Martin & Co

What can I say about this guitar other than I have been playing Semi professionally for over 20 years now and this is probably one of the best guitars I've ever played and owned Martin has nothing Like this in their regular lineup Drop dead gorgeous and amazing playing very rare do you get both Beautiful Rosette Abalone 45 Style Custom neck Profile John dsign This for easy access at every fret Gorgeous black African Ebony fret board & saddle Engemann Spruce Top Yes is this the same spruce they use on the D-200 Deluxe model $150000 This specific spruce ages Like no other I have 2 Engemann top guitars I will Never Sell Disregard other reviewers you can use almost auy string Combination some do work better than other I get a continuous crisp clear sound this guitar is a Tone Canon That rings like a bell These are extremely hard to get a lot of stores can't keep these in stock they are a special edition and individually numbered I pre ordered mine And have a lower number If you're serious about your music this guitar is for you a family heirloom for sure I have fun

Martin's new line of 15M guitars is really a fantastic value. They currently made three sizes, the 0015M, the 00015M and the D15M. Though I ultimately purchased the 0015M, I have had experience with all three models. They feature SOLID mahogany bodes (top, back, sides and the neck), a rosewood fretboard and bridge, bone nut and saddle, open back Waverly style tuners, and ebony bridge pins. There's no pickups on board, so I may install an undersaddle unit in mine. It's very spartan as far as cosmetics go, and features a thin satin finish that shows off the mahogany grain and allows the sound to really cut through so well that it's almost shocking for such a small and "cheap" guitar. UTILIZATION There isn't much to say about this guitar because it's so simple. It's very light in weight and is easy to hold. I bought the 0015M so it fits my smaller frame quite well. There is no cutaways so upper fret access is not great, but since it is an acoustic guitar I'm not too worried about that. What's important is that it feels and sounds exactly how I want it to and that's ultimately what sold me on purchasing the 00015M's smaller sibling, the 0015M. SOUNDS Now, I'm not really an acoustic player, but I know good tone when I hear it. This little guitar has TONE in spades. It is warm and full in the bass register with strong mids and a nice round top end. Harmonics just spring from all over the fretboard and the sheer volume that it produces is shocking enough that I refer to it as a "tiny cannon." I played it for about ten minutes when I first picked it up in the store just to get a feel for it, and then I decided to try tuning it to open D tuning. Doing this brought the little thing to LIFE. I cannot describe the feeling I had without sounding like a walking advertisement for Martin, but for those of you that own one, you know what I mean. I must have played for about a half hour before my father arrived at the store. At first he kind of shook his head when I showed it to him and said I needed to buy it. However, his tune was changed when I played a few chords. I spent all that evening researching it and realized that it was all solid woods, had a bone nut and saddle, and the vintage style "butterbean" tuners. The next day I decided to call the store and tell them to put it on hold for me while I made a final decision. On Friday I decided to go in and make sure it was the one before signing the finance papers. I tried some Robert Johnson type tunes as well as some Django esque gypsy jazz and a few other things... all with stunning results. Just an amazing guitar. OVERALL OPINION All in all I am RIDICULOUSLY impressed with the new 15M series from Martin. They offer great value for money and are laden with only the best features. Cosmetics are exchanged for TONE, and it shows. These guitars come in at about $1,100 new and let me say it's well worth it. They are equipped with a beautiful plush lined Martin case from the factory as well, which is great. Definitely worth trying and buying, any one of the models from the 15m series. They are head and shoulders above the Taylors and Larrivees that I tried in this range and they do sound superior to the regular 15 series guitars that they eventually replaced...

