1975 Martin D-18 Dreadnought Guitar

How many '70s D-18s is too many? There are never too many! I see a ton of '70s D-18s up here every year but this one was an "import" from the Big Apple that was up for the weekend via a friend of a friend. It wound-up getting a level/dress of the frets, a new pickguard (the old black one was peeling for a second time), and some glorified setup work.

I have a soft spot for these '70s Martin dreadnoughts because the wider internet tells us all that they're terrible, terrible instruments. Why, oh, why? I have never understood it. Once they're dialed-in most '70s Ds of all stripes have been pretty decent guitars. I know (from experience) that the whole first tonebar can be essentially deleted with little structural difference and that it will warm-up the sound a ton, but right off the bat these guitars tend to have pretty good punch and volume after they've been serviced like any other older guitar.

That, and they hold-up pretty well to the sort of players who like to string mediums all day long and kick-about at every divey, surf-side, taco bar, coffeeshop patio, clam chowder gig you could imagine. There's a reason the '70s was harsh to acoustics and that is it. Look within, oh players!