Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

[Securb]

I am more of an electric guy and I have been tasked with guitar shopping for a surprise gift from my buddy's wife. She wants to get him a Martin Acoustic Guitar in the $1,000 - $1,500 range. The only Martin I am really familiar with is the D28 but that is way over budget. Any suggestions? My friend plays mostly classic rock and a bit of blues.

Am I in the ballpark with these two I like the 14 fret necks.

 

[LReese]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

I'd say those look like nice choices. If I were buying new, I'd probably look more towards the 000 size over the D.

But not sure I'd like the richlite fretboard on the 000-16GT. The 000-15 Looks very plain, but striking in its own way.

 

[jtougas]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

The 15M ends up with a real earthy, growly tone due to being all mahogany - that may appeal to the blues player in him.

 

[BrianS.]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

I love OOO and other smaller body acoustics, and prefer their tone over dreadnaughts, however, if your buddy is playing mostly classic rock, with its big, "strummy" chords, he would probably prefer a dreadnaught body style.

I can't help too much with the actual model numbers, but Martin makes at least a couple nice dreadnaughts in your price range. I know a friend of mine bought an all solid wood cutaway with electronics for $1800, so I'm sure a less feature packed version would be in your price range.

One other thing: I'd make sure you are not purchasing a model with "HPL" sides/back. HPL is high pressure laminate...countertop veneer. And while you can argue about the tonal qualities of the stuff, I can say with the certainty of experience that it is a huge pain in the rear to repair.

Good luck!

 

[bloodswords]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

Maybe I'm one of the the few who kept trying Martins & ended up not wanting to buy them. Gee...

On that note, I dig Sigma's 000M-15 (OK, so there's a Martin element here):

A fifth of the Martin price tag. Awesome (to me).

 

[Securb]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

Maybe I'm one of the the few who kept trying Martins & ended up not wanting to buy them. Gee...A fifth of the Martin price tag. Awesome (to me).

I totally agree with you to be honest I don't think my buddy has even played a Martin, they are just buying the name. I know they could go more feature and tone rich in that price range but "it has to be a Martin".

 

[jtougas]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

I would suggest a serendipitous browsing day at a local shop, and try out some other brands - particularly Larrivees. All solid woods, beautiful instruments, handmade, and great price tags.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

I love OOO and other smaller body acoustics, and prefer their tone over dreadnaughts, however, if your buddy is playing mostly classic rock, with its big, "strummy" chords, he would probably prefer a dreadnaught body style.

+1

I'm also a big fan of the 000 acoustics, they seem to sound sweeter than dreads.

 

[Securb]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

I love OOO and other smaller body acoustics, and prefer their tone over dreadnaughts, however, if your buddy is playing mostly classic rock, with its big, "strummy" chords, he would probably prefer a dreadnaught body style.

Yep, I am leaning towards the Martin D-16RGT at this point. Real wood sides, dreadnaughts and it says Martin on the headstock.

 

[BrianS.]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

^Looks like a winner!

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

Before purchasing, call up My Favorite Guitars or LA Guitar Sales and ask them for their best price on the guitar you're looking at. You may be pleasantly surprised.

My Favorite Guitars has some really cool takes on the 15 series from the custom shop for affordable prices.

 

[Evan Skopp]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

I own the OOO-15 and I highly recommend it. It's one of Martin's least expensive all solid wood guitars. You can still get a bright and jangly sound out of it, despite the mahogany top. James Taylor played mine and liked it. That's good enough for me.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

I own a D15. It's. very nice guitar. Mine is fitted with a Fishman and it founds great through my Acoustic amp as well. As others have said it depends a lot on the type of player he is. If he is more of a flat picker the D15 would be a good choice, but if he also fingerpicks the triple0 would be better. The nut is wider and the strings are further spaced apart which makes fingerpicking easier. The triple 0 is also not as deep so it will have great balance from string to string. I own a D 15 and I play a lot of slide on this guitar. It sounds great with slide. I also own a Golden era D 18 that I just got that is killer probably out if your budget but a great sounding and beautiful guitar as well mine is a burst so it looks very vintage also. My third Martin Is a Bit of a hybrid. It's a J40 which has the depth if a dreadnought but is sized similar to a triple 0. It also has a wider nut so again fingerpicking is smoother on the wider nuts.