MODEL Martin D-35 CONSTRUCTION: Mahogany Blocks/Dovetail Neck Joint BODY SIZE: D-14 Fret TOP: Solid Sitka Spruce ROSETTE: Style 28 TOP BRACING PATTERN: Standard ''X'' TOP BRACES: Solid Sitka Spruce 1/4'' BACK MATERIAL: Solid East Indian Rosewood - 3 piece BACK PURFLING: Style 35 SIDE MATERIAL: Solid East Indian Rosewood ENDPIECE: White Boltaron ENDPIECE INLAY: Black/White Boltaron BINDING: White Boltaron TOP INLAY STYLE: Multiple Black/White Boltaron SIDE INLAY: Multiple Black/White Boltaron BACK INLAY: Black/White Boltaron NECK MATERIAL: Select Hardwood NECK SHAPE: Low Profile NUT MATERIAL: Bone HEADSTOCK: Solid/Square Taper HEADPLATE: Solid East Indian Rosewood /Raised Gold Foil HEELCAP: White Boltaron with Multiple Black/White Boltaron Inlay FINGERBOARD MATERIAL: Solid Black Ebony SCALE LENGTH: 25.4'' # OF FRETS CLEAR: 14 # OF FRETS TOTAL: 20 FINGERBOARD WIDTH AT NUT: 1-11/16'' FINGERBOARD WIDTH AT 12TH FRET: 2-1/8'' FINGERBOARD POSITION INLAYS: Style 28 FINGERBOARD BINDING: White Boltaron FINISH BACK & SIDES: Polished Gloss FINISH TOP: Polished Gloss ; Sunburst available at additional cost. FINISH NECK: Satin BRIDGE MATERIAL: Solid Black Ebony BRIDGE STYLE: Belly BRIDGE STRING SPACING: 2-1/8'' SADDLE: 16'' Radius/Compensated/Bone TUNING MACHINES: Chrome Enclosed w/ Large Buttons The legendary, old brother..or maybe cousin to the D28?? Not quite sure but they are both legendary and offer very different tones even though on paper they are very similar. UTILIZATION It's just your basic acoustic guitar, so there's nothing to it in terms of ergonomic designs or access to the upper frets etc. Just wood and wire! SOUNDS Here's where it becomes worth the money. Most guitar players in the market for a good acoustic, when they look through the Martins it's almost always a battle between the 28 and 35 and there is a huge tonal difference. Most people say it's because of the 3 piece back and I can say yes that has something to do with it but the biggest difference is the bracing, it's a thinner piece of bracing used on the 35s vs the 28s that allow such a huge bottom and low midrange from the 35 that 28 lovers may not like so much. This is what makes or breaks it. Totally up to you of course and which sound you like better. The 35 definitely has a bigger sound for those powerful chords and whatnot. Of course, I would probably replace the strings first with a decent set. I very much dislike the martin lifespan strings and would rather settle with plain jane Daddarios that have been just fine for me for a very long time. OVERALL OPINION HUGE sound. Legendary guitar. Awesome build, ALWAYS consistent from model to model and lifetime warranty with Martin. Can't really complain can ya? If you're looking for an acoustic guitar that'll probably last longer than your own lifetime, with a great huge warm and BIG low midrange, this is definitely worth looking into. Yes it's a bit pricey but once you play it, you'll understand that it's worth every penny.

Made in Mexico Braced, solid tonewood top Solid mahogany neck, back, and sides Nice chrome-enclosed tuners Weighs less than 2-1/2 lbs. Great for traveling or camping! UTILIZATION This guitar is easy enough to play. The neck and the string tension feel like other high-end Martin guitars. The Backpacker is very easy to take traveling, camping, or on other activities due to its small size. However, that small size is a bit awkward to hold, as it doesn't rest on the leg very well. The side that would rest on your lap is a smooth edge with no contours, so it wants to slide right off. It would benefit well from a design similar to the Steinberger leg rest. Also, the top strap button is in an awkward location, so when holding the guitar with a strap attached, the Backpacker tilts forward slightly, and the neck will dive due to the high-quality tuning machines being a bit heavier. Ergonomics are not this guitar's strong suit, but it plays well enough to bring the rating in this category overall to a 7. SOUNDS The Backpacker sounds like a guitar. A very small, bright guitar, with not a lot of volume, but it sounds like a guitar, and not a toy or a ukulele, like some other small travel-sized guitars. It is certainly not lacking in note definition, but it doesn't project well, and the sustain is hampered by the small size and odd shape. OVERALL OPINION This is a good guitar for campers and travelers. And, as odd as this is to admit in a guitar review, the Backpacker smells wonderful! However, I feel like the Baby Taylor guitar is a better choice overall, as its shape gives it more projection, higher quality tone, and much better ergonomics. For the traveling guitarist on a budget, the Backpacker is the right move, but if I had more cash, I'd go with the Baby Taylor. The Backpacker's shape is unique and instantly identifiable, but it may be the downfall of this guitar due to practicality reasons!

