Martin Guitar Nazareth Pa For Sale (Jan 2023 Update)

This is a great Martin that doesn’t break the bank! The finish and Cash details make this guitar standout anywhere from a living room session to a gig. The Fishman pickup makes this guitar sound great plugged in and it has that Martin warmth that fills a room playing acoustic only. The laminate makeup holds up great in moisture and the added Cash gig bag is a plus for sure. If your like me and are looking for a Martin that stands up to it’s name and keeps you within your budget this is the guitar for you. I’ve gotten nothing but compliments while playing for both the sound and look! Truly is a great guitar for warmth, resonance, and tone and the strings that come standard are pretty great too!Ross B

I wanted one of these since they came out. I finally got one & I am a bit disappointed in it. It plays well & intonates fine, but the description is misleading. The specs say it has a gloss finish & shows a whit trim around the body. It has no trim at all & the finish is a very dull black which makes it look "cheap." There isn't much 'unplugged' volume, but it sounds great plugged. Action is a little higher than I like & there was no truss rod wrench with it. I'll probably keep it because Johnny Cash was my all time favorite entertainer. I'm suprised Martin & Co, didn't take more pride in this particular instrument.picker 49

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

This guitar has beautiful timbre colours and flavors. The VTS treatment makes it sound like it's been playing for 80 years. Beautiful bookmarked Rosewood back, Rosewood sides. Dovetail construction done by CNC machine makes a tighter fit than by hand. Quality wood is same as series 42. Save monies on no pick guard, no white binding, no hardshell case, Dovetail construction on CNC machine ( nodes are more superior), no white on heel bottom,no white strip on bottom where strap pin is at.John

Martin offering an Adirondack VTS top with beautiful rosewood back and sides for under 2k is the deal of a lifetime. You will not regret buying this guitar and I've honestly had trouble putting it down. I have a 00015m, a D18, the SC-13 special burst.. they're all great but this is the first review I've written if that tells you something.Spencer

I haven't played in a few years but the pandemic had me searching for something to get my mind off working crazy hours. There would be few guitars I'd buy sight unseen but I rolled the dice because I'd played Martin's first backpacking incarnation and was familiar with their quality. This little guitar wouldn't disappoint! It is a smaller scale but my fingers fit on the fret board and it's easy to just leave out and pick up when you need it. The sound is really good for the size and it's easy to strum or pick. It was exactly what I was looking for but a little more. I honestly didn't expect to be this happy with how much guitar I got for the price. If you need something to stick by the desk or play by the fire, this is a good optionBob

I played a friend's dreadnaught sized Martin and fell in love. I already owned two other guitars at the time (Samick and a Fender Redondo Player acoustic) and I didn't want to spend the money in a Martin at this time. This happened to pop up as a stupid deal of the day and so I bought. I wasn't sure about the laminate at first, but it feels and plays like a well made guitar. It sounds bright and it is a tone I enjoy hearing. If someone had given me advice as a new player I would have wished they told me about this guitar. It is concert size so it is a little smaller than a dreadnaught. It is easier for me to practice barring chords and doesn't feel as awkward on my body as my dreadnaught. I love both guitars, but I definitely still use this one as I advance as a player. I noodle on it when I am watching tv, take it when I go way for the weekend, and bring it to play for my friends. This is a fantastic guitar and I can proudly say I own a Martin :).RockstarAsh

Overall: Original unopened uninspected by zZounds, in the heavy duty box from Martin. Mine was packed well enough, but still a little surprised how little bubble pack it had, or needed. The guitar seems perfect, no blemishes, straight neck, just beautiful. Rings like a bell despite needing a set up. Saddle has tons of room to sand down to most anyone’s preferred height/action. Nut seems like it’s in similar ready to set up condition. But even out of the box it sounds absolutely great and isn’t terrible to play. The little booklet that comes with it lists features, including “non adjustable” truss rod. I hadn’t come across this in my (limited) research into D18s. Martin guitar forums are divided on it, but I think the idea is “the old ones that people worship didn’t have adjustable truss rods, so we’re following the recipe”. Fine, but why not put that in the specs too? It’s not a cheap guitar. Taking a chance on it and seeing how it does. I’ll care for it properly and if it craps out and needs a neck reset or god forbid a new neck, I’ll rant and rave about it. But for now, let’s see how it sets up!Dan