Martins typically go like this:

The 15's are all Mahogany

The 18's are Mahogany back and sides with a spruce top

The 28's are rosewood back and sides with a spruce top

The 45's are just very fancy versions of the 28's

Dreadnaught's usually come with a 1 11/16th nuts, 000 and OM size come with 1.75" nuts. The difference between a triple 0 and OM is the OM has a slightly longer scale which stiffens up the string tension a bit but I really like that. And the OM has scalloped bracing where the triple 0 does not

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

I was lucky enuf to come across a very old 000-15 for less than 300.00 about 6 or 8 years ago. It had the most beautiful voice, which the old Mahogany had realy opened up.. Unfortunately, I was comparing to to some real loud style guitars with lower action that I had my sights set on, like the Gibson J-45's and such, so being financially challenged, I sold it. I bet that old Martin 000-15 though, would have been such a sweet recording guitar.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

I own a D15. It's. very nice guitar. Mine is fitted with a Fishman and it founds great through my Acoustic amp as well. As others have said it depends a lot on the type of player he is. If he is more of a flat picker the D15 would be a good choice, but if he also fingerpicks the triple0 would be better. The nut is wider and the strings are further spaced apart which makes fingerpicking easier. The triple 0 is also not as deep so it will have great balance from string to string. I own a D 15 and I play a lot of slide on this guitar. It sounds great with slide. I also own a Golden era D 18 that I just got that is killer probably out if your budget but a great sounding and beautiful guitar as well mine is a burst so it looks very vintage also. My third Martin Is a Bit of a hybrid. It's a J40 which has the depth if a dreadnought but is sized similar to a triple 0. It also has a wider nut so again fingerpicking is smoother on the wider nuts.

Martins typically go like this:

The 45's are just very fancy versions of the 28's

I think you are missing the point . A D-45 isnt JUST a fancy 28. Its a Premium Martin, constructed with the most choice wood and best construction effort. Its not about "just" slapping binding on a 28, its about a choice tonewood guitar produced with exceptional skill and construction ,and so that is why they make it fancy. You are confusing cause and effect.
BTW, 2night I played a late 70's HD-28( difference in the bracing from regular D28), and although most all Martins are nice, this one was rather exceptional compared to a budget Martin, or even a recent production 28. It wasn't early Brazilain Rosewood, and all 28's are amazing, but the older ones with Indian Rosewood with 30+ years of aging are nothing short of astonishing.
Ya know, I know someone on this forum who told me very recently he Claims to have played an original Holy Grail Pre-war Martin D-45! A Pre war D-45 now worth hundreds of thousands, and so rare noone Ive ever heard of has seen one! This is the guitar that plays to the Cherubim and Sepraphim.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

The D 28 is all Rosewood made in the same factory as the D45 the D 45 is made of Rosewood as well they are usually outfitted with fancier inlays and choice binding and some even have a fancier bridge and pick guard. And yes they are made with choice woods. But a D45 is nothing more then a fancy version of a D28

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

. But a D45 is nothing more then a fancy version of a D28

Wrong Bludave, thats not the way they do it. The make the best guitars with the fancy stuff. I'm 100% certain about that. In other words, they do NOT just take a regular D28 and make it fancy. They take an premium grade D28 body style guitar, one that has the best wood , then they make it fancy. Its the whole purpose of making a beuatiful guitar with fancy features ( binding, inlay, etc). They have more effort put into the construction, they have the highest quality tonewoods, and THEN they make it extra fancy with the beautiful binding ( head, neck body), and inlays. This is true with Gibson also. You pay for it though, as its very costly.
People who buy premium les Pauls, like Lucid and Jolly undestand this . They are the best sounding, the best playing guitars, They are not simply regular Customs or Standards with fancy tops, binding or fancy inlays slapped on. ts one thing to get a Custom Shop reisue of an old R8 or R9, but in general, what I said is 100% factual.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

I just bought a Golden era D18. It has fancier inlays and a burst top. Other then that its a D 18. Same woods same construction. Yes the figuring in the wood my be better but I doubt it's going to sound any different then a good D18. And all of this is pointless because our friend who asked for advice said he had a budget of 1000 to. 1500$. You are not going to get a golden era D18,D28,or D45 for anything less then double his budget So let it go

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

I am more of an electric guy and I have been tasked with guitar shopping for a surprise gift from my buddy's wife. She wants to get him a Martin Acoustic Guitar in the $1,000 - $1,500 range. The only Martin I am really familiar with is the D28 but that is way over budget. Any suggestions? My friend plays mostly classic rock and a bit of blues.

Am I in the ballpark with these two I like the 14 fret necks.

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The D28 is an incredible sounding guitar--has Rosewood sides and back with a Spruce top. If you want the sound of rosewood I would suggest the Martin D-16 http://www.guitarcenter.com/Martin-D-16RGT-Dreadnought-Guitar-101892115-i1149085.gc

Does it have to be brand new or can it be used?

 

[rts99]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

I recently played the OMC version of the 000-16 & I was very pleased with it. I was playing a "deluxe" version made from tiger maple which had some cosmetic flourishes that the plain version above doesn't have. It was priced closer to $3K than $1.5K so I chose to do without. But it has exceptional tone balance, great projection, great articulation, plays well strummed or picked, and is the perfect size for me. If the field has been narrowed down to the 2 guitars above I would prefer the 000-16. But that's just my bias. I didn't see an OMC version of the 000-15 nor have I ever played one. But the appearance of the guitar is pretty bad. For over $1K it would have to be significantly improved before I would consider it. Or the price would have to be lowered significantly in order to entice me.

Happy Choosing.