Martin Steel String Backpacker Travel Guitar For Sale (Jan 2023 Update)

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

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

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

This backpacker guitar is a good value for $35. Sounds decent for size. Smooth fret ends. The action is a bit high and I will file down the nut and bridge a bit. Also, since the bridge was in the wrong spot – its held down by string tension – I easily moved it to the correct spot after loosening the strings. Distance from nut to 12th fret = 12th fret to bridge. The fingerboard dot is at 11th fret, should be at 12th. A few finish blemishes. Dear readers, do not expect this guitar to be just like a $319 list price Martin Backpacker which costs 9 times more. This purchase is a complete package with nylon (not padded) gig bag, strap, extra set of stings and 3 jumbo picks.fuzzyace09

Great deal for the price, but this is a toy at best. Now having said that, it can be made playable by investing in some $14 ebay acoustic guitar tuners and a new graphite or bone nut. Then after filing the existing bridge and moving it to about 23 inches from the replaced nut you will have a playable instrument. It will sound a little tinny or banjo like, but actually plays ok and you can throw it in the trunk for campfire songs without concern for a higher quality instrument.Jayson

My daughter got one for me for an early Father's Day present. Was very excited about it and grateful for the thoughtful gesture. Unfortunately, Low quality….the strings are a little too close to each other to feel like a normal guitar….not helpful for normal practice. Also, the size makes it awkward to hold, unless you have it strapped on. Not nearly as natural feeling as the Martin Backpack guitar. Seems like a great deal, but really hard to play, and sound is poor because of all of the finish on it. Tuners are a little suspect, too. Wouldn't recommend, but for $25, not a lot of risk.Santa

This backpacker guitar is a good value for $35. Sounds decent for size. Smooth fret ends. The action is a bit high and I will file down the nut and bridge a bit. Also, since the bridge was in the wrong spot – its held down by string tension – I easily moved it to the correct spot after loosening the strings. Distance from nut to 12th fret = 12th fret to bridge. The fingerboard dot is at 11th fret, should be at 12th. A few finish blemishes. Dear readers, do not expect this guitar to be just like a $319 list price Martin Backpacker which costs 9 times more. This purchase is a complete package with nylon (not padded) gig bag, strap, extra set of stings and 3 jumbo picks.fuzzyace09

Great deal for the price, but this is a toy at best. Now having said that, it can be made playable by investing in some $14 ebay acoustic guitar tuners and a new graphite or bone nut. Then after filing the existing bridge and moving it to about 23 inches from the replaced nut you will have a playable instrument. It will sound a little tinny or banjo like, but actually plays ok and you can throw it in the trunk for campfire songs without concern for a higher quality instrument.Jayson

My daughter got one for me for an early Father's Day present. Was very excited about it and grateful for the thoughtful gesture. Unfortunately, Low quality….the strings are a little too close to each other to feel like a normal guitar….not helpful for normal practice. Also, the size makes it awkward to hold, unless you have it strapped on. Not nearly as natural feeling as the Martin Backpack guitar. Seems like a great deal, but really hard to play, and sound is poor because of all of the finish on it. Tuners are a little suspect, too. Wouldn't recommend, but for $25, not a lot of risk.Santa

Overall: I bought this guitar a little over a month ago. Guitar was in perfect playing condition right out of box. Usually first thing I do is change the strings as soon as I open. But I noticed they were very bright and had no sign of aging. Good thing I didn’t because the lifespan 2.0 strings it comes with are amazing. After 40 plus hours of playing strings still had no dirt or grime on them. I always thought all strings are the same. Probably got 3x the life out of these. So once I plugged it in I couldn’t believe how great it sounded. Every little note was so clear and it picks up all the little accents in my playing so well. You can really hear every note so clear. It is an expensive guitar but if you are a serious player and want the best you will not be disappointed with this guitar. The fishman pickup is great. So much tone. Unplugged sounds great too. Also I wasn’t crazy about how they put the electronics in sound hole. But now I kind of like it now they’re hidden and keeps it looking more natural. They’re in there pretty deep so you won’t hit them when playing. I am familiar with the Grover open back tuners also. They are great very smooth and hold in tune excellent. I must mention I chose this one for the neck profile also the modified low oval is easier on the hands then the performing artist neck. I got the low oval on my 00015M both are great guitars but I needed one with a cutaway and acoustic-electric.Anthony

