I much prefer the sound of the 2018 D-18; if I wanted the sort of bright sound I heard in the 1968 model - that's what a modern Taylor guitar will typically sound like. (Disclosure: I have a 2016 Martin D-18 as my higher-end guitar, and a lower-end (114e) Taylor as my "travel" guitar, i.e. where there is more potential risk to the guitar - and to be fair, Martin's lower-end guitars sound like Taylors (tend to produce a much "brighter" sound than their higher-end models, all things including set-up being equal).
You are not wrong at all...I have 5 guitars: Martin D16RGT, Gibson Songwriter Deluxe Studio Edition, Takamine (Glen Frey Series) Taylor 314CE and a Maton EBG808TE Tommy Emmanuel Edition......
Thanks for this comparison. I bought a new D-18 about a year ago after playing many different guitars in the shop. I found the new D-18 was easier to play based on the neck profile (high performance). Watching this video I would say your fingering is substantially improved when you move to the newer guitar. I also like the warmer tone of the 2018. Good video and playing.
I enjoyed your comments and playing. I like D-18s very much - I own one built in 2016, and over the years I've owned 1960s/70s versions. To me, your 1968 sounds brighter, while the 2018 has a richer, more complex tone which I prefer. I think the current D-18s are superb - off the shelf, no need to order from the custom shop, they have specs close to the pre-WWII models, but with the benefit of a drop-in bridge saddle and neck truss rod. The neck feels just perfect. I lalso like the 1 3/4 inch nut and slightly extra width across the bridge pins, as well as the open tuners and tiny abalone position markers. It's a light guitar, always a good sign I think. And - outstanding value for money!
Great demo man. Both great guitars. You described it well. Pretty amazing. Waiting on my 20 model to get here tomorrow. Best guitar in the world I think.
Like I've said before, the modern D-18 is probably my favorite acoustic guitar I've ever played. Have played vintage Martins in Nashville that were 10-15K and rosewood, and I think I still prefer the new one! Crazy - they got it so very right. I'm proud to live in Pennsylvania where they are made, it'll be my next guitar and first pro-level Martin.
You'll love it. I have basically a Martin Golden Era, with Swiss Alpine spruce top and bracing instead of Adirondack and it's a monster. That Alpine spruce makes more overtones and it turns into the perfect hog. Plus you get a 1 piece mahogany neck(no select wood or wings) , all bone appointments, vintage etc. All golden Era appointed. Anyway, point is I sold my rosewood after I got this guy. You will absolutely love the d18. And it's a beast itself. But trust me when I say. If you ever come across the one I'm talking about, grab one. Only Martin I heard beat it was a d18 authentic. It's called a D Mahogany 09, which changed to a D mahogany 2010-2013, and only 139 of them were made over that time. They are basically a d18 with about 1500 dollars of upgrades, for around the $2200-2400 range. Yeah I know, makes no sense. Which is why they couldn't keep making them. Look up the Martin D mahogany 09 club to find more info. Name didn't help it either. BTW don't confuse it for the d mahogany custom or whatever that guitar was. Has absolutely nothing to do with it. Search with the 09 in the name. And yeah man I agree with you. The d18 has always been one of my favorites. And beats out alot of expensive guys out there. If you already got yours, I'm sure yirie enjoying it. If not, yiy will. 👍
The D18, 68 has a beautiful doughty sound, bright and mysterious like ole gas lamp... The resonance of de 2018 is clean and even warmer and its a good D18 but you know, it has many roads to travel Better not compare them and enjoy them.. theyre great Martins and by the way very well played!!! Yes indeed!
Harris, thanks for this. Love your playing. As I've gotten older...I've come to appreciate the sound of a broken in guitar. The 68 is demonstrably more cutting in lead lines. The 2018 is louder (surprising to me) and has a bit of a warmer sound, with less note to note clarity.
The 2018 sounds great because if the forward shifted and scalloped bracing. However, the ‘68 sounds equally great, just different. I love ‘em both! I guess that’s why Baskin Robbins had 31 flavors.. Man, now I want some ice cream...
I actually owned a 68 D-18 and a 2013 new style D-18 a few years apart. The one I pine for and wish I had back was the 2013. It was light as a feather (the '68 had the Grover weigh a ton tuners) and much fuller sounding. Tons of bass, etc. The older one had a broken in sound, but I found it very bright.
