I justified getting a martin by presenting my wife with the monthly cost her cigarette smoking costs me. I calculated a 1400 pounds guitar is still significantly less than her smoking. She wasn't impressed. But i got my guitar. And my daughter will inherit it. My local guitar shop even considered a similar ad campaign.
I've since used the same argument and bought a lovely new Tokai black beauty and P90 gold top les paul. Total cost? Approximately 9 months of cigarettes 🚬. Works for me.
@@garyjohnson627 That's brilliant, man! Keep making the most of it before the day comes when she quits smoking, lol. You might still have enough years left to grab a nice Fender Strat, Tele, and maybe even a Gibson 335.
Cared Catron ive been heavily wanting a Taylor 314ce but the Martin special gpc is catching my eye. Taylor honestly has way to basic of aesthetic for my taste compared to Martin at a 1,000 dollar plus price range. Plus i enjoy a martins tone much more. Can’t wait till this quarantine is over so I can start feeling new guitars again
@@alejdr save up and buy a Dreadnought Junior, or X-Series guitar. I Promise you that they are worth Every Cent. IF you can save more, then get a Road Series guitar and you will have a guitar that will last you a Lifetime and can be passed down to your kids. Again, Worth EVERY cent. I own a Road Series guitar and till Today it serves me well and has Never let me down. If fact, I swear it sounds better the older and more played-in it is.
I purchased a 2001 martin D-16 custom the year after it came out when I was 18. Solid rosewood back and sides, spruce top, all solid wood everwhere. Mother of pearl around the sound hole etc. It was one of the best investments I made being so young. It blows people away when they hear it.
Chris- you definitely provide some of the best reviews on RU-vid. Always thorough, informative and entertaining. You have a real gift for doing these. Thanks and keep up the stellar work!
I've had a 000-15m for the last 3 years. It replaced my D-28. I much prefer my 000. Fantastic guitar. If your preferred style is finger picking, before you die you must do anything that is not unlawful to get your hands on one of these beauties.
@@stevebrooks9119 What do you think how long will the 000-15m still be around? I wanna get one next year but I'm worried I might not find one at that point. Should I be worried about that?
@Who Da Took To be honest I think the 000-15m is one of Martin's bestsellers. I think they're still making them so you shouldn't have any trouble finding one. However if I were you I'd look around for a good pre owned item. You should be able to get one for 60-70% of retail price. Mine was pre owned and cost £850 (around $1000 ?) And being 2 or 3 years old the solid mahogany will have started to open up. Good luck in your search. It'll be a joy forever....
@@stevebrooks9119 Thank you very much for the answer. I just realized that it's the 000-15m "Streetmaster" that I was having my eyes on but I'm guessing it still shouldn't be a problem since it's the same series? Anyway thanks for the great insight, sounds like I'll be looking for a retail piece early next year. I believe you on the joy forever part! It'll be my first high quality guitar and I'll definately take good care of it.
I'm an intermediateish player and had to sell my guitars due to hard times, when life turned back around my first guitar purchase was the Road series by Martin, Ive owned washburn,breedlove,takamine,yamaha and this is by far my favorite I've ever played
As an owner of many Martins from 15's to 41's I can say if you are a beginner or intermediate save your money and get yourself an ALL WOOD Martin 00-15, 000-15, or D-15. It will sound much better than any laminate and also sound better and better the more you play it.
The 2009 D-1 (1 series) was the best USA purchased Martin per construction/sound value, all wood with scalloped hybrid bracing. Good luck finding one though ;) The D-1 was produced from 1993-2006 and then reissued starting in 2009 until 2012, but with some changes. These include the rosewood fingerboard and bridge was changed to a morado fingerboard and bridge on the later models (a similar feel to rosewood but slightly lighter looking). The later models had Stratabond necks (a type of multilaminate) and solid sapele back and sides (the 1993-2006 models had mahogany necks, laminated mahogany sides and solid mahogany backs). The pickguard was changed from tortoiseshell to black on these later D-1s and a slightly different top bracing pattern was used. The D-1 is an acoustic guitar but you may also purchase it as an electric acoustic. Depending on your needs, whether you’re playing it at the recording studio, shows, a bonfire, or just a jam at home, the D-1 offers a classic sound and it improves with age. Regardless of when your D-1 was made, the sound is undeniably recognizable. The Martin D-1 should be part of any guitar enthusiast’s gear and a return to its original design in 1931.
