Each year Martin designs a new groundbreaking model known as the “show special” to help support 2018 trade shows, by making it available only to those Authorized Martin Dealers in attendance. The theme for 2018 is lightweight wood with a robust sound. The difference can not only be heard but also felt as you cradle and strum this featherweight acoustical innovation. Though large in size, the features that contribute to these tonal and weight benefits are a 2-way adjustable titanium truss rod, carbon fiber and titanium tuning gears, composite carbon fiber/VTS Adirondack bridgeplate and headplate, a carbon fiber ultra-thin pickguard, and Liquidmetal® pins that are disguised to look like bone. Liquidmetal® pins have been proven to increase sustain, harmonics, and volume output by several decibels, adding to the allure of this physics experiment. Mahogany and Adirondack spruce were chosen as the tonewoods for this slope-shoulder Dreadnought, along with flamed maple binding, for lightness and rich tone. While the elements of titanium and carbon fiber reduce weight and increase the natural sustain and harmonics of the DSS-2018, the high performance neck with ebony fingerboard is adorned with grained ivoroid snowflake inlay for a touch of elegance.
