1937 C.F. Martin & Co. D-18
Pre-war herringbone D-18 — the mahogany dreadnought at its finest. Scalloped bracing, ebony fingerboard, and herringbone purfling on the most affordable dreadnought Martin made. Still enormously valuable by any standard.
Current Market Value
* Prices are estimates based on recent market data. Actual value depends on originality, condition, and provenance. Pricing methodology
Specifications
| Body Wood | Spruce (top), Mahogany (back and sides — herringbone trim, scalloped bracing) |
| Neck Wood | Mahogany |
| Fingerboard | Ebony |
| Scale Length | 25.400" |
| Frets | 20 |
| Pickup Config | None (acoustic) |
| Bridge | Ebony belly bridge |
| Tuners | Grover Sta-Tite |
| Finish Options | Natural |
| Est. Production | 250 |
Pickups & Electronics
Pure acoustic flat-top.
What Changed in 1937
Pre-war D-18 with herringbone trim and scalloped bracing — the mahogany sibling to the rosewood D-28. Despite being the 'lesser' model, pre-war D-18s with herringbone and scalloped bracing are extremely valuable.
Collector's Notes
Herringbone trim on a D-18 is the pre-war identifier (same as D-28). Post-war D-18s have the simpler black/white binding. Mahogany back/sides vs rosewood changes the tonal character — focused midrange, slightly drier response.