Martin Carbon Fiber Guitar For Sale (Jan 2023 Update)

First I should say this is my third Martin, the others being a D18 1934 GE and an OM-H28 VTS. I've wanted a 00-sized guitar and after having played several I chose the CEO-7. Boy, am I fortunate. I'm having more fun with this guitar than I really thought possible. First, it looks so cool. More Gibson L-00 than Martin (hence the "My Favorite Marti(a)n" nod in the title). But it plays and sounds just like a Martin–and that's a great thing. I've often said that if American history and culture had a soundtrack, it would be played on a Martin. And if I were doing the playing, it would be on my CEO-7. It fits like a glove and the sound rocks my soul. When played softly, it produces a sweet and delicate sound. But when you lay into it, it becomes gritty and bluesy. I've swapped the plastic bridge pins for bone and I'll probably upgrade the tuners at some point, but everything else is tops–addy top; mahogany back and sides; looks like a mahogany neck; ebony fingerboad and bridge; 1 3/4 bone nut. It's a lot of value for the price. Honestly, hands down THE BEST guitar I've ever owned. No regrets. I'll have this one forever.ScottyJ

I have been deliberating on getting a Martin D28 for a decade. I finally bit the bullet and spent the money but opted on the CEO 7. I couldn't be more happy. First off its gorgeous with the sunburst top and choice mahogany back and sides. The size drew me in because of comfortability and I play a lot sitting and lounging. To me it is way more comfortable than the dreadnot while not loosing any (or significant) volume. Plays like a dream. I shouldn't have have waited so long. I did opt to add an ivory arm rest and I think it just increases the big sound of this little guitar.Jon

This guitar is comfortable in my hands…it just feels good. Finger picking, flat picking, strumming…whatever style you prefer…it'll be fine. Clear and crisp and rings like a bell. Small but mighty. I've played (or tried to play) a bunch of guitars over the last 50 years. I'm a ham and egg player. Electrics and acoustics – Fenders, Gibsons, Martins, Gretschs, Epiphones, Guilds, Dan Electros and on…and this Martin CEO-7 is among the sweetest ever. This one makes me want to play it, and, most important, makes me want get better at playing it. This one makes me lose track of time.Hroogar

I have not stopped playing this sucker. Thought it was delivered next week but it came a couple days ago. This will be my church guitar. A Fender Hellcat is not a church guitar lol! Technically, this is my second Martin. I have the backpacker and it has been played to death but still holding up. I opted for any "600$ Martin" and this kept coming up. I am happy with this guitar regardless of the lack of research I did for it. Now that it is in my hands I can judge it more thoughtfully. The feel of the guitar is something I've never had before with any other guitar. I wanted Martin for this reason. I just didn't know how much "feel" there was to a well-crafted instrument. Again, I am happy happy happy and blessed!Kris w/a K

I play at some parties, but mostly recording in a small home studio. This guitar has a very nice deep and rich sound – great for full chords to back up vocal(s). Despite its description as an environmentally adaptable guitar, the neck compressed slightly when kept it in a colder room of the house, exposing undressed fret ends which were very sharp. More like what you might expect from a $100 guitar. Additionally, the action on higher frets began to get higher within the first couple of months. Martin does not include a truss rod wrench with the guitar! Had to order one. Altogether, great sound, but sub-par quality for a Martin. Still would recommend the guitar, just for the sound.Tom R

I've had an alvarez for the past 15 years that has served me well, however the frets are pretty much worn down to the point they were in need of replacing. I decided to just get a new guitar and retire the old guy, went to GC and tried a few acoustics and ultimately settled, so I thought, on another new alvarez. As I was walking out of the room I saw the Martin and it was within $40 of the alvarez and I figured, what the heck I'll just give it a quick play. I couldn't believe how great this thing sounds for being composed mostly of paper and wood scraps. It's not a perfect comparison to a high end Martin, but it definitely comes close. It is bright, clear and still punchy on the lower notes with very good sustain. I immediately put the alvarez back and took this guy home with me. I couldn't find much online about this exact model, it doesn't even show up on the Martin website. However from what I can tell it's the same as any other all HPL body Martin's with a different color wood grain. The wood grain pattern has no effect on tone with the all HPL versions so it's really just cosmetically what you like. Up close you can absolutely tell this isn't real wood (except for the headstock, and even the fret board is passable as real wood). And it actually started to make me wonder if I should return this and get the all wood Alvarez. Upon further thinking I decided it was a stupid and superficial thing to care about. This guitar played better and sounded better than any of the real wood instruments in it's price range. Build quality is great. No sharp fret ends, no glue on the body, no cracks or dents. I tuned this once so far. On the way home from GC in the back seat of my vehicle. It's now been 3 days since then and the tuning has held which is shocking. I never thought I'd like a fake wood instrument, but time makes fools of us all and martin can apparently build a fantastic guitar out of paper.Luke

