Martin Gpc Special Koa X Series Grand Performance Acoustic-Electric Guitar For Sale (Jan 2023 Update)

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

What a great guitar and feels like it should cost hundreds more. Martin craftsmanship, warranty and tone are second to none. Love the all mahogany style which Martin has made since the 1930's. Amazing tone that takes some time to loosen up. I use this for recording and playing live. A superlative acoustic in fit, finish and tone. The chime, definition and resonance is amazing. The all mahogany tone seems to stand out against other guitars but still has that sweet bark. The guitars tone is balanced, sweet and has a uniquely solid bass, sweet mid and crystal trebles. Playability is perfect, fast and easy with with intonation being right on. Love the form and dimensions and feel of the neck. The tuners not only look great but tune precisely and look awesome, open gears are the way to go. I love the understated look of it's design and distressed finish, may not be for everyone, for me it's perfect. Each one looks different and mine has a polished patina after playing allot where the arm rests. It excels in fingerstyle and fairly aggressive strumming. It prefers a smooth articulate crosspicking attack for a balanced output. it's truly versatile for every style of music. Finally as for the tone, you only have to look on you tube to hear the sweet, unique qualities of this Martin. It's a keeper and will only get better with time. BTW love the case too. Try one, but bring your wallet, because you will want one and won't get it out of your thoughts if you leave without it!Bart

I purchased mine used and couldn't be happier! I did have to get the string action lowered, but aside from that, this thing sings!! It looks great, sounds great, plays great and the ALL Mahogany wood it's made from even Smells great!! It has a Satin finish rather than gloss as the specs say, but that's even better for the sound quality. It is very light to hold and the flat radius rosewood fretboard is very comfy to play. The grand performance body size is much more louder than I expected. The tone is balanced across the strings making it sound full and just right with a warmer sound vs a really high tinny sound which I do not like. The enhanced Fishman electronics are awesome as well, simple, but awesome! Does Not have a tuner, but definitely not a deal breaker by any means. I love that it is made in USA😁🙂😁 and not china🙄… For the price range and all it's awesome features, it's definitely worth the money! If you're looking for a light weight all Mahogany wood guitar made in USA that sounds n plays awesome and smells good too, Lol.. then you'll love this!Dachsheenie

I've been playing for 55 years. I bought this guitar to replace my daily player, a 30 year old Gibson reissued Gospel that I bought new. This Martin sounds amazing. I bought my granddaughter a Baby Taylor last year and she likes playing guitar, so I gave her this Martin so she can plug it in when she plays at school. I was so impressed with these Martins that I ordered a D-15M for myself. It came yesterday and I am thoroughly blown away by the sound. I own a D-35, HD-28, D-1 and a Baby Martin. These Streetmasters prove to me a person doesn't have to spend the big bucks to get a great sounding guitar.Rod

I have too many guitars but this is the first review I've ever left. This guitar is so easy to play, I played the X series and they just felt really clunky, cheap and dull. The weight was like holding particle board. This guitar is smooth, satin finish just feels tactile friendly. I don't like high-gloss anything. The neck feels a bit heavier than i usually like but this is so much easier to pick up and play vs. my D-28 or even the sc-13e that is interesting. The sc-13e is fun to play but it does not have that Martin sound that this GPC has. The electronics sound surprisingly good as well for a peizo. I usually don't like piezo pickups. I must say this is now my favorite guitar. I have several Taylors that I like a bunch but this guitar is like a Martin-Taylor hybrid sound in a GCP body! I don't know if that makes sense. To pay under $900 for this guitar. This is a quality build don't care if it's not Made in The U.S.A. That's a lie. I do a little but this guitar is awesome. I can't put it down.Jeffrey

I used this guitar for practice, for fun and for play songs. Amazing sound and body!!! Completely professional sound. Stunning performance and very professional instrument. My first electro-acoustic guitar and I am very sure that I bought and amazing guitar. I am gonna enjoy it for a long timeJosias

