Comments on: C.F. Martin Takes on Disco? (1979 Martin EM-18 Electric Guitar)

By: Donw

Donw — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 03:34:16 +0000

How do the serial numbers run on an e18?

By: Donw

Donw — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 02:39:51 +0000

I have an E18 in perfect shape except I lost the truss rod adj cover. Anyone have a cover for sale?

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 20:35:52 +0000

The article refers to the EM-18 as top of the line. Nope. I was a Martin dealer at the time and the top of that line was the E-28 and EB-28 bass. 200 +- or so of each were made. All mahogany, legit neck-through, Duncan pickups with active tone controls, Schaller (not Leo Quan) wraparound, carved top, considerably lighter than the 18’s with the same light touch. Per Chris Martin I’m the only original owner of a matched E-28 and EB-28. Still played regularly, gigged occasionally.
+

By: T L Rush

T L Rush — Thu, 25 Feb 2021 04:22:01 +0000

I had a em18 back in the early ’90s got at a pawn shop in roundtop tx. Paid 500 for, it was a heave beast but the action was so sweet, the gentlest touch on any string in any fet and the notes would just sing out, lost at another pawnshop in Austin, Texas a few years later to make payroll for a new biz, only thing I ever regretted loosing, it was heavy as hell though, but played easily if i could find another one in good shape i would plink my money down in a heartbeat

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 01:53:13 +0000

I have Sigma E-18 Kit Version. Serial # 5. Any information about the kit models ?

By: Andy

Andy — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 04:17:05 +0000

I’m looking for a Martin Badass bridge. Bill do you still have yours!

By: Philbert

Philbert — Fri, 17 Jan 2020 15:40:56 +0000

I own a very clean E18, really looks like new. Plays and Sounds like a dream. I allways wondered if the Body was shaped to resemble Jerry Garcias Wolf-guitar ?

By: Steve

Steve — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 01:00:01 +0000

No the EM-18 came stock with might mites,and you might want to check the EMG,S they should be active.and not passive
Hope this helps you.either way you should purchase it for $700,unless it’s a total mess.
There were only 1375 made

By: Ariel

Ariel — Sat, 14 Sep 2019 00:26:15 +0000

Hello, can’t believe i just saw this guitar at a local shop today, but with ‘stock EMGs'(passive) and going for $700.00. I’m at odds with the EMG brand anyways, but soo tempted to pick up this gorgeous beast. Could the EMGs be original? Any comments would be appreciated!

By: Robert Massman

Robert Massman — Tue, 27 Aug 2019 14:25:15 +0000

I purchased one new with case in February 1979. It was a pretty sweet instrument. Other than the weight (the thing weighed a ton) I can’t recall anything about it I didn’t like. It was my second guitar purchase and a gift to myself for my 14th birthday, along with a Fender Princeton Reverb amp. It served as my main guitar until it was stolen in ’99. I believe it cost $329 back in ’79.

By: Timothy R. Stoy

Timothy R. Stoy — Thu, 25 Jul 2019 23:39:17 +0000

I bought mine brand new in May 1982. Still have it and love it!

By: John Shea

John Shea — Fri, 26 Apr 2019 01:54:49 +0000

Is this in fact laminated? What does ot weigh?

By: Bill

Bill — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 03:37:26 +0000

I have an original Martin one piece bad ass bridge if that is what you’relooking For. Brand new, and still in the box. Also have the original sealed Martin tuning pegs, also new in the box.

By: k o bowem

k o bowem — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 23:45:05 +0000

I own a 1979 em-18 martin with bad ass bridge and mighty mite humbuckers and the original case. A fine playing and sounding guitar. Not for sale.

By: Ben Callahan

Ben Callahan — Tue, 08 May 2018 03:49:55 +0000

Hi looking for a bridge for one any one have any leads
Thanks for your time
Ben

By: jj

jj — Sat, 10 Mar 2018 11:01:01 +0000

That’s really ugly…

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 25 Apr 2017 05:41:51 +0000

Looking to buy em-18, anyone have one?

By: owner EM-18

owner EM-18 — Mon, 17 Apr 2017 21:40:29 +0000

Is someone intrested to have a Martin EM-18 with original case.

By: Butch Mays

Butch Mays — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 02:26:51 +0000

hello, i have a guitar almost the twin of this Em-18, except it says SigmaGuitars ESt.1970 and the pickups are black and it does not have the two togle swcithes by the vol and tones, same wood finish and color, s/n 0000140, very well made guitar, it sounds good,can you tell me anything else about it, like the name of it or series, thank you.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 00:32:38 +0000

I bought a e-18 a couple years ago in Payson Arizona for $500 in primo shape. It has all the original paperwork and warranty. Love this guitar, Charlie

By: Johan

Johan — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 19:32:43 +0000

I have bought my Martin EM 18 in early 80-ies. Played it for al those years, but since 5 years i switched to Fender. So now my martin is for sale.
Live in Belgium, so you have to consider delivery cost.
Guitar is in perfect condition, asking price 750 euro.

