M
MK-Ultra
New member
Hi,
Well, it has been a bit of a struggle for me to get the Martin that had that 'something' which made me think 'oh, so that's why people like these guitars!'
In the autumn, I tried around 13 models, from the standard D-28 and D-35, to the OM-21, a few more expensive, and a few in-betweens. Didn't care for the micarta fretboard ones, and the others I've mentioned just didn't seem to have much to write home about, except maybe the D-35, which was an out and out sound cannon. I still may get one of those, or that one, if the shop still has it when I have the money, but for the most part, I am happy with the Martin I have.
Getting it, and getting it set up correctly were entirely other matters, though. First off, I was trying to get a 000-15. First one shipped to me had a really nasty crack on the bottom, it should never have been shipped to me. Doubtful that it happened in transit, as Thomann wraps their packages up pretty well, and it was in a case. The replacement 000-15 had a gap between the neck and the body, just under the fretboard, and I wasn't willing to gamble that it was cosmetic, and 'within spec' as I was told by someone at Martin. So, that was returned in favour of a D-15. The next day after getting the D-15, I sanded down the saddle about a mm, trying to get a nice, low action. I sanded too much, apparently, and the 1st string was buzzing up and down the fretboard. I put a shim in, and that helped, but the first string would still have this 'snappiness' when I played barre chords with any significant velocity. So, at that point, the D-15 went to a luthier, who made me a bone saddle, but one shaped in such a way as it kept the 1st string a little higher than the norm. Of course, this caused the other strings to be a bit high as well. When I tried it out at his shop, I asked him to sand down the saddle about .4 mm, which helped, but after playing it for over a month, I still was not comfortable with the touch. Well, I just tightened the truss rod, and seem to have finally gotten this guitar to play as it should.
Now, it is easier to play (within normal parameters for a Martin guitar with Med strings on it), which, in combination with the tone, makes the D-15 a true bargain and, this guitar, a keeper. I am using Elixir PB nanos on it. I had tried Daddario PBs, but they sounded pretty dead within a week. The Elixir PB nanos are the perfect string to my ears for this guitar. The tone is really amazing, very rich, full, smoooove, and it seems to me that the guitar sounds better than the day I got it (which was only in the beginning of December).
This guitar sounds better than more than half of the Martins I tried in the fall, and the only dreadnought that beat it was the D-35, but they were asking €2,700.00 for that. The D-15 cost me €888.00.
My Taylor 310 has been languishing a bit lately, sadly.
Anyways, I just wanted to share that. I would definitely recommend the D-15 (or an intact 000-15) for anyone who wants a Martin and who doesn't want to mortgage the house to get one.
Cheers,
MK
Well, it has been a bit of a struggle for me to get the Martin that had that 'something' which made me think 'oh, so that's why people like these guitars!'
In the autumn, I tried around 13 models, from the standard D-28 and D-35, to the OM-21, a few more expensive, and a few in-betweens. Didn't care for the micarta fretboard ones, and the others I've mentioned just didn't seem to have much to write home about, except maybe the D-35, which was an out and out sound cannon. I still may get one of those, or that one, if the shop still has it when I have the money, but for the most part, I am happy with the Martin I have.
Getting it, and getting it set up correctly were entirely other matters, though. First off, I was trying to get a 000-15. First one shipped to me had a really nasty crack on the bottom, it should never have been shipped to me. Doubtful that it happened in transit, as Thomann wraps their packages up pretty well, and it was in a case. The replacement 000-15 had a gap between the neck and the body, just under the fretboard, and I wasn't willing to gamble that it was cosmetic, and 'within spec' as I was told by someone at Martin. So, that was returned in favour of a D-15. The next day after getting the D-15, I sanded down the saddle about a mm, trying to get a nice, low action. I sanded too much, apparently, and the 1st string was buzzing up and down the fretboard. I put a shim in, and that helped, but the first string would still have this 'snappiness' when I played barre chords with any significant velocity. So, at that point, the D-15 went to a luthier, who made me a bone saddle, but one shaped in such a way as it kept the 1st string a little higher than the norm. Of course, this caused the other strings to be a bit high as well. When I tried it out at his shop, I asked him to sand down the saddle about .4 mm, which helped, but after playing it for over a month, I still was not comfortable with the touch. Well, I just tightened the truss rod, and seem to have finally gotten this guitar to play as it should.
Now, it is easier to play (within normal parameters for a Martin guitar with Med strings on it), which, in combination with the tone, makes the D-15 a true bargain and, this guitar, a keeper. I am using Elixir PB nanos on it. I had tried Daddario PBs, but they sounded pretty dead within a week. The Elixir PB nanos are the perfect string to my ears for this guitar. The tone is really amazing, very rich, full, smoooove, and it seems to me that the guitar sounds better than the day I got it (which was only in the beginning of December).
This guitar sounds better than more than half of the Martins I tried in the fall, and the only dreadnought that beat it was the D-35, but they were asking €2,700.00 for that. The D-15 cost me €888.00.
My Taylor 310 has been languishing a bit lately, sadly.
Anyways, I just wanted to share that. I would definitely recommend the D-15 (or an intact 000-15) for anyone who wants a Martin and who doesn't want to mortgage the house to get one.
Cheers,
MK
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