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  #31  
Old 02-27-2021, 09:55 PM
Ralph124C41 Ralph124C41 is offline
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Originally Posted by otis66 View Post
I just bought a Martin 000x1ae and it sounds amazing. Way better than my LOAR LO16sb and my Epiphone Masterbuilt DR500MCE. It’s a great sounding guitar. The Strata Bond neck feels like a wooden satin finish neck that’s been played for a few years, nice and smooth. I am very pleased with the Martin X series. I don’t expect it to sound better than my D-18 or my D-16 Rosewood, but it does sound like a Martin.
Now I’m waiting for the DX1e in Black or the DX1e Johnny Cash. A perfect busking guitar. Or perfect for taking to the open mic at the local pub.
Plus no worries about humidity.
My older Masterbilt easily beats this guitar but I think it would be pretty even with the newer Masterbilts. But that old Masterbilt is just one heck of a guitar!

One nice thing is the pickup. The only other pickup I have available is the one in my Esteban American Legacy "guitar." (I only add the quotes because I still can not find what kind of wood or wood-like material this thing is made of.)
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  #32  
Old 02-28-2021, 05:52 AM
guitararmy guitararmy is offline
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I used to have a Martin HPL dreadnought, and I would try a set of 80/20 strings on it.
Mine definitely had the "Martin" sound, but was a bit on the quiet side as well.
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  #33  
Old 02-28-2021, 06:14 AM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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In answer to the OP's question, it appears you have the intersection of luck-of-the-draw and personal preference. That is, it is possible that you received one instance of the guitar that doesn't sound as good as some of the others - based on other people's responses that they like the tone of their own - and the tone of the HPL might not be what you want to hear, your preferred tone.

That said, having the instrument structurally altered in the attempt to improve its sound has three possible outcomes, as follows:

1. there is no obvious change in sound
2. the instrument sounds better, however you define it
3. the instrument sounds worse, however you define it

Regardless of which outcome, you will void the warranty. If too much is done, you run the risk of compromising its structure, shortening its life.

In my opinion, it is not money well-spent to throw at it to attempt to turn a sow's ear into a silk purse - based on your opinion that this guitar doesn't have the sound you want.

You state that your finances are constrained. I suggest you examine whether you want "more", as in duplication, or want "better". If you want "more", continue to purchase inexpensive instruments to add to those you already have. If you want "better", sell the instruments you have, return the one you just bought, and use the collective proceeds to buy one instrument that is better, however you choose to define "better".

Given that a good player can make nearly any guitar sound nice, it is unrealistic to expect a "great-sounding" guitar in the $300 price range.
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  #34  
Old 02-28-2021, 06:42 AM
Mr Bojangles Mr Bojangles is offline
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Originally Posted by Pnewsom View Post
Can you not just look inside to see if has scalloped braces?
Yes, just use an inspection mirror and a small flashlight and see for yourself.
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  #35  
Old 02-28-2021, 06:49 AM
Mr Bojangles Mr Bojangles is offline
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Originally Posted by Ralph124C41 View Post
I would do that ... if I could afford a guitar like those. I can't ... so I am just trying to improve what I have.

