Vintage Martin R-18 Archtop c.1933 Ambertone Finish Very Good
Martin
Regular price $3,849.00
Unit price per
Pre-Owned Martin R-18 Archtop 1933 Ambertone Finish
Tobias Music - Chicago Area’s Finest Guitars
Proud partners with Martin Guitars for over 45 years.
Another nice find for our Consignment Select offerings. 1933 R-18 round sound hole archtop.
The 1933 C.F. Martin R-18 is a rare and historically significant archtop guitar, marking Martin’s early exploration into archtop design during the Great Depression.
Key Features of the 1933 Martin R-18
- Body Style: 00-sized archtop with a pressed (not carved) spruce top and mahogany back and sides.
- Soundhole: Early 1933 models featured a round soundhole; later that year, Martin transitioned to segmented f-holes.
- Bracing: Scalloped X-bracing, similar to Martin’s flattop guitars, contributing to its unique tonal character.
- Finish: Amberburst top with four-ply binding featuring a black outer layer.
- Neck: Mahogany with a soft V profile, 1-3/4” nut width, and 24.9” scale length.
- Fingerboard: Rosewood with bar frets and white dot inlays.
- Hardware: Grover G-98 “clipped plate” tuners with butterbean buttons, adjustable rosewood bridge, and a nickel-plated trapeze tailpiece engraved with “Martin.”
- Pickguard: Raised tortoiseshell-style.
In 1933, Martin produced approximately 480 R-18 guitars, with only the first 400 featuring round soundholes. The transition to f-holes occurred later that year, making the roundhole versions particularly rare and sought after by collectors. The R-18 offers a warm, woody tone with moderate volume and excellent sustain. Its unique combination of archtop construction and X-bracing provides a sound that appeals to jazz, blues, and folk musicians seeking a vintage voice. The guitar responds well to fingerstyle playing and light strumming, delivering a clear and expressive tone. Due to its limited production run and distinctive features, the 1933 Martin R-18 is considered a valuable collector’s item. Its rarity, especially the roundhole variant, and its place in Martin’s history as an early archtop model contribute to its desirability among vintage guitar enthusiasts.