I can't say enough about this guitar. For as long as I have been a guitar player (and a Pennsylvanian, for that matter) I have known Martin guitars. They are always prominently used and sold around this area. I looked up to my idols who played them, even older players like CSN and Neil Young and Clapton. I dreamed of owning one and as a kid, I loved the white binding on dark wood, seemingly drawing me in to a D-28, which is arguably the most popular Martin ever. As a kid, I almost got a Martin DM, but ended up with a cheaper Epiphone. After college, I decided to get my first Martin Custom D Rosewood – essentially a D-28 with a mortise and tenon neck joint and a D-15 A-Frame bracing and styling – sold exclusively here on MF (and GC). It's a great value for a guitar, but had to keep it constantly humidified because of the thin-skin matte finish. It can get really dried out and in fact, was in that condition when I received it (used). Great guitar, but I was always chasing buying a brand new Martin to call my own. I played some in stores of course and always A/B'd them, but it wasn't until a factory tour that I got a real idea of the breadth that the Martin line possesses. There is the 1833 Shop there with an adjacent players room filled with a good spread of Martins of all values and construction style. I was simply playing them to see which ones spoke to me, sonically and soulfully. I played the D-28, the D-35, the D-41, the D-15, 00-15M, the CEO, a 12 string, Eric Clapton model 000-28, etc. They all had their magic I'm sure, but when I landed on the D-18, I was simply blown away. It had a completely organic and natural sound – I could literally hear the wood. It's an absolutely lovely woody tone – this sounded better than the rest to me. I also LOVE the understand design and simplicity. It's a true working man's instrument – plus it features forward shifted X-Bracing which gives a lot more bass. The new improvements are all choice! 100% my fav. acousticIan from PA

I bought this guitar last year at a locally owned music store and was happy to do so as you don't find many of them stocked at large corporately owned brick and mortar stores. When I purchased it, I fell in love with the look and overall sound of the guitar and felt I was indeed buying a piece of history. The overall materials, finish and body construction are excellent and it produces a rich tone even with older strings. However that is where the positive remarks end. The more I want to love this guitar, the more it disappoints for the simple reason that it is incredibly difficult to play. Whether this is due to a poor set up or poor fretboard construction I really can't say, but I have to put this thing down after more than after five or ten minutes of playing – it is that bad. The same is true for the D-15 I spent a pretty penny on too. How a guitar maker that's supposedly been around since 1833 can produce something this hard to play is beyond me. Older D-18s I have played are not much better as they are incredibly hard to fret and buzz incessantly. So before you spring a couple of grand for this "piece of history," reconsider something that actually plays with ease. For this reason alone, I certainly would never invest in another one of these or a D-28, D-35 etc.. that costs even more. I can name several other major brands that put this guitar to shame due to their playability but won't to avoid embarrassing the manufacturer. But I will say that Martin's quality control folks ought to check these things out before shipping them out the door. Believe me, Martin's reputation and its chances of survival depend on it.Tom R

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

I have tried many different makes and models of strings for my Martin HD28 but I always come back to these. Although they are not coated, they last a long time for me. They retain their bright tone and stay in tune better than others I have tried, particularly coated strings. I usually change them because I think it must be time to do so, not because of any sound issues or corrosion. I do always keep the guitar in its case when it isn't in use.Pete

I go back and forth between the Retro series and the SP series on several of my Martins and Altmans so I was excited to try the new ones out since I needed new strings. Yes, it is noticeable that there was zero corrosion when I opened the first set. I have less finger noise and the playability is a bit easier. They don’t go as far as the flexible core series, but if you use a pick this set sounds more solid and big. If you always use SPs you will really enjoy the upgrade and if you haven’t used Martin strings for awhile give them a shot! I can see moving from Monel on my rosewood guitars to these and Retro series on my mahogany instruments. Ive only had them on for about 10 hours of playing time and they still sound fresh and hold tuning much better out of the box than the previous SPs. Now I hope they carry the 12.5-55 set which is prefect for two of my Martins.Gunbarrel

