Martin or bust?

[pickinray]

Originally Posted by Wardo

I would say just get a Martin if that’s what you think you want rather than mess around trying all kinds of alternatives.

.

I agree with this. What’s the point in saving a few bucks if it’s not what you really want? Find a nice D18, D28 or D35 and enjoy it.

[pszy22]

Check out a 000-16SM, great sounding and great playing guitar. Some like the finish, some don't.

[Mbroady]

Best sounding and playing Martin I've heard and played this year was an OM 15. It was a special one and it was on sale for 1.5 grand.

The best sounding martin I ever played was a mid 50s D-18. It was not for sale.

[colins]

Originally Posted by Rockysdad

Welcome to AGF Bucketfoot.

Forget the name on the headstock, go out to as many guitar stores as possible and play a bunch.

You'll find something you like.

Another +1 for this excellent advice.

When I swapped to acoustic and had a few $$ I wanted a Martin too...I grew up listening to them and they played great. So I bought a couple, without really trying other brands, and I liked them a lot. But, when I finally got around to trying other brands (which was good fun by the way) I found a few guitars that suited my needs way better than a Martin. Makes me wish I had done that general search a lot earlier.

[Gryf]

Personally, I'd go for an older Martin, or another brand. The Martin guitar of today is not the Martin guitar of yesterday. They're still wonderful sounding guitars, but they have quality issues in recent years that they seem unable or unwilling to fix. Or even acknowledge publicly, for that matter.

[Don Lampson]

Originally Posted by L20A

My 2 cents worth.
Look at getting a used guitar like an Eastman and see where the music takes you.
Then if you find that you are going to stay with it, you can sell the used guitar for very close to what you paid for it.
Now you can shop around for that Martin that you still want.

That sounds like a voice of reason, although buying used by a novice can be risky, sometimes?

It also appears the entry fee for a quality Martin dread is more than he wants to pay? He needs to bump up his budget about $500 for any serious shopping... There's also the 9/16 vs 3/4 fretboard question? Which does he prefer, or is he aware of the difference?

If I was him, I'd get a new Eastman, w/warranty, for the bottom end of what he's projected to spend... Next, I'd start my D-28 Authentic savings fund, with the remaining money - If indeed, the "music fever" is upon him, that only a 1st class Martin guitar can soothe?

Don

[Pickcity]

Welcome!

The only thing I would consider is to get one that will always inspire you to pick it up and play it.

Good luck!

[kizz]

Originally Posted by Bucketfoot

Buying a new/used D-18 or D-28 is what initially comes to mind. Even though I have the funds to purchase either, I am a bit of a cheap-*** and would really prefer to stay in the $1-2K range.

Here you should listen to yourself and find a guitar in the price range that suits you and several good examples have already been given, blueridge, eastman, recording king etc. Many people think that you automatically do yourself a favor by buying a Martin , but I think the truth dawns on many who don't play very much when conscience comes into play and you walk around and look at your expensive guitar just gathering dust, so it's a balance between need, conscience and $. I'm sure you can find a really good used guitar for around $5-700 and up.

[foleyone]

I used to think a D 18 was in the cards for me at some point. Then while out guitar shopping one day, the owner at one of the local shops I went into pointed me towards an L-body shape (Larrivee). It really opened my eyes to a whole new world of guitars and various body styles that I'd never considered before.

Like others have said, try out a few different brands and body shapes to see what works for you before you make your final decision.

[SFCRetired]

Just stop it right now. You want a Martin, if you get anything other than a Martin you will still always want a Martin. Do not go down that rabbit hole like so many of us have.

It doesn't matter if you have someone to pass it down to, its not their guitar, it's yours. Every guitar I have will have a new owner one day, that's how life works.

Now the question becomes, which Martin. I have a D18, D35, D16E and a Sinker 0000, none of them is better than the other one, they are just different. But I will say this, a d18 is a do everything guitar. Keep that in mind.

[RP]

Originally Posted by SFCRetired

Just stop it right now. You want a Martin, if you get anything other than a Martin you will still always want a Martin. Do not go down that rabbit hole like so many of us have.

It doesn't matter if you have someone to pass it down to, its not their guitar, it's yours. Every guitar I have will have a new owner one day, that's how life works.

Originally Posted by pickinray

I agree with this. What’s the point in saving a few bucks if it’s not what you really want? Find a nice D18, D28 or D35 and enjoy it.

I agree........

[mikealpine]

Buy the Martin, if that’s what you want.

But play it first. I wanted a Martin and could afford to buy an HD-28. That’s what I wanted. Love that sound! I was willing to forego the cutaway I like and use because of “that sound”. Played a few and found the neck wasn’t as comfortable as I’d like. It was a newer model. Maybe an older model would have been a better fit, but none nearby to play, and the few older HDC (cutaway version) is rare and often much more than I want to spend when you find one. I’d still have to play it to judge the comfort factor.

Decided to try others. Eastman, Takamine and a few others that sounded ok, but they were not an HD-28.

Stumbled on a Gibson Songwriter EC. 1 3/4” neck (maybe 1 11/16”), 12” radius…perfect fit for my hand. Easy to play barre chords, comfortable for long guitar sessions. Cutaway! And it sounds great! I don’t know how different it is from an HD-28 because I can’t a/b them, but I don’t care. Everything about this guitar works for me. I still look at Martins…there’s an Aura for sale in the classifieds that interests me. But when I pick up the Gibson, ot’s all the guitar I want or need and will be at my Friday night gig.

So get a Martin, but play it and make sure it really is what you want and that there’s not some other brand or model that checks more of the boxes for you.

[Br1ck]

I have played many guitars in my 73 years, and never once would I have walked out of a store with one of the admittedly fine imports. Soundwise, they are a close but no cigar proposition to me. Add that to an already ingrained love for the brand, and there is nothing wrong with that, and I'll add to the buy a Martin crowd, but only if you like the MLO neck. When you try guitars, don't even ask, just play them.

You can find clean D 18s used for around the $2000 mark. Do you have certainty you will be in for the long term? If so, buy a Martin, used if you can find one. Lots of four of five year old guitars for sale. The newer satin models are coming up for sale once in a while. Easy for me to spend your money, but price should be secondary to finding the right guitar. Hopefully you have good stores nearby. I found retirement unlocked a whole bunch of creative juices.

[TBman]

I'd get the Martin. Even at this late stage in the game for me I still wouldn't mind a 000-18 sitting here next to me.

[Moldstar]

Martin is making the best guitars they ever have right outside the golden era, it's a great time to buy a martin. Just like in car forums, any issue can be magnified erroneously in importance a thousandfold under the hypercritical microscope of forum commenter opinions. Do not let the naysayers dissuade you from owning what you really want. A used 202X D-18 in excellent shape can be had for 1.8 to 2.3k all over reverb. I say go for what you want. life is too short.