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  #1  
Old 12-06-2013, 07:18 PM
bigshoe bigshoe is offline
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Default Martin's E retro guitars, anybody?

Anybody own one of Martins d-18 e retro or any of the E retro guitar's, please chime in. How well liked, etc.
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Old 12-06-2013, 07:32 PM
PFDarkside PFDarkside is offline
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I was highly considering the HD-28e. I really liked the tone and the neck, but I was worried about spending that much on electronics that will invariably be outdated sooner rather than later. (Especially since I don't play amplified)

I thought it through some more and decided that if I was really considering spending HD-28e money, I should try out an HD-28V as well. The rest is history. I feel like I spent the extra money over a standard HD-28 on tonal additions rather than electronic additions. (And it turns out I really like the Mod V neck profile)

All that being said, if you need a Martin with:
-traditional tone
-easy amplification
The retro series is pretty nice.
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Old 12-06-2013, 07:50 PM
TheGuitarMann TheGuitarMann is offline
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I played an HD28v at the GC in Arlington, TX last year that was a baller. Mighty fine and would have bought it but they just wouldn't do but 18% off of asking price so I walked.
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Old 12-06-2013, 07:57 PM
bigshoe bigshoe is offline
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Asking for those who actually own one to chime in please. I've owned standard HD-28's already.
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Old 12-06-2013, 08:01 PM
plroad21 plroad21 is offline
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Default Martin's E retro guitars, anybody?

I don't own one, but Jason Isbell has been using the 28 version on his latest tour and TV appearances. He did a couple of songs solo on Good Morning America and the guitar sounded fantastic. The videos are on their site if you google it.
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Old 12-06-2013, 08:40 PM
rmyAddison rmyAddison is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigshoe View Post
Asking for those who actually own one to chime in please. I've owned standard HD-28's already.
What do you want to know? I have not owned a "retro" but I have owned almost 40 Martins and 3 Aura Acoustics (DC-Aura, OMC-Aura, GPCPA1) which like the Retros are collaborations with Fishman.

The Retros are the latest Martin/Fishman collaboration with the difference being the guitars are standard Martins, not hybrids with mortise/tenon necks and hybrid X bracing, and the images are based on vintage/pre-war guitars with vintage uber microphones.

Remember, I have spent almost $10K on Martin Auras and used them over 10 years, so I love them, but I am moving away from acoustics electrics. To be fair one reason is I am getting older and play out far less than I did when I was younger, but the other is any built in electronics is going to become obsolete, period.

I love the Martin/Fishman collaboration, to me the best stage guitars, but the reason I have owned 3 in 10 years is the electronics keep changing and I am financially fortunate to be able to upgrade. But unless you absolutely need a stage guitar that will be plugged in almost all the time a Retro, any model, will become a nice Martin guitar with outdated electronics in 5 years, and hard to sell in 10.

Most folks are far better served getting the Martin model they want and adding electronics if/when they need it, and Fishman has great non built-in options. A 2013 D-45 Retro is going to be a hard sell when those electronics are 5-10 years old, a standard D-45 will not.

Yes, Retros are great standard Martins, but with Aura electronics that sooner or later will be obsolete, and no perpetual guarantee of an upgrade path.

And, I only use my GPCPA1 when I can't use microphones, which I much prefer, go figure.................
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Old 12-06-2013, 09:02 PM
bigshoe bigshoe is offline
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Great point and well taken!!
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Old 12-06-2013, 09:35 PM
rmyAddison rmyAddison is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigshoe View Post
Great point and well taken!!
Glad to share my experience, but just like cars anymore, the electronics are changing faster than we can catch up with. I've learned my lesson the expensive way, microphones or removable electronics just make so much more sense in the long run.............
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Martin OM-18 Authentic '33 Adirondack/Mahogany
Martin CS OM-28 Alpine/Madagascar
Martin CS 00-42 Adirondack/Madagascar
Martin OM-45TB (2005) Engelmann/Tasmanian Blackwood (#23 of 29)
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Old 12-06-2013, 09:45 PM
TheGuitarMann TheGuitarMann is offline
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Thanks Rich for that good info, i've learned a lot of good **** reading your posts!
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Old 12-07-2013, 08:55 AM
Harmony Fire Harmony Fire is offline
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Rich makes some valid points that are worthy of consideration. Let me share a different point of view. While it may certainly be true the “electronics” will change in the future, it does not mean the “electric-acoustic “guitars of today will be worthless in the future. If they sound great today, why should they not sound as good 10 years from now?

