Martin Guitar 12 String For Sale (Jan 2023 Update)

I recently purchased my Martin DX2E 12 string from AMS and I love it. I purchased my Martin GCE16 about a year ago from AMS and I have never heard of them before this. I tried to order the same guitar from Guitar Center and it come in damaged, so I returned it. I then tried to order the same guitar from Musicians friend. The online site said it was in stock. I even paid for 2 day delivery, but it never showed up. After 2 weeks I called and they told me the guitar was out of stock. They also told me they should of called or emailed but they don't know why they didn't.(TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM MUSICIANS FRIEND).This is when I found AMS. I called AMS and they were VERY helpful and easy to deal with. I ordered my VERY FIRST MARTIN GUITAR from AMS and have been very pleased. I have since ordered my second Martin guitar from AMS and will only use AMS for my online purchases from here on out. Thank You for all of the great service and merchandise.Bobby

I've played a fair amount of guitar – and guitars – over 30 years, but never a twelve string. Narrowed my choice (there are a few but not a ton of choices in this price range) to this Martin and Taylor's 150e. The Martin neck just accommodated my uncertain left hand a little better. Laminate sides, so yes, there are some tonal sacrifices a more sophisticated listener than I would recognize. But if you are dipping your toes in the 12 string pool for the first time, I highly recommend this Martin. Well built, easy to play and not a budget buster!msh6691

You won't find better action on a twelve string. Nice combination of woods. Great sound and playability. Sounds good plugged in, miked up and with no electronics. Went shopping for high end Martins, couldn't find one that sounded or played well, saw this gave it a try and immediately said this is it. Saved lots,of money that I can no spend on roses for my wife!Abe

Great affordable 12 string from Martin, Nice punchy tone and it stays in tune well! Great workhorse guitar! The sound is unmistakable Martin and the high pressure laminate back and sides look good and don't ding dent chip or scratch easy. Built in electronics are convenient and easy to use. keep in mind that these guitars still have plenty of solid wood used in the construction so you will still have to humidify these guitars during the dry months. The guitar has a comfortable body shape and a nice feeling neck. This is a hands on review, I am a staff reviewer for Sam Ash Music.JOHN @ Huntington

I've looked at a number of 12-string guitars over the years, this is the one that captured my interest. A very playable and great sounding 12-string, sounds even better when played through an amp using the internal pickups.Reviewed by Absolute Music custo

Great sounding Highs, Mids and Lows. Playability is great no buzzings and strings are nice low height. Really rings out.KB

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

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

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

First off, some people don't know the real characteristics of a Guild 12 string. And, no, they aren't ALL supposed to be deep….The wood determines the sound. Denser wood, deeper sound…lighter wood, brighter the sound…I bought one after playing MANY 12 strings. Including Taylor, Martin, Takamine….and this one was my favorite. Frets easy, sound is bright yet full, loud, and just a great guitar. As for the electronics..ehh..not the best…but…I am running a LR Baggs acoustic preamp pedal and it brings the guitars natural sound. I turn up the bottom just a bit…sounds amazing…LOVE THIS GUITAR…and it's beautiful to boot….Jamie

I ran into one of these in a guitar store and was immediately impressed compared to the other 12-strings in the acoustic room. It's not a Guild 512, but it has a good, solid sound and nice neck. I was concerned about the tuners, but they seem to work fine and stay in tune and they are the same as on the deluxe Westerly models. My guitar showed up with a detached soundhole control. I almost sent it back, but I liked the sound of the guitar enough that I just decided to reattach the soundhole control with some double sided tape. We'll see how that holds up, but I wasn't impressed with the original glue job. Otherwise, nice guitar. A 12-string has so much going on sonically, that I don't think I need a more expensive model to get good sound. The pickup sounds nice, too. I also like the satin finish. Good guitar. Very good guitar for the price.Victor

This is the worst guitar for the money I have ever purchased. My brother took sick just before it was delivered. I never got a chance to check this guitar before the time expires. Where should I start. To say this guitar's flyncey is an understatement. The neck is very uneven! The body is so thin even at its great size it cannot give a deep tone. The head of this guitar is heavier than the whole guitar. I see positive reviews on this guitar and I wonder which cartoon characters are posting them or if they are even real. The sound system is is pathetic! It does not matter which amplifier or PA system I play it through it is totally inadequate. And it is incapable of being used in any type of venue through any type of sound system. Why put it in there at all. Guild should be ashamed of itself!!!!! If you are looking for a quality guitar at a reasonable price that plays well! THIS ISN'T IT!Jake