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

I really liked this little guitar, BUT…I read the reviews and decided to buy in-store so I could play the guitar before buying, and I'm SO glad I did. I went into my local Guitar Center and played THREE of these Martin LX1E guitars, including one that had been specially unboxed so I could try it after two others failed my examination. All three guitars had a very pronounced buzz in the frets. It was not that noticeable when I played them acoustically, but the buzz was very noticeable when I plugged them in to an amp. I even tested the amp with other guitars, to make sure it wasn't the amp. It wasn't. Its a great little guitar, great tone and very playable, BUT my advice would be not to buy this one on-line. Play it first. Play up and down the whole fretboard, and plug it into an amplifier and play again. I have been playing for more than fifty years and have never experienced playing three brand new Martins that were simply not up to snuff. Weird!Tele Playr

The guitar itself can have five stars. Nothing wrong with it. The problem I have is that it is not the old LX1E lefty that Martin used to make and I used to own. It is advertised incorrectly here as containing the Fishman I-sys electronics that contained a volume, base/treble controls and a phasing button for feedback. It also no longer contains the tuner. This is basically the LX1 Little Martin with a Sonitone pickup under the bridge and tone/volume control in the sound hole, which I despise. I prefer the old version where the tuner and controls were on top side (as shown in the picture variety). This needs to be updated!!! I now have no tuner on this guitar when I fully expected one. I would recommend the Little Martin guitar but it needs to be advertised correctly.Jules

I bought this guitar for my son so he can have a smaller guitar to lug around in school. We were surprised when we received the product that the pickup that was installed is a Sonitone pickup instead of what's advertised – an Isys T preamp. The Isys preamp has a tuner, phase and tone control whereas the Sonitone is built into the sound hole and only has the volume and tone control. I brought this up with customer support saying I only wanted the product that I thought we were buying. I received excuses and a repeated offer to return the guitar. We chose to keep it because we need it and like the Martin sound. However MF does not stand up to what they advertise and could not provide a reasonable explanation why the product was switched. Even as I write this review, the description still says it has the Isys pickup. Good luck to future buyers and know that you are buying a different product.Pasigenyo

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

Overall: Played one 10 or so years ago but didn’t get because of other obligations. Never forgot how it played and sounded! Finally got one and it is a truly excellent guitar. I have a Gibson CJ165EC, which I love, and the 000-15M is a totally different sound, which I wanted. Needed some Martin jangle! Out of the box fantastic. The mahogany tone is unmistakable and rich! Neck is a thin Martin neck, which I’m fine with. I’ve been playing for 53+ years so I kinda know what I’m talking about. Putting in a Fishman rate earth soundhole pickup and this will be my busking guitar! Really happy with the guitar and with zZounds. Delivery was fast and purchase was flawless. Highly recommend both the Martin 000-15M and zZounds!!Reverend

I ordered this online after discussing the purchase with Sam Ash Staff, it was in short supply, they scouted all Sam Ash Stores, they found one and it arrived two weeks early just after christmas. My wife loves it! It's her 2nd Martin Guitar and this one is her prize instrument. The staff at our local store were really helpful both with the Order process and preparing the the guitar upon arrival at the store. I asked about the 1st year instrument maintenance option and they were able to update our purchase to include that. The guitar sounds great, my wife loves playing it even though she is a novice. Totally satisfied with the instrument and the staff that helped obtain it. Thanks guys.Britinusa

I have wanted a triple-aught mahogany guitar. I preferred the Guild D20 dread to the Martin D15, but was open-minded about which 000 brand. Didn't like videos on Taylor and Alvarez all hog orchestra models and was very impressed with the Martin videos. So ordered this. Was also a big fan of Kenneth Pattengale and I'm With Her who use the 00-15 model. Let the box sit half a day. Upon opening it I was greeted by this amazing scent. The guitar came set up with low action, slightly detuned. The bridge and fretboard appeared to be stained morado (a very hard and valid wood, harder than rosewood but not quite as much as ebony). Tuners are Grover Statites. They are firm and perhaps a little too sensitive to sometimes dial in. The body was a gorgeous chocolate with amber-orange highlights. The guitar was immaculate. Martin Lifespan 2.0 PB 12-54 strings. It sounded really nice with the ebony pins which were fit absolutely perfectly. However, I had already purchased Blisstime unbleached bone pins which fit perfectly too. I got even more sustain and a more melodic tone, along with greater volume. This improved the strumming tone immensely. May switch to nickel-bronze 12-56 strings, but I will wait for now. The guitar is super-light and weird to hold after dreads. The tone is dark (as expected) but ringing. There is the hog compression, but I was amazed how great this sounded brand new. I did humidity it overnight. Intonation was spot on. The frets were dressed wonderfully with no protruding ends. No truss rod wrench, nor polishing cloth like with my DSS-17. The case had a small ding in the tolex which I was able to bond into place cleanly and disguise. The case is very nice, but without built-in humidification like my Guild. The tone is beautifully even and not bass-heavy like the D15. The treble keeps up with the expected mids. The end pin was not pushed in all the way by me as it was very tight. May opt to have that professionally assessed. I don't gig, so a pickup is not for me. I did get a tortoise pickguard. This is definitely a keeper which I will pamper.Tom

