The 000-18E Retro acoustic-electric guitar brings back one of Martin's most acclaimed 14-fret models. An incredible re-creation of Martin's classic Auditorium model, this beautiful instrument gives you the bold clarity of a real solid mahogany back and sides plus the exquisite tonal balance of a sitka spruce top. Just take a close look at the mahogany back and sides on the 000-18E Retro and you'll know that instruments like this don't come along every day. A black ebony fingerboard and matching bridge complete the picture. There's no question that Martin's Auditorium model has been one of the most influential acoustic guitar styles in modern music history. From its bold herringbone inlays to its hand-selected bone nut and saddle, the 000-18E Retro does more than merely capture the spirit of the original, it revives all of the small details that make this instrument a work of art. When you pick up a Martin 000-18E Retro, it's like stepping back into guitar history. Simply put, the seemingly magical combination of mahogany and spruce are highly sought after, bringing together two wood that seem to be perfect together. This 000-18E Retro acoustic-electric guitar sounds just like you imagine an acoustic guitar should, with plenty of balanced tones and strong midrange response. Sound like the guitar you've always wanted?
The sound of an acoustic guitar is the sum of a number of factors, each significant in their own way. The wood used for the top, back, and sides all impact the tone, as does the neck wood and fingerboard. Martin chose to faithfully mimic the tonewoods used on the original models, though they did opt for more ecologically sound choices than the vintage guitars came from. The physics of acoustic guitars tell us that the style and positioning of the internal braces play a large part in the overall sound. To make sure these Retro Series guitars sound just like their vintage brethren, Martin resorted to the same standard "X" scalloped bracing used in their vintage counterparts. By scalloping the bracing, the top is allowed to vibrate more freely, providing a warmer bass response. By using standard scalloped bracing, the 000-18E is likely to produce slightly less volume than a forward-braced guitar with scalloped bracing, but the overall tone will be more balanced. Rounding out the vintage vibe is the lack of a cutaway, despite these guitars all being equipped with Fishman pickup systems for awesome onstage sound. Purists will love the look, and the neck is so comfortable, you won't miss the cutaway at all — but more on the neck in a minute.
That's a rundown of the "retro" side of the Retro Series, so lets take a look at what Martin tweaked to meet the demands of today's player. The first time you pick up a Retro Series, you'll notice the neck. It's slimmer, more comfortable, and built for incredible playability. Martin equipped these beauties with the Modified Low Oval profile with a Performing Artist neck taper, giving you a comfy feel that is equally suited for rhythm playing or higher-fret runs. Whether you're onstage or in your living room, you'll love the way you can effortlessly cruise up and down the neck. Acoustic players will find it familiar, but electric players will be right at home on it, as well. But the neck isn't the only thing drawing from modern inspirations. The Fishman F1 Aura system is both unobtrusive and incredible. The F1 Aura Plus gives you the option of using the undersaddle pickup, a variety of modeled acoustic sounds, or a blend of both, on top of onboard EQ, feedback suppression, and compression. Modeled, you say? It's not what you think! These models aren't conjured in a lab, they're sonic recreations of real vintage Martin guitars from the hallowed halls of the Martin Guitar Museum. A vintage version of each model was meticulously miked up using only the finest studio gear, and then reproduced inside the F1 Aura Plus system. The Aura system defaults to "Easy Mode," which gives you the choice of three image presets and a built-in tuner (the tuner can also be used when the guitar isn't plugged in, super handy for strumming around the house!). When you enter performance mode, you have access to six more images, along with the aforementioned EQ, feedback suppression, and compression. This may seem like a lot of extras for a purist, but we put these through their paces here at Sweetwater, and believe us, they meet our excruciatingly high standards. Like the originals, the Retro Series guitars come standard with the classic dovetail neck joint. Lightweight and sturdy, the dovetail joint is the go-to construction methodology for Martin guitars, as the area of direct wood-to-wood contact is increased. The thinking is that the increased contact provides better tonal transfer between the neck and body. Martin has done it like this forever, and there's no reason to fix what's not broke. The mechanics of the standard dovetail neck joint dictate that merely fitting the neck to the body and stringing up the guitar should provide more than enough strength to hold the neck to the body. But to make sure every Retro Series Martin (or any other Martin for that matter) is built to last a lifetime, the neck joints are throroughly glued for maximum structural integrity.-----------------------------------Feel free to visit our other eBay listingsQuestions? Feel Free to call. We are here to help!336 236 2009 (M-F 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-4pm EDT)International shipping available.FREE SHIPPING APPLIES TO LOWER 48 UNITED STATES ONLYPayment is due immediately upon auction end or use of buy it now.Payment is by PAYPAL.This item is for sale locally and may be removed at any time. North Carolina residents pay 7% sales tax.We are here to help.Our customer feedback speaks for itself. please read it and bid with ease and confidence. Please view the photos carefully, as they are part of the description.Good Luck.Thank you so much for your business! We here at Guitars USA, pride ourselves in our work and our products. 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We will not be held liable for any modifications/adjustments/repairs that are done without first contacting us.About UsAll of us here at Guitars USA are very down to earth, open, transparent, honest, working musicians whose main goal in our music store adventures is to help you; our customer. We do not engage in high pressure sales and if there is a better deal out there that we cannot match, we will tell you to go buy it. We take great pride in our integrity and love when our customers deal with us enough to know how important their trust is to us. We love answering questions, offering advise and helping all those in the seemingly never-ending search of tone and playability. Come and engage with and see how refreshing it can be to deal with a truly different musical instrument retail experience. Give us a shot, and see how good life can be!Thank you for your interest!Happy bidding!Guitars USA Music StoreLexington, NC336-236-2009 IP