Like others, I've always wanted a domestically crafted Martin but just couldn't fit it in the budget. I'm sure the X series are great instruments but I did not want to settle for something other than a solid wood US made Martin if I were to purchase one. The MF sale and their 48 month, 0% financing deal made the choice a no brainer. I would consider myself an experienced novice in that I've been noodling on acoustics for 35 years give or take but electric bass has been my instrument of choice. That said I find this guitar easy and a joy to play and keeps me wanting to come back to it. The sound is bright and pleasant even when getting into the strings some. The quality is top notch and I went over this thing with a fine tooth comb. The absolute, only "flaw" I could find was that the pick guard was off center perhaps be .5 mm or so and the only way one would notice is if you follow the very minimal rosette around the sound hole you can gauge the position of the pick guard by following the thin white center line. There is no way you would notice this unless your eye is within 15 or so inches of the sound hole. The tuners seem decent quality, are marked "Martin", adjust smoothly and hold tune very well. The neck is comfortable and intonation is perfect as one would expect with the use of their PLEK machine to aid set up. To top things off the hard shell case fits the guitar perfectly, looks great and seems to be high quality. There is really no downside to this guitar and I wouldn't hesitate to advise anyone to purchase this guitar.Josh

I've had mine for four months, so I feel that I can make an honest evaluation and I'm every bit as impressed as I was on day one. I'm primarily an electric player, but I owned a couple of mid-range acoustics when I got this. I've since sold them because I knew I would never play them again. After steak, hot dogs just don't cut it. I always thought Martins were rather plain looking and still do, but what makes them so impressive is the playability and unequalled tone. The Custom D ranks right up there with the best in those categories. The satin finish is nice and while it may be psychological, I think it may give it a more open sound. You can definitely feel a ton of vibration in your body when playing. It doesn't show fingerprints or require polish either. In fact, Martin doesn't recommend polish. The factory installed strings are of the highest quality and great for chording, but if you use the entire fretboard or do a lot of bends like I do, you may want to consider something lighter. I changed to coated 10-47 extra lights and was surprised to find little to no loss in the low end. Now that I'm a Martin fan, I've considered trading up, but I just can't justify the extra cost for binding and a gloss finish. I'm sure the cork sniffers will tell me there's a whole lot more to it than that, but I think they would be hard pressed to distinguish a difference between this and a higher end model listening blindfolded. I've been playing for 48 years and have bought and sold many guitars during that span (regretting a few), and the Custom D is one of the best guitar purchases I've ever made. Oh yeah, everyone comments on the smell and it's no exaggeration. Hits you as soon as you open the case.Terry T

I wasn't expecting a whole lot with this guitar. I just wanted a guitar that I could take out in the elements and not have to worry about it. I also have a Taylor 314ce and Martin 000-15. This guitar is super comfortable to play, it's solidly built, and it sounds like a Martin! I tried the Taylor 114 first and it felt and sounded a bit cheap. This one is so much better than the Taylor 114. It has sustain for days (sure wasn't expecting that)! The 1.75" nut width and 24.9 length make it perfect for me. The fretboard is also superb, the richlite feels like ebony (super smooth), and the fretwork is spot on!EC

Very nice guitar … However , There are no tuning instructions or string height instructions . And you may find the the standard "E" tuning is to high . And will stress the neck joint . Which is why many of Older Martin Guitars require a Neck Reset . And is why the Martin players . Most often recommend "D" tuning . CMNchris

This is my third Martin although mine is slightly different in that it is a 000-28 EC Eric Clapton version. In 1972 I bought my first one, a D-35, then acquired a D35-12.later. I played the D-35 exclusively for many years professionally along the way acquiring a beautiful custom hand built guitar, Bertoncini, but I always wanted a smaller body that I thought would be better for finger picking and wow does the 000-28 meet that! I have become so addicted to it I play it almost exclusively. Not only is it wonderful for finger picking it is wonderful for flat picking too. The action is set perfectly. I love the feel of the smaller body size, it cradles into your arms perfectly. The neck on mine has a slight "V" shape which is terrific with a slightly wider nut which really enhances the finger picking style greatly. It's no wonder it is Clapton's favorite acoustic. The 000-28 predates the Dreadnoughts and was and is more the Martin "Classic" and for a good reason, it is a very well balanced guitar tone-wise not overly boomy which can interfere with the bass if you're playing in a band and the tone is dead accurate all the way up the neck so an E played open is in tune with an E played up the neck. So many guitar makers miss that by a mile. I love this thing so much my only regret is the poor D-35 sits in the case too much! The 000-28 has a signature tone to it that you can not mistake for a Taylor or something else – this is a true classic. Now something else I want to add about a Martin and their service. After I bought the D-35 years ago the neck moved just slightly and after 30 years of playing the plastic binding began to separate. When the wind knocked it over on its stand on a break I finally sent it back again for repairs. It came back in PRISTINE condition! The tone was not hurt in the least by the necessity of refinishing it and it plays beautifully – all no cost to me! Martin is fantastic. The 35 is wonderful but I love the 000-28 – my Go To!Rick