I'm an amateur guitar player, but a lifetime musician (drummer)… been teaching myself guitar now for several months on a couple different low end guitars. I decided it was time to upgrade. After lots of research, I decide the Martin road series would be the best option for me. I was right… this guitar is amazing, I love the tone, the playability and the space on the fret board. I have little fat fingers and I need the space between the strings. The 1-3/4 nut allows good space for us fat finger dudes. Can't go wrong with the Martin… now I fully understand why Martin is one of the best… I won't be going away from Martin. Found my lifetime guitar!Eric

I'm a gigging musician with over 60 years on guitar. I play finger style mostly. I'm also a singer songwriter. I almost didn't even try this guy. Yes it's a model that's only sold by some retailers but it is still a Martin in every way. I ordered it shipped to store. When I went to pick it up, it was obviously a repack from a GC store and had a few nicks and dings and old nasty strings. The store had thrown a new set of strings in the box but didn't even wipe the guitar down before shipping. I almost refused it and left the store with bad feelings. Fortunately, my local GC offered to restring it and clean it up as a good faith gesture. I agreed to give it a try. Best decision I've made recently. It plays beautifully. Very balanced sound from low to high. Good factory setup with no buzzing anywhere, even when I dig in. Good response and feel from light and delicate finger style to hard strumming. This has become my #1 gigging guitar. The built in tuner and electronics work well and sound great with my Fishman Loudbox Performer. Thank you GC for saving a sale and making me a happy old picker.Thomas

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

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

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 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 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

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

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

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

I 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 play locally for hire as a solo acoustic guitar / vocalist. My primary guitar is a Martin GPCP Aura. I purchased the Martin SC 13E in hopes of finding a guitar with better action and playability. My first reaction to the 13E was really nice and it did play with less effort / strength than my GPCP. The first issue I noticed was string buzz on the 1st and 2nd strings. It wasn't awful but noticeable. I played the guitar that weekend at two shows. I was still noticing the buzz. So, I started the set-up investigation. The neck relief, the slight bow forward that a guitar neck needs, looked really good, maybe could use a bit more to help with the string buzz. This is an easy truss rod adjustment; however, I didn't change the truss rod setting. The next thing I looked at was the distance of the string height, above the 12th fret. My thought was I would try to lower this slightly if I decided to keep the guitar. The next weekend I got the guitar out at home before getting ready for my show that evening, to run through a new song I was planning to do at hat nights show. I took the SC13E out of the bag and the 1st and 2nd strings were touching the guitar at the 20th fret. I thought the saddle had somehow pushed down lower into the bridge…. I exchanged that guitar for another SC1E. GC person was easy to work with and got the exchange handled quickly. About 3-4 days I had my second SC13E in my hands. It also had the same string buzz, even though the neck relief and action looked good. I played a couple of shows with this guitar and then I started noticing the buzz getting worse. If you are still reading, the reward is at hand. lol I have decided that the problem with this guitar, and probably the other guitar, is the neck angle is off. I will explain why I think it is off and explain how you can check your guitar. I have watched hundreds of youtube videos trying to learn how to set-up and care for my instruments. I have watched neck adjustment videos put out by fender, for their strat guitars, because I wanted to know how to adjust my Acoustasonic Strat. But what I am getting ready to sell you, I have discovered on my own and may not be accurate, but here it goes. If I put a capo, or hold the strings down with my hand. on the 12th fret, there is a space between the strings and the frets above the 12th fret. A pretty wide gap at the 20th fret. On the SC13E the strings are almost touching and the 1st string is touching. Wa La I believe that neck angle is off. I think it was off on both guitars. So check yours before missing your return date. If you check your guitar and it has this problem, don't totally freak out. The SC13E has an adjustable neck angle, so it can be made perfect. If you find what I described above, I suggest contacting Martin Guitar and GC. Another thing to be aware of, the three Martin guitars I have owned had the nut groves cut too narrow. I took my GPCP to an excellent luthier. He filed the width and depth to correct specifications and filed down my frets (I had two that where high) Both of the SC13E guitars needed to have the nuts filed. If you are trying to tune your guitar by making a very slight turn to get it just right and the string doesn't increase pitch and then jumps to a sharp pitch, the string is probably pinching in the nut grove. Both SC13E's were boogers to tune for that reason. One of them broke the B string while tuning up from dropping the pitch. I am returning my second SC13E tomorrow and I think I am going to give it a rest for awhile. Maybe look for something different. FYI: I love my Martin GPCP Aura, unfortunately they discontinued that model. The sound I get from the Fishman Aura electronics is the best I have heard. PS: part of the reason the SC13E plays easier is they use a lighter gauge string. I put a set of the MA535T Martin Lifespan strings on mt GPCP and even with the truss rod loose, the strings don't pull on the neck hard enough to give me the neck relief that is needed. The SC13E is a beautiful guitar to look at and the electronics onboard sound very nice. I learned, I'm not a big fan of having the controls inside the sound hole. A little awkward to get to while strumming and the phase reverse switch is way back from the opening. If you like using the hole covers to fight feedback, I'm pretty sure you would be out of luck. I think this price range of acoustic guitar should come with a hard case. I gave this guitar a 2 rating because it has potential BUT i do think both of these guitars suffered from poor quality control. My luthier could have made both of these guitars sing beautifully but I refuse to buy a new guitar and send it for repairs, even if the repairs are set-up issues. A new guitar on the north side of a thousand dollars should show up playing without string buzzing and the strings close enough to the neck that you hand doesn't feel like you just hung from the monkey bars during an entire recess.Dale