(Originally written by pmilani/translated from Audiofanzine FR) Made in the USA. Electro-acoustic dreadnought with mahogany body, massive spruce top and Fishman Prefix Premium Blend system. Martin 16 Series: mine is a DC-16GTE Premium (# Dc-16GTE Aura) Fingerboard: black micarta (which is not a wood but a composite material, see below). Neck: massive Spanish cedar Body: massive mahogany back and sides Top: beautiful massive spruce Bridge: black micarta Rosette: herringbone inlay Pickguard: tortoise Machine heads: chrome finish Electronics: stereo Fishman Prefix Premium Blender preamp (Fishman hybrid pickup system with condenser mic and piezo). Convenient tuner. More info: http://www.mguitar.com/guitars/choosing/guitars.php?m=DC-16GTE%20Premium&s=6&p=ge Sold with a wonderful Martin hardcase. UTILIZATION Martin guitars have the reputation of having high action factory settings so adjust the action if you find that's the case. The store where I bought it has a guitar technician who adjusted the action within 10 minutes. I've never adjusted it again since. I find the action is perfect although I'm very picky about this. The neck is extremely comfortable and feels very smooth. However, its fingerboard raised a discussion between ebony traditionalists and modernists looking for alternative solutions because precious woods like ebony are becoming pretty rare. Micarta is perhaps a good alternative. It didn't exist three or four years ago so I can't compare its aging with ebony. That's the reason I waited three years before writing this review. Developed by George Westinghouse in the early 20th century, micarta is a composite material made out of natural materials like paper, flax, or cloth laminated with phenolic resin. Micarta is often used to make knife handles and provides serious advantages regarding stability and sturdiness. It's heat, cold, and water resistant. Martin says micarta provides the same characteristics as ebony. And it's true that it's pretty similar. It's very dense and feels very sleek. I also own a D28 with ebony fingerboard so I can compare both materials: the playing feel with micarta is different but not worse. The micarta fingerboard feels smoother and the DC16 seems to be softer (perhaps because of the excellent neck varnish and the very slim frets), the fingers slips very easily. One thing's for sure: the guitar sounds very good with this micarta fingerboard! Regarding aging, after three years of intensive use I can't notice any deterioration. That's something I'll have to confirm in 10 years but I think it will be the same. SOUNDS The guitar sounds great. Everyone that has tried it agree, even beginners. The acoustic sound is smooth and very well balanced. The sound is not very powerful but: - it's a guitar with cutaway; - I play it with Martin SP Custom light 011-052 strings and heavier strings (light or medium) would certainly produce a more powerful and better sound. To make up for this I use a Boss EQ pedal to decrease the mid frequency range. The sound is wonderful with my Schertler Unico amp. The advantage of high-quality electro-acoustic guitars is that they allow you to compensate for such problems. Generally speaking I don't like electro-acoustic guitars because I find they have too much mids and don't sound warm, but this Martin DC16 gives me exactly the sound I was looking for. It's also perfect for recording sessions even connected directly to the mixer. I use it mainly for vocals accompaniment and it matches very different music styles: blues, folk, pop, chanson (Brassens), finger picking and unplugged rock like Radiohead or Nirvana. The sound is very well balanced and you can clearly distinguish the richness of the tone regardless of the attack