The Martin D18 Guitar, scale 1:6

The Martin D18 Guitar
This model is designed after the Martin D18 guitar in scale 1:6. The C. F. Martin Company is a very famous guitar manufacturer since 1833. The D in the name stands for dreadnought.
The dreadnought body style was larger and deeper than most guitars. In 1906, the Royal Navy launched a battleship that was considerably larger than any before it. From the idea that a ship that big had nothing to fear (nought to dread), it was christened HMS Dreadnought. Martin borrowed this name for their new, large guitar.

This guitar was and is played by many famous musicians of all styles. One of the most famous is perhaps Elvis Presley.

About this model:
This model differs in one essential point from my other guitar models.
On this model you can attach strings made of different string materials.
I use a very strong nylon thread from a handicraft shop.
There are 6 holes on the guitar bridge where you can insert the thread.
I always pull the strings out of the body with tweezers and knot two strings together.
Then you can wrap the two threads at the machine head pins and knot them tightly.
To be on the safe side I still put a drop of glue on it.

This model has undergone a long development. The model is precisely constructed at a scale of 1:6.  If there is anything damaged or broken on your model, please contact Shapeways. The surfaces should also be relatively smooth and should not show any layer lines. The Shapeways customer service team is very helpful and has always helped me with problems to my complete satisfaction.

You can also find a guitar stand and a wall hanger for this model in my shop.

Add color to your guitar:
I was always very satisfied with the simple print in polished nylon plastic. At the beginning I wasn't thinking about painting my models either. However, after I started painting them, I've grown very fond of the colorful miniature guitars. Painting the guitars with all their details is not easy. I'm working on it and am gaining experience and I'm getting better and better as I go along. Give room to your creativity. The guitars don't always have to look like the classic models.

A few tips from my experience:
I have tried different modeling colours.I particularly like to recommend acrylic colours. Paint from the glass or from a tube. Acrylic paints can be easily diluted with water and do not develop toxic vapours. The paints mix well and dry quickly. The most difficult parts are the  strings and the inlays around the body and neck. I can't paint the inlays on the body and neck with a small brush. My hand is not calm enough for that. After some failed attempts, I tried masking it with tape and I am very satisfied with the result. Masking requires some patience, but the result is worth the effort. I draw the frets with a quill. For this, I thin silver paint so much that it's almost as liquid as ink. Then I use a ruler that I place on the model at an oblique angle. This way I get beautiful straight lines for  the frets. Admittedly, you need a little patience and experience. If I drew a guitar neck very badly, then I paint over the result with the basic color and try it again. To make a model really beautiful and perfect you need some time and effort.
If you also have tips for painting models, you are welcome to write me.

Have fun with the miniature guitars.