Jim Merrill’s guitars often sound more vintage than vintage guitars themselves, and that’s right out the gate. Imagine what these guitars will sound like once they’ve opened up for a few years! The 2005 C-18 we’ve got here is a golden opportunity to see just how much a contemporary instrument can sound like its long-lost prewar cousin.Built sturdily but to lightweight specs, this C-18 comes with Mahogany back and sides for a clean low-end presence and Adirondack Spruce top for a bright, punchy middle register and attack. Not surprisingly, this Dreadnought is built with the Bluegrass player in mind, but thanks to trebles which are well-balanced and a bottom E string that is tight and expressive, the C-18 performs beautifully for fingerpicking passages, as well as lightning flatpick sessions. Overall, the voice is muscular, full of vim and vigor, and the bottom-end has enough warmth to warm you on the coldest winter nights.
Al hit the nail on the head: this C-18 has the kind of voice I only find in a vintage Martin after it's been fully restored. The construction is bomb-proof, and Jim's done a great job to build a lighter Dreadnought with all the presence and tone of a much heavier guitar. 
Even better than a Martin D-18, this brings back memories of the great vintage Martins I've played. It feels and sounds like it has some years in it already. Great instrument. | Scale Length | 25.4 in |
|---|---|
| Nut Width | 1.75 in |
| String Spacing | 2.25 in |
| Woods | Spruce - Adirondack (Red), Mahogany |
Jim Merrill's guitars often sound more vintage than vintage guitars themselves, and that's right out the gate. Imagine what these guitars will sound like once they've opened up for a few years
Al hit the nail on the head: this C-18 has the kind of voice I only find in a vintage Martin after it's been fully restored. The construction is bomb-proof, and Jim's done a great job to build a lighter Dreadnought with all the presence and tone of a much heavier guitar.
Even better than a Martin D-18, this brings back memories of the great vintage Martins I've played. It feels and sounds like it has some years in it already 