Martin Lx1 Little Martin Acoustic Guitar For Sale (Jan 2023 Update)

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

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

I was looking for a small guitar to practice with when I travel. The big dread takes up too much space so the small LX makes sense. Even my wife was good with me getting another guitar, imagine that! Anyway, sounds good, plays great like a Martin should. Made in Mexico and of high-pressure laminate it should not be affected by humidity or lack there of. I feel like it is a great value for the money. I even find myself picking it up around the house more often than my other guitars because the smaller size makes it comfortable on the couch. Buy it, you wont regret it.xrayman8

This is a sweet little guitar and it's not just for kids. I have trouble with my shoulders, so holding this is not a problem, like it would be with a larger guitar, for long periods of time during practicing. It should not be expected to have the same big volume as any full size performance guitar, but it has a good depth of tone, and is just plain fun to play. It is sturdy and stays remarkably in tune for long periods of time, which is surprising. I have owned this guitar for over 5 years now, and it is no worse for the wear. Love it!Blaise

This is my third Little Martin. I love the sound plugged and unplugged. I am a therapist for children on the Autism spectrum and other special needs children and music seems, in many cases, seems to pause the child's disability and let them attend with great eye contact and focus. Children who are verbally limited sing songs (e.g., Wheels on the Bus, Old MacDonald etc…) and in that moment you see that child smile/and or laugh and learn, and thats what its all about. My Martin's are my weapon to battle Autism and all disabilities that plague our young children.Frank

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

I am a singer, songwriter, church musician, and quartet member. I have been playing and singing for over 60 years. own more than a few guitars. Most are Martins. I was looking for a smaller, lighter, easy to transport acoustic to use in my street ministry. This one caught my attention and since it was a Martin, I expected it to be a quality instrument. I am not disappointed. I've owned several Mexican made Martins over the last few years finding most to be well made, quality instruments. I have to say that this is probably the best one so far. Fit and finish is comparable to the lower priced US made models. That is to say, very good. Sound and playability is very good. The strings on this instrument are well matched for a balanced sound from bass to treble. The bass is not quite as deep and booming as a full sized dreadnought but still strong. Highs are crisp and clear. Scale is a little shorter than a full sized guitar but due to the 1.75" nut width, it doesn't feel cramped. It chords well up and down the neck and intonation is near perfect. Great for finger picking, too. The action could be a little bit lower for me but plays great right out of the box. I am very happy with this instrument and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a slightly smaller body size in an affordable Quality guitar. And it is a Martin 😊Thomas

I was looking for a beginner guitar for my grown but petite daughter that would fit her as well as give her a great start. I let her try several and she liked the feel and the looks of the Martin DJR-10E in Sapele the best. I liked the sound and the fact that I could depend on Martin Quality. It's been about a month now and neither of us has been disappointed. It's an easy to play and great sounding guitar, which makes her want to pick it up and play. We're both very well pleased with it.JIM

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

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

I'll make this short. Another Martin has entered the home. The Streetmaster is another outside the box model from Martin. I searched and found one in stock at Sam Ash in Charlotte. Only a 1.5 hour drive up from Columbia. Kylene Edson had it ready, set-up was perfect, action and playability is definitely Martin. The color, "rustic brown" is different, but my wife wants art and guitar. She began lessons 4 weeks ago. Me, 40+ years of hearing loss. But, since I have bought my lot of 24 guitars since October '19, it is her turn for a few. (Little secret-I play so when they get broke in I will do it!) I would have liked a hard-shell case but the gig bag is substantial and well padded. Overall, excellent solid wood mahogany sound and nice to look at. Thanks Kylene and Sam Ash of Charlotte for having it in stock.MICHAEL

Overall: I have been playing guitar for 28 years now I believe. I was born and raised in Pennsylvania so C.F. Martin has always had a place in my heart since I began playing. The guitar out of the box was perfectly tuned dropped a half step. It looks amazing, and sounds amazing, through the highs, midrange, and lows it just resonates so wonderfully. I prefer a parlor style body to a dreadnought style and let me tell you this thing delivers such beautiful tone through out it's solid mahogany construction. I was on the fence of getting the 000-15 to the Streetmaster. I am glad I went with the Streetmaster the relic finish and prewar styled tuners looks amazing. I get compliments from everyone that sees and hears it. I would also like to comment that the soft gig bag case is really nicely made and has more protection than a standard run of the mill gig bag.Jimmy

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

Expertly made hard case for my new Little Martin XL1. Same sturdy materials and plush padding inside and strong hardware as my other, full sized Martin cases. Very satisfied. Less worried now about damage occurring checking it in on flights. The cost was also the lowest at American Musical, free shipping, no tax to CA and smooth delivery of double box packing and sturdy full sized plastic bag to protect it in transit. My stress level is way down after making this decision!Jillby

The smallest acoustic I've ever owned, but a seriously big sound, especially when played fingerstyle! I've only had it a short time, but it's definitely a lifer as I've never played a guitar as responsive. It's definitely not one to get if you're focusing on strumming out big chords, but as an intimate little solo performing or recording guitar it can't be beat. It also has an amazing projection which allows it to cut through some bigger instruments in a way that a dreadnought simply can't which makes it a really great guitar to play lead lines on. It's for sure my favorite martin, and I've owned almost all of their standard series models!Desmond

Purchased a little over 2 months ago with no regrets. I have several acoustic and electrics to my name, but this D-18 just makes me want to play and play. I can't explain it. Couldn't be more thrilled with the appearance, workmanship, but most importantly the tonal quality this D-18 has. It has punch, bark and a sweet finger style as well. Martin did an exceptional job on this one. It is exactly what I was looking for in playability and performance. Already had a boutique D-28 style rosewood back and sides, but the difference in the tone of Mahogany is stark. It's a huge investment, but I have no regrets except I didn't do it sooner. Can't put it down and totally reinvigorated with acoustic playing. Shout out to Steven Segal who helped me finalize this purchase and went the extra mile to make my experience good.Joe

I am a singer, songwriter, church musician, and quartet member. I have been playing and singing for over 60 years. own more than a few guitars. Most are Martins. I was looking for a smaller, lighter, easy to transport acoustic to use in my street ministry. This one caught my attention and since it was a Martin, I expected it to be a quality instrument. I am not disappointed. I've owned several Mexican made Martins over the last few years finding most to be well made, quality instruments. I have to say that this is probably the best one so far. Fit and finish is comparable to the lower priced US made models. That is to say, very good. Sound and playability is very good. The strings on this instrument are well matched for a balanced sound from bass to treble. The bass is not quite as deep and booming as a full sized dreadnought but still strong. Highs are crisp and clear. Scale is a little shorter than a full sized guitar but due to the 1.75" nut width, it doesn't feel cramped. It chords well up and down the neck and intonation is near perfect. Great for finger picking, too. The action could be a little bit lower for me but plays great right out of the box. I am very happy with this instrument and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a slightly smaller body size in an affordable Quality guitar. And it is a Martin 😊Thomas

I was looking for a beginner guitar for my grown but petite daughter that would fit her as well as give her a great start. I let her try several and she liked the feel and the looks of the Martin DJR-10E in Sapele the best. I liked the sound and the fact that I could depend on Martin Quality. It's been about a month now and neither of us has been disappointed. It's an easy to play and great sounding guitar, which makes her want to pick it up and play. We're both very well pleased with it.JIM