Martin Om 21 Guitar For Sale (Jan 2023 Update)

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

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

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

The Martin plays like a dream. Took a bit of getting used to the shorter scale and the slightly wider neck, well about 30mins. Lovely guitar, The OM21 and D28 are two of Martins finest.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Great sound neck easy to play with my small hands but it's a Martin and like all their top range guitars much too expensive…but hey,ho!Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

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

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

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

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

Overall: My first thoughts when I took that first strum, was “Guy Clark.,” except I think that man made his own guitars. But if I can describe the first sound I heard or who, that’s what it was, Guy Clark designed this one. It is beautiful and played in tune out of the box. Now I’m just more of a collector than a player, but I some ESP’s, a Yamaha, Taylor 710e, Ovation, an Ibanez, and now this magical Martin D-15M StreetMaster Acoustic. Good luck putting it down before your fingers bleed. At this price point and much above this is a splendid guitar. I can’t wait to hear what it sounds like after it has hours and hours of use on it. Buy one they’ll take it back if you don’t like it, but somehow I don’t see you making that choice. If all the other Martins haven’t convinced you, this one will. If your budget isn’t as high, do yourself a favor and keep saving or pay as you go option.Richard

I literally walked around Sam Ash plucking low E strings listening for a deep rich sound. Martin seemed to have more than anyone else. I liked the look of the Mahogany top/back/sides/neck. The ripples of the grain add a beautiful touch to the color of the wood. The tone has totally warmed up more and grown deeper over the 10 or 11 months she's been home with me. I have the MFX740 Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings (Martin strings, they call them Tommy's Choice) on there and it just gives this rich low rumble on the low E and the D strings that if I have my feet up on my desk I can feel on my desk. The ring out is intense and long on this baby. I have not had anyone pick up my Martin and NOT say how much they love the tone of her. I do love the look of no binding… but, I'm going to have to say I do have some dents on the sides where the bindings would be protecting. That said… I'm not sure I care at the same time I think I care. I think that means I want it to be perfect but I also am okay with her getting age marks just as long as it doesn't do some serious damage. I would buy another. I'd buy it for my Dad. I'd buy it for one of my kids if they'd play. If you pick this guitar up you'll probably end up taking it home. Comes with a beautiful martin case with green insides. Acoustic only, don't forget.BasPilot

I have somewhat passively searched for the holy grail of the acoustic/electric bass guitar for years. Most acoustic bass guitars available are less than $500 and sound horrible. I started researching again and found numerous reviews stating that the Martin is heads and shoulders above the rest. I was still hesitant since I didn't know where I could check one out first. I found one in McKinney, TX. I played it unplugged and plugged. I had found it. Since my local music store had recently become a Martin dealer, I was planning to have them order me one. I knew that Martin had recently discontinued production, but they offered to build one and would take about 3 months. I visited a Sam Ash store in Birmingham and another in the Dallas area. I purchased an $8 item and was mildly annoyed as the guy checking me out was asking for everything with the exception of my passport and birth certificate. Now, I'm glad I cooperated. I receive regular emails from Sam Ash. Late one night, I see that they were offering 48 months with no interest. I thought to myself, I wonder if they have a Martin bass. Low and behold, hallelujah, they had a limited stock and was on sale. Well, I applied for the credit and was approved, however, when I tried to check out, I didn't have my new account number. The next morning, I had an email from them announcing a Paul Ash sale. I called Sam Ash and explained my issue during checkout. I asked if there was an additional discount due the sale. He put me on hold for a while and came back and knocked another $70. Two days later, on a Saturday, Fedex delivered the latest addition to my bass family. Of course I would prefer it to be louder unplugged, but it's fine for sitting around playing. Plugged in, it sounds amazing. Too bad Martin discontinued it. I purchased a Thumby and mounted it on the edge of the sound hole. I love this bass and a big fan of Sam Ash.Jeff