strength. Arpeggios produce a velvet sound. I bought a Fishman Aura Dreadnought pedal to increase the sound range but I sold it again because it was useless with this guitar (which already provides every possible sound). You can see this guitar pretty often on big stages and on live music TV shows nowadays. The preamp is a Fishman Prefix Premium with dual pickup system. It provides a piezo in the bridge and a gooseneck mic to capture the sound of the whole body. When the guitar is plugged the system provides a fully comprehensive sound range. I once read in a forum about this guy who said that when you plug this guitar you have the impression you are playing several guitars thanks to all the sound possibilities it provides. The only inconvenience is the placement of the gooseneck mic: it's so sensitive that it picks every single noise and thus it can easily generates feedbacks. I personally use a light setting to add a bit more bass to the overall response. OVERALL OPINION I've had it for over three years and I'm very satisfied with it. Some Taylors made me hesitate before buying it (especially the 310) but in the end I preferred this Martin. Everything else is a matter of taste and depends on the sound you're looking for. I didn't like Gibson models in the same price range, even though I have some Gibson electrics I like very much. But with acoustic guitars it's different because they need some time to reach their prime so it's difficult to give an opinion about them when they are new. I personally think it's the best electro-acoustic guitar I've ever heard, especially in this price range. You can find better instrument but they are much more expensive! I'm always afraid that something will happen to my Martin DC16GTE (theft, accident, etc.). It has become so essential for me that I'm thinking about buying a second one. Guitarists should have an endless budget...

The Martin DM has all the features and characteristics of a mid-level guitar. This guitar has a solid spruce top, mahogany back/sides, and rosewood finger board. You would have to step up to a more expensive guitar if you want more exotic woods. It did not come with an electric pick-up, so I had an under-saddle pick-up installed at a local shop. I actually prefer this over having a pick-up already installed because then the buyer has more options. UTILIZATION This guitar plays very smoothly. The neck is a comfortable size and length. There is not much else to compare on the standard dreadnought size guitars. SOUNDS The guitar sounds great in a variety of playing styles. Strumming, finger-picking, and leads all sound good. My opinion is that other guitars in this price range sound great for strumming, but bad for finger-picking/leads or vice versa. The advantage of buying a guitar in the mid- to high-level price range is that the sound of the guitar improves over the years because the woods age and set-in. I would definitely recommend this guitar for that reason over less expensive guitars. OVERALL OPINION If you take good care of this guitar (keep new strings on it, get it set-up a couple times a year), it will sound great for a long time. I purchased this guitar after I had been playing guitar for 5-6 years because I needed to step up to the intermediate level. At the time I remember thinking that I would need to purchase a more expensive guitar after I became a better player. I have been playing guitar for over 15 years, and even studied guitar in college, and I have never felt like this guitar should be replaced with something more expensive. Unless you are a touring/studio professional or have tons of money to spend, this guitar is more than adequate. I definitely give it my recommendation after having it for 10 years.

