Martin Travel Acoustic Guitar For Sale (Jan 2023 Update)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I 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

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

For the money, I couldn't find a better acoustic guitar (A new one anyways). I've owned many high end Martins, but I wanted something that was easy to travel with and I wouldn't worry about if it got scratched/dented. Out of the box the action and intonation were very close to perfect. I adjusted the truss rod myself to fit my playing preference, and the intonation was so close I doubt anyone will notice when playing further up the neck. The building materials are not great, but once again, "for the money"… My only con is they don't have a hard shell case for this particular model. The included soft shell case is still convenient, but I kind of wish they'd make a HSC like they did for the dreadnaught model.Garrett G.

This guitar is good for the money. Neck straight. All workmanship is precise. Light and not overly heavy from clear coat gunk. Neck is short but wide. Strings that came on it went in trash in 5 min. Use Lixrs on these small guitars. Nuff said…Not too small like Martin mini where you fight it not to be a uke and it really is. Quality is near perfect. Case is the good one like the minis. Doesnt feel like a GS mini which feels too small. This guitar feels good but smaller that normal. Set up fine out of box (which is more than I can say for the USA models). Ready to play. I will prob change out stock pickup for DTar syemour duncan wavelength solo later. Not that the stock pickup is bad; just like seymour better for acoustic under saddle "non-quack" pickup. If you know how to use an eq then dnot need that extra tone button anyway, plus fihsman is kind of not great stuff. After about 10yrs needed something better. Buy one before Martin decides not to make them anymore…Kokbloock

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

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

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

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

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

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've bought several guitars along the way, always knowing that I wanted a Martin 000. Somehow I found myself able to get the guitar I've always wanted and I'm so happy! Why did I wait so long? First of all, Martin Guitars are very nice. VERY NICE. The best. Especially once you get into the 18 series on up. The quality and craftsmanship lives up to the reputation. Of course, all of the hard work that Martin puts into their instruments results in breathtaking sound that only a Martin Guitar can produce. As soon as I picked up the guitar I could feel the power. My first chord was an open D, my go to key anytime I pick up a guitar to try. It's something you have to feel, but all I can really say is that the sound of this 000-18 is glorious. A very round classic sound, with a bit of chime on top. This 000-18 has a wide sonic range, but mid-range focused. The mahogany has that sweet tone which is great for all styles of play. This is definitely a finger pickers dream guitar, but can handle flat picking. I also like that I can lay into this guitar and the strumming remains crisp and not muddy. Drop tunings and capo up and down the neck is near perfect! This is my all around, do it all guitar! This guitar sings. Projection, sustain, volume when you need it, it's all there! Some guitars sound boxy and cheap. Not Martin. Not this one. It actually sounds like I should have paid more. The 000-18 does not come with electronics, but that's okay. You may not want any for this guitar. At least for a while. If you're a professional gigging musician than you could add a pickup, but there could be other choices out there suitable for gigging and amplified performance. The Sitka spruce top is gorgeous. Booked perfectly with silking that I can spend forever looking at. The neck is very smooth and modern feeling. I like it because it's not too thin, but allows me to play all styles. Satin finish makes me want to play all day long. And YES. I shallJay

This guitar is simply dreamy. Warm bass, chimey trebles, overtones all day long. Quality woods and finish, beautiful classic looks, great playability. Tone is everything I'd hoped for and more. Think Neil Young Harvest, Joni, acoustic John Martyn. After the disappointment of getting a very good-sounding but obviously damaged example from another supplier, I pre-ordered from Andertons, and received the HD sooner than expected. Ups and downs. Maybe it was the ghost of the first purchase haunting me – perhaps that first one had had time to open up more. But something didn't quite gel. No problem. Within the 14-day return period it was easy to arrange for an exchange for another of the same model. A few days later the courier came to picked up the guitar and hand over my third time lucky. Very quickly I realised I was Goldilocks in this tale, and this Martin was just right. It sounds just a little better every day and I love it! Not a cheap guitar, but a competitive price from Andertons for this iconic instrument.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Overall: Once again zZounds has pulled through for me and allowed me to purchase a Martin HD28 and play it as I pay. I'm extremely grateful that zZounds has allowed me to participate in this program and it's for this reason and the excellent customer service, that I'll never purchase any gear from any other retailer. Thank you zZounds!The Martin HD28 that I purchased can be described with just one word, amazing. I've owned many acoustics in my lifetime from every builder you can think of and I'm convinced that Martin builds the absolute best acoustic guitars. My HD28 arrived in beautiful pristine condition with no issues whatsoever. Examining the inside of my guitar, you can see no glue drops and the Guitar is super clean. Great attention was given to this instrument in all aspects of the build. The wood is absolutely beautiful and the instrument is a true work of art. This instrument sounds absolutely beautiful. She has deep lows, articulate mids and crystal clear highs. The instrument is very well balanced across it's sonic spectrum. I might add that the Guitar is very loud without having to dig in hard. I'd say it's quite the cannon with tons of color and sustain. I purchased the Martin Liquid Bridge pins, installed them and I can certainly tell the difference. It's made the guitar a bit brighter and a little louder. I'm very happy with this purchase and I definitely have a keeper.Matt

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 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 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