Home grown for 4 years.

Country, rock, and of course, BLUES.

This is my second Martin dreadnaught. The sound is everything. Though I was shocked (not overstating my use of word, here) at the beauty of the spruce top, I was even more satisfied at the projection of full chords. I deliberately tuned to open DADGAD to experiment with full six-string chord pieces, and that makes the guitar so difficult to put down. It is a glassy, open sound and the sustain rivals an electric using over-wound hum buckers. The individual notes of each chord ring on forever. A true pleasure.

The neck has that thin Strat feel. I've had wider and thicker guitar necks on other acoustics. But it is still comfortable and fast. I am a speed freak who also likes to slow it down and let the wood do the work. It works well up the neck and in "open" chord fashion. The feature that surprised me was the Fishman. I PLUGGED THE GUITAR into my Tascam 24 track BEFORE I plugged it into an amp. I loved the sound. I am going to experiment with a combination of microphones as well. But the output was a representation of THE GUITAR not a representation of FISHMAN electronics. And that was a pleasant surprised considering the low price end.

I could not put this guitar down; it is just that easy to enjoy the output. It stayed in tune and it surprised me. How? I started out playing only "open" chords and after a few hours I really experimented up the neck. There is no cut-away on my model so I did not go too high. But my point is this. When I played jazz and bar chords at 5 and 7 and 8 -- A and B and C, and derivatives -- it performed NOT UNLIKE a D'Angelico. The framework of the sound on that rosewood neck (and it is not really rosewood, but who cares) was just out of this world. I wish I had the words.

This guitar was lighter than I expected but the book that comes with the guitar explains the bracing patterns. The Mexico factory does an excellent job. I have NO PROBLEM buying Martins from Mexico, especially considering this is number 2 for me and this guitar sings. It sings like a freaking bird. The X-bracing pattern, by the way, is ancient. Martin has been using this pattern and purfling style to strengthen the joints, for over 100 years. Why mess with it if it ain't broken? The difference is that they have figured out a way to use high quality wood materials that are compressed into a high strength material that vibrates and expresses resonance very well. That is apparently cheaper for them than cutting down a tree. More power to them.

This guitar is very easily worth double its asking price. Zzounds makes it affordable for people like me, at $130 per month for four months. The kids still eat.

Martin has classic PR and customer satisfaction. I don't have to deal with them, but being a Martin fan since 1974, I know that.

Paid musician for two decades through the early 1990s. Mostly Christian volunteer work and recording since then.

Rock, acoustic, reggae, jazz and progressive jazz

I have been playing for thirty years, been in four bands, and currently a solo artist.

Rock n Roll

For a guitar of this price it's great. Very good warm tone and sustain. I like it because it's so light, could play it all night.

very easy to change sounds just use different strings.

It is very roadworthy, I am a bit worried that because the top is so thin it might crack someday (hasn't yet and I've been through a lot of temp changes)but I think thats what gives it its great sound. Everything else is great.

Its a "martin" and I'm a fender player but I always use it in at least a couple songs at gigs. It gives that warm ballad sound.

Active Musician

rock and country