Martin Custom Shop 0018
 
In 2015 Martin made an extremely limited run of these glorious 0018s , only one other has been seen on the market, ever. Martins at this level are always an insight into the minds of the most discerning players, the most talented craftsmen and always a danger to pick up and play as nothing you have at home ever seems to be as good. The 14 fret 00 sized is constructed from beautifully grained mahogany bound with the best bits of maple they could find. This maple is found around the soundhole sandwiched between 2 abalone rings, the bridgepiece, the headstock, and then the crowning glory, the fretboard. Mahogany and abalone inlays give this fretboard a timeless and beyond first class look. Open back Grover machine-heads suit this guitar perfectly.
 
Can it possibly sound as good as it looks? Short answer: yes. A lot of 0018 guitars dominate the D and G strings, but this one is balanced beautifully. It is a bright sounding guitar as expected, but the bass strings have just the perfect presence.
 
Purely acoustic so you'll need to mic it up for performances, but I suspect this is the guitar you have at home and compose with. It is a piece of art on its own.