Which Martin?

[travelin travis]

I own an old Yamaha f310. I think it's completely plywood but for a super cheap guitar it sounds good. I can't tell you how many compliments I have gotten on the sound. It's funny cause they're going for like $99 on ebay now. Mine is beat to hell from dragging it up and down the beach and every parking lot from here to the beach. I did have a good setup done it, well as good as could be done and it surprised the hell out of me when I got it back. I read that Rivers from Weezer owned one for awhile too.

 

[Marcellovalerio]

How good is Quality Control over there at "Taylor"...Good? If i want to get my hands on a taylor or anything really, I have to get it from the net...or go to the UK

 

[johneeeveee]

Well, my saga comes to an end...happily I might add. I got my new D15 home safe and sound having no regrets. I'm convinced that I've made the best purchase possible.

i agree... i dig mahogany all around, and it has a sound that sets it apart from all the solid spruce tops. i have a 00-15 that i have played 200 shows a year on for the past 5-6 years, from the dry of arizona to the wet of louisiana, and everywhere in between... it's stayed solid as a rock and just keeps sounding better with time. i think you made a smart buy, as i feel the d-15 is one of the best sounding dreads out ther for the money.
congratulations - jv

 

[Kore]

I've seen a lot of Takamines that, under $800USD, beat the Martins of the same price. Above $1000, though, Martin > Tak.

Ever tried a Seagull guitar? They're good sounding, and they feel good to me (might not to you). And some of them come with some wicked electrocoustic pickups.

 

[rpe]

Another homerecording.com guitar forum success story. Good advice guys!

rpe

 

[LI_Slim]

I just did a search to see what anyone had said about the Martin DX1, having bought one for my son yesterday at Sam Ash in White Plains, NY.

IMO the Martin DX1 ($499, case not included) was the best acoustic guitar in the store for less than $1,000. Maybe they are making them better now than they did a year ago.

First, let's be accurate. They have a solid Sitka Spruce top. The back and side are mahogany HPL and the fingerboard is ebony.

This is a legitimate dreadnought guitar. It has a very well-balanced sound, and a fuller tone on the bass strings than one could expect for less than $1K. It is real playable. It is not boxy sounding at all. It does not have the volume or otherwise the power of a more expensive guitar -- although it does respond well when you push it -- and it does not have that bright sound that Taylor lovers love (although in my opinion the cheaper Taylors sound awful because they have the brightness but nothing else), so I would not recommend it to someone who likes to play a lot of leads on the high strings (in which case you should get an electric guitar anyway).

I played the cheap Taylor, a Washburn, an Ibanez, the Takamines (the $899 guitar, including electronics, was pretty good; the $499 guitar, including electronics, was garbage), the Ovations (never mind), a $900 Larivee (what a con) and one or two others. The DX1 was the best guitar for under $1K.

As it happened, they were having a one-day storewide sale (which I didn't even know about until I was checking out), so I was able to get him the guitar (reduced to $429), a basic hsc, a strap, and a Dean Markey sound hole pick up system (not my favorite, but the kid's only 14), plus NYS sales tax, all for just under $600. Boy, was I relieved

 

[ibanezrocks]

I have played a DX1 and I thought it was a nice guitar for the price. LI_Slim have you played a Seagull? they're awesome acoustics for 500 dollars.

 

[LI_Slim]

I have played a DX1 and I thought it was a nice guitar for the price. LI_Slim have you played a Seagull? they're awesome acoustics for 500 dollars.

I agree. I think the Seagull is another excellent guitar for that price point.

 

[c7sus]

Keep saving a look for a decent used D-18 or a 000.

 

[travelin travis]

the seagull with the cedar top, when properly setup, sounds very good compared to the usual low cost guitars. I think my favorite two low cost guitars are the DX1 and the S6 cedar. Both are very good buys in my opinion.

 

[patlang12]

I have a Martin 000X1 and I like it. Maybe I don't really know the martin sound because I don't play acoustic a lot, but I think it sounds good. It sure was better than anything else in the price range that I played, so..... I guess it is time for you guys to tell me I am wrong

 

[travelin travis]

I have'nt played that one myself........but if you like it, thats all that matters

 

[LI_Slim]

I have a Martin 000X1 and I like it. Maybe I don't really know the martin sound because I don't play acoustic a lot, but I think it sounds good. It sure was better than anything else in the price range that I played, so..... I guess it is time for you guys to tell me I am wrong

You are wrong about being wrong It's a nice guitar. Also the Martin X series guitars really don't have the classic "Martin sound". The 000X1 is a lot like the DX1 except it has an 000 body instead of a D (dreadnought) body.

 

[hixmix]

Which Martin?

George Martin.

 

[punkin]

What about Ricky or Short

 

[patlang12]

I have'nt played that one myself........but if you like it, thats all that matters

Yeah I have also played my friends $3000 Martin which of course is much nicer, but I think it is good for the money.

 

[travelin travis]

Yeah I have also played my friends $3000 Martin which of course is much nicer, but I think it is good for the money.

cosmetics aside, could you tell a huge difference in the sound and playability? a couple thousand dollars difference?

just wondering

 

[patlang12]

cosmetics aside, could you tell a huge difference in the sound and playability? a couple thousand dollars difference?

just wondering

ummm..... well......It did sound a lot better, but not $3000 better. I think the 000 sounds really good.

 

[travelin travis]

I know a guy that owns a 000, which I have played a couple of times. I don't like how his guitar sounds, but I think that is just a personal preference or maybe I just have'nt played it enough.

 

[astoebe]

I would like to add to all of these posts that every acoustic sounds different. You can't say something about a model as a whole really. I've played some high end Taylors that I love, some that weren't great, some Martins I loved, some I thought sucked, some Takamines I thought were good, some that sucked......even some of these were the same model. I travelled around playing alot of acoustics before I settled I mine, which I played for a good period of time before deciding to buy it (it's a Taylor 414mace...maple instead of the usual Ovangkol on the 400's) and I would put it up against any acoustic out there pretty much when it comes to sound and feel.....HOWEVER, I would never tell you that Taylor 414mace's are all the bomb.....some of them might not be that great. They all have different wood, different feels, different sounds. You might find a 110 you love and an 810 you don't like so much.....ok, I think I got what I was trying to say across....i digress.....