Miscellaneous Martin Guitars

[MarkRobbins]

Yep, life is short. My 70th birthday is coming up this year, and my wife is going to get me an acoustic to go with my Dean Zelinsky electric. I've decided on a Taylor 114e. It's kind of entry level for a Taylor, but by the time I get a few accessories and pay the sales tax, it'll be nearly a grand, so both my guitars will be better quality than my talent justifies!

 

[jackderby52]

AMEN!

Quick, where is the nearest guitar store?

Tom

I happen to know Dick... He did get that d-18... ...

 

[jackderby52]

Hi Folks have we any Martin users out there to give me a heads up, I have always fancied a Martin and have had a poor man’s Martin for years Sigma DM1 S made in Korea and supposedly passes out by Martin after production ? It plays well but a little lacking in performance (like my playing). It easily out played a Fender Gemini I had at about the same time as I got it.

I am fancying a Standard D18, looking round the net I have seen no adverse comments, If I can find a good used one that would be ideal. At 73 I don’t think I have time for a new one to mature and come into its own, even if I can keep playing, I have some problems with arthritis as it is.

I’ve looked at Taylor, Gibson etc but somehow they don’t float my boat, I look forwards to any comments thanks.

Paul.

The new D-18 standards are awesome guitars… A few years ago they took the features found in the Vintage series and adopted them into the new standard series… So what you get with the new standard models are forward shifted scalloped braces which in turn gives it a little more lively top and more bottom end.. They now have the open back butterbean tuners (light weight/look cool), ebony fret board, aging toner… Etc… Also, they changed the neck profiles to a new low oval/high performance taper neck… (like the Taylor necks)… That’s the only feature I’m not sure I like but it’s all personal preference… I like a little more volume to the neck but these new necks are very skinny… So if you can, try before you buy… Although many of the online stores have wonderful return policies..

The new 000-18 has the same vintage appointments but in a smaller body… It’s a short scale and built to play with light gage strings… Easy playing for arthritis hands…

If you can find a used D-18V those are great guitars if you like a little thicker neck profile… (Soft V)…

P.S. 73 = many more years in front of you to enjoy guitar! So, enjoy the hunt and let your ears decide what you like best… There are many great guitars out there.. But you only need the right one for you!
P.S.#2 The new Martins sound fabulous when new, but in a short time (6 months or so) they do start to open up and sound warmer as they go…

 

[jackderby52]

Yep, life is short. My 70th birthday is coming up this year, and my wife is going to get me an acoustic to go with my Dean Zelinsky electric. I've decided on a Taylor 114e. It's kind of entry level for a Taylor, but by the time I get a few accessories and pay the sales tax, it'll be nearly a grand, so both my guitars will be better quality than my talent justifies!

I know a few people who like that 100 series over the upper end Taylors... So enjoy!!

 

[SHarpo]

Like many here have mentioned... I also had a thing about getting a Martin. I chose a DCPA4 from the Performing Artist Series.... which falls somewhere in the middle of the Martin guitar line up. This model comes with a Sitka Spruce top and Sapele sides and back, D 14-fret cutaway with Performing Artist profile neck, and Fishman Matrix VT Enhance NT2 electronics. It has to my ear a warm tonal color and variety to it's sound. I like it a lot.... It works for me.

 

[Telypaul]

Finally pulled the trigger and have ended up with a new D18 sounds good and feels good although I need to set it up to my taste, I’ll let it settle for a while before I restring it and set the action 13s are just too much for me and you could drive a bus under the strings at the 1st fret but all in all I am pleased especially with saving 300ukp on the normal price at Andertons.

Time will tell, if I will love it or go back to my Sigma that fits like a glove.

 

[CaptainMoto]

Finally pulled the trigger and have ended up with a new D18 sounds good and feels good although I need to set it up to my taste, I’ll let it settle for a while before I restring it and set the action 13s are just too much for me and you could drive a bus under the strings at the 1st fret but all in all I am pleased especially with saving 300ukp on the normal price at Andertons.