This is a beautiful instrument with a stunning full acoustic sound despite the deep cut away and relatively small body size. The amazing design allows for unlimited access to the upper frets and the whole instrument feels very comfortable to play. I wanted an acoustic guitar with the accessibility of an electric and this new design from C.F.Martin delivers that in droves without ever loosing it's acoustic personality and sound. I own a super jumbo acoustic made by another company but the SC13e makes it sound dull and lifeless even before it is plugged in. The SC13e has that familiar Martin sound which is full and beautiful. The fishman pickup will then allow that sound to be delivered to anywhere from a gig in a noisy pub to full stadium if required. What a stunning instrument!Reviewed by Kenny's Music custom

Overall: 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 decided to wait until the honeymoon period was over (4 mos) to write a review. I've now come to the realization that it's not going to end. I've been playing for about 50 years, and over the past 10 or so have thoroughly enjoyed splitting time between my Taylor and Washburn. No more! This Martin is easily the most amazing guitar I've ever played. The combination of sound, size, and playability make it very hard to put down. I've been primarily a flat picker all my life, but this guitar begs to be fingerpicked, and I'm happily obliging! Simply put, an outstanding instrument.Jeff

I have been wanting this model for a few years. I knew what I wanted from playing these in stores. I finally bought one from MF. When it arrived I unboxed it and opened the case. Wow these are beautiful guitars. As soon as I started playing I was disappointed. The guitar did not sound like the ones I had played in stores. This on had a muddy small sound. This is not what I expect from spruce and rosewood. Now I am out the shipping cost to return the item. I think I learned a few good lessons here. Always play the guitar you are buying in person. Each and every acoustic guitar has its own sound, no matter how well they are built.dillon

I have been playing guitar for over 40 years and have always loved the sound of Martin guitars. I prefer a "V" shaped neck which is rare these days. I decided to finally purchase a Martin, and decided on this model to get the modified "V" neck. The action and feel are outstanding, and the sound is everything I would expect from Martin. The details and finish are exceptional. I have several guitars, and this one just became my go to acoustic.Mike

I bought my fiancé and I a new Martin. I got her a Martin Dx2e and I got this one. I received mine first since I ordered from here which was wonderful. I got hers off of reverb because ams didn’t have sunburst which she wanted. I was not picky about color but I went with this one. I was super excited to say the least because this was my first Martin Guitar. I also purchased another guitar last year from Ams and I loved it. I digress and move forward to getting it. So I opened it up and I was super pleased with how perfect it looked. Then I started playing it. It was great until I went to play a D chord or anything that involved the high E string. It is cut way too low on the nut and the slightest pressure makes the string fall off the fret board. I thought maybe it was just me, however my father in law to be, which is a professional had the same issue. Also my fiancé had the same issue. Needless to say, I tried to make it work. I sent Ams an email. No response. I guess I’m stuck with this 1k dollars in a guitar that is going to need to be repaired at a shop when it’s brand new. So overall, if you want to take the risk, go for it. My fiancé got the Dx2e and it’s stellar. I would rather have one like hers than this one tuner or not. Hers sounds much better too. The looks and everything else is fine. Just the bottom string is way way too low.Brittany

