What makes Martin unique?

[The Bard Rocks]

What makes them different today? In a word, "cachet". Deserved cachet.

[RalphH]

I don't see Martin as superior to either Gibson or Taylor, just different -- for some people it's exactly what they want, for others its not what they want.

Martin made a lot of early innovations but you could argue that all they've done for a long time is live on past glories, though I think that would be a very unfair statement; there is a lot of "if it ain't broken, don't fix it" about the Martin guitar designs and like sharks, that have been about the same for 100 million years, they just don't really need to evolve further - just like Gibson doesn't need to keep fiddling with the Les Paul (not that it stops them).

Lets not forget though that the other big names have innovated too - the adjustable truss rod in every modern Martin is a Gibson invention and Taylor have modern innovations like the NT neck and V bracing.

I'm glad you like your new guitar, but I wouldn't swap my Gibson or Taylor for the equivalent Martins; I've bought what I felt was best for me and Martin are the one of the 'big three' that I've not felt the need to own. I could have had a Martin HD-28E and a good amp for less money than my Hummingbird so this is not just a case of "I can't afford it so I don't like it" jeleousy.

Other people seem to get amazing results out of them, but whenever I've played one, it's just not been the right instrument for me.

[scotly50]

It's amazing that Martin can manufacture so many different models and produce such consistency on such a large scale.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by scotly50

It's amazing that Martin can manufacture so many different models and produce such consistency on such a large scale.

More amazing than any other factory production of consumer goods, be it cars, tennis rackets or watches?

Like any large manufacturer of consumer goods, Martin has their share of quality issues that escape the factory. One example is new guitars that leave the factory needing neck resets. An important issue is how well they deal with the escaped defects that reach the customer: warranty claims. I think they are less stellar on that.

[RalphH]

Originally Posted by scotly50

It's amazing that Martin can manufacture so many different models and produce such consistency on such a large scale.

Mass production tends to improve consistency, not make it harder...

[TBman]

I have several guitars all by different manufacturers. I don't see anything that makes Martin more "unique" than the manufacturers of my other guitars.

I wouldn't say the OP is a "troll" question, but more of a product promo which is either a paid one or just thread started by a happy and satisfied owner.

[RalphH]

I would say an excited owner feeling the need to share their love of their new guitar which is head and shoulders better than their previous one. I felt like it when stepping up to a Taylor, and again stepping up to my Gibson.

[MC5C]

I think it's funny when I read threads about how good Martin guitars are, or what makes them different or superior. I have never played a Martin guitar I liked, except for a 1960's O-15 NY I played once in a shop in New Orleans. I don't like the D series at all. It's probably just me...

[scotly50]

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

More amazing than any other factory production of consumer goods, be it cars, tennis rackets or watches?

Like any large manufacturer of consumer goods, Martin has their share of quality issues that escape the factory. One example is new guitars that leave the factory needing neck resets. An important issue is how well they deal with the escaped defects that reach the customer: warranty claims. I think they are less stellar on that.

Maybe just doesn't have much experience with those issues.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by RalphH

I would say an excited owner feeling the need to share their love of their new guitar which is head and shoulders better than their previous one. I felt like it when stepping up to a Taylor, and again stepping up to my Gibson.

I was like that when I got my Avalon. Totally blew me off my chair. Its a great feeling when you get a new guitar and it exceeds your expectations

[Silly Moustache]

Argh! Just spent about 20 minutes answering this to be interrupted by Nanny Jane and lost it all!
Start again :

I'm British. We take Heritage VERY seriously.
There is only one European brand that I think had a simiolr heritage to Martin -Levin in Sweden.

Strated about a similr time, and developed great instruments - unlike most other European makers - they weren't so impacted by the world wars, so had the same/similar continuity as Martin until Martin bought them out and killed off the company in the '70s (Very Bad Thing!)

Levin could and did make instruments as good as Martin.

However, Martin developed designs in the first 30 odd years of the 20th C that most found impossible to improve upon, and so copied.
When guitars changed from fingerstyle instruments to rhythm instruments , Gibson had the advantage with their archtops, but Martin changed their designs for rhythm designs which caught on in the folk scene.

When I got into guitar in the earlyish '60s, Martin was the ultimate destination but very expensive and few and far between. You just didn't see them hang up in the local music shop.

I worked y way up from Harmony, Gibson, Hofner, Epiphone, Guild etc., and finally in the early/mid '70s achieved a Martin - dunno if it was a D18 or D28 - didn't know the difference for some time.
I bought the ones with issues - that's what people sold back then and no-one that I knew was resetting necks.

In 1975, a frind bought a d35 that I knew as it had been the proerty of a fiddle playing in a band I'd worked with. I'd recently bought my fist ever NEW D28. I swapped it for the D35 with a broken9repaired) neck. Kept it for 20 years.

Why do old guys like me love Martins? Well they do mostly soud good - and they were on the front of all those LP covers of American acts that we loved.

Can Martin still make a good instrument ? Yes of course.
Can other makers make then as good or even better ? Yes of course.

In the 19th and first 30ish years of the 20th, Martin developed designs (strutting methods, body shapes that were ideal).

No-one could better them, so they copied them.
In the late '20 early '30s guitars largely changed purpose. They became rhythm instruments.
gibson had the edge with archtops, and Martin could not equal their archtops - simply got it wrong with flat back archtops.

They changed the recently introduced dreadnoughts and the 000 body designs into rhythm instruments with longer thinner necks. They kinda caught on, not for the dance bands but for the folk people.

These are their "bread and butter" offerings and what they rely on, even to the point of now dis-continuing their pre 1931 designs.

Can Martin still make a good instrument ? Of course.
Can others make them a well or even better - Of course.

[TJE"]

Originally Posted by TBman

I have several guitars all by different manufacturers. I don't see anything that makes Martin more "unique" than the manufacturers of my other guitars.

I wouldn't say the OP is a "troll" question, but more of a product promo which is either a paid one or just thread started by a happy and satisfied owner.

I did not realise I could get Martin Co to pay me to write posts, sounds like a good gig, but I think I might get rumbled eventually.

Nor would I say 'very satisfied' - just not short changed. In comparison with other similar priced brands I have tried like Guild or Avalon i would class the Martin D16GT as 'competent', but not superior.

But a couple of years ago, I think like many people starting out, without knowing much about acoustics, I automatically thought 'Martin'. and it is interesting to see people's opinions on whether or not this brand power is justified.

[jp2558]

They set the standard for all that follow.

[foxo]

People always go on about "the Martin sound". As a Martin owner I'm not sure such a thing legitimately exists but certainly more than happy with the sound of my guitar.

[Mr. Paul]

A family run business for 180+ years, that's a start.

Guitars that have been front and center in the entertainment business for decades.

Guitars that have inspired luthiers for decades.

... and an Authentic line that shows they still have "it."