I'm the proud and happy owner of a 1969 D18 Martin. When my guitar (my only guitar) was at luthier's for some long-overdue maintenance work a few months ago, I began frequenting guitar stores as a way to keep in practice by playing as many different acoustic guitars as possible.

The only new guitar I picked up that impressed me was a Lowden ~ a really exceptional instrument, very beautiful, and it sounded even better than it looked. None of the other axes I tried (including quite a few new Martins) could hold a candle to my vintage D-18, all seemed quite ordinary, except for that one superfine Lowden.

I probably wouldn't swap my one-and-only for any guitar ~ sentimental value, you know ~ but that Lowden is probably the only swap-out I'd ever consider as an improvement over the guitar I've already got.