Martin M-36 - Amazing Guitar!

aeisen93 · #1 02-25-2021, 12:46 PM

Just played an M36 today. My first time playing one... What an amazing guitar! Any M36 owners here?

Rogerblair · #2 02-25-2021, 02:17 PM

I’ve had a couple of them. One was good, one was just so-so. They vary like any other model might.

Very comfortable to play, however. Now that they have the new neck size/shape, they are a non starter for me.

Rb

Br1ck · #3 02-25-2021, 02:50 PM

I had an '80 for 25 years. It had been gigged it's whole life. I sold it a year ago because it just didn't have the punch I needed. But it is the best all around guitar in Martin's lineup IMHO. Some I've liked better than others, like every other model.

Brucebubs · #4 02-25-2021, 03:03 PM

Add 3/4" depth to the body and you have the Martin J-14 fret - as in Martin J-40.

Dryfly · #5 02-25-2021, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

Add 3/4" depth to the body and you have the Martin J-14 fret - as in Martin J-40.

A few years back I bought an new M-36 from a respected chain with a return policy and ended up exchanging it for a J-40. I still somewhat regret selling it. If you can afford the difference and are OK with the size I would go for the J-40 but they may be pretty hard to find. If the M-36 was one you thought sounded really good to you then be aware of the above comments about how some are and some aren't' so you may have found one at it's best. I've never seen a comment about disliking a J-40.

darnold · #6 02-25-2021, 05:10 PM

I have a 81 M36. It's a great guitar on it's own but i really appreciate it after playing a dreadnought for a while. Variety it seems is very good.

jp2558 · #7 02-25-2021, 05:28 PM

I have a 2011 M-36, and it is my dream Martin. Out of all eight guitars I own, including a Les Paul Custom black beauty, a Deluxe Telecaster Plus, an original Clapton Stratocaster, and a few others, the M-36 is the one I would grab if the house were on fire. IMHO Martin's best kept secret.

SirGilmour · #8 02-25-2021, 07:14 PM

I recently bought a 0000-28 (same body shape) and agree it’s amazing! Like the super secret Martin. Haha

capefisherman · #9 02-25-2021, 08:21 PM

I've owned the briefly made 0000-28H, one other M-36 and the one I own now sounds fantastic like the previous ones, but now "re-imagined" with scalloped braces and 1 3/4" nut width it is my go-to Martin for gigging and has been for almost three years. Also sounds great amplified (K&K) and as a previous person said, playing my equally wonderful - but different - D-35 Seth Avett makes me appreciate the great comfort of the M-36. No, it does NOT have the bone-rattling power of a good Martin dreadnought but that is not what one should expect with the M-36. What you should expect is great volume and sustain, complex overtones but at the same time amazingly "even" sound with a great blend from bass to treble end. Plus, it has opened up even more as that time has passed. I can't understand why Martin doesn't offer this in their standard line-up in a mahogany bodied version (although I know Gruhn and others offer a Custom Shop version).

As we Massachusetts fishermen say when referring to striped bass: This one is a keepa!

nashtele · #10 02-25-2021, 08:43 PM

I just bought a new one a few weeks ago and it is really an amazing guitar. Plays so well and the frequency response profile is very appealing to me. Both playability and sound are real sweet spots between big and small guitars with most of the benefits of both.

jkilgour2000 · #11 02-25-2021, 09:53 PM

I had an M36. Best guitar ever—until I wandered into the Music Zoo and played a J40. Returned the next day to trade the 36 towards the purchase of the J40.

Brucebubs · #12 02-25-2021, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkilgour2000

I had an M36. Best guitar ever—until I wandered into the Music Zoo and played a J40. Returned the next day to trade the 36 towards the purchase of the J40.

I'm guessing Chris Martin felt the same back in 1984 when he created the J-14 fret body.

tj_mangum · #13 02-25-2021, 11:23 PM

I've got a 2015 model, which I've had for a couple of years. One of my go to guitars. Takes a lot of playing time from both my HD28 and OM 18V. Not sure how it was not on my radar till recently.

hamburg325 · #14 02-26-2021, 07:41 AM

I enthusiastically agree. It's a sort of perfect guitar in terms of manageable size and bigness of tone.

Photojeep · #15 02-26-2021, 08:57 AM

OK, now I'm in trouble!!!

I just did a semi-deep dive on YouTube watching (and listening) to this guitar and in spite of my recent claims of having all I want or will ever need ... well, you know the rest of what I'm terrified to write down.

AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!!!!!!!!!!!!

PJ