I first looked at Martin guitars 45 years ago when a store owner refused to let me try one unless I was going to buy it. I know I looked like a punk kid, but I took my money down the street and bought a Gibson instead… Flash forward to 2 weeks ago when I'm looking for a second quality acoustic to keep at home (my Breedlove stays at my girlfriends house several hours away), and the description of this Martin GPC hit all the check-offs – starting with all solid-wood construction (including the ebony fretboard), on-board electronics, cutaway design. I also really like the look of the Grand Performance body – not a collectors edition, but quality materials and build. Who knows if I'd like it until I played it (as I told the music store owner in '76!)? First I have to say it plays a little stiffer than I'm used to, maybe because I usually play XL strings and these are Lights (12-54 I think), maybe because nut-to-saddle is a bit longer… I was immediately pleased with strong bass response and balance from bass to treble strings, unplugged. I plugged it in straight into my PA, and found rich harmonics and natural sustain that was an improvement over the Breedlove. Then I ran it through my vocal harmonizer, which adds a few effects if I want it to; it processed beautifully. I like it best straight into the PA with a bit of reverb and tone tweaking between the tone control inside the sound hole and the PA tones… The more I play it, the better I like it! I may put those XL's on, but I have a feeling I'll stick with the Light strings. I thought I needed another acoustic guitar that played like an electric, but I'm so pleased with the rich tone and reproduction through PA that I see now I need this guitar on its own merits, and not a sub for my missing Breedlove. I won't be using Musician Friends' 30-day trial to send it back… I wonder if Mr. Store Owner ever thought twice about protecting his valuable stock from my grimy little amateur paws?Dave P

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

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 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

Was the next best thing that I have ever got myself other than my truck. Ty love the way it sound and the way it plays……rosad-rober

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

Chitarra veramente bellissima, ottime finiture è un suono bellissimo, bilanciato. Solo un piccolo aggiustamento all’action perché un po’ alta, un quarto di giro al Truss rod con chiave esagonale. Grazie a StrumentiMusicali.netLuca Armenia

The change of richlite to wood for the neck, fretboard and bridge made a huge change to the sound of this guitar. Much more sustain. The guitar sounds and plays great!Dean

I've wanted a Martin forever, and finally purchased a GP-35Z. The guitar is perfect in terms of sound and playability. The sound is balanced amongst the strings, and projects quite well out of the guitar. While the guitar has great clarity and volume, it also retains warmth and is very musical. The neck easy to play, and the ebony fretboard feels great. The winter and changing humidity hasn't effected the tuning of the guitar at all. Rock solid tuning since I received it weeks back. While simple, the spruce top is beautiful, along with the 3 piece rosewood back. The LR Baggs Anthem system that's built in is awesome. Solid hardshell case included as well. If you decide to purchase this guitar, I'm sure that you'd find it a winner with it's full piano tone and easy playability.rollinover

99% of the tone of an all-solid guitar with the added durability and aesthetics of layered Koa. Should it be priced the same as the 000-13e? Debatable. Should it be judged as a "layered", "plywood" or "HPL" guitar? I don't think so. Essentially, Martin sandwiched two fine Koa veneers (not a cheap wood by any means) over a solid African mahogany core. How fine is the veneer? No idea. Does it affect the tone? Minimally. My guess is they're covering an aesthetically imperfect but otherwise perfectly fine piece of mahogany. My Koa B/S look great but I've seen others that are truly spectacular. If sustainability matters to you – this guitar hits the mark. The black tuners and headstock, black Richlite fretboard, and black pickguard contrasted against the mother-of-pearl rosette and fretboard inlays is just on another level. It's super comfortable to play, it sounds fantastic (again, a 1% difference in tone compared to the 000-13e IMO), it has added durability, and the solid spruce top will sound even better over time. I personally love the look and feel of the Richlite fretboard. The built-in tuner is super convenient. The electronics are tucked away and don't impact the look of the guitar at all. Do I wish it came with a hard case? Sure. The gig bag is great quality though. Unless you're bringing it on a plane or moving, the gig bag is more than enough protection. I originally wanted to sell it for a 000-13e (which was out of stock everywhere I went) but every time I get an offer, I can't seem to let it go. I do think it should be $100-$200 less than the 000-13e but still well worth the price, especially if you really want the Koa look. It's a keeper for me.Alex C

Owner/player of 2 1960's Martin D-18's,purchased to play in church praise band plugged in and avoid taking my vintage Martins to gigs in cold/hot weather & wild crowd extremes. Also moving to smaller guitars lately with shoulder pain issues. The KOA veneer back and sides are more beautiful than the pictures suggest up close. Love the familiar sound of the mahogany however which is the interior wood. Black tuner knobs add some nice contrast with the woods. Tremendously easy to play with nice low action/setup. Known as a fingerstyle size guitar but I'm more of a flat picker and it works great for that as well. Battery installation was a bit confusing and not clear in instructions but alas I wasn't familiar with this particular battery setup. I haven't plugged it in yet but expect it to sound great as I have some experience with Fishman pickups. Sounds like a guitar that should cost at least $1000 more. Very happy, I upgraded it to a hard shell case as I'm not a fan of gigbags but the gigbag it comes in is nicer than the usual gigbag. Highly recommended.Bill