It is my opinion that the Martin HD28 is one of the best vintage style acoustic guitars made in production today in the $2,500 price point. Martin has a long history of quality and innovation, and these guitars have stood the test of time by all means. The original D28s and HD28s are highly coveted and expensive so this affordable reissue allows a wider market to acquire one of these venerable guitars. They're still made in the USA by CF Martin IV and his wonderful team. It features a spruce top, East Indian rosewood back, sides and neck, and the coveted scalloped X bracing pattern that has become legend for acoustic guitars over time. Here is the full list of specs: MODEL: HD-28 CONSTRUCTION: Mahogany Blocks/Dovetail Neck Joint BODY SIZE: D-14 Fret TOP: Solid Sitka Spruce ROSETTE: Style 28 TOP BRACING PATTERN: Standard ''X'' Scalloped TOP BRACES: Solid Sitka Spruce 5/16'' BACK MATERIAL: Solid East Indian Rosewood BACK PURFLING: HD Zig-Zag SIDE MATERIAL: Solid East Indian Rosewood ENDPIECE: White Boltaron ENDPIECE INLAY: Black/White Boltaron BINDING: White Boltaron TOP INLAY STYLE: Bold Herringbone SIDE INLAY: none BACK INLAY: Black/White Boltaron NECK MATERIAL: Select Hardwood NECK SHAPE: Low Profile NUT MATERIAL: Bone HEADSTOCK: Solid/Diamond/Square Taper HEADPLATE: Solid East Indian Rosewood /Raised Gold Foil HEELCAP: White Boltaron FINGERBOARD MATERIAL: Solid Black Ebony SCALE LENGTH: 25.4'' # OF FRETS CLEAR: 14 # OF FRETS TOTAL: 20 FINGERBOARD WIDTH AT NUT: 1-11/16'' FINGERBOARD WIDTH AT 12TH FRET: 2-1/8'' FINGERBOARD POSITION INLAYS: Style 28 FINGERBOARD BINDING: none FINISH BACK & SIDES: Polished Gloss FINISH TOP: Polished Gloss ; Sunburst available at additional cost. FINISH NECK: Satin BRIDGE MATERIAL: Solid Black Ebony BRIDGE STYLE: Belly BRIDGE STRING SPACING: 2-1/8'' SADDLE: 16'' Radius/Compensated/Bone TUNING MACHINES: Chrome Enclosed w/ Large Buttons RECOMMENDED STRINGS: Martin SP Lifespan Phosphor Bronze Medium Gauge (MSP7200) BRIDGE & END PINS: White w/ Black Dots PICKGUARD: Tortoise Color CASE: 640 Molded INTERIOR LABEL: none ELECTRONICS: Optional UTILIZATION The design of the HD28 is quite good for bluegrass and country players who want a crisper, more vintage sounding version of the D28 that sings for both strummed patterns as well as faster flatpicked lead lines. The ones I have tried are usually quite light for an acoustic and they sit very well on the body overall, which is great for a smaller person such as myself. These HD28s sound great right out of the box and only get better as time goes on so getting a good sound is not an issue whatsoever. The upper fret access is not bad, but it doesn't have a cutaway, nor enough frets for it to be considered stellar. SOUNDS The sound of the D28 is really an amazing thing. It is a very rich and punchy instrument that I find to have a crisp bass, subdued midrange and a sparkling top end. This is excellent for lead lines and more of a modern tone overall I find. It's punchier sounding than the D-28, but it lacks a little bit of that midrange boom as well. I found that I preferred the D28 over the HD28 in a shootout, even though the HD28 was more expensive and was built to more of a vintage specification. If you're a serious acoustic player and HAVEN'T tried one of these... I'm not really sure how to respond. They're a must try for any guitarist because of their pure Martin sound! OVERALL OPINION All in all I think the HD28 is just an amazing acoustic guitar with a wonderful vintage vibe. It does many styles well and the craftsmanship is second to none. I compared it with the D18 and D28 and found it to be a stellar sounding guitar overall. There is a reason that so many of the great players have used a D28 or HD28... to me it just embodies the dreadnought acoustic guitar at its best.

