Martin

[LI_Slim]

I have a 00016C, circa 1970. C meaning classical. That's right, Martin makes nylon string guitars (I think there was a period of time during the 80s and 90s when they stopped making them for awhile). A great nylon string guitar for a non-classical player.

 

[Light]

Are the D15s the ones that have the dark wood top? Is it mahogany? Or is that in reference to a body style? That's the $799 one in the GC junk mail, right?

Martins model numbers follow a very strict formula. The letter (D, O, OO, OOO, OM, etc.) refer to the shape of the body, and the number (15, 16, 18, 28, 35, etc.) refers to the style and bracing. They will sometimes add modifiers to those basic numbers (GT for gloss top, or E for electronics, etc.).

So, a D15 is a drednaught with style 15 appointments, which includes a solid mahogany top, no binding, and limited inlay (the rosette is a decal). It has Martin's "A-Frame" bracing, which is much lighter than the traditional X bracing ("A-Frame" bracing DOES have an X brace, but there are a lot of other things which are different).

I've been told they are making a D15 sith a sitka top, but I can't find it on the Martin website, and I haven't seen one (but then, I haven't been looking very hard, or really at all).


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[KonradG]

I'm more of a taylor man myself, but i tend to go upstream as far as tastes. i think that martin has a very nice sound, dont get me wrong, thats a fact, not an opinion. but i think that a taylor has just as full of a sound, especially recorded. i plan on spending my grand or two on a taylor.

 

[LI_Slim]

for about 2k i went with a Breedlove. They don't have the Martins' huge bottom but wonderfully balanced, especially if you need built in electronics

 

[perceive]

This is where personal taste comes in .. I have a martin D18 on lay buy at the moment ..I bought it cos it is wonderfully warm... but no so bright as a Taylor... which suits me (hey man, can I wear clothes other than black... hell no... and all that!)..

Next thing for me is to find a really nice nylon string... mmm......

 

[freshmattyp]

I've been told they are making a D15 sith a sitka top, but I can't find it on the Martin website, and I haven't seen one (but then, I haven't been looking very hard, or really at all).

I think that one is a Musicians Friend "exclusive".

 

[32-20-Blues]

yep, martins rock

 

[HapiCmpur]

I think everyone should own one of these guitars.

That's mighty generous of you. When may I expect delivery?

Okay, so who's the humorless dullard who gave me negative rep points for that bit of word play? Not only didn't you sign you name, the comment you left was "quite facetious." (Misspelled, no less.) And that's quite ironic.

Lighten up, dude. Facetious is exactly the tone I was going for. It means "bantering" or "to give tongue-in-cheek advice." I know TelePaul wasn't really offering to buy everyone in the forum a Martin, but because of the way he worded his post, someone could have misinterpreted it that way, and I pretended to do so. It's called a joke, and if you don't think it's funny, that's fine, but don't do damage to my credibility in the forum just because you're a bit too literal.

P.S. Sign your rep point comments. That's just good netiquette.

 

[TelePaul]

Huh?

We can leave feedback? How does one do that? Dude, your ruining my happy Martin post.....look at all the happy Martin players!

 

[TelePaul]

Next thing for me is to find a really nice nylon string... mmm......

La Patrie by Godin do awesome classicals.

 

[perceive]

La Patrie by Godin do awesome classicals.

Thanks for the suggestion... I will try and find if they are available around here..
Can I ask what it was you like about them in particular? I guess i am looking for something warm and a little dark...... which I guess nylons can do well with their warmer mellower sound compared to your average steel string..

 

[TelePaul]

Thanks for the suggestion... I will try and find if they are available around here..
Can I ask what it was you like about them in particular? I guess i am looking for something warm and a little dark...... which I guess nylons can do well with their warmer mellower sound compared to your average steel string..

My brother plays one and detunes it alot for trad/eastern stuff. I guess with classical it kinda depends on how you play it. If you play with nails, you can get an incredible amount of volume out of it. The low end is nice, but overall its quite a balanced sound. Theres a satin finish so the sound can really 'breathe' if you get, though it will probably mark easily, so if you go with it buy an adhesive scratch board. Thats really all I can tell you...that and for the money its an amazing buy. I think its around five or six hundred bucks.

 

[32-20-Blues]

It's plenty dark. Although, ya should get it with a case for less than 500. Start growing your nails now, too!

 

[LI_Slim]

As per my post earlier in this thread, check out Martin classicals.

For a little less dough, Seagull makes nice classicals too.

There are also a lot of Spanish classicals that play very nicely (not all are made for the strings to be set up miles from the neck); there are some stores that specialize in them.

 

[Zaphod B]

I own a 1963 Martin D-28 - I've owned it since 1968 and got it in as-new condition.

It's been my best friend over the years. It plays nicely and sounds sweet. We've been through a lot of music together.

Great choice, TelePaul. Here's to many years of enjoyment.

 

[hixmix]

HD-35 bought new in 1997. Sounds better and better every year.

 

[perceive]

As per my post earlier in this thread, check out Martin classicals.

For a little less dough, Seagull makes nice classicals too.

There are also a lot of Spanish classicals that play very nicely (not all are made for the strings to be set up miles from the neck); there are some stores that specialize in them.

You don't mind me asking how much you paid for it?

 

[LI_Slim]

You don't mind me asking how much you paid for it?

No, I don't mind.


































I bought my circa 1970 00016C, which they stopped making about a year later, used about 10 years ago for $900 including the original case. I was not looking for a used guitar but it just appeared at Sam Ash on 48th Street in NYC when I was looking. Since Martin is not known for classical guitars the vintage ones don't cost that much, but they are very hard to find. At the time, I saw a few new Martin classicals, very nice ones, for about $1200.

 

[Track Rat]

Here's a shot of some of my babies.
https://homerecording.com/bbs/attachment.php?attachmentid=15314

 

[TelePaul]

Here's a shot of some of my babies.
https://homerecording.com/bbs/attachment.php?attachmentid=15314

Great pic man! What mics have ya got there? They look nice.