I've owned one of these for years. It doesn't hang well (neck dive), has the sound that you'd expect out of a shoebox sized cavity (no bass), and is over priced. The only reason for owning one of these is if you are severly cramped for space. Get a Baby Taylor, instead of this thing. They are close to the same price, the last time that I checked.Ken

When I first saw these in the CF Martin catalog, I thought how weird looking they were. When I asked at a local shop about them, I was told they would order one for me, but I would not like it! But I liked classical, nylon string guitars and I wanted to own something from CF Martin. Other than this, Martin GTR does not make anything else like that, unless they invented something since I quit looking. I was very fortunate to discover Musicians Friend, and they at one time had these with a passive pickup. These were on sale at a very good price! I ordered one, it arrived in very good shape, in very good time. I fell absolutely totally in love with it, weird shape and all. You could tell it was a Martin, it reeked quality. It's small, the tone is great, but the volume is not huge. Use it for travel, camping, hanging on the wall for odd moments of practice. It's not a case queen, fussy little guitar, but protect it from too much heat and moisture, it is made with wood and glue. With a pickup you could probably blow away a concert hall with it. Look in the sound hole, it will say where it was made there, and tell you to always use extra-lite nylon strings. No truss rod was standard for ages with nylon string guitars, the Backpacker does not have one. Most guitars eventually need the action adjusted to suit the player, including ones costing 10 to 20 times as much as this one. Mine came with a very nice strap and a special gig bag, both very useful. If this appeals to you, don't hesitate to give it a try. I've had mine for years and still love it. Check on you-tube.Still Learning

I have had mine for 10 years or more and enjoy it very much. It's not full body sound it's there to have something to practice and play when on holiday or outside on the deck enjoying a cold one. It doesn't take up much room when packing the car either And yes the one I have is an actual classical backpacker guitar that Martin made years ago. I use it with high tension strings DAddario Pro Arte at standard tuning and it holds up very good stays in tune never have a problem with it going outGerry

Sounds and plays great for the price point. Highly recommend if you're looking for Martin quality but can't afford the next level up. Considered "better" models from other brands at similar price but happy I went with the Martin. The included gig bag is also great quality, better than what I've used previously that I had to pay separately for.CK

I have one of these but it is the Burst model which has Massacar design on the HPL back and sides , which I find to be very attractive. I had to of course, sand down the saddle and adjust the truss rod using the Martin truss wrench in order to have it to my personal settings. Once that was done, I found that this guitar is a joy to play. I only play at home, so I have never plugged it into a amp but I'm okay with that. The tone from this is 100% Martin and it stays in tune forever. I love it and it is not going anywhere.jeffreyo46

Beautiful guitar at an achievable price. I've been looking for something higher quality but wasn't prepared to drop $1K+. Tried this out at the shop and instantly fell in love with it. Also can't beat Sam Ash when it comes to excellent customer service.Jeff

So, this has always been a dream guitar for me. The weird thing is, I’ve actually owned one before but was not impressed with the sound. I had read in previous reviews that the 000-17’s have a cheap guitar sound, and when I owned the previous guitar I was in agreement with those reviews…so, sold it. However, a year later I played one at a local guitar shop and it punched me in the face!!! It was crunchy, punchy, resonant, and had some real cojones to it! I WAS LIKE “WHAT!!!” This ain’t the same guitar I remember, so, I ordered a new one online. When it arrived, my brand new 000-17 sounded just like my first one (Solid tone, but kinda lifeless). I was pretty let down. I was wondering what the deal was. What was so different between the two that I’ve owned, and the one I played at the shop?? So, before I just sold it AGAIN, I put some Martin Retro 13 gauge strings on it and ebony bridge pins on it and BOOOOM!! There it was!! That had to have been the difference between the two I owned and the punchy bad boy in the shop. This guitar is now the all around banger I hoped and heard it would be!! This guitar should be sold with 13 gauge retros on it, because as the reviews state it does sound slightly cheap with the 12’s. When you add the 13’s it’s like putting a set of nuts on it! This thing deserves an overall 5.0 rating, but I think people (Like I did) get rid of it or bash it before they find out what a beast this thing can be! If you are looking to buy one…DO IT!! Then, add 13 gauge Martin Retro strings (And bone bridge pins), and just wait for this bad boy to attack!! I seriously could go my whole life with this one guitar because of it’s character, voice, tone, punchiness, crunch, resonance, playability, craftsmanship, KILLER STYLE, and all around package!! Just ignore the negative reviews and listen to your boy… GET THIS GUITAR!!Zach Scoggins