I now electric guitars are a different animal but how many people have to buy a new guitar because the new ones sound some much better? Quite the opposite is true. We spend huge dollars trying to recreate the sounds of the past. I like the pickups in my 30 year old guitars and use tube amps with 50 year old “technology” to get the tones want. Who is to say the same might not be true with the electric acoustic guitars of today? Maybe there will be a premium value applied to the value for those who love the sounds they create?
I know that I need a guitar that can be plugged in. I can’t use a microphone in most of the venues I play. I want a guitar that can plug in and go. It’s a tool, that’s what I need it to do. I’m not really looking at its value 10 years from now. If the retro series can give you the best of both worlds, great acoustic and amplified sound, sounds like a win-win to me.
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Old 12-07-2013, 09:31 AM
lroyb lroyb is offline
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I have a D18 Retro and it's my main performing guitar these days. As for becoming obsolete I really don't see it. Compared to my 1996 Guild F47ce that still sounds great (as good as it did 17 years ago).

I believe the D18's plugged in sound will still be comparable to any of the other pickups that are in other guitars from these days. For me the F1 Aura blend is easy to setup in a variety of stage settings. And with all my other guitars and thier pickups I still get the best sound with a mic added to the mix.

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Old 12-07-2013, 09:42 AM
Judson Judson is offline
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And isn't this the very thing that the Aura+ system is designed to do? Make your brand new guitar sound like a vintage Martin when amplified? That's been my impression when reading the promotional material for the Retro Series.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Harmony Fire View Post
We spend huge dollars trying to recreate the sounds of the past.
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Old 12-07-2013, 09:56 AM
rmyAddison rmyAddison is offline
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I've owned 3 Martin acoustic electrics in 12 years, in that period alone the electronics have changed, I wouldn't have bought the next one if there wasn't a noticeable difference, and the same again when the GP's came out. Now you have the Retros.......

And so it goes. They are fantastic stage guitars, but to say they won't go obsolete, as ALL electronics do every few years, is inaccurate. Hey, I've owned 3, I love the guitars, but I've owned 3 because the electronics do constantly get better.

Take the D-45 Retro, a high end guitar. In 10 years Martin will probably have 2or 3 more generations of newer Martin/Fishman electronics, just like the last 10 years. Selling that D-45 Retro against a standard D-45 without "dated" electronics, is not going to be as easy.

I am not putting down the guitars, I am talking about future resale and yes the vast majority of us move instruments. Any acoustic electric with built in electronics, any model, any brand, will at some point have dated electronics that will not compare with the latest and greatest new version of that model. Which is someone going to buy?
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Martin OM-18 Authentic '33 Adirondack/Mahogany
Martin CS OM-28 Alpine/Madagascar
Martin CS 00-42 Adirondack/Madagascar
Martin OM-45TB (2005) Engelmann/Tasmanian Blackwood (#23 of 29)
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  #14  
Old 12-07-2013, 10:19 AM
Harmony Fire Harmony Fire is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rmyAddison View Post
Any acoustic electric with built in electronics, any model, any brand, will at some point have dated electronics that will not compare with the latest and greatest new version of that model. Which is someone going to buy?
Dated, very true. But undesirable? That's the great unknown. Maybe, maybe not. In fact there may be a future following for the dated stuff. I get new equipment catalogs all the time and go through them looking at all the new flashy stuff. Seldom do I get very excited about any of it. Most of my old stuff still works great (I work to keep it that way) and still sounds just fine to me. In fact, there are lots of companies trying to recreate some of the classic old stuff.

I understand your point Rich, and for those who want the traditional look of an acoustic with no knobs or holes, then it's true, get that traditional guitar and install whatever pickup you want. But I just don't agree that guitars like the PA or retro series may not have a following (or value)in the future. Time will tell.
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Old 12-07-2013, 10:51 AM
lroyb lroyb is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rmyAddison View Post
but to say they won't go obsolete, as ALL electronics do every few years, is inaccurate.
The electronics will be updated sure just like all the others in the past, but they will still sound great. I believe these guitars will have value to some of us for many years.

If you hear the unplugged sound of the D18 Retro it's hard to say these guitars will ever loose that much value compared to any other Martin.
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Martins - 2012 D18 Retro, 2010 HD28, 2010 GPCPA-1, 2010 J15, 2001 00015
Guilds - 1995 F47ce, 2016 F150
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