Time will tell, if I will love it or go back to my Sigma that fits like a glove.

Congrats and good luck with that.
I hope it delivers for you and you fall in love.

If for any reason you don't bond with it...........move on.
Many guitars come with lots of folklore and high expectations but, it all means nothing if it doesn't make you happy.

 

[blackcoffeeblues]

13s are way heavy --maybe back in my younger days but not no more. I use 10s on the 1-2-3 strings and 12s on 4-5-6th. I like the ring of the 10s and the bass of the 12s----11s work to. I am pretty much sold on D'Addario phosprus/bronze strings. Never really ever cared much for Martins---but that's just me.

 

[snarf]

Congrats on the D18! Hope you enjoy yours as much as I've enjoyed mine.

I've got a D35 and a D15, and they're both excellent instruments. I play 12s on the D15 and 13s on the D35. I tried silk and steels (I think they were 11s) on the D15 once and they were just floppy and buzzy. It would've taken more than just a regular setup to get them to work.

 

[sdbrit68]

you said arthritis, I, have it caused by damage to my left arm which is my fretting hand..................

I have played some Martins, like them, but they dont excite me. One not to discount is the Epiphone Masterbilt dr500 acoustic electric.

It has a nice slim neck, and when set up plays like a freaking les paul, even Zack Wylde went nuts over one and he can afford more

 

[jackderby52]

Finally pulled the trigger and have ended up with a new D18 sounds good and feels good although I need to set it up to my taste, I’ll let it settle for a while before I restring it and set the action 13s are just too much for me and you could drive a bus under the strings at the 1st fret but all in all I am pleased especially with saving 300ukp on the normal price at Andertons.

Time will tell, if I will love it or go back to my Sigma that fits like a glove.

Congratulations on the new D-18!! I’m sure you will love it… Give it time to settle in and then have a good setup done on it…

 

[Telypaul]

Thanks folks, I’ve done a preliminary setup and re strung with Martin custom light 11s, lost a little tone from the 13s but still rings like a bell. I’ll leave the action a few weeks before I finalise it although its comparatively good now. All in all I’m well pleased, with the 11s I can keep going with BGU2 as well as trying to get my right hand finger style to work properly, something I have never been able to master over the past 50 or so years, but trying in ernest right now, could do with another 50 years to practice maybe, I’ve never been a quick learner I tend to wander and get impatient.

 

[mountain man]

I’ve never been a quick learner I tend to wander and get impatient.

Me either. I find that the more I practice the quicker I learn.........

 

[Grateful_Ed]

You sound like me Paul. Glad to hear you're likin' the Martin. I'm sure you and your guitar will get even better with time.

 

[matonanjin]

Finally pulled the trigger and have ended up with a new D18 sounds good and feels good although I need to set it up to my taste, I’ll let it settle for a while before I restring it and set the action 13s are just too much for me and you could drive a bus under the strings at the 1st fret but all in all I am pleased especially with saving 300ukp on the normal price at Andertons.

Time will tell, if I will love it or go back to my Sigma that fits like a glove.

Congratulations on the new Martin! I was just getting ready to respond with some brilliant advice when I saw you already pulled the trigger. I am in a very similar point of shopping. I was about ready to go shopping for another electric when it occurred to me that I am fairly well set on electrics and really need a good acoustic more.

I take private video lessons with Corey Congilio over at TrueFire. He is also a Martin "artist clinician" for Martin Guitars. And I got to meet Corey when he was here in Omaha with the Martin Road Show. I was initially thinking about an Eric Clapton signature Martin and discussed it with Corey. He steered me me away from the EC and towards the Standard. (So anything I told you "brilliant" was going to be second hand!) So I am thinking a 000 Standard, possibly a 000-28. I am going to be very interested in your experience once you've had it a while.