This video was made in February 2018. Since then, prices have gone up quite a bit and at least one model has been discontinued. I guess the lesson is, if you see something you like, buy it quickly. I'm typing this in June 2019.
Thank you for sharing. I've always had $200 guitars and I've always wanted to get a Martin. It's time, and you were right about the tone of the last guitar. Can't wait to get my Martin!
I would recommend a road series for beginner, then as you get better you can move up the chain and keep the road series as a back-up/porch guitar. But if you want and can afford a standard series by all means go get one.
@@aarnavtonpay3966 I would yes, my suggestion is always buy what you can afford, don't scrimp if you don't have to, but don't buy what you may not be able to afford. Good luck
Just added a DRS1 to my collection - and I love the tone of this guitar. I want to put it out in the open and my guitar room but I want to make sure she keeps the right humidity… So I keep it in the case with the humidity pack. This was a great recommendation… I appreciate it.
I suggest anyone who has never played a Martin go to your local music shop pick ANY Martin that has at least one part i.e. Top, Sides or Back made out of solid wood...After you strum & pick for a few minutes, stop and put your nose up to the soundhole and inhale as if your tasting a aged scotch. 😵
This was such a good video. I started playing last year in October and I want to buy a new guitar next Christmas but I need something that’s not crazy expensive. Thank you for this
Just picked up a beautiful d16e. Thinner body dreadnaught with all the bass and warmth you expect from a traditional dready. The smell and sound of this guitar has me wanting to own every Martin I can possibly afford.
I would also add that the 16 series as well. Actually as an affordable Martin with the GREAT MARTIN tone and feel. And About the same cost of of a 15 series. Well, actually sometimes, less.
I bought a "backpacker" Martin for $230.00 and it was made in Mexico and sounds great. It's cheap enough to put into an overhead compartment on an airplane and not worry about it, It came with a soft case that has shoulder straps to carry on your back and has served me very well. I am an intermediate player and will probably never buy another guitar. I also have an Ovation that I hardly ever play anymore. I love my little backpacker! It fits me! And it stays tuned!
My first Martin guitar is 1999 D-35. I bought it in Jan 2019 and it is absolutely an amazing guitar! The low and highs are brilliant....and I'm a intermediate player. It makes me want to learn more!
Thanks for the great videos. I’ve had the same Tak G340SC for the past 10 years as I’ve tried to advance through my guitar skills and I’m finally ready for a new addition, this guitar now leaves me frustrated. This is probably the 100th video I’ve watched (50 of those were probably yours)... so many models, manufacturers and price points. I’ve gone into my local shop and just get quickly overwhelmed by the choices and not really comfortable playing in a public setting like a store. But those few points you made, I think you’ve finally help me narrow down my choices to these last two guitars. My search may be over.
I am interested in buying new acoustic guitar and my doubt is in which one to invest. My doubt is either Yamaha AC5 series (made in Japan) or one of these Martin guitars in this video. Considering that Yamaha AC5 is also all solid wood guitar that makes me confusing?? Could you advise me?
I've got one of these cheaper guitars. I've had it since 2013. I gig with it all the time, and I play pretty rough. I do a lot of percussive playing, and I've dropped it a few times. At the end of the day, its a great guitar. Everyone I know that plays it really likes it. My next acoustic is probably gonna be a Seagull though.
You can't get a better guitar than the 15 series for the same money! I love the road series and currently own the 000 RS1 and think it's great value but the 15 series punches way above its weight.. have only owned my 000 15m for 3 months and already its my favourite! It tops even my Taylor 814ce
Thanks Christopher for the info. I'm in the market for an affordable Martin and didn't know where to start. Your video brings more info so as to make a more educated purchase.
Great video and fantastic guitars of course. But I don't think I'd recommend these to a beginner unless they had money to burn. If they continued to play they wouldn't regret it, but I know far too many people that have "played guitar" for a short time and quit and the 15 series are almost $2000 in Canada these days with inflation being so bad.
im not sure anyone has said this but i've seen a lot of your videos and while helpful i think it would be better if you used a more standard mic, like a neumann u87... the current mic is so dark and boomy, its hard to tell the actual tone of the guitar. the Neumann is more linear and of higher fidelity.