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 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

Needed a compact guitar with full sound (sailboat dinner cruises – tight space). Plugged in through the board with a chorus pedal sounds as good or better than the full sized guitar I had been using with a lot less passenger head bumping. Easy to play. Quick change battery compartment.Nick

I purchased this guitar to get back into playing during COVID, after selling off my HD-35 and an older LX1 many years ago for personal reasons. Even back then, the LX1 which is nearly the same as this one besides this one handing electronics and a rosewood “paint” job, I often would defer to my LX1 over my HD-35. Part of the reason is the ease of use while still offering a distinct Martin sound, and the design instills confidence that I won’t lose sleep if I ding it or I let a drunk friend play a few tunes. I had that original for many years, and have had this version for about a month. The guitar itself has a surprising amount of heft, and I think many will be surprised by its projection. The solid Sitka spruce top is the mvp here, and should be a must unless you’re concerned about humidity and/or purchasing this style for absolute travel readiness. The solid top will hold up well in changing climates and travel, but the HPL top of the standard LX may be a safer bet if that is a concern. I think most people will benefit from solid top, so that’s my suggestion, plus you get that Martin smell, albeit faintly, with the solid top. Playability-wise, the guitar is clear and punchy while playing fingerstyle or doing solo runs, and strumming offers a surprising amount of boom and clarity. The only caveat is the transition or light strumming to full strumming, as it seems the guitar needs to rev up a bit to get into its full potential. However that could be some of my cobwebs I’m still throwing off. I’ve only used the onboard electronics is few times and they are about what you’d expect from a guitar in this price range. The plugin is on the lower bout near where the guitar sits on your right leg, and is powered by a 9v. Two control dials are available through the sound hole, and overall reproduce the guitar well enough, but a secondary EQ will most likely be required for serious production/recording… works great for just throwing down a songwriting session though! To round it off, the guitar comes with an included soft gig bag, which can be worn as a backpack or hand carried. Which is something I love, it also has a large pocket for whatever small items you may need. And the guitar comes with a 1 year Martin warranty, which should be enough to weed out any manufacturing defects. Overall, I am proud to have this guitar back in my hands, and love the durability, ease of use, value, and most surprisingly the sound of this guitar. This is truly a great guitar and is a lot of fun to bring everywhere!Dan K

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

What is neat about these guitars is that the Special Martins are the specification of Martin CEO Chris Martin. He did an extremely nice job on the configuration, balancing standard bracing, rose tone wood, and the VTS adirondack top. The combination provides this guitar with a fantastic full spread of frequencies, separation of string tones, and the stability of standard bracing, which allows for the guitar's even responsiveness providing clarity at all volumes. Put this guitar in a nice sounding room with a good (not excellent) microphone and I cannot imagine a better way to record. If you can sing over this guitar, you will have to strain. The ability to hold tune always amazes me about Martin guitars and this guitar is no different. It is a great deal at full price, but I got mine at $1K off because someone thankfully brought it back. A sturdy plastic shelled case exactly fits the guitar. A part of me hopes they stop making this configuration so the value goes up, but then again, it should be played and mine will just go to one of my children who will enjoy it as I have.Grace

Previous reviewer spot on. Adi, VTS top, scalloped but NOT forward shifted bracing. Here is where I differ from previous reviewer. This to me has the sound of an older D-28, it just happens to be in HD-28 uniform. It projects better, is louder and you can play it hard without the notes getting muddy. Bluegrass heaven…. Just to be fair it is not as mellow sounding nor does it quite have the bottom end of an HD-28 unless you play it like you stole it (this guitar takes it) and I like that. Everyone has opinions, different likes and ears. But I consider this a wonderful guitar. It does not have open gear machine heads like the HD-28, but I do not mind closed tuners at all. The head stock has the raised foil Martin logo (nice touch that most folks may not notice). Fit and finish all MARTIN……….M. Nelms