Sounds like a guitar an old one…mine is not a year old om28 fancy kind…my daughter went ‘which one will you pass on dad?”…make sur3 I got a grandson that will take formal music classical or otherwise…love dread y parlor, her father in law had an 18th century Martin parlor guitar ( he collected old Martins etc…)❤
2018. Love the sound of forward shifted scalloped braces. I have a 1944 D-18, it's got scalloped braces. It's extremely loud and bright..it's not forward shifted.
The 2018 model is so much pleasing to my ear. The 2018 much more balance and bass is perfect. The older model is a Banjo killer . To damn shrill for my ears
I agree with your summary I feel g to the old model is solid and has punch The new model has immediate brightness but with a hallow thin sound and I believe the new one is a lighter weight guitar
I'm surprised how different they sound. I think I prefer the 1968 D-18 where as the 2018 D-18 sounds a lot like my 1993 D-1 (which I love!). My new favorite is the 000-15M that I've fallen in love with this past year. I think I won the 000-15M lottery as I was playing my friend's 15M for a few months before ordering my own, and my friend and I both were surprised how much different mine sounded and we both like mine much better... I 'gotta make sure he doesn't try to pull a "switch" on me! Lol!
Thanks for this review! I own a 1968 Martin D-18 I bought new in 1968, complete with hardshell case, for $325... yes, $325!!!! Fifty-one yrs old, but sounds even better than the day I brought it home! In your comparison, I kind of think the 2018 had a little more "open" sound though. Still I LOVE my D-18, have no plans on parting with it! Edit, Oct 2021: Listening to this again, to me, the '68 has a brighter, crisper sound than the 2018, and that is the sound I prefer. So end analysis, the '68 wins in my book! :)
I vote for the 68 D18. I have a 69 that I bought new. Would not trade it for the world. Can’t match the clarity and has excellent volume. Mine still very clean today. Fan of the D18. 👍
I think the old Martin sounded much nicer.I own a 2013 D18 and a 2014 J45 . The 2018 albeit perfect in every way lacked the soul that emanated from the early one. My Martin is very similar to yours but mine is quieter...not so ringy... but I like that.I really believe age brings out the best in quality guitars.
Your playing was much better on the newer guitar. To me, the 2018 sounded better, tone wise, as well. I'd like to add, you are an extremely good player. :)
Thanks for the comparison. I liked the '68. It was louder when flat picked, and when strummed each note was well defined. The 2018 sounded kind of muddy
Tough to compare because of the difference in bracing. The forward shifted scalloped bracing is going to sound more resonant -perhaps brighter. But the 68 has that punch you get w straight bracing. Ya. I like em both.
Nice performance!! Vintage one is louder and more stiff. If I play alone, current model is perfectly fine. If I were rich, I would collect vintage guitars. I love Martin the best acoustic guitar.
Another that's going to side with the new one. But I'm biased. I just, like days, came home with a new D28 and I am over the freak'n moon. Bought it over a couple of much older guitars.
The 68 D-18 sounded a little more mid rangey. The 2018 D-18 had a wider sound. I like them both but I would prefer the 2018 D-18. I suspect each guitar would serve different purposes for different types of music.
Both are great, but the modern one has a clang clang sound that might be better if the rest of the band is loud, with the '68 having a sweeter bite that might suit an ensemble wherein the players know dynamics better. I prefer the '68, but I like straight bracing a lot more than scalloped, and rear shifted more than forward.
It seemed to me that the bass sounds in the new guitar were very disproportionately strong, and that the old guitar had a more balanced sound. Would love to own either-or both!
I was excited when I saw the title of this video. I ordered a D18 and pre-paid for it, waited months for it and was not blown away by the sound of it. it's a great guitar. really expensive. but then I picked up a new Tayler guitar that cost a bit less money but to me sounded twice as good. It's my opinion that the Martin Guitar Co. has really gone downhill. They still make good guitars but not like they did years ago and to my ear, this video confirms that. I'd take the '68 over the new guitar anyday. I've heard pre war D18s and the sound they make blows my hair back. It's not just the aging that makes them better, the difference is monumental. Why can't we make something, a guitar, a car, as good as was made a hundred years ago I will never understand. Thanks for this comparison.
Hi bluegrassbarry, Thanks for your input! Although we feel that, currently, Martin is making some of the best and most innovative guitars ever, we know that sound is subjective. Taylor makes a fine guitar as well. We like to give them all a chance to shine.
