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Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe
Martin D-18
VS
Playability
73
Sound
88
Build
90
Value
69
Score
84
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Playability
73
Sound
88
Build
88
Value
73
Score
83
FIND IT ON:
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Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe vs D-18

Reasons to Get
Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe over D-18

Fret Material
Gold vs Nickel Silver
Almost as durable as stainless steel with an exotic look
Release Year
2020 vs 1931
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Acoustic Vintage Deluxe vs Acoustic Modified Low Oval
Adapts to the natural shape of your hand
Avg. Weight
4lbs (1.8kgs) vs 4.125lbs (1.9kgs)
Tends to be lighter

Reasons to Get
Martin D-18 over D-18 Modern Deluxe

Neck Profile
Acoustic Modified Low Oval vs Acoustic Vintage Deluxe
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Value Score
73 vs 69
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe vs D-18

Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Hardwood
Different Neck Wood

Shared Features
Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe vs D-18

Back Material
Mahogany
Same Back Material
Sides Material
Mahogany
Same Sides Material
Saddle Material
Compensated
Same Saddle Material
Bridge Material
Ebony
Same Bridge Material
Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Bone
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Hollowbody
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
0
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Number of Frets
20
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.75'' (44.5mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
25.4'' (645.2mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Type of Frets
Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • High-Quality Nut
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe is probably the better product overall with its final score of 84 compared to the Martin D-18's 83 score, although not by a lot.

The Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe wins when it comes to build quality. On the other hand, the Martin D-18 has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 3 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Martin D-18
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe Overview

  • From Martin's 2020 Modern Deluxe series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.4"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Spruce with VTS top
  • Solid Genuine Mahogany back
  • Solid Genuine Mahogany sides
  • Genuine Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman (Preamp/Active)
  • Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Vintage Deluxe Set neck
  • 20 Medium Gold frets
  • Gold Open Gear tuners
  • Weight around 4lbs (1.8kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Martin D-18 Overview

  • From Martin's 1931 Standard series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.4"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Spruce top
  • Solid Genuine Mahogany back
  • Solid Genuine Mahogany sides
  • Select Hardwood neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman (Preamp/Active)
  • Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Modified Low Oval Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Nickel Open Gear tuners
  • Weight between 4lbs (1.8kgs) and 4.25lbs (1.9kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The most important thing that will determine the tone of an acoustic guitar is the wood. Let's take a look at the differences between both .

Woods Used in Both

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Spruce has a light color with tight grain patterns. It's very stiff but relatively light. It's known for producing a well-rounded tone with a broad dynamic range. Find out more about Spruce.

Woods Used in the Martin D-18

Hardwood wood pattern used for guitar building
Hardwood

Hardwood is just a generic wood that can come from many species. This type of wood is used to build guitars because it provides a rich, warm sound. The wood also has good structural properties, making it durable and long-lasting.

Winner: Tie.

Electronics

Both come with electronics that allow you connect them to an amplifier or interface for recording.

Winner:Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe
Sustain 95
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 88
Martin D-18
Sustain 95
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 88

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe compares to the Martin D-18.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

In this case, both have Bone nuts. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

In this comparison, the Martin D-18 is the only one that has stainless steel frets. These frets will basically last for the entire life of the guitar. They will never need polishing nor replacement. And not only that, but some people also notice that bending and vibratos are much easier to perform when they upgrade to stainless steel.

Winner: Martin D-18.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe's are Gold Open Gear while the Martin D-18's are Nickel Open Gear

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe
  • Gold Frets
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Compensated Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Martin D-18
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Compensated Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe
Quality of materials 86
Features 85
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 90
Martin D-18
Quality of materials 84
Features 85
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 88

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 44.5mm (1.75'').

This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.

Scale Length

Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe and Martin D-18's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.4".

This is considered a long scale, but slightly shorter than what's commonly found in acoustic guitars.

Since the distance between bridge and nut is relatively long, strings will feel stiff and more difficult to bend, but the tone will feel brighter. It will also be less likely to produce fret buzzing and rattling when strumming hard.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe Neck Profile
Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe's neck profile
Martin D-18 Neck Profile
Martin D-18's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe has a Asymmetrical type of neck. Even though this neck shape looks like a poorly-made job, it's, in fact, the neck that most naturally adapts to the arc of your hand when grabbing a guitar neck. You'll notice that the lower part of your palm makes a more pronounced, deeper curve while the upper part makes a more subtle arch. This is the shape that adapts the best to that natural arch your hand makes while playing.

The Martin D-18, on the other hand, has a C neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe and the Martin D-18 have the same fretboard radius of 16". This fretboard radius is really different from Stratocasters, but it's also a lot flatter than Les Paul fingerboards. It'll favor plating single notes over playing chords. This doesn't mean you can't use it for rhythm, but a more curved fretboard offers better playability for chords. Bending and sliding without losing sustain will also be more likely in a flat fretboard like this one.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Martin D-18:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe and Martin D-18 Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium fret size

Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.

Final Playability Scores

Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73
Martin D-18
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe vs D-18
General Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe D-18
Brand: Martin Martin
Year: 2020 1931
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: Modern Deluxe Standard
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: Yes Yes
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Spruce with VTS Solid Spruce
Sides Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Back Material: Mahogany Mahogany
Bridge: Ebony Ebony
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Gold Open Gear Nickel Open Gear
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: Genuine Mahogany Select Hardwood
Decoration: Abalone Old Style 18 Abalone Old Style 18
Scale Size: 25.4" 25.4"
Shape: Acoustic Vintage Deluxe Acoustic Modified Low Oval
Frets: 20 Medium Gold 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 16" 16"
Nut: Bone Bone
Nut Width: 44.5mm (1.75'') 44.5mm (1.75'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fishman (Preamp / Active) Fishman (Preamp / Active)