Martin & Co D-15

Music store. 630 bucks, including "free" hard-shell and a pack of light Elixirs I got the store owner to throw in.

One of the first things I noticed playing the guitar in the back room was that other store customers kept wandering back in and saying things like "Damn! that's a sweet sound." I'm not exactly Steve Howe, so all those compliments were for the incredible punch this guitar has in the low end, and the sweetness that is there on treble runs. The owner said that most people just don't like the "look" of the guitar, but I think it's actually kind of attractive. One real stand-out for me was how incredibly light the guitar is compared to my Tacoma DR29. I'm guessing that lightness means the top vibrates more, and that this is the reason I get more punch from the Martin than from the Tacoma.

I haven't had any regrets so far. I absolutely agree with the fellow who bought this model in order to be heard over street noise. I could easily fill a room of twenty or thirty people with this one, unmiked.

Construction, as far as I can tell, is extremely good. I took a look inside in the store, and I didn't see any shoddy bits. Eyeing it down the fingerboard didn't reveal any neck twist. I wasn't exactly expecting any, but we live in troubled times.

REally a fine, fine guitar. I have hands that aren't really designed well for guitars. I have to be absolutely perfect in form in order to get barre chords out that don't buzz, and this one has action that seems to be set just right, with enough kick in the bottom to help make up for gaffes that would give me mush or buzz on the Tacoma.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I wanted to upgrade my acoustic guitar, and my test-playing search lead me consistently to the Martin D15. In music store after music store, I played all the available selections, as well as the Martin D15 if available, and time and again it gave me the sound I was looking for. After about three months of this, I knew it was the guitar I had to have. My price was in the $500.00 range, and the local music stores sell it for close to $700.00. I finally found it online, at musiciansfriend.com for $579.00. Sweet! With free shipping and no sales tax, I couldn't be happier, and so I ordered it.


The Martin D15 delivered the perfect sound I wanted, plenty of low-end with volume and resonance. I needed an acoustic guitar that could punch through the street noise, as I moonlight as a street musician. The D15 delivers clear tone, and in-tune articulation like a cannon! The sound just flows out easily, sweetly; making it a real joy to play.

The Martin D15 is not "a looker", as guitars go. With it's plain mahogany, and no frills mat finish, it deceives the eye and understates its true ability. But in my comparison to other, more finished instruments, I became convinced that the D15 owes part of its superior sound to the low-finished mahogany tonewood. I have come to believe that the more finish a guitar has, the less it resonates. The Martin D15 resonates more powerfully than any other guitar I tested! Although it may not be attractive in looks, it humbly speaks of its folk and blues origins, evoking the nostalgia of its past!

The Martin D15 is constructed of the best quality tonewoods, with a solid mahogany top, bottom and sides. It has one serious drawback in that it lacks binding to protect the edges. My guitar had just a bit of a sharp grain edge, causing it to catch on a shirt sleeve and splinter off along the grain on the top edge, just where your arm lays across the front of the guitar. But Martin stood by its warranty, sending me to a luthier for free repairs.

Although I am disappointed at the apparent fragility of the Martin D15, I couldn't be happier with its sound and affordibilty. Bottom line: own one with pride, but baby it, son, baby it!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

i bought it at h&h music for about 700 dollars (im not sure EXACTLY how much cuz i got it as a gift)

Everything about this guitar is great, its solid wood, nice looking, and best of all is the fact that it stays in perfect tune. I got the guitar at christmas and i have only tuned it once in about 6 months!

The only thing i dont like is that there is no cutaway in the body, because i generally play alot of riffs in the upper frets and its a little difficult to get my hands onto the areas of about the 15th fret and upwards.

This guitar is great, they didnt even do anything to it at the store when it was bought to adjust it, and it plays like a charm.

Great guitar, if you can afford it, its a much better investment than a cheaper guitar because it will last you forever and it sounds pro!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

This is a USA made martin guitar. 
I have heard the bridge called a "Belly style."  I am not sure what that signifies, but it is the same style of bridge found on every Dreadnought guitar I have ever owned or played.
It is a Dovetail neck with a Low Oval style.  comfortable but meaty.
It has 14 clear frets (before the neck and body meet) and 20 total frets.  This guitar does not come with a pick up built in, at least not the one I got.  I had a K & K Sound pickup installed four years ago and it sounds amazing. 
Again, no pickup originally, but the one I installed simply goes to a 1/4" output, no knobs or selectors.


UTILIZATION

This is not a cutaway guitar, so I would say no, it is not easy access to the top frets. 
If you like the sound of an all Mahogany guitar, than you will love it.  I personally really enjoy this guitar and have gotten many compliments from a lot of people, including the former front of the house sound man for Dave Matthews band and Bonnie Raitt (he couldn't believe how good it sounded). 
I have compared this to some much higher end dreadnoughts, and though most all of those were better than my D-15, she wasn't to far behind at all.  Especially when comparing prices.
Drivers?   Don't know what thats about.


SOUNDS

The sound I was looking for when I bought this guitar was a Warm, dark acoustic, one better suited for darkish singer song writer rock (like radiohead stuff).  This thing fits that description perfectly.  If you are looking for a bright bluegrass guitar, this is not for you.  She is a little too quite to compete with the spruce tops, but she fits right in (with some good amplification) with a good rock band.
I play everything from Jazz, Hot club and bluegrass to Rock, classical, and electronica.  She works better for the latter three honestly. 


OVERALL OPINION

What I like most about this guitar is the excellent mellow tone.  She sings with a deep warm voice and everyone who has heard it seems to agree. 
What I like least??? Nothing
I paid $450 for hear back 2000.  She was a floor model, but when I played her, I knew she was the one. 
Excellent sound.  Sounds even better when paired with a K&k sound pickup. 
I have played a lot of guitars in my life.  If you need a mellow, dark tone out of an acoustic, look no further.
I would cry all night if anything ever happened to my D15.  I hope I never have to replace her, but if something did, I would do it (with a heavy heart) and hope that the new one was just as good.