@@maplestreetguitars I think maybe just some guitars are better than others. depends on a lot of things. take two D18s made by Martin six months apart and I bet they sound less than identical.
I agree the older martins are so much better. They make so many different models and every year so many new models. Can they produce the quality that they did when they had fewer models. I love my 69 D18 that I bought brand new.
😂😂 Downhill? They're literally making some of their best guitars at the moment. You might have got a dud. Happens. That's why you try them in person. They don't tap tone wood. So it's the same thickness regardless of the piece of wood. Which also makes it that mucb funner because you know there are special ones out there. And with all due respect, IMHO, Martins absolutely crush Taylors
The 2018 sounds better. The old one sounds like it has really light strings buzzing out. The newer sounds tighter, better response, more balanced, better bass... Give 50 years the 2018 may relax and settle to a similar sound. Humidity makes a pretty big difference as well. My 000 when dried out is much nicer than when it's at the suggested humidity level. Strings are the biggest factor, imo. I can only play Elixir's, String Joy and Monels, everything else sounds like mud. I have all 3 stocked, they all have a character that works. I've tried every set of strings on it, all are usually dead in 2 weeks, the String Joy's seem to have extra life, they start off muddy, but after stretched, sound really good and have a unique tone.
The 68 has a noticeable crispness that is very apealing to my ear. The new one has a fuller, more bassy tone ... maybe "rounder" is a good word. They're different and both good. If l had to chose one l'd go with the 68.
I prefer the 2018. After 5+ years or so of playing-in, the newer guitar will be a fabulous instrument and will better the 1968 in every way.....except maybe for fast, tight rhythmic strumming where a straight-braced guitar might be slightly preferable?
Very big differences! The reimagined incorporates a lot of the "Vintage" series specs into the standard series whereas the Modern Deluxe has a lot of modern upgraded features which add up to a slightly different, perhaps more hi-fidelity take on the Martin voice.
Unfortunately, we shot this video too long ago to be able to tell! Likely either Martin's recommended strings at the time or an Elixir set, presumably Phosphor Bronze either way.
Throw a 1938 up there. That's what I'm looking to hear. Either way both very nice 18s you have there. The vintage guy has aged nicely but sounds a little Thinner than i expected. But you cwn clearly hear the soul in it despite that
I'm old enough to have owned several 60's guitars Martins and Gibsons . Funny how there is a mystique about vintage guitars ; some were good and some were dogs. To my ears the newer D-18 had a crispness and clarity , the 68' sounded good but a bit shallower . Try a Taylor or a Lowden and you'll hear why Martin and Gibson had to tighten their game .
That’s the thing about vintage guitars. Everyone assumes the aging made them better, when it’s more often the case that the very best guitars from then just happened to be the ones that people took care of and passed on to their children.
The 1968 has a more "in your face" voicing with less bottom and more mids and upper mids. Sounds like a smaller bodied guitar. The newer D18 has the warmer but less clear bottom with scooped mids and contrary to another comment, it is not balanced at all. If you were playing in a Bluegrass band, you would want the '68. It would cut better. Personally, I own a 2017. It's a more rewarding voicing for playing alone or in a duet.
After reading the replies, I am certain of one thing .. different people hear differently. For me there is no comparison, the new D18 was superior in every way possible. And now we have the D18 modern deluxe to compare with the D18...
If I had the 1968 guitar and the money, I’d contact Martin and see if they had a way to open up the sound on that guitar, at least a little. If a guitar that old doesn’t blow the new guitar away, it should least sound as open but it doesn’t. Through the microphone, it also sounds like it lacks highs. It just sounds weird.
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I’ll prefer the 2018, sounds more balance, full and has volume.
Not to mention the price!
Great comparison. I believe the 1968 sounded much brighter. The 2018 sounded warmer. Every person needs at least 5 guitars... am I wrong?
I much prefer the sound of the 2018 D-18; if I wanted the sort of bright sound I heard in the 1968 model - that's what a modern Taylor guitar will typically sound like. (Disclosure: I have a 2016 Martin D-18 as my higher-end guitar, and a lower-end (114e) Taylor as my "travel" guitar, i.e. where there is more potential risk to the guitar - and to be fair, Martin's lower-end guitars sound like Taylors (tend to produce a much "brighter" sound than their higher-end models, all things including set-up being equal).