I know this is alot of money to spend on a guitar. I am a working man too. I firmly believe this is the most money that a player should be spending on any guitar. I am a guitar PLAYER. I DONT buy guitars to hang on the wall so I can appreciate the gloss finish and drool over the pearl inlays. When I buy a guitar, I intend to play it until it is worn. I have done that with all of my acoustic and my electric guitars. If you are the kind of player who knows a few chords, and likes to sit down and strum a pretty guitar with figured inlays and flashy hardware, this guitar definitely is not the instrument for you. When you buy guitar, you can change every part on it, except the body and the neck. If you're going to buy a guitar with intent to change the neck and body, why not just buy a guitar with the neck and body you want, and change the hardware? If you are a player who is professional, serious, and wants to make a sound for yourself, well this guitar is the guitar for you. Yes, It DOES have the neck AND the body you want. The neck feels incredible. It is UNPARALLELED when it comes to feeling this guitar. Don't believe me? Find one and try playing it. It's like the Rickenbacker of acoustic instruments. The top of the guitar is the first thing that the sound bounces off of, and the shape and bracing in this acoustic allows for the hardwood of the spruce to do its job; to vibrate and give the guitar an excellent punch, and to twang and crunch when picking each string individually. It is an unbeatable sound from the first strum, but the real treat is the resonation. The sides of a guitar are where the it's sound rings after strumming. When you let this guitar ring, it gets a deep, rich, and woody sound from the mahogany sides. Somehow, this guitar is both punchy and gives a solid chimey crunch, but also resonates warmly with a full, rich, and deep sound. I have played and owned MANY guitars, but this one takes the cake. It is the best acoustic I have ever played.Marty

My first gut reaction to this guitar was repulsion. To be fair, I unboxed it in very unflattering light. It was strung with Retro monel strings which I personally do not like at all. I looked at the flat, Whiskey Sunset finish. All splochy and just cringe I wanted to yeet the damned thing. I strummed it twice and put it back in the case.

Two weeks later, one morning I tried it again. I sat in great morning sunlight and noticed it was a guitar going for a totally different vibe than anything else out there. And once I understood what it was it made sense. And I began falling in love with this thing.

Construction is perfect. Materials are top shelf. My top is heavily bear clawed as well as figured. Growth rings are parallel and very tight. Super high quality wood, actually. The neck is one piece mahogany, not glued up. The neck wood is also perfectly quarter sawn. The fret oard wood, though an uncommon rosewood has the basic density and pore structure of ebony, ut us a uniform dark cocoa brown color. Mine looke l8ke brown ebony. And it takes a polish like ebony will. You just dont find this wood quality on guitars at this pricepoint. The wood is as good as in my Larrivee LV03, which is a lot higher end guitar that has similar build quality

The guitar is incredibly light, weighing about 35% less than the Larrivee. It is lightly braced. The top is very "live." Doesnt take much wake it and it is very dynamically responsive. As a result, the guitar has a sort of "reverb" to its tone. It is actually the top being so live that open strings ring very easily. Gives the guitar a different vibe thats really cool. It's a subtle thing and would only matter for fingerstyle.

In fact I see this as exclusively a fingerstyle guitar. This is THE guitar to buy for fingerstyle Delta Blues. Detune it and it sounds greasy, growly, and downright nasty. It's sick. Nothing else I own is even close for this genre. The tone is very mid forward. Very warm. Not a lot of top end detail. Soft attack. Bass is tight and focused, but not overpowering. Perfect for pedaled bass notes. This is one of the fattest sounding gits I've heard heard. In electric guitar world its a Strat or P90, neck pickup position, tone rolled back a bit.

I would highly recommend the 000-17 for fingerstyle playing where dynamically responsive, mid forward, aggressive, warm fat tone is wanted. But the guitar isn't a good choice if you aren't a Bluesman. Flatpicking on the 000-17 sounds like poo tbh. You arent going to like it for strumming Kumbayah.

The 000-17 perfect for Blues. And thats great because thats what I wanted it for.Ken Smith

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

Got this from Ithaca Guitar Works. Wanted to play it first. While it looks like a J45, it is a Martin. While the lower bout is an inch wider than a standard dreadnaught, it will not sound like a Gibson advanced jumbo. It is definitely a Martin and celebrates that pedigree. It is incredibly light. The light satin finish gives it immediate resonance and tone. And it will only get better. It is incredibly balanced string to string, but with a Martin bass. I own a Guild D20, which I prefer over Martin's D15 (it's close), but the spruce top on the DSS-17 adds a sparkle that is welcome. The Monel strings had to go. I can see why the late Tony Rice loved them for bluegrass. They are clear and don't overload a picker with overtones from earlier notes. I swapped out for a set of Daddario 12-53 Nickel Bronze strings instead. At times it rings and sustains like a 12 string. Can't stop playing her. The tuners are antiqued models from Stew Mac. They hold tune, but some creak and are not smooth. I am still deciding if noisy stability is preferable to smooth retuning. But they look the part of old tuners.Guild Lover