Sound: Unplayable, neck is crap Features: Doesn’t matter what you do to adjust the neck , it is crap Ease of Use: I wouldn’t know , this guitar should never have been allowed to be released . The neck is unacceptable Quality: It looks pretty. If I wanted a pretty guitar to never be played then it would be ok . But you can not even play this $900 piece of crap. Extremely frustrating Value: Absolutely no. Buy another brand. Breedlove would be my best choice as I bought one and absolutely loved it out of the box . Best acoustic guitar I ever played Manufacturer Support: I have contacted Martin. No authorized repair shop within 100 miles of me in my state . Martin should be ashamed of this garbage The Wow Factor: Martin name sucked me in . Never ever again if they don’t want to fix this piece of junk Overall: I have been playing and working on my own guitars since 1975 . This is absolutely the worst guitar I’ve ever owned. The neck has an S shape to it . The relief is acceptable up to the 7th fret , after that it rapidly accelerates to an unusable 1/4 inch at the 12th fret . No matter how much you attempt to adjust it, it simply is unplayable. I am ashamed to even take it out of the bag . Martin quality control seriously blew it big time on this guitar. I own dozens of guitars and waited until my retirement to buy that Martin guitar of my dreams. This is a nightmare, not a dream. Stay away from this piece of crap . No matter what adjustment you do to the truss rod , it won’t help. Bass to treble side is extremely different. 1/4 inch on the bass side at the 12th but the treble side is marginally better. However, the S shape of the fretboard makes the guitar unplayable unless you like staying in the cowboy chord area . My Ovation, Breedlove,Fender , and Gibson acoustic guitars are brilliant examples of guitar playability. This Martin was to be my final guitar since I have only played them and never owned one . I can’t even play this piece of garbage. Martin has no dealer or authorized repair shop within 100 miles of me so I am stuck with a $900 piece of firewood. Never ever will I buy anything with that name again. That’s all they are, a name. How this got by quality control blows my mind. I have $200 acoustic guitars that are much better than this. Totally disgusted by my experience with this guitar.Gregory

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

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

First I should say this is my third Martin, the others being a D18 1934 GE and an OM-H28 VTS. I've wanted a 00-sized guitar and after having played several I chose the CEO-7. Boy, am I fortunate. I'm having more fun with this guitar than I really thought possible. First, it looks so cool. More Gibson L-00 than Martin (hence the "My Favorite Marti(a)n" nod in the title). But it plays and sounds just like a Martin–and that's a great thing. I've often said that if American history and culture had a soundtrack, it would be played on a Martin. And if I were doing the playing, it would be on my CEO-7. It fits like a glove and the sound rocks my soul. When played softly, it produces a sweet and delicate sound. But when you lay into it, it becomes gritty and bluesy. I've swapped the plastic bridge pins for bone and I'll probably upgrade the tuners at some point, but everything else is tops–addy top; mahogany back and sides; looks like a mahogany neck; ebony fingerboad and bridge; 1 3/4 bone nut. It's a lot of value for the price. Honestly, hands down THE BEST guitar I've ever owned. No regrets. I'll have this one forever.ScottyJ

I have been deliberating on getting a Martin D28 for a decade. I finally bit the bullet and spent the money but opted on the CEO 7. I couldn't be more happy. First off its gorgeous with the sunburst top and choice mahogany back and sides. The size drew me in because of comfortability and I play a lot sitting and lounging. To me it is way more comfortable than the dreadnot while not loosing any (or significant) volume. Plays like a dream. I shouldn't have have waited so long. I did opt to add an ivory arm rest and I think it just increases the big sound of this little guitar.Jon

This guitar is comfortable in my hands…it just feels good. Finger picking, flat picking, strumming…whatever style you prefer…it'll be fine. Clear and crisp and rings like a bell. Small but mighty. I've played (or tried to play) a bunch of guitars over the last 50 years. I'm a ham and egg player. Electrics and acoustics – Fenders, Gibsons, Martins, Gretschs, Epiphones, Guilds, Dan Electros and on…and this Martin CEO-7 is among the sweetest ever. This one makes me want to play it, and, most important, makes me want get better at playing it. This one makes me lose track of time.Hroogar