@@TheNcmore Heresy! LOL
You are not wrong at all...I have 5 guitars: Martin D16RGT, Gibson Songwriter Deluxe Studio Edition, Takamine (Glen Frey Series) Taylor 314CE and a Maton EBG808TE Tommy Emmanuel Edition......
Hell, make it 50! LOL
Just one more........🤠
Perfect demonstration, really shows how modern playability has aided performance
The 2018 sounds more lush, wet, and pure...the 68 sounds dry, bright, and woody..more traditional. I love both.
I perked up my ears when the 2018 started. I believe I would choose it.
Very cool....the 2018 was more mellow than I expected
Thanks for this comparison. I bought a new D-18 about a year ago after playing many different guitars in the shop. I found the new D-18 was easier to play based on the neck profile (high performance). Watching this video I would say your fingering is substantially improved when you move to the newer guitar. I also like the warmer tone of the 2018. Good video and playing.
I enjoyed your comments and playing. I like D-18s very much - I own one built in 2016, and over the years I've owned 1960s/70s versions. To me, your 1968 sounds brighter, while the 2018 has a richer, more complex tone which I prefer.
I think the current D-18s are superb - off the shelf, no need to order from the custom shop, they have specs close to the pre-WWII models, but with the benefit of a drop-in bridge saddle and neck truss rod. The neck feels just perfect.
I lalso like the 1 3/4 inch nut and slightly extra width across the bridge pins, as well as the open tuners and tiny abalone position markers. It's a light guitar, always a good sign I think.
And - outstanding value for money!
Great demo man. Both great guitars. You described it well. Pretty amazing. Waiting on my 20 model to get here tomorrow. Best guitar in the world I think.
Like I've said before, the modern D-18 is probably my favorite acoustic guitar I've ever played. Have played vintage Martins in Nashville that were 10-15K and rosewood, and I think I still prefer the new one! Crazy - they got it so very right. I'm proud to live in Pennsylvania where they are made, it'll be my next guitar and first pro-level Martin.
You'll love it. I have basically a Martin Golden Era, with Swiss Alpine spruce top and bracing instead of Adirondack and it's a monster. That Alpine spruce makes more overtones and it turns into the perfect hog. Plus you get a 1 piece mahogany neck(no select wood or wings) , all bone appointments, vintage etc. All golden Era appointed.
Anyway, point is I sold my rosewood after I got this guy. You will absolutely love the d18. And it's a beast itself. But trust me when I say. If you ever come across the one I'm talking about, grab one. Only Martin I heard beat it was a d18 authentic.
It's called a D Mahogany 09, which changed to a D mahogany 2010-2013, and only 139 of them were made over that time. They are basically a d18 with about 1500 dollars of upgrades, for around the $2200-2400 range. Yeah I know, makes no sense. Which is why they couldn't keep making them. Look up the Martin D mahogany 09 club to find more info. Name didn't help it either.
BTW don't confuse it for the d mahogany custom or whatever that guitar was. Has absolutely nothing to do with it. Search with the 09 in the name.
And yeah man I agree with you. The d18 has always been one of my favorites. And beats out alot of expensive guys out there. If you already got yours, I'm sure yirie enjoying it. If not, yiy will. 👍
The D18, 68 has a beautiful doughty sound, bright and mysterious like ole gas lamp... The resonance of de 2018 is clean and even warmer and its a good D18 but you know, it has many roads to travel
Better not compare them and enjoy them.. theyre great Martins and by the way very well played!!! Yes indeed!
The overtones on the 2018 are wonderful
Thanks from France. Good video. Great playing. I go for both. My 1973 D18 sounds very close to this 1968 one (as far as videos can tell).
I like the 2018 sound, it is much more responsive and has a warmer clean tone, at least for my ears. Anyway, both are beautiful. Thanks for the test!
You are a huge guitar player man 👍🏼 a pleasure for my ears
Harris, thanks for this. Love your playing. As I've gotten older...I've come to appreciate the sound of a broken in guitar. The 68 is demonstrably more cutting in lead lines. The 2018 is louder (surprising to me) and has a bit of a warmer sound, with less note to note clarity.
Agreed
The 2018 sounds great because if the forward shifted and scalloped bracing. However, the ‘68 sounds equally great, just different. I love ‘em both! I guess that’s why Baskin Robbins had 31 flavors.. Man, now I want some ice cream...