Simply put this is a great guitar. I bought it because I also own a D18 E Retro and, with the price tag of the D18, I was always hesitant to take it out when I’d be playing a hot, humid summertime outdoor gig or something like that. The Richlite fretboard is incredibly stable, the guitar stays in tune, and the new Fishman Matrix electronics are outstanding. I actually reach for this one over the D18 the majority of the time. Price, quality, and outstanding tone … it’s all there.Jeff

Plays really nicely when not plugged in. I've not plugged it in much yet though, so I don't know how much if feeds back.Reviewed by Absolute Music custo

Always wanted a Martin and the X-series brought a Martin package into my price range. I didn't know much about HPL, but what it stands for "A sustainable material" helping preserve the environment for future generations, I'm all about it. The Rosewood finish on the body really is pretty, the neck is nice to look at as well. The Richlite fretboard with mother of pearl is a nice touch. Overall a very nice looking guitar in person. Body feels solid but allows for a nice resonance. The sound is absolutely great live and plugged in. The concealed tone and volume dials are a classy touch. I haven't put it down since it was delivered. Easy to play and overall great sounding guitar.SezDave

Sounded and played great at first. After about 3 months the back of the Guitar is coming apart. Never been dropped or even taken out of my house. Was told by GC there is nothing they can do for me. (After 30 day return)Brad

You will like how this guitar fits your hands and you can play for hours, I like how tough the materials are andf will never warp on you and we took to asia and back and it took all that humidity and heat and still plays nicely.

We use it on all venues. Not a loud guitar (D-28 does that job) but perfect for gigs and making music due to tone is just right. I own 32 guitars and all but 6 are rescue purchases and the rest area all hand picked for its sound and this one is has its own sound and feel.

Dont believe the reviews that are asking too much of a Martin brand and bash on this model. Try it and you will understand why :).. Built in tuner, EQ and feed back controls for big and small venues and best of all that first knob you can turn and dial in your sound for your gigs and venues.Simple Honest Man

I bought mine used about 3 years ago. Wonderful, rich tone and nice wide neck. Plays great. Terrific for recording or live work.Andre Tremblay

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 am a petite female and love the size of this Martin Little! I had considered purchasing a baritone ukulele with 6 strings because I wanted a very small body. The Little is larger than a baritone uke but is still within the range of PERFECT and came with an acoustic/electric option so I can jam! I have larger guitars but this little gem is easy to travel with and durable with great sound! I purchased a tuner cause the pick up didn't come with one. Absolutely love the colors on the neck! So happy with my purchase!Chelley

I have had my Little Martin for a couple of years at this point and of the four guitars I own, this is the one that gets played the most. This is because due to the small size and very stable construction materials and techniques, it is always near by, ready to pick up and play at a moments notice. While I keep more expensive and delicate guitars in their hard cases with humidifiers to maintain homeostasis as much as possible, the Little Martin is quite at home on a Jamstand next to my desk. I do keep a Planet Waves humidifier between the strings, even when the LM is on the stand because I live in the NE USA where the winter air in my home is very dry due to forced hot air heating. Since the body of the guitar is the High Pressure Laminate (HPL), it appears to me unaffected by changes in temperature and humidity, but I have found that without the humidifier, the bracing seems to dry out more and the sound can become a little 'pingy'. In fact this was my first impression when I picked it up at the local GC after ordering online. If I had not been able to play one in-store previously, I would have been disappointed with the tone and probably returned it. Instead I put on a new set of strings and put the humidifier between the strings and kept it in the quality Martin gig bag that came with it. Within a week it was sounding much better, more like the one that I tried in-store previously. Since the GC stores have good humidity levels in the acoustic rooms, this is a good way to try out a new guitar (after making sure it is in tune). The only reason that I ordered online to pickup in store was that when I was ready to buy, my local GC did not have it in stock at the time.Ron the eternal guitar novice

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

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

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

Clear, bright performance, and that should improve over the next few months as the instrument gets used to being played.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

This is my first guitar purchase and one that I didn't waiver over once I did it. I am a novice player and have been playing a hand-me-down epiphone that was far too large for me. This guitar is just awesome for my level of play. I love the cut, fit and most importantly the sound of this guitar. The notes are bright and clean. I fell in love with this thing as soon as I plugged It into the amp in the demo room. It is super light and just looks beautiful. So excited to play this guitar for years to come. Highly recommend.BRANDON