Hi Chris could you do review on the Recording King acoustic guitar line. I'm looking for a camp-fire guitar and was told they are a good option I trust your word, what do you think?
I like your explanations, they are simple, to the point and very informative, I live in South Texas, I might travel to SA just to give you guys a visit
I feel that the Godin family of acoustic guitars are a fantastic value that cannot be beaten. I own three guitars from that little town in Quebec Canada. I bought my LaPatrie etude for $40, because the nut and saddle were missing. I bought a Tusk nut and saddle, then set her up and adjusted the truss rod. Eveyone that plays it falls in love. They also have with a bolt on neck joint and a very mild radius to the frets. The solid top is old growth cedar and I mean a very tight grained top. You can buy one of these Etudes new today for $450 CAD. The grain isn't as tight as it was in the earlier Etudes, but still an outstanding guitar for the money. My Etude has cat claw marks in the top and overall it looks like a "junk-yard dog" but I just love it and can honestly say that in my 45 years of playing, I've never heard or played ANY guitar that even comes close to this entry level model that LaPatrie makes. As long as you compare according to price.
Ok an opinion from a long time musician find the instrument that speaks to you for me it’s a American fender jazz bass th elite to be exact it speaks to me
I used to have an X series until my sister used it and dropped it on the floor and cracked open the bindings on the back :( I am looking into buying another one because it was my all-time favorite and I just have never loved another guitar like I loved that one
My first guitar was a Martin D16 which I loved (and continue to love). My 2nd guitar was a Martin D28 which blew me away and sort of became my main go-to choice for playing. After breaking both of my wrists I’ve come to a point where playing is no longer fun, just painful. I’m thinking about selling both guitars. Someone please give me some inspiration to keep them. I’m depressed.
Thank You Mr Alamo , I Just Bought a New Mexican Made Taylor 110e , Best Guitar I Have Ever Played . I Also Like C. F. Martin Guitars. Could You Show Us The Tablature Of The Country Riff You Played ?
This is the video I've been looking for! I'm fairly new to playing a about two years but I'm wanting to upgrade. I'm 5'8 so don't have a huge reach around the guitar. I'm into Merle Haggard all the way to Pearl Jam any suggestions on which guitar I should go with? Thanks
Any Martin 000. they have a more waisted shape, which manes them easier for the smaller person, but retain a very full sound, and are excellent for song accompaniment. If you are into Merle, you will want that country/bluegrass sound, which is typically associated with dreadnoughts, but a 000 will easily deliver
Hello! I have a Martin DX1AE Electro Acoustic that has a white sticker instead of black which I see in all Martin DX1AE Electro Acoustic . Do you happen to know why is that so?
one thing that you didn't mention about the D-15M Burst is that the dot markers are different from a typical 15 as well as the rosette which is actually inlaid rather than a decal like typical D-15. I found one with a gorgeous pattern and figuring on the back, On the verge of quilting.
Probably due to import taxes and fees, passed on to the consumer in other countries. But holy crap...I paid $550 for my DX1AE, in the UK, that translates to almost $950?! That isn't even a mid-range Martin, WTF.
Almost worth buying a plane ticket to New York and picking one up there. They increased the price massively after the pound fell off a cliff after Brexit though, it wasn’t quite as bad a couple of years ago.
UK Import duty 3.2% + VAT at 20%. State sales tax varies in the US but the max is around 10%. Exchange rates. Martin, Taylor, Fender etc. will all price their goods in USD. As has been pointed out the weak £ following Brexit will have pushed up prices significantly at that point, but it will always be a factor.
Which one is better for me? Martin GPCX2AE or Taylor 214ce? I want to buy a new acoustic suitable for church service, small acoustic sessions, prayer meeting, and that sort of stuff. Will be playing acoustically more often than plugged in, but the tone through the electronics is also considerable
I just bought a gprs1 for 575$. I also have a gpcpa4. I play at church also both have pick-ups and work well for me. The gprs1 I bought from reverb and it was a return, I think it lists for 699$.
You should also take a serious look at the Yamaha A series. We will be posting a video to our RU-vid channel soon comparing the A3 to a Taylor 100 series.