This guitar sounds fantastic and plays great. I also own a J45, 000-18 Reimagined, and HD-28. I've owned Guilds and Taylors too. Hey Musician's Friend, the guitar in this ad is not what is shipped to customers. Just a heads up. Your ad should not feature anything about Golden Era or 1930's braced. This guitar is mid shifted and straight braced like a 1950-1970's D28. This is a significant difference in construction and voice for a very expensive instrument. Also the photo is still wrong. There is no herringbone detail on this guitar and the pickguard is black. There's also no aging toner. After emailing Martin, they've told me that this guitar has VTS Adi, center shifted straight bracing, 5/16th brace width, and the 1 11/16" nut. Great sounding guitar. Super loud and articulate. Also, Musicians Friend, you guys look really silly for goofing up an ad this bad. I told multiple sales people that this ad was wrong and they only changed the photo — to a second wrong guitar. You need to get bracing details right for a $3000+ guitar. It's really important. I feel like I lucked out with my purchase, but after interacting with your company my impression is that you are nice people who are not interested in selling world class instruments. Get ahold of me if you'd like to talk. I'm shocked that Martin is OK selling their products through a vendor who knows so little about them. I don't recommend this guitar because it's basically like buying a really expensive mystery box. The ad doesn't make sense and the photos are wrong.Tony

Try it yourself self, but it doesn't sound like a Martin. The feel of the guitar feels cheap. There seems to be mixed reviews about this guitar, so I'm guessing the Quality is a hit or miss. Mine had buzzing noise.Grant

I had high hopes for this guitar. It was the perfect size for me being a smaller guy. Unfortunately, it had to much buzz on the low E string and didn't right. I took it back to GC for refund.Guitar Jammer

I really like this guitar. I was hesitant at first to go for a smaller scale guitar but I am really happy with the feel. I also like how the face of the guitar does not have a glossy finish and has more of a raw wood feel. I would definitely consider the $599+tax spent on this guitar money well spent.Jared

I took basic Mel Bay guitar lessons when I was 10 years old with a backyard guitar that cost my mother I think $50 back in the day. As usual for an undisciplined kid, I found the process of practicing difficult and got bored easily. I excelled in singing instead so I laid the guitar down only to wonder for the rest of my life, could I have actually been a good guitar player had I just stuck with it? Now in my 50s I decided I would buy this Martin Special D Road Series Dreadnought solid spruce topped guitar and am completely satisfied. The tone is full and rich with distinctive highs and lows that's described for this guitar. I'm making sure that I'm keeping it in a humidified room between 40 to 50% stored in its case. After the initial break in tune period of the first couple of days, it's holding in tune very nicely. The high strings need to be adjusted as they rattle a bit. The Guitar Center technician explained this may happen and to bring it in for adjustments as this is a known Martin trait. So I plan to take care of that soon and begin my lessons with a local instructor. Wish me well in my journey and I wish you well in your journey as well. Happy playing. You'll love this guitar.David

I bought this guitar so I could store my D-18 for safe keeping. The Special D has similar specs so I thought it would be a perfect replacement for haif the money. After the Special D arrived I played it for a few weeks and realized that Special D played nicer and sounded better than the D-18. Now I'm not sure what guitar to store for safe keeping. These Special D dreadnoughts are very good guitars with Martins very high level of craftsmanship. Limited quantities left.Bill

After a bazillion years of playing, I got my first all solid acoustic and my first Martin. Couldn't be happier. The only downside is I have three acoustics that sound like toys in comparison. If you're wary about sapele, I'd say don't be. It's not as loud and bassy as rosewood but it's comparable to mahogany and has a great, even tone. Setup was on point right out of the box. Great deal at this price point.Troy

For the price it's a great buy, I wanted to upgrade from my Epiphone dove-pro electric acoustic and this Martin checked all the boxes. I purchased it almost a year ago today and I can't say anything bad about it if I wanted too. Plus I love that padded case it comes with.. specially cause I injured my back before I bought it so it's great havin a case that's lowkey like datB_THEKING

