Unboxing an Iconic Martin D-18 Acoustic Guitar

[@smflyboy]

I just bought one of these used (2022) in mint condition which I chose after playing it in addition to three brand new ones at the same store. It is magic. The feel, the tone, the playability, and even the look. I have a D35 also which is also fantastic. They are just very different. The D18 is just true blue Martin magic. It has the darker nuanced yet focused tone of mahogany paired with the bright snappy attack of the spruce top. I couldn’t happier with it. Great video!

[@dailybaglimit]

This is an awesome unboxing video. Great looking and sounding guitar. I bought my first brand new Martin, a D-18 standard in a natural full gloss finish. I sold my other acoustic guitars because I’d rather play the D-18 every time. I’ve had many guitars at any given time most of my adult life, but am enjoying having only the D-18 and a Jimmie Vaughan Stratocaster now. I feel like I’ve reached my guitar end game and can now just play instead of looking for new guitars and gear. As soon as I got my D-18 I was like “wow, I’ve been missing out for years, I should have bought one in the first place”

[@nicholasmoore7659]

I love all my guitars equally but I love my Martin more equally than the others.

[@seandaniel23]

I am the same.

[@justin2024atlas]

Ha. 1=1=2?

[@joho0]

Hope LA is treating you well. It's not nearly as cool once you spend a couple of weeks there. Florida will always be here for you when you're ready to come home.

[@seandaniel23]

Looking forward to going back and forth!

[@danielrenaud3985]

If a bright sunny autumn day had a sound it would be the sound of a Martin

[@seandaniel23]

100% accurate

[@michaelriffey2372]

Congrats on the D18. I bought one a couple months ago and can’t put it down. Enjoy!

[@seandaniel23]

Martin buddies!

[@newworldwellness7007]

Never realized the banjo is just half a snare drum with a neck. That D18 sounds awesome. congrats!

[@sununtaschnittker6469]

I am so proud of you Sean! When you get to the level that Martin is giving you D-18's you can be sure you have ARRIVED! Good for you! You are a real talent musically, your teaching skills are very high and you know how to put together entertaining videos, all not common attributes! I myself will never buy one, they are just too much money for something like a "mere guitar" (can you tell I'm married?) I do have a D-18 "clone" in a Recording King RD-318 which has impressed me GREATLY and I got for a steal because somebody returned it cause of a bad tuner and they didn't have a silver one so they replaced it with a gold one one and then cracked the veneer of the face of the headstock a bit around the peg putting it in, me do not care, it's new, skin still on the pickguard, the bone nut was as tight as a tick that pencil lead fixed, it rings like a bell and I got it for a little over $400 shipped to my abode, VERY pleased. So I will trying to keep up with you and your Martin best I can!

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much for the kind words and congrats on your guitar!!!

[@seandaniel23]

you sure about that?@user-qq4st5yz8e

[@dmyerstc55]

Martins are the best and I own 21 guitars of various sorts and I always am always choosing one of my Martins over the Taylor’s, Gibson’s, Thompson etc. Great stuff. I should set you up for a gig in northern calif

[@seandaniel23]

Oh man that would be fun!

[@staleyexplores]

yeah I have a cs d18 with sinker and it is absolutely my favorite guitar I've ever played, next best was a collings...just sayin' enjoy the new guitar.

[@seandaniel23]

That’s so cool! I’m stoked!

[@sustainablelife1st]

Straight out of deliverance...love it.

[@seandaniel23]

Haha you know it!

[@edwardpoe7323]

I hope you're enjoying California. you two sound great playing together!

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much!

[@samraffertymusic]

Iconic guitar. Excited for you! Always gotta give your new guitar a good sniff

[@trusarmor4957]

Pretty great interview ya gave on the 'Think' dudes channel. I wont link anything, but you should.

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much! it was a fun time!

[@MJPGuitar]

I bought my Martin in 2017. It’s just an X series dread but I’ll never part with it. I got close to selling it to someone once, and then had second thoughts. It plays great and sounds huge with the right strings and a better nut/saddle. I’ll hand it down to my son one day when I have kids.