Back in 2008, I bought my dream guitar, a Martin HD-28. In the last 12 years it has been my baby. However, I only play for myself at home. Lately, I had been reconsidering it's large size and loud volume, and I started trying some smaller guitars. I decided to sell my dreadnaught, and used the proceeds to buy this 000-28 that was redesigned in 2018. Let me say that it is amazing. While the HD-28 had a beautiful deep bass-like response, this 000-28 is more shimmering and a chiming sound. It is extremely comfortable, and the fretboard seems a bit wider than my HD-28, which makes it very comfortable. I was concerned about how the aging toner would look, but it turns out looking very warm and buttery, and the top color will definitely age more on its own. I was also worried that it wouldn't be good for strumming, due to the shorter scale length. But this guitar sounds just as good strumming as well as finger picking. I've never tried an OM-28, but I can say that this 000-28 is also a great chord strumming guitar. This is a very intimate and lovely guitar, and I don't know if it will ever leave my house. If I were playing gigs or in a band, I would probably prefer a dread size, but this is perfect for my personal use at home. Also, the scalloped bracing seems to have been a massive improvement. I imagine this is very close to the Clapton model now, in terms of sound.Chachi

I own two other Martins (1970 D12-35 and1971 D42) both of which have aged beautifully and sound incredible. Both guitars needed to be set up, as back then out of the box from Martin high actions seemed to be the norm. Took a Martin factory tour in PA a few years ago and was floored by a demo stock D28. I've wanted one ever since. Walked into a Guitar Center while in NJ on a whim (alone, wife would have dragged me off) and tried various D28's, and even a D45. When I got to the D28 MD, well, it was all over. Haggled over price, then purchased it – this was back in Feb 2020, pre-Covid. Loved it out of the box. Pleke'd for perfect action, (absolutely no setup needed), beautifully appointed and incredible clear and distinctive bass, treble mid-range, whether finger picked (using finger picks or just fingers) or picking. It's now August, 6 months later, and…the sound is still a jaw-dropper every time I play. If you want a premium sounding player, that is also visually satisfying without being ostentatious, and your budget can permit, this is the one.Steven

The Martin "Special OM-28 VTS" guitar is outstanding in every way. WOW! It arrived with a perfect set-up. Its case is also a small upgrade over Martin 15 and 17 series' wood covered cases, and good enough. I contacted Martin about the VTS top on the guitar before buying. I wanted to know that if after torrefaction the top was going to continue to age, albeit much more slowly that new wood? My question was answered promptly by a customer service employee at Martin who said he asked my question to Martin's head of Instrument Design. The answer was yes, the VTS top will continue to age, very slowly. So, it is not a dead top. Derek was my sales associate and he could not have been more kind and patient. After all, buying a higher-end Martin isn't cheap. My guitar is labeled "Special" on its wooden serial number plate and not "Custom." The sales tags say "Custom." Guitar Center/Musicians Friend ordered 100 a of these exact guitars as a "Custom" order from Martin. It sold out and ordered more. The extras, mine included are called "Custom." I knew this before I made my purchase. My "Special OM-28 VTS" guitar is of heirloom quality.Chris

I wanted a rosewood 000 or OM. Almost brought a used omjm a couple different times. MF has had some smoking sales lately and I missed a couple good deals because I didn't pull the trigger. When this beacame part of the FALL sale knowing the omjm and 000-28ec is based on this basic model and this model had VTS, I just did it, tossed aside self control, took the heavyest one they had and here it is. After a few self tweaks to the truss rod, lowering the saddle a couple mm, like tone wowsville, this sounds as loud and has as much bass response as my HD-28e retro. Even my wife noticed. You know how wives are, they let us have multiple guitars so we don't get multiple girl friends, and she noticed how good this sounded over an HD28e retro, an 000-18e retro, a gpcpa1 big leaf maple custom shop, a 000-15m, she never knows what I am playing until this guitar. Now if she knows and hears the difference imagine how much I and you will notice how fripping sweet this guitar sounds and plays. This sounds incredibly good and should be added to your arsenal of guitars. The neck is like butter. Adding Fishman AG series passive piezo for electronics. My top has red streaks going through it, says sitka but I've only seen Engleman red spruce like that. The VTS is amazing, Better get one of these before none are left! I think I got the next to last one.OttoMatick