I started on a Yamaha FG830. About a year later I upgraded to a Martin D16E. My music store did not offer me anything for the FG830. What to do with your first "not so great" guitar?
@@Absterrr Hey. I traded in the FG830 as a partial payment on two FGX5's I took home last week. I still play the Martin as it is an easier size body (the width) to move around with. All 3 guitar sound great. In guitar heaven. I will never buy a beginner.entry level instrument again. too much loss. My girl (she is older,so am I but I still call her "my girl") Is gifting me with her late father's D28. It is a 1965 model. Her dad passed in 1970. No one has played the D28 since 2003. I hope they are storing it correctly. We go to LA at the end of April (covid 19 willing.) let's see as I know her adult kids are going to fight me for it.
I’ve had the Yamaha FG730s for about 7 years now. I upgraded it with a bone nut, saddle and bridge pins and it sounds great. That said, I bought my first Martin yesterday and it’s definitely better BUT I don’t see why I should get rid of my Yamaha now. It still sounds good and if I’m going to take an acoustic to the beach or somewhere where it could get damaged or dirty, I’m taking the Yamaha. It also has a different flavor of sound to switch off with. Who knows, you may regret getting rid of it later.
@@festushaggen2563 Hello, I just could not deal with the less than perfect sound out of the FG830. I sold one FGX5 and bought a Deluxe Roadhouse Stratocaster. I am again in guitar heaven (the Martin, FGX5, Roadhouse Strat, I don't gig, just for fun here).I find I prefer the narrow body guitar (000 in Martin, Taylor has a good line I believe) I have to play through my acoustic amp (Fishman Loudbox mini charge) for a few months. I am working on just what I want in an amp for the strat. Probably have to an internal battery (busking amp.)
I have an X-series 000 guitar (with the complete HPL body in black) and I love it, though you're right, they're pretty heavy, mostly in the neck. I have a solid wood Martin as well but I love the feel and sound of that 000 HPL guitar. I know it's not to everybody's tastes and a lot of Martin fans hate them on principle but I think they're worth checking out. I'll never part with mine.
No, Sigma guitars of the past were a sub brand of Martin, kind of like Epiphone is to Gibson. They were good but not the same as a Martin. Sigma is now owned by a company called AMI which makes guitars that are similar to popular models like Martin, Taylor and Gibson. Similar designs and trade dress but not the same quality. - Chris McKee
Superb presentation of budget Martin guitars, BUT mistitled. Actually, Christopher, you nailed this in the first minute. Beginner and intermediate guitar players should buy the most expensive guitars they can afford and have it properly set up so it plays easily. they are then more likely to keep playing and Will have saved having to switch to a better guitar as their abilities and desires expand. I also question your comment about 'value'. What you really mean is low price. Standard series Martin guitars are phenomenal value. A Martin D18 will last a lifetime, as will a D28. Everything else is just frills, with the possible exception of the HDs 28 and 35. Of course, if you don't carry on playing, you lose money, even though these classics hold their value very well. If you buy pre-owned (2nd hand as we say in UK) and take a knowledgeable friend with you, you probably won't even lose much money if you come to sell. This holds true right across the Martin Line. I just bought an HD35 for £1700. I don't ever expect to sell (I've been waiting to get one 2nd hand for years - I'm left handed), but if I did, I'd expect to get - wait for it - £1700. If you are a guitarist whose budget doesn't stretch this far (even if you are NOT beginner or intermediate), any of the guitars presented here is a fine instrument, but the market at this price point is very keen and you might consider a high-end Yamaha (the LL16 is more or less an exact copy of a D28 and is all solid woods - spruce/rosewood), although the Road series is hard to beat, and I'm a strong believer in buying American if you are American (if I could get a UK guitar for the price of a Martin and the quality of a Martin, I would always buy it, but I can't). However, you are being a bit cheeky since the Road series is made in North America (ish), as you correctly say, but it's Mexico, not US. . For that you are up in the 15 series, which is unbeatable at the price point (some would say at any price point- it has it's own character and aesthetic). Also, a MACbook won't last you 30 years - computer technology is to fast!
When I click the link to your website for the gpcx2ae the page says “coming soon”. What does that mean? Do you have some on order? Also, the links to the road series don’t work. Thanks
