Golden Era is currently turning heads at The Music Emporium in Lexington, MA, but it will cost you $2400 to have it turn heads at your next gig.