Anyone with a Eric Clapton Signature Model-Martin Guitar?

[niteguy]

Gosh, it's too expensive to own one. Is there anyone out there one a limited edition of EC Signature model? How does it sound? What about the playability? Been dreaming to get one of this but it's too far from reality

[mtnbrz]

I played one and was unimpressed. both my 614 and 814 can blow this thing away, both in sound and playability. And I don't usually mind the Martin sound, although it is a little to dull for me. IMHO, the 314 is a much better sounding guitar.

[worshipvertical]

martins are all overpriced IMHO

[brettster]

i had full intentions of buying one untill i played the sucker,
it was so awfull i asked the guy to change the strings .
even after that,
i thought it played liike a cheap guitar,
didnt sound special either.
walked out of the shop with my money.
dosnt even compare to my 514

[Tony Mig.]

I played one too, and thought it was one of the worst Martin's I ever held in my hands. The action was so high, it was painful to play, and the sound didn't impress me either.
I know of two people that own them, and they swear buy them, one guy even had a Collins and a Goodall, and always said the Martin 000-28EC blew the other two away. Perhaps he found a gem out of a bunch of dogs, or he's ego won't allow him to admitt he paid all that money for a piece of junk with Eric Clapton's name on it.......
Either way, IMO it's not one of Martin's better efforts.
I've tried many Martin guitars, and found the whole line to be a hit or miss ordeal. I'd have to say that it's been a 60 / 40 split, 60% of the Martins I've played sucked, and 40% of them were definitely worth the money. It's one guitar that I'd never buy mail order.........

[tbondo]

played one in Nashville, and it was a pretty good guitar...good action, good sound.....didn't come home with me, but it was one of the best Martins that I have ever played, very big sound for such a small guitar...as Tony Mig said, and I agree, the Martins are very uneven in terms of sound...I would never buy a Martin without playing first...and, the OOM-18EC (is that what it was?) didn't even come close to my 510 or K14C....my 414RCE was the closest in terms of sound and playability, and I'll admit the Martin was a bit better....I think that particular guitar (414RCE) is about to be my son's possession, as I need room in my playing schedule for my planned Taylorstock 912 or Goodall GC.

[tenthumbs]

Just played one at my local GC. Nothing wrong with it at all. Sounds great but it's pricey. I like the look of it also.

[712jhp]

I've played one each at two different local stores. Both sounded fabulous. They don't sound anything like a Taylor -- they're moodier, a little more blues-y, a bit richer, without the distinctive brightness of Taylors. I happen to think it's a great sound, but if you define "good sound" as "just like a Taylor" you might be disappointed.

In general, "fresh-from-the-factory" action tends to be higher on new Martins than on new Taylors, but both of these had action comparable to that on my Taylor. The neck width is 1-11/16, a bit tighter than Taylor's standard 1-3/4; this can be good or bad depending on your playing style.

All in all, a great guitar, if a bit pricey.

[cpmusic]

I agree with 712jhp. I've played a couple of these guitars and they were excellent -- not at all like a Taylor GA, but just what they're purported to be. I'll also add that most Guitar Centers are the last places you'll want to try these or any other premium Martins unless they're kept in a case. They get more use than most other guitars in the acoustic room, and their strings go dead in a hurry as a result.

There are also different levels of EC models, some of which list for about the same as an 814ce. Many of Martin's signature models are pricey, but their standard models are pretty reasonable, all else being equal. The list prices of the 810 and HD-28 (both rosewood/Sitka dreads) are within about $50 of each other, and the D-28's list is about 15% less.

Of course, no guitar is worth the price if you don't like it. Given the choice, I'd probably lean toward the 810 even for a little bit more, but that's strictly a matter of preference. Someone who prefers the HD-28's tone wouldn't be spending too much to buy the Martin.

[712jhp]

One thing I forgot to mention, on the subject of playability: the EC has what Martin calls a "short scale", 24.9" from nut to bridge, rather than 25.5". Obviously, this puts the frets a little closer together, but more importantly, it means the strings come up to pitch at a lower tension. This results in a "softer" feel that a lot of finger-style players prefer. Flat-pickers, on the other hand, tend not to like the short scale because the strings oscillate more at the lower tension, so they can't whale on the strings as hard as they might like without running into buzzing.

[cpmusic]

Just FYI, the 24.9" scale is the standard spec on regular issue 000 Martins at or above the Standard series, and I think it's the only model size that has the shorter scale. Even the OM, which is the same body, has a 25.4" scale. It gets a little confusing to keep after it, because there are so many variations on each Martin model.

The lower priced 000s, including the 000-15 and 000-15S (12-fret model), have the 25.4" scale.

[Shemp]

The Clapton model is a fabulous guitar. Like all Martins, it comes from the factory with action that is pretty high. Strong players like it, because it maximizes the tone of the guitar, but causes you to work a bit more. Taylor sets its action very low at the factory, which makes the guitar play like buttah, but does compromise the tone imho.

You can easily have the action lowered by having the saddle shaved a touch.

That said, it will not sound like any Taylor model currently available. It will be less treble and upper mid oriented and more woody/bass oriented. The first thing that goes as people age is their ability to hear the upper registers. It might explain why many older players here like the Taylor sound. It emphasizes the frequencies that they have the hardest time hearing.

It's a great guitar. People who say it isn't are simply showing their prejudice. The best way to judge is to play a few and see if they speak to you.

[jmintzer]

I love the sound of the guitar, but the 'V'-shaped neck didn't feel right in my hands when i played it. Maybe it just takes some getting used t sinve I loved the sound so much. Maybe someday...

James