Enjoy it! BTW, our other similar mode in that I am just 2 years your junior and trying to learn to play

 

[mountain man]

I was initially thinking about an Eric Clapton signature Martin and discussed it with Corey. He steered me me away from the EC and towards the Standard. (So anything I told you "brilliant" was going to be second hand!) So I am thinking a 000 Standard, possibly a 000-28.

I have the 000-28 Standard and love it! It is the guitar I reach for most often! I don't have to plug it in and it's smaller and more maneuverable than my D size Martins. I have 12's on it so I really get my pinky working with deliberate movement and calm down it's erratic inaccuracy. I was wondering what Cory said about the 000-28EC and why he was steering you away from it? I like that one too. I understand the big difference is it's just a little wider fret-board than the standard. I've been looking at the OMC-28 or the OMC-18 lately as the cut-away helps get above the 12th fret like you need to in The Spent Money Blues.

 

[matonanjin]

And @mountain man, I am guilty of not quoting Corey correctly. He did not say anything derogatory about the EC to "steer me away". What he actually said was that the neck shape is the biggest thing to consider. It has a modified V which some don't like. He went on to say that he didn't mind it because the V gives you some beef when playing barre chords. He said this and then went on to rave about the Standard series and I misinterpreted that as steering me away. He also really raved about the Modern Deluxe series but that is just not in my budget.

Thanks for your report on your 000-28 Standard. I am 93.7% certain this is the way I'm going. In fact, I just came across a demo one at a store on Reverb. I need to do a small amount of domestic pr work first.

 

[Telypaul]

16 months later and my feelings about the D18, there’s no doubt it’s a great guitar I’ve played it almost every day since it arrived, very little electric, But I can’t say I’m in love with it.

I have the action setup more or less the same as my 335 dot with Martin 11s and it plays well and sounds fine. I just can’t make up my mind whether it’s the neck or the thin frets I don’t like. I find I have to fight it now and then. My mate when we get together, given the choice, always goes for the Sigma (setup almost the same) so maybe it not just me.

I shall persevere with it but my age and heath are getting the better of me I fumble even some of the most basic chords and forget what I’m playing whilst I am playing it, as for songs if I remember more than the first verse I’m doing well, maybe it’s time I gave up.

Any way that’s it, keep up the good work and stay safe.

 

[mountain man]

@Telypaul if playing anything at all makes you happy then you should keep up with it. Sometimes it's the little pleasures in life that help make the day less long - that and a laugh or two. I know I should play more than I do but when I do I really enjoy playing even if all I'm playing are technical skill exercises. For me the hard part of playing everyday is not having a target to focus on. Like a BLU Live, or any kind of gig even if it's just a sports bar open jam. But I keep doing something as I find it fun!!

 

[Elwood]

16 months later and my feelings about the D18, there’s no doubt it’s a great guitar I’ve played it almost every day since it arrived, very little electric, But I can’t say I’m in love with it.

Sorry to hear that. I got my beautiful Martin MMV Dred about 8 years ago. Tried tons of strings. Had the setup checked by a luthier, new bone nut, bone bridge pins, Grover chrome machines,... It sounds great, stunning visually, and lives in the case.
My Taylor 314ce, 522ce 12 fret, and koa mini are on wall hangers or under my arm.

NOT a Martin hater, NOT trying to fire up all the Martin loyalists. Just saying my truth.

My point is, just because the Martin isn't fitting your dream of you with an acoustic, you could still be real close. You still have you and your dream, maybe a different guitar?

If I had not stumbled upon my first Taylor, the 314, I really don't think I would be enjoying playing acoustic nearly as much as I do. It made that big of a difference to me.

If you don't spend tons of time above the octave, a 12 fretter can be very comfortable, sounds great too!!!

Give up, what? Not playin!!! Find out what's wrong, and fix it!!! That other stuff can take a hike, playin is important!!!