By: David Smith (Davo)

David Smith (Davo) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 03:49:42 +0000

Wow!! I played one of these brand new in the early 80’s at the music store I hung out at. No one wanted an untested Martin electric, but it was a superb playing instrument. I’ve thought about that axe over the years and wish I’d bought it. It was cheap, too. Maybe $175…$200. The store owner wanted to get rid of it and I’m sure I could have talked him down, but didn’t. I bought a Gibson S-1 instead. I played it a couple of weeks and decided to take it back and trade it for that Martin. Of course, it had been sold by then and he refused to order another one. So, NOW I decide to search the internet, find the best one and the right price and make it happen. NOT!!! Only 450 were made. Extremely RARE. If anyone know where one is I’d love to know about it.

Thanks

Davo

By: Jim Gross

Jim Gross — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 20:37:05 +0000

Martin also ran a series of electrics (stratocaster copies) form basically 1985 to 1996. Sales started dropping off in 1992 leading to their ultimate demise. This series of guitars went by model designations “SX”, “SSX”, “STX” and I believe there was a “SL-1” These model designations have caused some confusion over the years because “Rondo” guitars sells a SX Hawk or Hawk SX.BUT the Martins were designated “Stingers” some had headstocks marked (for instance) “CF Martin STINGER SSX” and some were merely marked “STINGER SSX” leaving off the famous “Martin” name-BUT if the headstock says “STINGER”-you have a Martin Electric Strat Copy that is now very collectible. Don’t believe me? Try and find one. There’s one on ebay right now for $199.95 but all the electronics are missing, the bridge and pickguard are missing, the tuners are missing (they came with Grovers) even the ferrules that go in the tuner holes in the headstock are missing nd the guitar has some CRACKS at the neck/body joint. I’m sure that Fender, Squire or the myriad of aftermarket strat parts would fit right on this guitar but then you would lose it’s collectible value. I seriously doubt that you would find the actual Martin parts for replacement. These were surprisingly well-built guitars, very playable good fit and finish and great sound/tone. They were inexpensive guitars but they weren’t “cheap” I bought a white on white (on white) one brand new back in the fall of 1989 for $149.99.I made the mistake of giving this guitar to my oldest son back in the early 90’s and (without telling me) he pawned it-talk about mad. 3 or 4 years ago I found one exactly like the one that I had on the internet and the guy wanted $3500.00 for it !!! I seriously doubt that he got that kind of money for it and I highly doubt that they are bringing in those kind of prices but as I’ve said-they are collectible. They were built under Martin’s specs by Samick (who built everybody’s imports) and then shipped to Martin in the U.S. for set-up and final inspection. I have to repeat that these are very nice guitars-very nice. I got lucky 3 or 4 years ago and came across a black one with a blck pickguard and black pickup covers with a maple net and maple fretboard (Very Dave Gilmour-looking) for $80-the guy didn’t know what he had, but he knew it was “electric” because he could see a nine-volt battery through the slots in the rear tremelo spring cover (the battery was being used as a tremelo block)-the guitar had apparently belonged to his brother who was “gone”) Only problem was is that it’sa “Lefty” and I’m not. I took it home , removed the battery, restrung it for right hand plugged it in and it played beautifully . Thanks

By: Charlie Watkins

Charlie Watkins — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 05:49:47 +0000

I have a EM-18 with the black pickups with original paper work of purchase 9/10/82. Due to sickness I am considering selling it for the right price.

By: Charlie Watkins

Charlie Watkins — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 05:44:50 +0000

I have a EM-18 with the black pickups serial #3214 with original paper work of purchase 9/10/82 and hard case all in perfect condition. Due to illness I am considering selling it for the right price.

By: John H.

John H. — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 21:23:46 +0000

I’ve played an EM-18 for 20 years. It is one of the most solidly built guitars I’ve seen. It produces many different tones courtesy of the phase reversal and coil-tap switches, all of them very usable. The only trouble I’ve experienced with it is the lack of replacement parts available today. Example – I’ve been searching for a NOS Leo Quan wraparound bridge/tailpiece for the past 3 years with no luck whatsoever.

Mine looks a bit different than the one in the pic…the pickups are black as opposed to cream-colored. In the past 20 years, I’ve seen only one other example of this model in a music store. That one had factory installed strap-lock type buttons and a high-gloss finish.

By: Kerry Dean

Kerry Dean — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 05:55:44 +0000

Please send some pics. Would love to see them! Just go to the Contact page and send them to me from there.

By: JEFF

JEFF — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 22:16:39 +0000

A FRIEND OF Mine has 1 that has a 2 octave neck he said it was a reject when he got it it had no electronics it’s still like brand new