Martin D-18 (opened)

This D-18 dreadnought acoustic guitar from the Standard series is sure to appeal to both professional players with high standards of craftsmanship and the casual enthusiast.

The front of the guitar is made of solid Sitka spruce, while the back and sides are made of genuine mahogany (wood from the Swietenia family of trees - Honduran, American/Cuban or Mexican mahogany). The instrument thus has less weight than the spruce/palisander combination provides, while losing none of the great sound projection, tonal articulation and balance across the frequency spectrum. Scalloped X-type ribbing with lowered ribs in the middle gives the guitar a rich, colorful sound that will translate beautifully to jazz/blues/folk or pop styles.

The select hardwood neck, which is attached to the body at the 14th fret as standard, features a 20-fret ebony fingerboard. Mother-of-pearl markings make the fingerboard easy to navigate, which you'll appreciate when performing in backlit environments. The compensated bone saddle set on an ebony fingerboard provides the strings, along with the bone fretboard, with great resonance and sustain. The pickguard, which like the binding is made of imitation tortoiseshell, protects the guitar's paintwork from scratches caused by pick playing. The final look of the instrument is accentuated by the nickel tuning mechanisms.

The American Martin company, founded in 1833, is deservedly one of the biggest and most respected names in the field of stringed instruments. For decades, it has been one of the leading innovators in guitar design and manufacturing technology. However, to use only the past tense would be a great mistake; instruments with the Martin logo are still today among the guarantees of the highest quality in craftsmanship and sound. In addition, their current products use "eco-friendly" components made from renewable resources and composite materials. We find it completely unnecessary to mention the performers who use these instruments in this context - also, we guess, you don't bring wood to the forest.