The Martin & Co LXK2 is a travel-sized guitar with a short 23" scale. It is crafted in Mexico from beautiful Koa Wood, contributing to it's darker, softer tone. The build and finish is quintessential Martin, right down to the expertly executed joinery work on the neck. UTILIZATION After trying several travel-sized and even full-sized acoustics, I found few that could compete with the ease of use of the Martin. In fact, it's the most played instrument in my studio and my go-to songwriting tool. It's small size, light weight, and friendly scale length, which is accentuated by a low string-height, makes this the perfect guitar to work out complicated chords and progressions before moving on to recording. It's also great for working out lyrics, as it's volume is perfectly honed for a small room and won't overpower your voice like a full-sized dreadnought would. Best of all, it fits into a backpack-sized carry bag and goes with me on my travels! SOUNDS I'm more than impressed with the sounds I've achieved with my Martin. In fact, it's even become a purposeful recording tool in addition to a songwriting implement. Using the same theory as miking smaller guitar amps and cabinets for a focused sound, I've found the lower output of the Little Martin to be ideal for recording acoustic tracks. In the example below of strummed open chords, I've put an AT4033 on the 12th fret and an SM57 on the bridge for a nice stereo composition. https://en.audiofanzine.com/misc-steel-string-guitar/martin-co/lxk2/medias/audio/a.play,m.473956.html Despite my saying "lower output", don't be fooled. This guitar is surprisingly loud for its size and could certainly play to a small crowd in a small room. You won't overpower any accompanying drums, but give it some pick attack and you'll be amazed at the volume and matching clarity you'll achieve. Furthermore, it simply just sounds like a Martin! It has the beautifully chimey, not trebly and thin-sounding high E string that Martins are renowned for. The warm sounding low E string is also really important to the sound, providing a tight, well-defined bass tone to the instrument. The intonation is also spot-on perfect, even when dropping the string tension down for lowered or open tunings. OVERALL OPINION Overall, I'm more than happy with my purchase. While the fit and finish is superb, my only complaint would be the ornamentation around the boom hole. It's somewhat of a crudely placed decal, not a real inlay or finely painted design. As a result, it has not taken long for it to rub off around the picking zone. It somewhat cheapens the appeal of what is otherwise a superb instrument. But that aside, there is nothing I can complain about, especially given the price point, the playability and the portability.

The Martin D-18 is one of the most iconic guitars around. Renowned for it's simplicity and beautiful tone, it's a highly popular guitar for all sorts of musicians. It features a dreadnought design, made to project it's power and volume, an ebony fretboard, sitka spruce top and a mahogany back and side pieces. The combination of woods gives it the perfect balance between bright and dark, and that balance is truly beautiful. The D-18 can go from a quiet acoustic whisper to a booming powerful acoustic guitar. It's craftsmanship and build quality are impeccable, and this guitar deserves all the praise it gets. UTILIZATION The guitar is a great play, very comfortable to play and hold. It sits nicely in the lap, and feels amazing under your fingers. It holds tune very well, and always sounds nice. The range of sound you can squeeze from this instrument is phenomenal, and it could work perfectly as an intimate singer and guitar type, or lead a chorus of singers. The design is simple, nothing flashy, nothing extra. It's the basics done perfectly. SOUNDS The guitar strikes a perfect and exact balance between dark and bright. It's sound is warm and relaxed, but never mushy or undefined. The porous mahogany back and sides give it the deep bass and messy warmth, while the sitka spruce top and cross bracing keep things together, snappy and defined. The guitar rings with a beautiful tone, and sounds amazing whether you play fingerstyle like Tommy Emanuel, or strumming the chords of a pop song, or quick flatpicking bluegrass. Every studio should have one of these, and so should every solo act acoustic musician. The D-18 has such a great and versatile sound and can be heard on hundreds of famous recordings. OVERALL OPINION Overall, this guitar was worth everything I paid for it and more. I've owned lots of acoustic guitars, and this is one I will never let go. Everything about this guitar rocks. It sounds great, feels great and looks great. It's a simple, elegant powerhouse, and a staple of the acoustic musician's diet.