Overall: I bought this guitar a little over a month ago. Guitar was in perfect playing condition right out of box. Usually first thing I do is change the strings as soon as I open. But I noticed they were very bright and had no sign of aging. Good thing I didn’t because the lifespan 2.0 strings it comes with are amazing. After 40 plus hours of playing strings still had no dirt or grime on them. I always thought all strings are the same. Probably got 3x the life out of these. So once I plugged it in I couldn’t believe how great it sounded. Every little note was so clear and it picks up all the little accents in my playing so well. You can really hear every note so clear. It is an expensive guitar but if you are a serious player and want the best you will not be disappointed with this guitar. The fishman pickup is great. So much tone. Unplugged sounds great too. Also I wasn’t crazy about how they put the electronics in sound hole. But now I kind of like it now they’re hidden and keeps it looking more natural. They’re in there pretty deep so you won’t hit them when playing. I am familiar with the Grover open back tuners also. They are great very smooth and hold in tune excellent. I must mention I chose this one for the neck profile also the modified low oval is easier on the hands then the performing artist neck. I got the low oval on my 00015M both are great guitars but I needed one with a cutaway and acoustic-electric.Anthony

I'm an amateur guitar player, but a lifetime musician (drummer)… been teaching myself guitar now for several months on a couple different low end guitars. I decided it was time to upgrade. After lots of research, I decide the Martin road series would be the best option for me. I was right… this guitar is amazing, I love the tone, the playability and the space on the fret board. I have little fat fingers and I need the space between the strings. The 1-3/4 nut allows good space for us fat finger dudes. Can't go wrong with the Martin… now I fully understand why Martin is one of the best… I won't be going away from Martin. Found my lifetime guitar!Eric

I'm a gigging musician with over 60 years on guitar. I play finger style mostly. I'm also a singer songwriter. I almost didn't even try this guy. Yes it's a model that's only sold by some retailers but it is still a Martin in every way. I ordered it shipped to store. When I went to pick it up, it was obviously a repack from a GC store and had a few nicks and dings and old nasty strings. The store had thrown a new set of strings in the box but didn't even wipe the guitar down before shipping. I almost refused it and left the store with bad feelings. Fortunately, my local GC offered to restring it and clean it up as a good faith gesture. I agreed to give it a try. Best decision I've made recently. It plays beautifully. Very balanced sound from low to high. Good factory setup with no buzzing anywhere, even when I dig in. Good response and feel from light and delicate finger style to hard strumming. This has become my #1 gigging guitar. The built in tuner and electronics work well and sound great with my Fishman Loudbox Performer. Thank you GC for saving a sale and making me a happy old picker.Thomas

I bought my fiancé and I a new Martin. I got her a Martin Dx2e and I got this one. I received mine first since I ordered from here which was wonderful. I got hers off of reverb because ams didn’t have sunburst which she wanted. I was not picky about color but I went with this one. I was super excited to say the least because this was my first Martin Guitar. I also purchased another guitar last year from Ams and I loved it. I digress and move forward to getting it. So I opened it up and I was super pleased with how perfect it looked. Then I started playing it. It was great until I went to play a D chord or anything that involved the high E string. It is cut way too low on the nut and the slightest pressure makes the string fall off the fret board. I thought maybe it was just me, however my father in law to be, which is a professional had the same issue. Also my fiancé had the same issue. Needless to say, I tried to make it work. I sent Ams an email. No response. I guess I’m stuck with this 1k dollars in a guitar that is going to need to be repaired at a shop when it’s brand new. So overall, if you want to take the risk, go for it. My fiancé got the Dx2e and it’s stellar. I would rather have one like hers than this one tuner or not. Hers sounds much better too. The looks and everything else is fine. Just the bottom string is way way too low.Brittany

Sound: Unplayable, neck is crap Features: Doesn’t matter what you do to adjust the neck , it is crap Ease of Use: I wouldn’t know , this guitar should never have been allowed to be released . The neck is unacceptable Quality: It looks pretty. If I wanted a pretty guitar to never be played then it would be ok . But you can not even play this $900 piece of crap. Extremely frustrating Value: Absolutely no. Buy another brand. Breedlove would be my best choice as I bought one and absolutely loved it out of the box . Best acoustic guitar I ever played Manufacturer Support: I have contacted Martin. No authorized repair shop within 100 miles of me in my state . Martin should be ashamed of this garbage The Wow Factor: Martin name sucked me in . Never ever again if they don’t want to fix this piece of junk Overall: I have been playing and working on my own guitars since 1975 . This is absolutely the worst guitar I’ve ever owned. The neck has an S shape to it . The relief is acceptable up to the 7th fret , after that it rapidly accelerates to an unusable 1/4 inch at the 12th fret . No matter how much you attempt to adjust it, it simply is unplayable. I am ashamed to even take it out of the bag . Martin quality control seriously blew it big time on this guitar. I own dozens of guitars and waited until my retirement to buy that Martin guitar of my dreams. This is a nightmare, not a dream. Stay away from this piece of crap . No matter what adjustment you do to the truss rod , it won’t help. Bass to treble side is extremely different. 1/4 inch on the bass side at the 12th but the treble side is marginally better. However, the S shape of the fretboard makes the guitar unplayable unless you like staying in the cowboy chord area . My Ovation, Breedlove,Fender , and Gibson acoustic guitars are brilliant examples of guitar playability. This Martin was to be my final guitar since I have only played them and never owned one . I can’t even play this piece of garbage. Martin has no dealer or authorized repair shop within 100 miles of me so I am stuck with a $900 piece of firewood. Never ever will I buy anything with that name again. That’s all they are, a name. How this got by quality control blows my mind. I have $200 acoustic guitars that are much better than this. Totally disgusted by my experience with this guitar.Gregory