[@gamersinger5118]

X series is great. Got a DXRAE1 myself in 2013! Lovely guitar and even sounds better today

[@barabadabada]

Sniff my banjo, good name for a band :) Such an enjoyable vid, lovely guitar too Sean

[@kudgeond755]

Congrats! Sounds great and I'm looking forward to your outlaw country band, tho I think you should stick to guitar. You managed to make the banjo sound like a ukulele, which was amusing and maybe a bit outlaw but not very country, let alone bluegrass. 😏 I have a Martin 16 series that I like but the acoustic I tend to pick up is a D18 knock off made for Aria back in the 70's by Japanese luthier Sada Yairi (uncle of Kazuo Yairi, whose guitars are marketed in the US by Alvarez). Picked it up for a song (so to speak) about 10 years ago and love how it plays and sounds. You know it's from that era because a hippy had stuck a large mandala decal below the bridge, which is probably why I got it so cheap. I was a hippy back in the 70's and the decal amuses me - I consider it part of the charm and history of the instrument so I haven't removed it. Enjoy your new guitar! 😊

[@seandaniel23]

Thanks so much! Definitely will be sticking to guitar.

[@judosailor610]

How was the action on that out of the box? I’m a Martin guy and recently bought one. I played several more at GC when I was looking. They all had too high action from the factory. Every single one. Once I adjusted mine, it played great. But I had to adjust it. And I’ve heard from other people that Martin just sends them out that way for some reason. So I’m curious how yours was.

[@seandaniel23]

I gotta say the action on this one was lower than the previous ones I've gotten. Cause yeah I agree, usually acoustics come a little too high for my taste, but this one played great right away.

[@G_Demolished]

High action sounds better! And it lets you dig in harder. I only lowered mine a little bit from how it came.

[@judosailor610]

@@G_Demolished of course I'm not gonna tell you to not like what you like! Ha ha. If a higher action suits your playing style, that's cool. But in my opinion, unless the action is so low that you're getting fret buzz or something, there's no reduction in sound quality by lowering the action a little bit. But there is a tremendous uptick in playability.

[@G_Demolished]

@@judosailor610 That’s just demonstrably false. A guitar set with higher action will be louder and more resonant.

[@judosailor610]

@@G_Demolished It is not, but by all means please explain why it would be.

[@Mike-up6go]

i love the smell of mahogany in the morning.

[@maximumaverage]

For casual playing around the house how do you prefer the dreadnought body to an OM? I find dreads a bit too cumbersome at times

[@seandaniel23]

Casual playing yes I prefer the OM, but from a recording standpoint, i just love the dreads

[@joeb3590]

Omg the way y'all just, did someone say bluegrass!!!!! Had me dying

[@seandaniel23]

just say the word and he appears

[@joeb3590]

@@seandaniel23 it really made my day

[@kennethochoa7550]

sounds great! welcome to cali😀

[@SteveEdinger]

d18 may be the greatest acoustic guitar ever built...

[@johnniebgoode]

What? You're re-gifting it to me? Thanks! You're the best!

[@TheReysinhell]

that's freakin sweet!

[@seandaniel23]

I'm so stoked for it!

[@joeb3590]

As someone who is steeped in Appalachian blues, no, but you're close. And really that's what matters and what makes it cool, at least to me.

[@seandaniel23]

Gonna do some research and get closer!

[@joeb3590]

@@seandaniel23 you had the spirit of it, we just play real close to the bridge and the thumb bass alternating off the E and A strings are critical to the groove, then it's honestly just a blues, easy to learn, hard as nails to master

[@seandaniel23]

@@joeb3590 thanks for the tip!

[@Vespa1500-w3s]

my favorite guitar of all time.

[@russpiraino9096]

How to know what Pentatonic shape to use for a particular key & the correct finger position?

[@kivancilisulu]

Do they install L.R. Baggs in the factory?

[@seandaniel23]

Yup.

[@cthomas28]

When did these start coming with pickups????

[@aerialcombat]

Forget the guitar, tell us all about the Jeff Goldblum throw pillow!

[@seandaniel23]

working on it!

[@brywong93]

How would you compare this to a D-35?

[@albert30300]

Well then can you believe Martin did not send me one ?

[@seandaniel23]

What?! The nerve!

[@angusdevine7045]

I recently bought d18 can't put it down!

[@sapelesteve]

I must say that the unboxings were way better when Andrea was doing them Sean. Nice guitar! 👍👍🎸🎸

[@seandaniel23]

You better hope Brian doesn't see this

[@antoniopetroff979]

I’d like to thank Martin for putting that guitar in your hand. You guys sounded great!

[@seandaniel23]

@@antoniopetroff979 Thank you so much!

[@cselsky1]

Got one for my 74 birthday last year

[@seandaniel23]

Martin buddies!