I actually owned a 68 D-18 and a 2013 new style D-18 a few years apart. The one I pine for and wish I had back was the 2013. It was light as a feather (the '68 had the Grover weigh a ton tuners) and much fuller sounding. Tons of bass, etc. The older one had a broken in sound, but I found it very bright.
Wow. Thanks. What an incredible difference.
Sounds like a guitar an old one…mine is not a year old om28 fancy kind…my daughter went ‘which one will you pass on dad?”…make sur3 I got a grandson that will take formal music classical or otherwise…love dread y parlor, her father in law had an 18th century Martin parlor guitar ( he collected old Martins etc…)❤
Night and day. I understand nostalgia but that 2018 sounds like there are 3 guitars playing. The tone is next level
2018. Love the sound of forward shifted scalloped braces. I have a 1944 D-18, it's got scalloped braces. It's extremely loud and bright..it's not forward shifted.
Sold!!!! :] thats so cool
Yeah FS gives a warmer tone
The 2018 model is so much pleasing to my ear. The 2018 much more balance and bass is perfect. The older model is a Banjo killer . To damn shrill for my ears
Boys, you just can’t beat a D-18! If I had to go through life with only one guitar, it would be a D-18.
They are both good but I like the 2018 better. Very clean sound either way. Go, Martin. Thanks.
I agree with your summary
I feel g to the old model is solid and has punch
The new model has immediate brightness but with a hallow thin sound and I believe the new one is a lighter weight guitar
Sounds to me like the 68 model has more bass and a woody tone which really surprised me. Both sound fantastic though, hard choice.
What's the song name on the video beginning? Thanks.
I think the older one would be great for a solo performer/singer based on what I heard. New one is for banjo killing. Great demo!
Not just because I own a 2018 D-18 but that guitar to me definitely sounded way brighter and just better imho love my D-18 it's my baby !!
I'm surprised how different they sound. I think I prefer the 1968 D-18 where as the 2018 D-18 sounds a lot like my 1993 D-1 (which I love!). My new favorite is the 000-15M that I've fallen in love with this past year. I think I won the 000-15M lottery as I was playing my friend's 15M for a few months before ordering my own, and my friend and I both were surprised how much different mine sounded and we both like mine much better... I 'gotta make sure he doesn't try to pull a "switch" on me! Lol!
1968 wooowww. Thanks Sir!
Thanks for this review! I own a 1968 Martin D-18 I bought new in 1968, complete with hardshell case, for $325... yes, $325!!!! Fifty-one yrs old, but sounds even better than the day I brought it home! In your comparison, I kind of think the 2018 had a little more "open" sound though. Still I LOVE my D-18, have no plans on parting with it! Edit, Oct 2021: Listening to this again, to me, the '68 has a brighter, crisper sound than the 2018, and that is the sound I prefer. So end analysis, the '68 wins in my book! :)
I have a 1966 D-18. My Dad bought it for me for my 16th birthday. Paid $275. Play it almost every day. Perfect relaxation.
That $325 is $3,300 in today's $. So, they're more affordable today.
I vote for the 68 D18. I have a 69 that I bought new. Would not trade it for the world. Can’t match the clarity and has excellent volume. Mine still very clean today. Fan of the D18. 👍
Does that 68 have the maple bridge plate or rosewood?
The older one sounds very dry. I really prefer the 2018. Beautiful sound.
Enjoyed watching and listening to your playing. Personally I like the look of the '68 top. Thanks for the demo.
I think the 68 is a better guitar. in 50 years, the 2018 top will be more like the 68 in color. That's mostly new wood compared to old wood.
just a beautiful sounding sweet guitar in general regardless of age
Awesome job 👏👏👏
Gimme’ that ole’ ‘68 any day.
I think the old Martin sounded much nicer.I own a 2013 D18 and a 2014 J45 .
The 2018 albeit perfect in every way lacked the soul that emanated from the early one. My Martin is very similar to yours but mine is quieter...not so ringy...
but I like that.I really believe age brings out the best in quality guitars.
Great playing!
What’s the song that’s in the beginning?
For the flatpicking it was a close contest to my ears, but once you started strumming I clearly preferred the 2018!
I prefer the tones of the 2018. Also, i played a new D-18. Buttery fingerboard and very easy to play.