I decided to wait until the honeymoon period was over (4 mos) to write a review. I've now come to the realization that it's not going to end. I've been playing for about 50 years, and over the past 10 or so have thoroughly enjoyed splitting time between my Taylor and Washburn. No more! This Martin is easily the most amazing guitar I've ever played. The combination of sound, size, and playability make it very hard to put down. I've been primarily a flat picker all my life, but this guitar begs to be fingerpicked, and I'm happily obliging! Simply put, an outstanding instrument.Jeff

I have been wanting this model for a few years. I knew what I wanted from playing these in stores. I finally bought one from MF. When it arrived I unboxed it and opened the case. Wow these are beautiful guitars. As soon as I started playing I was disappointed. The guitar did not sound like the ones I had played in stores. This on had a muddy small sound. This is not what I expect from spruce and rosewood. Now I am out the shipping cost to return the item. I think I learned a few good lessons here. Always play the guitar you are buying in person. Each and every acoustic guitar has its own sound, no matter how well they are built.dillon

I have been playing guitar for over 40 years and have always loved the sound of Martin guitars. I prefer a "V" shaped neck which is rare these days. I decided to finally purchase a Martin, and decided on this model to get the modified "V" neck. The action and feel are outstanding, and the sound is everything I would expect from Martin. The details and finish are exceptional. I have several guitars, and this one just became my go to acoustic.Mike

I play locally for hire as a solo acoustic guitar / vocalist. My primary guitar is a Martin GPCP Aura. I purchased the Martin SC 13E in hopes of finding a guitar with better action and playability. My first reaction to the 13E was really nice and it did play with less effort / strength than my GPCP. The first issue I noticed was string buzz on the 1st and 2nd strings. It wasn't awful but noticeable. I played the guitar that weekend at two shows. I was still noticing the buzz. So, I started the set-up investigation. The neck relief, the slight bow forward that a guitar neck needs, looked really good, maybe could use a bit more to help with the string buzz. This is an easy truss rod adjustment; however, I didn't change the truss rod setting. The next thing I looked at was the distance of the string height, above the 12th fret. My thought was I would try to lower this slightly if I decided to keep the guitar. The next weekend I got the guitar out at home before getting ready for my show that evening, to run through a new song I was planning to do at hat nights show. I took the SC13E out of the bag and the 1st and 2nd strings were touching the guitar at the 20th fret. I thought the saddle had somehow pushed down lower into the bridge…. I exchanged that guitar for another SC1E. GC person was easy to work with and got the exchange handled quickly. About 3-4 days I had my second SC13E in my hands. It also had the same string buzz, even though the neck relief and action looked good. I played a couple of shows with this guitar and then I started noticing the buzz getting worse. If you are still reading, the reward is at hand. lol I have decided that the problem with this guitar, and probably the other guitar, is the neck angle is off. I will explain why I think it is off and explain how you can check your guitar. I have watched hundreds of youtube videos trying to learn how to set-up and care for my instruments. I have watched neck adjustment videos put out by fender, for their strat guitars, because I wanted to know how to adjust my Acoustasonic Strat. But what I am getting ready to sell you, I have discovered on my own and may not be accurate, but here it goes. If I put a capo, or hold the strings down with my hand. on the 12th fret, there is a space between the strings and the frets above the 12th fret. A pretty wide gap at the 20th fret. On the SC13E the strings are almost touching and the 1st string is touching. Wa La I believe that neck angle is off. I think it was off on both guitars. So check yours before missing your return date. If you check your guitar and it has this problem, don't totally freak out. The SC13E has an adjustable neck angle, so it can be made perfect. If you find what I described above, I suggest contacting Martin Guitar and GC. Another thing to be aware of, the three Martin guitars I have owned had the nut groves cut too narrow. I took my GPCP to an excellent luthier. He filed the width and depth to correct specifications and filed down my frets (I had two that where high) Both of the SC13E guitars needed to have the nuts filed. If you are trying to tune your guitar by making a very slight turn to get it just right and the string doesn't increase pitch and then jumps to a sharp pitch, the string is probably pinching in the nut grove. Both SC13E's were boogers to tune for that reason. One of them broke the B string while tuning up from dropping the pitch. I am returning my second SC13E tomorrow and I think I am going to give it a rest for awhile. Maybe look for something different. FYI: I love my Martin GPCP Aura, unfortunately they discontinued that model. The sound I get from the Fishman Aura electronics is the best I have heard. PS: part of the reason the SC13E plays easier is they use a lighter gauge string. I put a set of the MA535T Martin Lifespan strings on mt GPCP and even with the truss rod loose, the strings don't pull on the neck hard enough to give me the neck relief that is needed. The SC13E is a beautiful guitar to look at and the electronics onboard sound very nice. I learned, I'm not a big fan of having the controls inside the sound hole. A little awkward to get to while strumming and the phase reverse switch is way back from the opening. If you like using the hole covers to fight feedback, I'm pretty sure you would be out of luck. I think this price range of acoustic guitar should come with a hard case. I gave this guitar a 2 rating because it has potential BUT i do think both of these guitars suffered from poor quality control. My luthier could have made both of these guitars sing beautifully but I refuse to buy a new guitar and send it for repairs, even if the repairs are set-up issues. A new guitar on the north side of a thousand dollars should show up playing without string buzzing and the strings close enough to the neck that you hand doesn't feel like you just hung from the monkey bars during an entire recess.Dale

