1980 Martin EM-18 Natural
1980 Martin EM-18 Natural
Serial Number: 3063
Weight: 9.12 lbs.
Condition: Very Good vintage condition, 1980 model. Guitar shows some wear consistant with its age/use. Finish on the body shows some light checking, scratches, and a handful of dings. Neck finish shows some checking. Headstock veneer is cracked near the logo. Comes with original hardshell case.
This vintage Martin EM-18 in Natural (Serial #3063) comes from one of the least-known chapters in Martin’s history. In the late ’70s and early ’80s, the company famous for its flat-tops built a short run of solidbody electric guitars, and the EM-18 was part of that E-series. They’re an uncommon find today. The body is built from maple, rosewood, and mahogany and finished in lacquer in a Natural finish that shows off the wood. It weighs 9.12 lb.
The mahogany set neck has a full D carve (.840" at the 1st fret, 1.05" at the 12th) that fills the hand, with a lacquer finish. The rosewood fretboard has mother-of-pearl dot inlays, a 12" radius, and 22 medium frets on a 25.5" scale. The brass nut is 1 5/8" wide, a narrower spacing typical of the era. The headstock wears a rosewood veneer with the Martin logo. A one-piece adjustable stoptail bridge handles the strings, and Martin-branded tuners and chrome hardware complete the build.
A pair of DiMarzio humbuckers run through 2 volumes, 2 tones, and a 3-way toggle. Mini-toggle switches add coil splitting and an out-of-phase setting. That makes the EM-18 more flexible than most guitars from its time. It covers full humbucker crunch, thinner single-coil tones, and the hollow, nasal out-of-phase sound. Whether you’re a vintage collector, a Martin enthusiast who wants something beyond the flat-tops, or a player looking for a ’70s/’80s rock machine with real switching options, the EM-18 fits right in. It’s in very good used vintage condition with wear consistent with its age. The body finish has light checking, scratches, and a handful of dings. The neck finish has some checking, and the headstock veneer is cracked near the logo. This one (Serial #3063) comes with its original hardshell case. Order today from Brian’s Guitars.
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Body
Type: Solidbody
Shape: EM-18
Body Material: Maple/Rosewood/Mahogany
Finish: Lacquer
Color: Natural
Neck
Material: Mahogany
Shape: D
Dimensions: .840" at the 1st fret, 1.05" at the 12th fret
Joint: Set-Neck
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Neck Finish: Lacquer
Headstock: Martin, Rosewood Veneer
Inlay: Mother of Pearl Dots
Radius: 12"
Frets: 22, Medium
Scale Length: 25.5"
Nut Width: 1 5/8"
Nut Material: Brass
Hardware
Bridge/Tailpiece: One-Piece Adjustable Stoptail
Tuners: Martin-Branded
Hardware Finish: Chrome
Electronics
Neck Pickup: DiMarzio Humbucker
Bridge Pickup: DiMarzio Humbucker
Controls: 2 x Volume, 2 x Tone, 3-way Toggle Pickup Selector, Mint-Toggles for Split-Coils, Phase
Other
Case/Gigbag: Original Hardshell Case