Any 1994 Martin D-1 owners here?

[DianeA]

I guess not.
Just got my first Martin, a D-1, and cannot bring up any information here about this model when I try a 'search.'
What strings would it have been sold with new?
Thank you for anything that you can add.

[merlin17]

I had one and a friend still does.
Nice guitar!
Solid Sitka top, solid Mahagony back and laminated sides.
IMO Martin recommended lights on it.

[Wade Hampton]

Diane, Martin would have strung the guitar with Martin brand strings at the factory, and recommended light gauge, according to Merlin.

I’d suggest that you try some John Pearse phosphor bronze lights on it and see how you like them.


Wade Hampton Miller

[warfrat73]

Are you using the advanced Google search, or the built in search?

For the native search function both D1 and D-1 are too short to be valid search terms.

Searching the site from google should give you better results.

[DianeA]

Originally Posted by warfrat73

Are you using the advanced Google search, or the built in search?

For the native search function both D1 and D-1 are too short to be valid search terms.

Searching the site from google should give you better results.

Hi,
I searched on this website only.
I wrote Martin D1. And Martin D-1. Tried to also use quotes because I got all the D18 responses ever written!! LOL
A Google search brings up some reviews.
Thank you

[DianeA]

Originally Posted by merlin17

I had one and a friend still does.
Nice guitar!
Solid Sitka top, solid Mahagony back and laminated sides.
IMO Martin recommended lights on it.

Hi,
I don't pretend to have the most discerning ear, but when I heard this guitar at a jam last month, fairy dust fell from my eyes. I never thought I would ever have a Martin, but it's owner made me a great deal. And I am now a Martin owner!!

So then some major surgery was scheduled and for some reason I put my other instruments for sale on Craigslist. Fast forward a week, surgery was a huge success, and my inbox was full of replies to my ads.... gulp. What was I thinking!! I had to humbly explain that I changed my mind about selling.

I have been told the D-1 is an entry level model so I guess I am off on an adventure!!
Thank you

[DianeA]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Diane, Martin would have strung the guitar with Martin brand strings at the factory, and recommended light gauge, according to Merlin.

I’d suggest that you try some John Pearse phosphor bronze lights on it and see how you like them.


Wade Hampton Miller

Thanks Wade, I have a set of those and will put them on.
I wonder if I can get an arm rest to attach.

[jricc]

Originally Posted by DianeA

Hi,
I don't pretend to have the most discerning ear, but when I heard this guitar at a jam last month, fairy dust fell from my eyes. I never thought I would ever have a Martin, but it's owner made me a great deal. And I am now a Martin owner!!

So then some major surgery was scheduled and for some reason I put my other instruments for sale on Craigslist. Fast forward a week, surgery was a huge success, and my inbox was full of replies to my ads.... gulp. What was I thinking!! I had to humbly explain that I changed my mind about selling.

I have been told the D-1 is an entry level model so I guess I am off on an adventure!!
Thank you

Congrats on your D1 Diane! I have a mahogany/spruce 000-1 from the same series, they are nice guitars. They were only made between 1993 and 2005, are not be confused with the more modern 1series guitars. The mahogany version like yours has a solid mahogany back and laminated sides. The rosewood had a lam back & sides.
Enjoy your Martin!

[LawrenceMollard]

Hi Diane- I do own one of those D-1s from the 90's. That run, as you read, has a solid spruce top, solid mahogany back, and laminate mahogany sides.

It was my first decent guitar and I keep it in Nashville tuning.

No idea what strings came on it, just pick something that you think you would like. There's no need to keep the same strings on it or anything.

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by DianeA

Thanks Wade, I have a set of those and will put them on.
I wonder if I can get an arm rest to attach.

If you get a John Pearse armrest it’ll attach just fine. There’s a strip of non-adhesive material protecting the adhesive strip, but it peels right off.

What I suggest you do is figure out where you want the armrest to go, and do a dry run with the adhesive still covered. Once you know where you’re going to put the armrest, put a strip of blue painter’s tape at each end of where it’s going to go, as a guideline. Then peel off the protective layer and place the armrest down firmly, being sure to make certain to press down along its entire length.

And you’re done!

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[DianeA]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

If you get a John Pearse armrest it’ll attach just fine. There’s a strip of non-adhesive material protecting the adhesive strip, but it peels right off.

What I suggest you do is figure out where you want the armrest to go, and do a dry run with the adhesive still covered. Once you know where you’re going to put the armrest, put a strip of blue painter’s tape at each end of where it’s going to go, as a guideline. Then peel off the protective layer and place the armrest down firmly, being sure to make certain to press down along its entire length.

And you’re done!

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

Well, I put the slim line rest on my GSMini and love the look & feel.
Which size would work on a dread? Off to research...

[Osage]

Congrats on your new guitar! I don't own a D-1 but I've played and worked on a number of them and am a big fan. They don't have the volume and just don't sound like a D-18 so some traditional Martin players scoff at them but it's their loss. They have a wonderful full sound and the A-frame bracing seems to keep the tops from deforming so they string height stays pretty consistent over the years. I feel like they're kind of a strummers dream! From the first one I played back in the 90's I thought Martin was really on to something. I'm down to one dreadnaught now and rarely play it but if I were in the market for another big guitar, a D-1 would be a strong contender.

[DianeA]

Originally Posted by Osage

Congrats on your new guitar! I don't own a D-1 but I've played and worked on a number of them and am a big fan. They don't have the volume and just don't sound like a D-18 so some traditional Martin players scoff at them but it's their loss. They have a wonderful full sound and the A-frame bracing seems to keep the tops from deforming so they string height stays pretty consistent over the years. I feel like they're kind of a strummers dream! From the first one I played back in the 90's I thought Martin was really on to something. I'm down to one dreadnaught now and rarely play it but if I were in the market for another big guitar, a D-1 would be a strong contender.

Thank you, that's me, a strummer!!
The action on this guitar is nice from one end o the neck to the other, which encourages me to play the few songs I know wi chords in the 12th fret area like John Denver's Cold Nights in Canada (I think that's the name) without thinking. I am so happy!
On another note, the LR Baggs Lyric battery pack was pasted over the serial number. Any recommendations on how to remove the doublestick tape?
Thank you

[ras1500]

I have a D1-R from 1994 which has laminated Rosewood back and sides. I use 80/20 strings on mine. Sounds good to me.

[negriljerry]

Originally Posted by DianeA

I guess not.
Just got my first Martin, a D-1, and cannot bring up any information here about this model when I try a 'search.'
What strings would it have been sold with new?
Thank you for anything that you can add.

I got my D1-CE off eBay. Crazy cheap (no electronics) except the out of focus pics were clearly designed to hide the fact that it was beat to hell and back. I Sherlock'd it to have been owned by a young person, possibly female due to the bits of glitter embedded in the back, and definitely NOT purchased by said young person - who obviously threw it across the room multiple times, probably during a fit of temper over a romantic thing.

Still got it, never let it go. I've had multiple PUs in it, just pulled a Fishman Rare Earth Mic Blend out of it - the mic, as almost all of these tiny mics are, was mostly useless and the center hole PU? Mag is mag, no matter how good something sounds on a Youtube vid it's just another mag PU.
Trying to install a LR Baggs Element undersaddle piezo now but having to experiment with many shim attempts to try and get the string to pick up evenly.