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you want the ARCHETYPE, the inspiration, the BEST, Go for a Martin. I have a Gibson Original Jumbo 1934 reissue, that sound like heaven, the Martin is another animal, a perfect pair for my Gibson, I'm not a professional, I love blues and fingerpicking in my home with a cigar and a whiskey and my two acoustics and my OMI Dobro Lilly Of The Valley are a treasure for me! The martin have a striped ebony fingerboard and bridge (I like it but some maybe preffer a black one, well are not black), the sound is clear and a joy! The craftmanship is perfect, the case is very nice, the martin strings sound very good (I bought 3 sets of the same), the rosewood is very nice paired, and the top have a beautiful aged tone. This guitar will be with me all my life. About Guitar Center of Miami Mr Mario and Ignacio are nice people!Alejandro

I'm a new guitarist and consider myself very fortunate to be able to afford an instrument like this. I am nowhere near good enough (yet) to get the most out of this guitar, but I will say that even as a beginner (and long-time music lover) I can really hear the difference between this and lesser guitars, and playing on an instrument like this makes learning more rewarding, and dare I say easier. Anything I hear wrong is clearly my technique, which this guitar rewards when you get it right, and makes obvious when you miss. From simple cowboy chords to picked or fingered individual notes this guitar just has tone to die for. Hit an E minor, hard or soft, and each string resonates with depth, clarity and sustain. Playing this guitar is really a dream come true. Oh, I said I'm a beginner and that means that as I write this I've been playing guitar for all of five months. I'm 52-years-old and take weekly 30 minute lessons, have dabbled in online lessons and practice about 15 to 30 minutes on weekdays and about an hour or two on Saturdays and Sundays. I recently sang and played "Nights in White Satin" by The Moody Blues for my family. Just me, my D-28 and beautiful, room-filling tone. There's nothing better.Andrew

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

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

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

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

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

I'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

This was an "upgrade" from a slightly more expensive Yamaha concert body guitar, which was totally fine, but I feel like I just went from playing with a casual acquaintance to falling madly in love. There really is something about the Martin sound – crisp, clear, resonant, responsive, with an absolutely gorgeous sparkle in every note. It responds with subtlety and nuance to fingerpicking, and also sounds great with a pick, with slight differences in attack and tone from thicker to thinner and different pick materials. The 24.9 scale and slightly smaller body size is super comfortable and easy to play, and the acoustic output is perfect for singer/songwriter accompaniment. I haven't plugged it in yet, but I'm sure it'll play nicely with amplification when needed. Big thanks to Dana at the NYC store for hooking me up with this beauty!Mark

I had my guitar stolen last summer and I got this for a gift from my brother. I was super excited. It is the perfect size, plays really well and I'm loving brushing up on my skills. I would highly recommend this guitar. Sam Ash provided excellent service and deliver arrangement. I would strongly recommend it!Rachel

Nice guitar, dropped the action a little for my style. Much talk of USA over Mexico but to be honest once a bit of age passes by I'm sure little be as good as my USA DCME which I love. Great service and delivery too, many thanks guysAidan McGrevy (

I was looking for a second acoustic so I didn't have to keep my D-35 out and exposed to the temperature and humidity fluctuations we get in the Northeast during the winter. I wanted a guitar with a similar profile that would feel like my D-35 (not a practice or parlor guitar). I randomly spotted this guitar and my first thought was "that's…. interesting." The design grew on me and as a history buff I couldn't help but think how cool it would be to have this guitar on my wall for decades. Out of the box, the guitar played horribly. The action was EXTREMELY high on it. The strings that came with it were utter trash. Luckily my friend works on guitars so I had him adjust the truss rod and put on 11 gauge Martin Silk and Steel folk guitar strings. The guitar sounds excellent now; not quite as loud and vibrant as much D-35 but given the price difference, it shouldn't! The look is even better in person than the pictures. This is clearly one of those "love it or hate it" guitar slash artwork situations. As much as I would love to give the guitar 5 stars (where it is currently for me) I have to knock it down to 4 simply because of how bad the truss rod and strings were out of the box. Without those adjustments and the string change, I would've been forced to send the guitar back unfortunately. However if you have the ability to make those changes (you may as well order strings when you order the guitar) AND you dig the look, buy this guitar with no hesitation. I can't imagine not having it now!NoCo Strummer