The Martin SP Lifespan strings are the more expensive version of their regular SP strings. The SP+ strings are claimed to last longer and hold their tone longer than the cheaper strings. The strings are made of a blend of phosphor bronze and come with Martin's Cleartone treatment that is supposed to make the strings last longer. My experience is that the extra cost of the strings does improve performance, although each guitar player will have to decide for themselves whether the extra cost is worth the improved performance. I have used both the SP and SP+ strings on my Martin DM (a mid-level guitar). I did not notice a major difference in the tone between the two different types of strings when they are initially put on the guitar. I never play hard enough to break strings, so it is hard for me to compare if the SP Lifespan strings are more 'durable' over a long time than the regular SP strings. In my recollection, the SP+ strings may have held their tone longer than the SP strings. I typically think that the SP strings start sounding dull after about 4-5 hours of playing. I would say that the SP+ strings probably held their tone for about twice the length of time. My main suggestion for anyone that wants their strings to last longer is to clean them after you play. The biggest thing that sucks the tone out of a set of strings is having the dirt and grime build up on the strings. When this happens the strings can vibrate appropriately. Finger oil will eventually build up on any type of string, regardless if it is SP or SP+. Buying 'coated' strings can help this problem. But if you are willing to spend the extra money to buy expensive strings rather than the cheap strings, you should also spend the extra time to clean your strings.

Where to begin. The DX1AE is a relatively low cost dreadnought design from Martin that sports some interesting ideas. The guitar's top is plain ol' solid sitka spruce and this is about where the plain-ness ends. The DX1AE uses high pressure laminate back and sides that are patterned after mahogany, and the neck is a material that Martin calls "Stratabond". This material is created from several layers of wood pressed together and finally carved to size in a traditional manner. A mortise and tennon neck joint offers unparalleled resonance from a guitar in this price point (new, even). The onboard electronics are made up of the Fishman Sonicore pickup and Sonitone bridge. The aesthetics, as mentioned earlier, are a tad on the plain side, but who can complain with all the other goodies offered? UTILIZATION The guitar is a pretty simple dreadnought shape and it projects accordingly. The neck is sensationally quick to get around. The combination of the low-oval neck profile and the richlite composite fingerboard makes for a comfortable playing experience. The tuning stability was so-so, during the testing of this guitar I had to re-tune the guitar a handful of times while staying in standard tuning. SOUNDS I played the Matin DX1AE through both unplugged as well as amplified through a small Roland amp. I alternated between playing with a plectrum and playing primarily finger style. The guitar sounds very rich and warm. The large body gives you all the low end you'd expect and with a subtle sweetness in the midrange that excites the ear. Played with a pick, you can get very loud, boomy, chordal passages out, while with finger style you can easily carry on with articulate arpeggiations. I feel that the guitar excels at being played with a plectrum, but a seasoned finger style artist will not feel anywhere disadvantaged. Amplified, the Dx sounds gorgeous. I ran the amplifier with a very flat EQ and used the volume alone. Very impressive sound. OVERALL OPINION The Martin Dx1AE is an excellent low price electric acoustic that easily rivals the sound quality of higher end guitars such as the Taylor 114ce. The aesthetics are on the plain side with Martin even sparing proper fretmarkers. However, the sound quality alone easily justifies the $550 asking price.

I have been messing around on the guitar for a long time now and have a pretty solid collection of guitars both acoustic and electric. I used to be conserned with more of the guitar’s looks when I was younger but that’s not the case anymore. I am now more consirned with the guitars ability to get the proper tone. I spend hours on hours sitting in a room that has concrete flooring in my basement playing because it really lets me hear the tone of the guitar better that way. The D 28 by Martin has allowed me to get that great tone almost every single time. It really is an amazing guitar and you must try to get your hands on it. Even if you cant afford it because it isn’t cheap you can always go down to guitar center and play with it and see if its something that you would want to own and then start saving the money to get it. UTILIZATION Yes, it is easy to get the last frets and the design and shape are perfect for me, but it may not be perfect for you. We all like our instruments to be as custom to us as possible to you will need to go try it out first like I said. Yes it is easy to get the sound you will love, there really arent too many other guitars that I own sound as good as this does. SOUNDS Sounds amazing I love it and I always will. I play some blue grass and folk with it from time to time and it gets the sound perfect each time. OVERALL OPINION One thing that I didn’t like about this was the price tag. It really put a dent on my credit card, but it was worth it in the end. I have paid it off a long time ago and the good thing about it is it can still be sold for almost the same price I purchased it for which is always a great sign when you can resell your gear for a similar price to what you paid for it.