Things I liked: – Playability : The neck shape, neck finish, nut width, radius, and fret size are just perfect for my hands. – Setup was perfect out of box : To me, the action and intonation couldn't be better. – Comfortable size : This is my first non-dread size guitar, and I'm happy that I chose this size. I really didn't know that 000 would be this much more comfortable. – The included hard shell case is pretty nice. – The built-in Fishman Sonitone UST pickup was not too bad – sounded better than I expected. it's not that quacky. it's totally usable on stage. I would suggest to try it before replacing it. Some people might like the sound. Things I didn't like: – low volume – low bass response I replace the tusq saddle with a bone saddle. I also replaced the UST pickup with K&K pure mini pickup. I'm satisfied with what I have now. If available, I highly recommend to try GPRS1 instead of 000RS1. They are almost identical except the body depth. GP is slightly deeper than 000, hence it makes up for the disadvantages of 000 listed above.faithinlight

I never get involved with commentary of products, but I feel obligated to say WOW, with Martins new Authentic Acoustic line of strings. Installed the PB variety on my 000-28ec, my Gibson sj200, and my Collings CJmh, in each case there was an immediate improvement in all areas of tone. Pardon the cliche', but in every way the guitars came to life. Great sustain, solid bass, and smooth bell like treble. I have tried many strings over the years, and yes there are differences, but never tothe degree I hear with these. A vast improvement in all areas, IMOP. Can't say how long they'll last, haven't had them on that long. Ther worth a try to any guitar out there. And I will always buy from Strings and Beyond. They have always been courteous, professional, ship quickly, and competitively priced. Thanks.Mark

For the last couple years, I’ve been comparing these Lifespan 12-54 against other coated phosphor-bronze sets: D’Addario EXP 12-53 & D’Addario XT 12-53 & D’Addario XS 12-53 & Elixir’s Light nano set. These Martin Lifespan strings have given me no issues, except that my low E string bridge pin doesn’t quite want to press all the way in (due to being cut for a 53 vs 54 gauge string). I didn’t think that small variation would matter, but it seems to! Even with the bridge pin slightly protruding higher than the others, these strings sound great and have lasted quite a long time without degrading in tone or feel. My pick eventually does cut up the coating, which visibly frays and starts to dull the string sound. But, this is after much time and use. I like the sound and feel of the strings, and will now be comparing them to the new D’Addario XS strings, which claim to survive picking better than any other string, while using a thinner coating. We shall see! At this time I can report that I like the Martin Lifespans fairly equally to D’Addario EXPs, which sound and respond better (in my experience) than Elixir’s comparable strings. I have not yet concluded my XT and XS testing to compare, but I expect them to perform as (or more) durably as these Lifespans. I anticipate the XS strings to sound and respond more like uncoated strings than the others listed above (including these Lifespans) while potentially surviving more punishment from my pointy Dunlop Primetone Flow plectrums! I’ll review the XS performance on that listing after finding the results. I have been pretty satisfied with these Lifespans, but not blown away in comparison to D’Addario’s coated offerings. They’re competitive and if you’re a Martin lover, these are an easy set-it-and-forget-it option that give a longer replacement cycle than Martin’s uncoated strings without sounding completely dull. You can get a still good low-end brassy growl on these until their coating starts to fray. However, you’ll definitely also want to try a set of D’Addario’s coated strings to pick a favorite based on their response with your own guitar, picking technique, and sound preferences. I found Lifespans to be pretty stable for intonation and gradually become less strident/bright in tone through use (wear at the picking location). D’Addario lights may have a touch less power (fundamental frequency) on the lowest string. They both respond well and sustain well on my guitar, with the D’Addarios remaining extremely stable with intonation. [For reference, the strings mentioned here were all installed on a very fine Larrivee LV-10 (sitka & EIT) built around year 2000. The guitar has a TON of rich mid-to-high overtone presence and excellent string-to-string balance with good dynamic range and sustain. Most strings sound pretty good on it, but the timbre does noticeably change with different strings. These changes in overtone prominence are difficult to express in a written review…. Larrivee calls for D’Addario 12-53 gauge phosphor bronze strings. Bridge pins are ebony (like the bridge).]Daniel