[@cselsky1]

@@seandaniel23 wish I could play it like you. Been taking lessons with Stich for almost four years. Wish you were still here in Floriduh😁

[@mikesniadecki5500]

Sweet pillow Bro! 😳

[@seandaniel23]

haha it's amazing

[@michaelcrenshaw4387]

Martin set the standard that others are judged by.

[@danielrenaud3985]

No guitar in the world I sounds like a Martin

[@seandaniel23]

the best!

[@bert_b13]

The charmed life, for sure.

[@seandaniel23]

Not taking it for granted!

[@joekagerer]

I love it, all my instruments are "tuned at the factory" too! 😅🤣😂😂

[@slingerace]

The bluegrass guys would be laughing themselves silly watching you play that D-18 with a pickup in it along with a banjitar. (Of course, I purchased a D-18 (in sunburst) with that same pickup just last year and made a late-night purchase of a used banjitar off of Ebay just last week.)

[@AlexanderDekhtyar]

You cannot just get away with idly playing the Stairway on banjo for five seconds and leaving it at that. We need a whole video.

[@tenkarabadger5244]

I don’t even like bluegrass, but that was killer.

[@mrartistbill]

How many guitars do you have?

[@microdot4374]

Sean, you gotta learn Tony Rice, ''Church street Blues''....#1....🎸🎸😎✌🏼✌🏼✍🏼

[@seandaniel23]

I'll check it out!

[@trusarmor4957]

aaaaaannd, at this point its easier to come up with stuff that Sean Daniel does NOT play.

[@seandaniel23]

haha I'm trying!

[@grantbob]

There's the title for the album: "Sniff my Banjo".

[@seandaniel23]

Gonna be a big hit

[@lqueso]

Once again...SCORE!!!!!

[@seandaniel23]

It's so cool!

[@joeb3590]

Smell my banjo jimmeh

[@seandaniel23]

Iconic

[@joeb3590]

@@seandaniel23 bonus points for being cross eyed when you say it

[@mrassilyer]

they gave you electronics, which are not a stock option. Congrats

[@seandaniel23]

Yeah I love that guitar

[@trentc7329]

Your outlaw bluegrass band name should be "Mildly Curious & The Introverted Dirtbags".

[@stuartwalker16]

Love struck romeo dire straits 💪

[@seandaniel23]

I'll check it out

[@lentas08]

Old and in the way ( Garcia bluegrass ref')

[@seandaniel23]

I'll need to check it out!

[@lentas08]

@@seandaniel23 Only sort of joking. Do you know Mandolin Orange ( now Watchtower) The most beautiful country bluegrass crossover band I have heard in years. Right up you boulevard!

[@seandaniel23]

@@lentas08 I don't! I'll check them out though

[@KayEl58]

Omg, nor can I!

[@seandaniel23]

It's so cool!

[@ExtremePlantGrowing]

can you guys play rocky top please

[@krishna_847]

India time is night 1:39

[@seandaniel23]

Gettin late!

[@scottkidwellmusic9175]

Congratulations on the new Martin! Good tune, too! But is it really a banjo with 6 strings? More of a banjitar? 🤣😂 Looking forward to what y'all come up with... I'm down for outlaw country these days...

[@scottkidwellmusic9175]

as side note, playing anything by Metallica on the banjitar is quite humorous

[@jimclark5037]

got one in 1991, #510510!

[@seandaniel23]

That's so cool!

[@peterthecoderd.1210]

I feel so sorry for you.;)

[@takaneken1140]

Pewdiepie's big bro

[@WillBhart]

my Taylor 214ce sounds better for 950$ new got it last week :D

[@supermarioxs1]

Sniff my banjo 🪕… 🤣🤣🤣

[@TooleyPeter]

Stop bragging about your free gear.

[@chongly6706]

You pay $2,000.00 for brand name , all guitars are sound not much different, good luck for high price guitar

[@toddj9548]

LOL

[@blakeholmes8691]

Your banjo player needs banjo lessons

[@christopherspohn8071]

Martin guitars i think they now are made of fake wood these days.

[@aerialcombat]

you think? really? how much?

[@michaelriffey2372]

@@aerialcombat lol

[@raymorgan4657]

Only the lower end Roads series and similar use composites or laminates. The regular more expensive Martins are traditional as always.

[@gamersinger5118]

Only lower end models. The x series has hpl laminate back and sides but all standard series are all solid and all wood.