New Gear: Martin Super D and D-18 StreetLegend Offer Bold Looks and Bolder Sounds

[@AcousticGuitarMag]

Read the full review here: acousticguitar.com/review-martin-super-d-and-d-18-streetlegend/

[@lifeonamarble961]

This guy is not only a fantastic guitarist but wonderful communicator. Really enjoy your takes and best to you and Zoso this year James!

[@stephenpearson9031]

I truly appreciate your honest opinion where I know in your position not to offend or tic off any subscribers and/or corporate types…So so many You Tubers all ramble the same schtict that we are vastly loosing or have already lost their trust to be honest…. And I understand some do it because it’s their job but a lot on their platforms and do it just for the money and self promotion. You’re a blessing. Thank you.

[@BlueSun4886]

Both very nice. But, I'll stay with my 1964 D-28 with Adirondack Spruce & Brazilian Rosewood and my 1948 (my birth year) D-18 with that great mahogany mellowness. I bought the D-28 new when I started making decent money playing at age 16 & got my musician's union card. I bought the '48 D-18 as a present for myself after surviving colon cancer in my '40s. It cost over $11,000 then & was perfect except for some finish checkering, but had the sound of angels singing &, since I was only given a 5 to 10% chance of surviving 5 years, I thought I owed myself a special 5 years. I also have a mid-90's Bourgeois OM Cutaway from when Dana Bourgeois personally hand-made them & am in the middle of a 5-year wait for a "Dude" Dudenbostel perfect replica (except I chose a neck width 1/16" narrower for my smaller hands) of a late 1933 D-28 12-fret slot-head (also with legacy Braz. rosewood & Adirondack spruce, made to the exact standards of the original Martin 1933 "Stradivarius" D-28 right down to the bracing & the horse-hide glue). There are only around 15 or 16 of the originals of this guitar currently known to exist, so this is the closest I can come. I played one owned by a well-known performer at the Philly Folk Festival 2 decades ago, I it was the best flattop I've ever played or heard - mellower than the 14-fret version. She has at least a 5-year waiting list, but there are some used ones available for only the price of a compact car! I also lucked out in that when I bought the '64 D-28, I also bought a '64 Sunburst Fender Stratocaster with a Twin Reverb amp, which I still have & treasure. I reserved it only for studio work in my youth, so it is in mint condition, complete with case and all accoutrements, down to the strap & polishing cloth. I think I paid about $200 for it then & I just learned the '64 is auctioning off (with full case & original goodies) for up to $40,000 - so it's now part of my retirement stash if I ever retire. I could use the money to buy one of Canadian luthier Linda Manzer's green guitars like the 2 that Bruce Cochburn plays - I want the Mayan number fretboard inlays ;)). She has at least a 5-year waiting list, but there are some used ones from the late '70s/early '80s I've seen available for *only* the price of a small compact car! I just had a mid-70s Strat totally rebuilt by a local luthier with custom hand-wired pickups to my specs, all hardware including rosewood neck & frets, Tusq neck insert, vibrato/bridge, tuners & wiring replaced, a push-pull blender pot for blending in all three pu's on the mid-switch position, so maybe I won't miss the '64 Strat TOO much when I sell it. All that's left of the orignal guitar is the body & the maple neck. This new custom beats a number of the Custom Shop Strats I've played. I admit that, having played guitar in bands & studios since I was 12 in 1960, I'm a bit of a nutcase on fine instruments, but think that, of all the assemblages of guitars I've ever had, this is the best (if only I could land one of the Captain Kirk Douglas (from Roots) 3-pickup custom Gibson Signature SG's). Catch his videos on KZbin or Google it - the guitar is the most versatile in terms of the sheer number of sound settings it can produce.

[@stevestrang480]

Good luck with your health

[@jameswestconsultant]

It’s totally awesome, the D-18 that is. I have it: great look, great playability, great sound without the warped neck and shoddy condition associated with “real vintage” not to mention the ridiculous cost ☝🏻😉

[@larrnew]

That super D is not just a cannon… it’s a howitzer.

[@scottreeves1226]

Cosmetics mean nothing to me, so if the new model D-18 has nothing more to offer, then it's a D-18, which alone has plenty to recommend it. BUT if there are some real differences in wood thicknesses and bracing, then let us know. As for the Super D, the three-piece back suggests the D-35 and some back bracing that differentiates the guitar from a D-28. A larger body cavity suggests that other decisions had to have been made about the bracing. What are those changes? Finally, if you keep playing these guitars mostly ponticello - at the bridge - we're not going to know what those guitars sound like at their fullest for fingerpicking as well as strumming. Good information in general. Thanks.

[@235buz]

Martin has a video addressing the bracing issue, which wound up not being a problem.

[@KurtCobain2021]

May i know the D-18 sL action height?

[@markrobinson891]

This review is only four months ago and the Super D is discontinued per Martin website. I wonder if they limit production to keep prices high for new models. Either that or it didn’t make the sales they thought it might. Also, I’d like to hear some samples in standard tuning. Open chords can be fun one shouldn’t leave your instrument tuned that way.

[@guitarthewalker]

You have big talent! Good lucky for you in youtube journey! I'm stopping my videos today because I am the worst guitarist

[@Shovel-om7kn]

I will “relic” my own guitars, thanks. 🤠 Some generation will receive my D-18 MD naturally worn relic. Semper Fi

[@Julius_Seizure]

Are you in a cathedral? That’s a lot of reverb my dude

[@WEANDK]

Are the strings five inches off the fretboard like on most martin's

[@paullanier8280]

Was so happy knowing about the sides and back being from Guatemala 😂 I know about this phenomenon of being from Guatemala and being loud 😅😅😅 don't tell the wifey. Ha ha ha

[@paullanier8280]

A beautiful presentation. Wife is beautiful, too !

[@dougmiddleton5117]

IMHO... The "D18 StreetLegend" sounds way better (overall) than the first Martin ("SuperD") you played in this video.

[@Ok-Mardy]

Nope! Not even close!

[@soofitnsexy]

yes if you prefer the hog tone....I agree with you

[@Ok-Mardy]

@@soofitnsexy hog tone? R u nuts notsoparticular!

[@soofitnsexy]

mahogany einstein and I was talking to the op@@Ok-Mardy

[@Ok-Mardy]

@@soofitnsexy oh ok Frankenstein! Happy Halloween! Lol

[@piscator57]

The new pre-aged guitar fashion is so f'n dumb, really....

[@WahrheitMachtFrei.]

So true. Gibson at least nailed an authentic look. This thing from Martin is the worst of both worlds.

[@Shovel-om7kn]

I’m still dealing with baking the age out prematurely. Relic to me, is a neck reset!

[@charlesbolton8471]

⁠@@WahrheitMachtFrei. I’m not going to criticize anyone’s opinion on “artificially aged” guitars regardless of which side of fence they are on. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion and thankfully all the companies that make “aged” guitars still make shiny new ones too, and in my opinion “aged” is a finish option just like any color a person might choose. The real point of my comment to point out that this particular model D-18 is a replica of a specific famous guitar that is on display at the Martin Museum. I would also like to point out that although it isn’t actual wear on this model it isn’t exactly a “photo finish” either like Fender used on some of their guitars in the late 90s and early 00s. It is actually a finish that is similar in concept to ink jet printer. I personally consider this to be more of an “art” guitar like any of the numerous of Martin guitars with artwork on the top as opposed to the actual “aged” guitars that Martin does offer.

[@WysteriaGuitar]

"Fake relicing" LOL not for me I like my relics real...