Clarence White was one of the most influential acoustic and electric guitarists of his time. The Martin D-18CW Clarence White Commemorative Edition was released in 2001 in honor of the legendary guitarist who died tragically in 1974.
Inspired by the 1952 Martin D-18 Clarence White used for lead picking in the 1960s, this dreadnought features a highly figured set of Quilted Mahogany for the back and sides topped with a premium Adirondack Spruce Top. Other features include forward shifted Adirondack scaloped bracing, blank fretboard except for Clarence’s signature in Pearl at the 20th fret and Abalone rosette. African Black Ebony was used for the fretboard and bridge along with a Genuine Mahogany neck with vintage Nickel Waverly tuners. Limited to a run of only 292 Collector’s Edition guitars, the interior label is numbered #244 and signed by Michelle White Bledsoe and C.F. Martin IV.
This D-18CW is in high excellent condition, super clean with no noticeable dings or blemishes except for a tiny mark next to the strap button that is installed in the neck. Little to no fretwear even. This is a wonderful sounding bluegrass guitar with all the volume, punch and balance you need for any jam. Very well taken care of and preserved.
Includes original Geib style deluxe hardshell case with free shipping in the continental United States.
Martin Guitars on the D-18CW
From Martin:
A bluegrass Dreadnought in the classic tradition, the D-18CW Clarence White Commemorative Edition model draws inspiration from the 1952 Martin D-18 Clarence White used for lead picking in the 1960s (including on Appalachian Swing!), blended with appointments from various instruments he played during his career. The D-18CW features premium solid tone woods throughout. Rare Appalachian spruce, revered for powerful, clear tone, was selected both for the soundboard and the soundboard bracing, including the 5/16″ width scalloped X-braces, forward shifted to 1″ from the soundhole. The two-piece back and sides of beautiful genuine rare quilted mahogany contribute outstanding projection. Crafted from genuine mahogany, the modified V-shaped neck showcases a polished East Indian rosewood overlay on the squared and tapered headstock, an elegant backdrop for Martin’s “old style” gold decal logo. Waverly W-16 nickel tuners with butterbean knobs add to the D-18CW’s vintage look, as does the wide (1 3/4″ at the nut) black African ebony fingerboard and matching ebony “through-saddle” bridge. In the tradition of another of White’s Martin guitars, no position markers are inlayed on the fingerboard, only Clarence White’s signature between the 19th and 20th frets. Other vintage appointments include polished gloss lacquer finish with aging toner on the top to approximate the look of a 1950s D-18, tortoise-color binding with traditional style 18 black/white purfling, herringbone center strip, “old style” polished and beveled pickguard, and genuine bone nut and saddle. The rosette inlay accents a single ring of colorful “heart” abalone pearl trimmed with vintage Style 45 wood fiber lines. A Geib™ style hardshell case is included with each guitar.