This is a beautiful instrument with a stunning full acoustic sound despite the deep cut away and relatively small body size. The amazing design allows for unlimited access to the upper frets and the whole instrument feels very comfortable to play. I wanted an acoustic guitar with the accessibility of an electric and this new design from C.F.Martin delivers that in droves without ever loosing it's acoustic personality and sound. I own a super jumbo acoustic made by another company but the SC13e makes it sound dull and lifeless even before it is plugged in. The SC13e has that familiar Martin sound which is full and beautiful. The fishman pickup will then allow that sound to be delivered to anywhere from a gig in a noisy pub to full stadium if required. What a stunning instrument!Reviewed by Kenny's Music custom

Absolutely amazing guitar. I had been shopping for a while, and tried an OM-21 in my local GC. The overtones, the warm tone, I just had to have it! Definitely a forever guitar and could not be happier. Get your hands on one of these!K

I really love this guitar! I purchased in a sunburst finish. There's nothing to dislike. Martin's come with the action a little high, this is to be expected. I took it to a tech to have the action lowered to my taste. Because it's plek'd from the factory, you can really get the action quite low. It's is now the best of my guitars. The sound is so balanced, it's beautiful to behold and to play. I never want to put it down. I've waited a bunch of years to commit…it is everything I wanted and imagined it could be. Martin standard series are all amazing. They Are the Martin sound defined, the reference point. They are not a cheap investment, but they are worth it. Whether you like a short scale hog (000-18), or a long scale Rosewood dread (D-28), you will not be disappointed. I love the long scale OM with rosewood. I wanted a sunburst with understated dark bindings to blend with the sunburst. This is my guitar…it is stellar in every respect. If you can acquire any model of the standard series of martins, you will be blessed with tone and beauty. It will be a lifetime guitar.GGC

I don’t like buying mid to high end guitars in the blind. Even if it’s a Martin, Collings, Taylor etc… but I was able to play 3 M36’s at a store in Nashville and they all sounded the same. I had to think about it because I have a Martin HD28 and it was very close. The thing about the M36 is that it having a OOOO (Jumbo) size body, I got bolder low ends. Finger style was easy and picking was bright and articulate. Problem solved not needing to bring more then one guitar to the recording studio and didn’t have to worry about gigging with it because of the affordability. American Musical Supply always makes it easy with the nice selection and 12 months interest free to get one. I installed (myself) a K&K pure mini pickup and this guitar sings. Thank AMS!T Galloway

I really like the size and sound of the Grand Performance Martin guitars. The low end has enough "boom" and higher end "sparkles." The construction of this guitar with solid sapele back and sides and a solid spruce top helps to bring out the sounds I like so well in Martin guitars. I've played a DRS1, DRS2, an 000-10e, a GPC-13e and this GPC-11e, and they are all consistent and well built. I really like the new pickup systems that they've added to the new series in as much as it includes the lighted tuner inside the sound hole. The fingerboard is smooth and fast; I like the Richlite. Sapele is a lot like Mahogany, so this is a very fine combination of woods. The tuners hold it in tune just fine. The bag it comes with is nicer than I had expected, it gives good protection. Not like a real hard-sided case, but good. And it's lightweight but with a strong zipper. Good tone wood is getting harder to source for these guitar makers. I'm very happy I could find a gem like this one with these fine materials.Boomer