What are you trying to tell me? I can't undo what I've done. The guitar has been purchased. Returning it will likely cost me some "buyer's remorse" fees. I am asking what I should or could do with what I have.
The answer is quite clear; if you are not willing to return it and lose some money, just play it and try to enjoy it. If you really can't stand the guitar, sell it to someone who missed out on the deal and will be happy to have it.
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  #36  
Old 02-28-2021, 07:24 AM
aeisen93 aeisen93 is offline
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I use Elixir Nanoweb Phospher Bronze Light strings on my X1-DE and I think it sounds really good
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  #37  
Old 02-28-2021, 07:32 AM
fartamis fartamis is offline
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From experience guitars with laminated back and sides have always sounded more anemic and thin to my ears and this is valid for dreads and even more so for the 000 models. You can try to make changes but I doubt the results will be satisfactory. .
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  #38  
Old 02-28-2021, 05:42 PM
Cheezeweggie Cheezeweggie is offline
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I had a dx1. It was my introduction to Martin dreadnaughts. It played really well but it wasn't very loud but was deep and resonant. I traded up to a used d16gt. Much better. More Piano like, less streile sounding. The d16 is much lighter and better balanced. If I hadn't found a killer deal on the d16 I'd probably still have the dx1. The top had just turned a beautiful honey color when I traded it. I would like to play a the new x series 000 now that they axed the heavy stratabond neck and added scalloped bracing. Try Ernie Ball Earthwoods your x before giving up on it.
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  #39  
Old 02-28-2021, 06:49 PM
Ralph124C41 Ralph124C41 is offline
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Originally Posted by Cheezeweggie View Post
I had a dx1. It was my introduction to Martin dreadnaughts. It played really well but it wasn't very loud but was deep and resonant. I traded up to a used d16gt. Much better. More Piano like, less streile sounding. The d16 is much lighter and better balanced. If I hadn't found a killer deal on the d16 I'd probably still have the dx1. The top had just turned a beautiful honey color when I traded it. I would like to play a the new x series 000 now that they axed the heavy stratabond neck and added scalloped bracing. Try Ernie Ball Earthwoods your x before giving up on it.
I have a bunch of Earthwoods but I've never used them.
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  #40  
Old 02-28-2021, 07:29 PM
jrb715 jrb715 is offline
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For you, if this makes sense, it's not you. It's the guitar. (It's not my ideal guitar either, even at the price.)
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  #41  
Old 02-28-2021, 07:59 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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Originally Posted by Ralph124C41 View Post
...I have a cheap AC acoustic simulator pedal which is intended to be used to make an electric sort of sound like an acoustic but I've found it works well with this guitar, trimming the treble and giving the whole sound a fullness and roundness...
PSA: If you own an acoustic-electric with a piezo UST and you actually want it to sound like a guitar, ditch the stompbox and run it through the low-gain input of a mid-/high-powered "American-style" electric-guitar combo (think blackface Fender, blue-check Ampeg, pre-1985 Randall RG-120, '80s/90s Peavey) with 12"/15" speaker(s); the natural rolloff over ~5kHz and midrange response minimize (or eliminate) the nasty sonic artifacts - "quack," thin tone, metallic "nails-on-a-blackboard" highs - without the use of outboard processing. When Charlie Kaman designed the first viable acoustic-electrics in the mid-60's dedicated "acoustic" amps and modern PA systems didn't exist - they were plugged into a typical pro/semi-pro amp and miked to house, and IME they still deliver the most natural "acoustic" sound when used within their original design parameters; my go-to stage rig through the '80s/90s was a first-gen (single-volume) Ovation Custom Balladeer through a mid-80's Peavey Bandit 65 1xs12" or early-80's Randall RB-120 1x15" - best amplified acoustic tone I've ever heard, and I still pull out the Ovation on occasion (now through a Fender Frontman 212R)...
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  #42  
Old 03-01-2021, 02:58 AM
Ralph124C41 Ralph124C41 is offline
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Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa View Post
PSA: If you own an acoustic-electric with a piezo UST and you actually want it to sound like a guitar, ditch the stompbox and run it through the low-gain input of a mid-/high-powered "American-style" electric-guitar combo (think blackface Fender, blue-check Ampeg, pre-1985 Randall RG-120, '80s/90s Peavey) with 12"/15" speaker(s); the natural rolloff over ~5kHz and midrange response minimize (or eliminate) the nasty sonic artifacts - "quack," thin tone, metallic "nails-on-a-blackboard" highs - without the use of outboard processing. When Charlie Kaman designed the first viable acoustic-electrics in the mid-60's dedicated "acoustic" amps and modern PA systems didn't exist - they were plugged into a typical pro/semi-pro amp and miked to house, and IME they still deliver the most natural "acoustic" sound when used within their original design parameters; my go-to stage rig through the '80s/90s was a first-gen (single-volume) Ovation Custom Balladeer through a mid-80's Peavey Bandit 65 1xs12" or early-80's Randall RB-120 1x15" - best amplified acoustic tone I've ever heard, and I still pull out the Ovation on occasion (now through a Fender Frontman 212R)...
I've more or less did what you suggested before using the pedal. I ran it through my tube amp on the clean channel set without any gain at all or minimal. The signal was sent to three 12-inch speakers.

It still sounded better I thought with the stomp box.
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  #43  
Old 03-01-2021, 04:39 AM
Robin, Wales Robin, Wales is online now
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I'd be inclined to stick a set of uncoated 80/20 mediums or 80/20 "Bluegrass" 12-56 strings on it - and then play the hell out of the top! It is bound to be tight as a new guitar and probably just needs some waking up.

I have found the cheaper Martin's a little bit "bland" but actually you can use that to your advantage. You have a dread there that would be easy to balance against your voice for songs even if you were really digging in, and still get that dread tone supporting you. In fact, it is exactly the type of dread I would consider, something sweet sounding but with manageable projection. I sold my last dread because it "blew the bloody doors off" and there was no way I could sing over it without straining.

It could be this X1-DE is different enough from the rest of your guitar collection to have its own niche for you. If it was me, I'd probably never plug it in but really "work" it acoustically and then use it with a single mic' set-up for small gigs so I could balance guitar and voice by adjusting the height of the single mic'.

EDIT:

This is a review of the new version of the guitar you have. He is bashing the hell out of it but his voice carries over the top. That could actually be quite a handy feature to have a guitar like that in your arsenal.

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Last edited by Robin, Wales; 03-01-2021 at 04:57 AM.
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  #44  
Old 03-02-2021, 03:47 PM
Mr Bojangles Mr Bojangles is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa View Post
PSA: If you own an acoustic-electric with a piezo UST and you actually want it to sound like a guitar, ditch the stompbox and run it through the low-gain input of a mid-/high-powered "American-style" electric-guitar combo (think blackface Fender, blue-check Ampeg, pre-1985 Randall RG-120, '80s/90s Peavey) with 12"/15" speaker(s); the natural rolloff over ~5kHz and midrange response minimize (or eliminate) the nasty sonic artifacts - "quack," thin tone, metallic "nails-on-a-blackboard" highs - without the use of outboard processing. When Charlie Kaman designed the first viable acoustic-electrics in the mid-60's dedicated "acoustic" amps and modern PA systems didn't exist - they were plugged into a typical pro/semi-pro amp and miked to house, and IME they still deliver the most natural "acoustic" sound when used within their original design parameters; my go-to stage rig through the '80s/90s was a first-gen (single-volume) Ovation Custom Balladeer through a mid-80's Peavey Bandit 65 1xs12" or early-80's Randall RB-120 1x15" - best amplified acoustic tone I've ever heard, and I still pull out the Ovation on occasion (now through a Fender Frontman 212R)...
Thanks for the tip! I just tried my new Martin through my Fender Deluxe Reverb into the low gain input and it is a huge improvement in sound.
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  #45  
Old 03-02-2021, 06:50 PM
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guitargabor guitargabor is offline
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Most of the Martin X series guitars I have played sounded pretty decent.On occasion I did find a "dud".

Can you return the guitar to MF for a refund?

I would call them, you may find a sympathetic person who amy be able to offer a deal on an all solid top b/s Martin....
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