Your playing was much better on the newer guitar. To me, the 2018 sounded better, tone wise, as well. I'd like to add, you are an extremely good player. :)
Thanks for the comparison. I liked the '68. It was louder when flat picked, and when strummed each note was well defined. The 2018 sounded kind of muddy
Tough to compare because of the difference in bracing. The forward shifted scalloped bracing is going to sound more resonant -perhaps brighter. But the 68 has that punch you get w straight bracing. Ya. I like em both.
Nice performance!! Vintage one is louder and more stiff. If I play alone, current model is perfectly fine. If I were rich, I would collect vintage guitars. I love Martin the best acoustic guitar.
The 1968 sounded looser but given 50 years of aging and playing time, the 2018 will be a monster!
D18 2018 killer sound!!!!!!!
String gauge and type on each?
It really depends what you’re looking for. What kind of strings? Bridge pins?
Nice comparison. Great play!
Another that's going to side with the new one. But I'm biased. I just, like days, came home with a new D28 and I am over the freak'n moon. Bought it over a couple of much older guitars.
not a doubt, the 2018 is a much better sounding guitar. Very Good review.
The 68 D-18 sounded a little more mid rangey. The 2018 D-18 had a wider sound. I like them both but I would prefer the 2018 D-18. I suspect each guitar would serve different purposes for different types of music.
Both great! Can't go wrong!
Both are great, but the modern one has a clang clang sound that might be better if the rest of the band is loud, with the '68 having a sweeter bite that might suit an ensemble wherein the players know dynamics better. I prefer the '68, but I like straight bracing a lot more than scalloped, and rear shifted more than forward.
the new d18 to me has a fuller richer bass sound which I like the 68 has a brighter thinner sound which I don't like
It seemed to me that the bass sounds in the new guitar were very disproportionately strong, and that the old guitar had a more balanced sound. Would love to own either-or both!
I was excited when I saw the title of this video. I ordered a D18 and pre-paid for it, waited months for it and was not blown away by the sound of it. it's a great guitar. really expensive. but then I picked up a new Tayler guitar that cost a bit less money but to me sounded twice as good. It's my opinion that the Martin Guitar Co. has really gone downhill. They still make good guitars but not like they did years ago and to my ear, this video confirms that. I'd take the '68 over the new guitar anyday. I've heard pre war D18s and the sound they make blows my hair back. It's not just the aging that makes them better, the difference is monumental. Why can't we make something, a guitar, a car, as good as was made a hundred years ago I will never understand. Thanks for this comparison.
Hi bluegrassbarry,
Thanks for your input! Although we feel that, currently, Martin is making some of the best and most innovative guitars ever, we know that sound is subjective. Taylor makes a fine guitar as well. We like to give them all a chance to shine.
@@maplestreetguitars I think maybe just some guitars are better than others. depends on a lot of things. take two D18s made by Martin six months apart and I bet they sound less than identical.
I agree the older martins are so much better. They make so many different models and every year so many new models. Can they produce the quality that they did when they had fewer models. I love my 69 D18 that I bought brand new.
😂😂 Downhill? They're literally making some of their best guitars at the moment. You might have got a dud. Happens. That's why you try them in person. They don't tap tone wood. So it's the same thickness regardless of the piece of wood. Which also makes it that mucb funner because you know there are special ones out there. And with all due respect, IMHO, Martins absolutely crush Taylors
Old one has more soul.
whats the name of this lovely Jig? great playing :-]
The 68 sounds really good, but the 18 sounds great. I'd take the 18 in a heartbeat.
The 2018 sounds better. The old one sounds like it has really light strings buzzing out. The newer sounds tighter, better response, more balanced, better bass...
Give 50 years the 2018 may relax and settle to a similar sound.
Humidity makes a pretty big difference as well. My 000 when dried out is much nicer than when it's at the suggested humidity level.
Strings are the biggest factor, imo. I can only play Elixir's, String Joy and Monels, everything else sounds like mud. I have all 3 stocked, they all have a character that works. I've tried every set of strings on it, all are usually dead in 2 weeks, the String Joy's seem to have extra life, they start off muddy, but after stretched, sound really good and have a unique tone.
what are you playing? Id love to know
Is that Cricket on a Hearth? Sounds great!
I liked the newer ones sound but I’m biased and have one myself.
Very nice playing! I prefer the 68 by a long shot.
I'll take both of them , thanks .
