Martin Style 15, 17, and 18
The early Style 17 and 18 were nearly identical, but offered in different sizes. Early Styles 17 and 18, like almost all early Martins, were built with Brazilian rosewood back and sides.
In later years, the Style 18 was the simplest of the spruce top, mahogany back and sides Martins, while the 15 and 17 were inexpensive mahogany top guitars.
Top Borders and Rosettes
1893 2 1/5 -17
The Style 18 has been distinguished from it's inception in the 1850's by a five ply top border and since soon after the turn of the century by a nine band central rosette ring surrounded by two single black rings.
1943 Martin 00-18
Fretboard Inlays
Martin Guitars built before 1898 had no inlays on the fretboard.
By 1906, and again when reintroduced in 1922, the Style 17 Martins had small dot inlays on the fifth, seventh (2), and ninth frets.
Starting in early 1932, Style 17 Martins had small dot inlays on the fifth, seventh (2), ninth, twelth (2), and fifteenth frets.
Starting with it's introduction in 1939, Style 15 Martins had small dot inlays on the fifth, seventh, ninth, and twelth frets, with no double dots.
By 1902, Style 18 Martins had small dot inlays on the fifth, seventh, and ninth frets.
Surprisingly, with a single dot on the seventh fret, the Style 18 had fewer dots than the Style 17.
Starting in early 1932, Style 18 Martins had small dot inlays on the fifth, seventh, ninth, twelth, and fifteenth frets which were graduated in size.
Here again, the Style 18 had fewer dots on the ninth fret than the Style 17.
In 1946, Style 18 Martins had large dot inlays on the fifth, seventh, ninth, twelth, and fifteenth frets which were uniform in size. (not to seventeenth fret as of 1944 as stated in Gruhn's Guide.)
Starting in 1947, Style 18 Martins had large dot inlays on the fifth, seventh, ninth, twelth, and fifteenth frets which were graduated in size.
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