Official Luthiers Forum!

We're d-18's scalloped or straight braced?

Is the layout anything much different than found on the stewmac 'Herringbone' plans?

Thanks...

Depends on the year, but if Martin was scalloping D-28's, D-18 were pretty much the same

The primary difference being mahogany vs rosewood?

For the back and sides, tops were about the same possibly lower grade for the D-18

If you want a really accurate print of a forward shifted, scalloped braced Martin, John Arnold has an excellent tracing of his 1937 Herringbone D-28. Its also an outstanding guide for a killer D-18.

D-18:
B&S mahogany
Fretboard and bridge E Indian RW, Brazilian on earlier models
Binding Black ABS or tortoise celluloid on earlier models

D-28:
B&S E Indian RW, Brazilian on earlier models
FB & bridge ebony
Binding white ABS or Ivoroid on earlier models

Bracing was pretty much the same between the 18 and 28.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Thanks!

So how does one get a hold of the John Arnold tracing?? I understand that John is an expert concerning " red spruce " and he's considered one of the best guitar makers on a par with Wayne Henderson.

Ed

Johns a forum member send him a PM

I have been helping with spec corrections on our 'prewar' model dreadnought - there are a lot of subtle differences between years of production. I would suggest getting a good tracing from Mr. John Arnold, which will accurately represent a specific 1930's instrument, while the Stewart MacDonald plans are a loose interpretation closer in specs to a 1985 HD-28 than a vintage D-28 (the D-18 differs in materials and trim...mahogany back and sides, red spruce top through about 1946, and sitka thereafter). Other changes include:

- Bracing was scalloped thru the late 1930's, then scalloped and rearward shifted though the mid-1940's, then tapered for a time, prior to going to straight bracing by the early 1950's.
- Nut width (1-3/4" thru late 1930's then 1-11/16")
- Bridge pin spacing (2-5/16" narrowing to 2-1/8 when nut was narrowed)
- Fretboard and bridge were originally ebony, then Brazilian, then East Indian.
- Bridge changes included contours, moving pins rearward
- Rosette changes, tuner changes, etc.

If replicating an instrument, pick a year and do some research.

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A constellation only takes shape when one maps the whole.
- Beth Brower

thanks!

Ed, I have one of the '70's D-18's from the "over built" era that has had the large rosewood bridgeplate replaced with a smaller maple one and some "after market" scalloping was done thru the sound hole. We did not remove the popsicle brace as is sometimes done.

While I do not have before and after sound clips the subjective feeling is that the guitar did change - my wife's comment was "you are playing louder". At a local bluegrass jam it was played along side a D18GE and a 1937 D-18 (yeah, a real one) and the feeling was that it held its own.

I think the popsicle braces should stay there...

Some early D-18's didn't have them......

True, but remember they had a larger neck block.

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"I've been had again"
Tim Benware
Creedmoor, NC