If you know Martin guitars, you know the famous Martin 00-18 model. Known for its warm, balanced tone and comfortable size, the 00-18 is a versatile instrument that can be used for a variety of playing styles and genres. Over the years, the 00 18 has been played by countless artists, including Elvis Presley, Doc Watson, Paul Simon, Peter Rowan, Jerry Garcia. Even Kurt Cobain was known to have used an 00-18!
I recently spent some quality time with one, and will share my opinions on its tone, and on why this guitar has appealed to so many players, for so long a time.
History of the 00-18 Model (Brief!)
The Martin 00-18 has a rich history dating back to its introduction in the 1930s. It was designed as a smaller, more affordable alternative to Martin’s larger dreadnought models, and quickly became popular. During the 1960’s aspiring folk musicians gravitated toward the Mahogany-bodied 00-18 for its earthy sound and portable size.
Design
The 00-18 formula is based around these core specs:
- Mahogany Back and Sides
- Ebony Fingerboard and Bridge
- Mahogany Neck
- Grand Concert Size
The 00-18 is sometimes thought of as a little brother to the larger OM and 000 guitars. This isn’t accurate, though. The 00-18 has a charm all its own, and it begins with the choice of Mahogany for the body wood. We’ll discuss the effect of this choice in more detail below.
Body
The 00-18 body is a Martin 00 body size, which is comfortable and compact. It’s noticeably smaller than a Taylor Grand Auditorium body shape, which is my benchmark for comparing guitar body sizes.
Compared to an 000 18, for example, the 00 18 body width is a little less, 14.3” vs. 15” on the 000-18. It’s also a little shorter, at 18.9” vs. 19.3”. Still, the 00-18 is bigger than a parlor guitar, and certainly does not feel like a deliberately scaled-down model such as the Taylor GS Mini. The neck joins the body at the 14th fret.
With a body width of 14.3 inches, the 00-18 is small enough to be comfortable, yet large enough to project a good volume. If you are under 6 feet tall, you will undoubtedly appreciate the compact dimensions of this guitar.
Also, nobody said that Martin guitar sizes weren’t confusing, so see this helpful article from Guitarist Magazine.
Body Wood
By far, the first thing you’ll notice about the 00-18 is the use of Mahogany for the back and sides. In our article on Rosewood vs. Mahogany, we discuss the differences between these two tonewoods. At one time, some people believed that Mahogany, in comparison to Rosewood, was an inferior tonewood for acoustic guitars. Nothing could be further from the truth, however.
Top Wood
The 00-18 has a Spruce top. Martin doesn’t say which kind of Spruce, but it’s most likely Sitka, as that is the most widely available quality top wood for acoustic guitars. The top has Martin’s classic X-bracing, which is in part responsible for the legendary “Martin Sound.”
Neck and Fingerboard
The neck of the 00-18 is Martin’s Modified Low Oval shape. The fretboard is Ebony, and has a 16” radius. The scale length is 24.9 inches, which is important because some Martins, such as the OM-28, have a 25.4” scale length. The shorter scale of the 00-18 imparts a friendly feel that matches with this guitar model’s personality. The nut is bone, and the inlays are Abalone.
Hardware
Bridge and Tuners
The 00-18 has Open Gear Tuners, a Bone Nut, and Bone Compensated Saddle.
Sound
Quite simply, I was blown away by the sound of this guitar. And I didn’t expect to be. The 00-18 doesn’t boast exotic woods, and the top bracing is Martin’s tried and true design. Hmm.., what could it be? Well, I have to think it’s the sound of the Mahogany body.
The best way I can describe the sound of the 00-18 is:
“Rich midrange with a dash of sparkle on top.”
Bass
The bass was there, but not overly pronounced. It growled a little, but more politely. The 00-18’s identity doesn’t include cannon-style booming notes. That’s not a criticism either—it’s how the guitar is voiced.
Midrange
The midrange displayed the full sound of Mahogany, filling up the sonic space. There was a suppleness and warmth to the sound, as well as a noticeable clarity.
Highs
The high-end was delicate, and I mean that in the best possible way. I was taken by it. Not as much sparkle as a typical Taylor, or even a Rosewood-bodied Martin… just enough. Silkiness wasn’t the word… graceful came to mind. Yes, that’s it.
Comparison with the Martin 00-28
Naturally, I wanted to see how a similar Martin model compares to the 00-18. The 00-28 shares the same body size, Spruce top wood, and X-Brace bracing. One thing to mention is that the specs for the 00-28 Brace Shape list the 00-28 as “Scalloped”” and the 00-18 “Scalloped X with Non-Scalloped Tone Bars.” I’m anything but a bracing expert, but I assume that this means that the 00-28 top might move a little more due to its scalloped Tone Bars? Don’t don’t quote me on that, though.
Either way, the Martin 00-28 sounded noticeably different. The familiar sound of Rosewood was there: Deeper bass, less prominent midrange, and extended, slightly metallic highs. With Rosewood, I find that there is a quality to the overall sound in the highs that is identifiable, especially when contrasted with a wood such as Mahogany.
Rosewood’s frequency response in the treble range is quite a bit more extended than Mahogany, as shown in the diagram below:
In contrast, this is what the frequency response of Mahogany looks like. The “hump” in the middle represents the midrange emphasis:
The 00-28 sounded good for sure, but I felt it lacked the delicate sparkle over a warm, full midrange that drew me into the sound of the 00-18. Maury’s music has a great video that maps to the differences I was hearing:
Sound samples of a Martin 00-18 vs. 00-28
Playability
The 00-18’s Modified Low Oval neck was medium-sized and comfortable. The “Modified” in the name refers to Martin’s adaptation of their existing Low Oval by crossing it with their Low Profile shape. It’s finished in a smooth satin.
Conclusion
I’ll say it again: I loved the 00-18 Martin, and I’m still thinking of it. I would not necessarily say that the 00-18’s biggest asset is that it delivers the “Martin Sound”, though it does. To me, the Martin Sound is characterized by the bigger-bodied models, such as the D-28, which has a Dreadnought body.
The 00-18 sounded like a Martin, but had an intimate, calming feel to it. With its cozy, warm tone and friendly shape, I can see this being an excellent songwriting guitar. Needless to say, I’m planning on adding one to my stable soon.