I've owned 2 Gibson J-45s. The first was a 2018 Sitka top, mahogany back and sides. The second was a Gibson J-45 with rosewood back and sides. Don't get me wrong, I love J-45s, but this Martin DSS-17 is killer! The bottom end reminds me of the 2018 45 I had, but more volume. The one I purchased had a hard case with it, so can't speak to the gig bag this normally comes with. I'd never buy a nice guitar with a gig bag. I'm too picky when it comes to humidifying my guitars, so a hard case is a must. I think this guitar had a great deal of thought put into it and they knocked it out of the park. This is my second Martin. The other that I own is a 000-15 SM, which is a great guitar as well. I'm still a Gibson fan, but let's be honest, a J-45 is a grand more than this 17. The 17 checked my boxes, so here we are.Randy C

The guitar plays great, sounds amazing and looks stunning. Real cool vintage vibe. The tuners seem very precise. I was disappointed that the guitar didn’t come with a hard case, but I have to say I’m really impressed with the soft case that came with it and it is far more robust than I would have expected. The set up is excellent nice and low but no fret buzz. My Gibson will be taking a back seat now this baby has arrived. Unbelievable tone and I definitely made the right decision to purchase this.Reviewed by Project Music custom

I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of this value brand guitar. The action was actually low and playable after tuning it out of the box. I was wanting to try my hand at a 12 string and found some used ones for more money that were basically unplayable. Then I found this new Oscar Schmidt on e-bay, and figured for the money, it's better than paying double for an unplayable wooden box. I will detension the strings for when I store it so it doesn't bow the sound board.willi-tiso

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

Just fantastic Well, how do I make this clear. First of all, an acoustic guitar is really just a mirror made out of wood;l in other words, whatever you can do, IT will do. I've been playing almost 30 years and can tell you that learning to play steel-string is an EVOLUTION. An evolution of your taste, your ability, but also it's a continued undestanding of what makes a guitar sing: Voicings and strings. Without all these things you cannot evolve. What a martin brings to the table (ESP the D-45) is the vehicle to make these expressions in my opoinion. For example, I play the same thing on 2 guitars and one of them is a D-45 — THAT is where we should begin the review, a comparison to a baseline variable. I've owned both old klunkers and nice steel string guitars. But it wasn't until late '07 that I had the dough to lay down on a Marty. I went with a D-42 for econ reasons (about 3400.00 at that time). She was a beut' … However, a few years later I went into the shop and test drove a new D-4 and let me tell you there was just NO comparison there…. NONE. The D-45, when put together correctly and set to go is about as close to driving a Ferarri Enzo as a working-class guitarist can ever get. She was so fast, and so bright, big, and loud it was jaw-dropping — not only for me, but for several others in the sound room, no kindding. I decided right then and there I would lay down the money to get her. And only this particular one, too. Each one is different. YOU MUST SHOP and COMPARE. This is the nicest guitar I've ever played in my life….. Endless enjoyment is hard to put a price on.Jon Mould

I also own a Gibson J-200, and the feel of this guitar is just so different and special. It plays so much easily and without effort. Having said that, I'm still playing with strings and determining which works best for me, but regardless of what I've used so far, I have not been disappointed. On top of the amazing sound, it is probably the most beautiful piece of art that I have ever seen. Not only does it sound better than probably any other acoustic you will get your hands on, but it will also leave you with a sense of pride that you own a work of art that will stand the test of time as you pass it down generation to generation.P-Dogg

They sound great and great quality, but string tension seems a bit high, have to be heavier handed when fretting strings.Kenneth

not used to playing a 12 string, but my daughter gave me a martin D12, so I had to buy strings, they seem to be strong, as none of them have broken yet, although I did not tune the G an octave above. It took me all day to get in tune, but I was being careful and I guess it's the nature of 12 strings.toolman

Just got these strings replacement for some heavier duty ones of a different make. No comparison. These strings are easy to play whilst at the same time giving a beautifully rounded tone. Can't really think of any bad comments to make. I'm hooked. Not hugely expensive yet the quality is there. I highly recommendzanybabe04

For years I have used only light gauge silk & steel stings on my 12-string. With only one choice for those I decided to try these extra-light bronze stings and I have been very happy with the sound. I have tried phosphor bronze in the past and did not like the sound — these are completely different!Jeff'57

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