Overall: I have bought and played so many electric guitars over the years and never really looked into buying an acoustic guitar for myself. I have an old epiphone acoustic laying around that was given to me by a friend years ago, but I never bought a decent one to play for myself. So I went about on YouTube of course to look at some reviews. There’s a lot of acoustic guitars out there so it’s very hard to make a decision based on them alone. I really did want a Martin so I knew that much. and, at that time thought they were very expensive. that they were really expensive.Then I found a really nice review of this Martin guitar and a Taylor. To me the Martin blew it away, and that had me sold. The only thing that bothered me was that I couldn’t play the Martin because I don’t have any music stores close to me. So I just decided to buy this, and boy am I satisfied! I’ve had it for a week now and I just love it. The sound is BIG and it’s a very, very light acoustic guitar. The setup is great out of the box and I think it’s a great guitar for the money. I know that maybe there is a guitar out there that may sound better and might be cheaper, but I just don’t have the time to go that deep into researching the internet to find one. And I have played Martins before, so I trusted the name. If you are looking to buy an acoustic for anything you are doing, this is a great choice of guitar to get. I’m very happy with my purchase, and zZounds makes it very easy to pay, I may add. Don’t hesitate on this guitar. It plays great, sounds great and looks wonderful! I’m very happy with my purchase! Also, it sounds great plugged in and the tuner right below the high E string is very nice to have in there. You don’t even notice it’s there when you aren’t tuning the guitar. I put 4 stars for manufacturer support because I’ve never dealt with them. And hopefully never will.Billy

The Martin 000-17SM is a great guitar, all the way around. It is an absolutely fantastic fingerstyle instrument, but if you take a pick to it, it responds very well. It is very loud for a "small" bodied guitar. This may be due to the elongated 000, 12-fret body. The 000, 12 fret design also gives this guitar a very balanced sound throughout its entire range. It's not "boomy" like a dreadnaught and it isn't "boxy" like a parlor or travel guitar. The only "down" side for someone coming from a dreadnaught might be the wider neck. Once you start doing some fingerpicking on this thing, though, you'll fall in love with the neck. The slotted headstock does take a little practice and a little more time when restringing, but I just think of that as "bonding" time. After all, this is the kind of guitar you're going to want to keep forever and pass down to your kids.Bad Blues Player

Overall: Probably the ugliest guitar Ive ever owned. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder right? Under its homely face is the soul of a beautiful wood nymph. Crisp and clear, bold and bright with the earthy tone of Mahogany. This guitar is addictive. I tried 4 very good guitars before holding on to this one. Gibson J45, Breedlove USA Concert, Martin Performing Artist GPCPA4R, Larrivee LO3S. Gibson sounded great but had an uneven fretboard, Breedlove gorgeous design, super easy to play and along with the Gibson beautiful to look at, but this one had buzz problems and sounded dull on the bass strings, Larrivee sounded like silken tones but the huge neck was a problem, Martin Performing Artist was almost the one until I recorded with it and it just came out too bright. The ugly little Martin Hog sounded great, recorded great and played like a typical Martin. Good low action, no buzzing and clear deep and woody dulcimer tones. Its a keeper and Im not letting this one go.Daniel

Overall: Bought this guitar when it first came out. It's HPL so the finish doesn't really matter compared to other HPL back and sides but the neck feel and solid wood neck improves pliability from the previous earlier HPL models I have owned. From the first strum I knew I had a good one and I doubt you'll regret buying one of these. Big Martin sound for not a lot of money.Lewis

This guitar was in tune when it arrived, I highly recommend this to musicians who don't care about buying collectors art. My step-dad has over 30 k in 5 American Martin's. They are amazing, but i can take this work on the grip truck. The action is subperb.. buy this guitar, the help from ams was awesome go Glenn! This is probably best cheap quality acoustic electric for the 700 under marketConor

I've been playing guitar ever since I was a little kid, starting out on an old japan nylon, switching over to a taylor gs mini, and mainly playing a seagull s6 coastline through high school. When I was moving to college, I decided I wanted to get a good martin guitar and sort of jumped the gun on this one. However, I must've played every guitar that came through my local guitar center and I wouldn't have switched out my gpc-13e for anything else. It is the best fingerpicking guitar I have ever played where every string brings out the same perfect volume without the bass scoop I find common on the 000's. I would even argue this guitar rivals most of the Martin standard series for half the price. With this guitar and a Martin HD-28e, I see no other reason to buy another acoustic guitar in my life.Luke

This is another addition to my earlier post I still like the guitar as I mentioned before but when I just now went to record using the pickup system I was not pleased. At least to my ears it sounds like a very low end piezo under the bridge like the earliest kinds in the 80's buzzy and thick lacking in any of the subtle sounds I get playing it acoustically.Petros

This case is great! The quality is really good, super protective, deep front pocket fits everything youd need and more! Really happy with it. Straps are comfortable, zipper seems super sturdy and looks like it will last a while!stratant1