The 68 has a noticeable crispness that is very apealing to my ear. The new one has a fuller, more bassy tone ... maybe "rounder" is a good word. They're different and both good. If l had to chose one l'd go with the 68.
Nut width on the the old one is 1 11/16 compared to 1 ¾ ? New one VTS top?
New one is a standard Sitka Spruce top.
I prefer the 2018. After 5+ years or so of playing-in, the newer guitar will be a fabulous instrument and will better the 1968 in every way.....except maybe for fast, tight rhythmic strumming where a straight-braced guitar might be slightly preferable?
I thought the 1968 was much more pleasing
Hands down the 68! The sound was brighter and the sustain was longer.
I thought the 2018 one sounded better as well but then i have one will be interesting to hear how it sounds in 20 to 30 years time
Pretty sure I liked the 68... definitely the bluegrass sound. The 2018 was great, but sort of sounded like a lot of modern Martins, not uniquely D18.
Is there a difference between the D18 reimagined and the D18 modern deluxe? Or does the D28 only have the reimagined series?
Very big differences! The reimagined incorporates a lot of the "Vintage" series specs into the standard series whereas the Modern Deluxe has a lot of modern upgraded features which add up to a slightly different, perhaps more hi-fidelity take on the Martin voice.
For the love of God, what song are you playing?
the 68 had bit more treble but I would happily have either
The old one is more open in the sound. Even with thinner and slightly older strings.
The 68 is a wee bit louder and mellower. The 2018 is a bit quieter and has a brighter "jangle" to it.
I love a well aged guitar tone. There no real comparison for me
Plain old and new great. I like straight braces, takes a while to break them in, then it's sweet. 2018 more bloom, 1968 more direct.
Agreed
Great play in ! What strings are on the 2018 ?
Unfortunately, we shot this video too long ago to be able to tell! Likely either Martin's recommended strings at the time or an Elixir set, presumably Phosphor Bronze either way.
Throw a 1938 up there. That's what I'm looking to hear. Either way both very nice 18s you have there. The vintage guy has aged nicely but sounds a little Thinner than i expected. But you cwn clearly hear the soul in it despite that
talk about the necks ... feel, dimensions, playability, differences
I'm old enough to have owned several 60's guitars Martins and Gibsons . Funny how there is a mystique about vintage guitars ; some were good and some were dogs. To my ears the newer D-18 had a crispness and clarity , the 68' sounded good but a bit shallower . Try a Taylor or a Lowden and you'll hear why Martin and Gibson had to tighten their game .
That’s the thing about vintage guitars. Everyone assumes the aging made them better, when it’s more often the case that the very best guitars from then just happened to be the ones that people took care of and passed on to their children.
Actually disappointed in the '68 compared to the newer model. I greatly preferred the sound of the 2018 model.
wow what a picker !!!!! Like the 2018 model
The 1968 has a more "in your face" voicing with less bottom and more mids and upper mids. Sounds like a smaller bodied guitar.
The newer D18 has the warmer but less clear bottom with scooped mids and contrary to another comment, it is not balanced at all. If you were playing in a Bluegrass band, you would want the '68. It would cut better. Personally, I own a 2017. It's a more rewarding voicing for playing alone or in a duet.
Hi what strings (type and gauge) were used on each and what flat pick and thickness were you using?
Hey Bill,
Elixer Med Phosphor Bronze, Harris uses a Blue Chip TPR 50
They sound nice...I know the Elixirs are a loud string and last a long time...Is the 68 D18 for sale?
It is, Bill. We still have it. If you're in town, come see us!
What are you asking for the 68 D18?
$3295. Here is a link to it on our website: www.maplestreetguitars.com/show_item.php?dep=28&cat=USS&item=USED%20D-18
I like the new D-18...
After reading the replies, I am certain of one thing .. different people hear differently. For me there is no comparison, the new D18 was superior in every way possible. And now we have the D18 modern deluxe to compare with the D18...
In a couple of decades of playing that 2018 model will simply "kill" the '68.
One sound like a new guitar and the other like an old one
The 68 really sounds good. I wonder how much of just aging makes a difference.
Old martins sound the best !
If I had the 1968 guitar and the money, I’d contact Martin and see if they had a way to open up the sound on that guitar, at least a little. If a guitar that old doesn’t blow the new guitar away, it should least sound as open but it doesn’t. Through the microphone, it also sounds like it lacks highs. It just sounds weird.
The 2018 to my tin ear.