This guitar sounds so wonderful! Even being the less expensive one. It was an easy purchase. Sam Ash called me each w3eek before and after delivery. I would not hesitate to buy online from Sam Ash again!SAM

I play in a 60's tribute band and I thought this would be a great stage guitar for the show. I was VERY pleased to find out it actually is a very good guitar. I was worried the graphics would kill the tone but the material Martin came up with for the top actually sounds pretty good, plus the Fishman pickup makes it all the better for stage. I may get a sound hole plug to help with stage feedback but my only real wish is that the action was a little better. Its OK, but I prefer a little lower, so I think I'll be adjusting that. All-in-all worth the $600LW

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I compared this Martin GPCPA4 rosewood to a lot of other guitars and always came back to this one! When it was delivered, I tuned it up with the Fishman on board tuner and since day one it has stayed in tune. It has a rich tone and sounds like a dream. The East Indian Rosewood and solid Sitka spruce top are absolutely beautiful…. oh and the smell of the new guitar is unbelievable. I was concerned about the type of case that it would come with, but was surprised at the quality and it fits the guitar perfect. I would definitely recommend this guitar to anyone!! You will not be disappointed. I ordered this guitar on 8/22/17 and it was delivered on 8/24/17. Thank you Musician's Friend… I could not ask for better service.JD

This is a beautiful guitar and has a great warm sound. The Martin craftsmanship is very impressive. I bought this guitar as an "open box" item at a discount price, and was hesitant to do so. The defect was listed as "small ding on lower back binding." Since this guitar was purchased as my weekend gig guitar, I figured I wouldn't care if it had a small blemish on it since it will be picking up some along the way anyway. When it arrived, I looked and looked for the blemish on the back of the guitar. Sure enough, there was a very, very tiny ding in the finish. So small you really couldn't even see it. I would highly recommend buying an open box item. You will not be disappointed.The Kings of Queen Street

It's a great guitar. Surprisingly full sound for a non-dreadnaught. I put a set of Elixirs on the guitar and have enjoyed every second of it. Seems to have a wider nut, which is helpful in fingerpicking. From the looks department, the offset inlays are sharp. Wish it was true ebony as sometimes the fretboard seems sticky? The electronics are great, I like how they are hidden. It sounds great plugged in or unplugged, options are limitless with this guitarEVAN

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

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

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

After playing guitar for almost 50 years, I finally obtained a job that afforded me the opportunity to purchase, what has turned out to be, the best sounding guitar I've owned. She is so responsive to how you play, dig in for more volume, ease up for someone else's lead.. she does not disappoint. I'm in awe every time I play it. Even my picking buddies are blow away by her. Saddle was a little high, but after a good set up, she plays like she sounds…beautiful.Paul

The box arrived that was originally sealed with big copper staples by Martin. I carefully opened the box, removed the case with guitar. I open the case not knowing what to expect as it was bought sight unseen. I open the case and was immediately hit with the smell of rosewood while my eyes gazed upon a gorgeous flawless work of art. I removed the guitar, tuned it up and was swept away with the huge, harmonically-rich tone. The action was absolutely perfect out of the case (low). It was so comfortable to play I thought the strings were light gauge 11's, but a micrometer confirmed they were medium 13's. The only thing I will swap out is the bridge pins and end piece. They are plastic. I will replace them with bone or titanium. If you do the same, make sure that the taper is 5 degrees, size 2A. This is not my first Martin. I've had a D-28 and D-35S. The last time I owned one was in 1985. The great quality is still the same. What a great guitar from a great company!Mike McLenison

In 1974 a friend of mine got a '65 Brazilian rosewood HD-35 for Christmas. I have wanted one ever since. I have played for 50 years and owned many fine instruments, all the names you know. IMHO this is the BEST acoustic guitar made by anyone! It's drop-dead beautiful, sounds extremely deep and rich, plays like butter, and being all-solid-wood, ages very well. Truthfully it is also a source of great pride of ownership, always recognized by those who are "in the know" about fine guitars. It IS expensive (and how!) but worth every penny. I suggest waiting for the 48-month, no-interest financing.Clint C.