Up front I like brighter sounding acoustics (and electrics) and this model Martin was a real revelation. It feels like an electric neck to me so easy to play and the workmanship is outstanding. I was a little thrown by the bolt in neck but I get it now, it allows for owner adjustments (though I would still take it to a luthier) but what floored me was how singing this guitar is all the way up, even chords up at the 12+ frets sound full and loud. This is a pretty darn loud guitar. It has a nice deep penetrating low end but not a fat low end like a more traditional expensive Martins it has bite but a very appealing musical bite. (Think P90 as opposed to Humbuckers) (I'm speaking only played acoustic have not plugged it in yet) again I like it because it sings with a great sustain but not too much low end which can be difficult to record and sing against. Notes just seem to push tone out I was able to push this guitar until it seemed like the strings were rubber bands but it never quit it just kept the tone clear and ringing. Love the design of the bouts feels great to have on your lap. It sounded great flat picked finger picked nail picked strummed hammered pulled nothing did not sound excellent to my ears. I also tried a Taylor 214 CE K which I thought sounded great on videos but wow it sounded choked in many ways and chords that barked out and shouted on the Martin sounded muffled and pretty weak on the Taylor. That's when I decided this Martin was it. (In some ways this guitar sounds like a 12 string because of the bell like clarity and definition just what I was looking for).Petros

This guitar is wonderful. I upgraded from an entry-level dreadnought that was really challenging for me to play. I love the beautiful tones this body produces, I love the look and feel of the 000 build, and I'm happy with my progress since investing. Very satisfied with my purchase.AMY

This is a very nice acoustic. I played it a few times before I purchased it. The volume and tone dials are a little awkward to get to since they are in the top portion of the sound hole. The tuner is nice in the bottom of it. I was really surprised by how thin the neck profile is. The soft side case is excellent! For the price is was really astounded! It is not a US made but it is made in North America and it's a Martin!Dave

Let me begin by saying that I've owned a number of Martins over the years – my first "good" guitar was a D28 many moons ago. In that time, I've never seen Martin's quality falter and this guitar is no exception. Tone, construction, and playability are all top-notch. Within the past couple of years, Ive found that a mahogany-topped guitar suits my singing voice and the 000 10 was chosen for that fact. This guitar has a darker, woody tone that sits well with the male voice (IMO). It's warmth and articulation work great for the fingerstyle playing I do (but it certainly holds up to a pick as well with no complaints). The 1 3/4 inch nut and performance neck are very comfortable over a long period. I enjoy small guitars (0, 00) but the bottom end can sometimes lack in those sizes. The 000 is a perfect compromise – a tight, comfortable waist but enough width in the lower bout to produce a pleasing bass response. What more can I say? All in all, 5 stars for this guitar!dawilcox

I was very impressed with it. It is not a top of the line Martin, nor was my Maton, but I feel it was a step up for me. I found the neck,action,tone simply amazing. It is a fuller richer tone which is saying something because the Maton was pretty damn good. As it is a Dreadnaught, this may be partly responsible for the better tone, but I haven't stopped grinning since I got it home. I changed the strings, Elixir acoustics and that made it even better.bluestone5410

Having only played low priced beginner acoustic guitars I really didn't quite know what to expect. My decision to buy this came from reading nothing but good reviews and from a very well known reputation. When I opened the case my first thought was that this looks like any other guitar that I've had and I hope I didn't just waste so much money on yet another "gimmick lefty" guitar, as there are so many. Being open minded though I fine tuned the strings and strummed a chord for the first time, then another, and another and my jaw dropped down so low it bounced off the top of guitar. This guitar sounds amazing and is such a joy to play. It only took a few seconds to realize that this was indeed money well spent. I had no idea an acoustic guitar could sound like this without being altered in a studio setting, I am very impressed and totally satisfied.The Ghost

Martin has been known for having some of the best acoustic guitars out there in the market and the DSR2 is a great example that you don't have to spend over $1000 to get a good acoustic. Solid Maple top and solid Sapele back and sides lends itself to a gorgeous warm tone. A nice plus is that this is one of the few guitars under $1000 that comes with a hardshell case. If you can afford it, snag this up quick.Tim

This is the first high end purchase that I have been satisfied with! It was brand new! 2 Heritage and 2 Gibson' s have been switched at the last minute after months of waiting and following updates of the newly manufactured item that had been ordered! Please send me the name and contact information of my Gear Advisor for this purchase.John L

Well, this guitar is fabulous. What did you expect? The sustain is endless, the set-up perfect and it plays better than anything I have played before, which of course it should given the price. I can’t keep my hands off it.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

A stunning build quality, beautiful tone & tonal balance. The 00 body size coupled with the high quality rosewood makes for a type of natural EQ & compression of the inherent bass characteristic of the tone wood. The trebles are very present & detailed in the chords & hauntingly beautiful played in single note runs. This guitar makes me wish it was my first good acoustic, for the money I have never seen anything close. Martin reigns.Mr. T