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  #1  
Old 07-29-2020, 06:50 AM
Mike McLenison Mike McLenison is offline
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Default Martin Classical Guitars. Any good?

Have you ever played one? Better yet, own one? Did/does it sound good? I want to get a good quality classical with ebony fingerboard but I noticed that Martin doesn't seem to be a popular choice. Your thoughts?

Last edited by Mike McLenison; 07-29-2020 at 06:56 AM.
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  #2  
Old 07-29-2020, 07:15 AM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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Martin’s classical guitars are not especially sought after, least of all by serious classical guitarists. While Martin did make an attempt about fifteen to twenty years ago to come out with better ones, they didn’t sell well and as a result didn’t stay in Martin’s product line for very long.

The nylon string guitars that Martin has made for decades seem to be better loved by folk singer types who prefer nylon strings.

They’re nice-sounding guitars, but typically lack the projection and other recital-worthy characteristics of true high quality classical guitars.

I’ve played a few and liked them, but I’m definitely more of folk music guy than I am a classical music guy.

Short version: they’re well-made and sound good but don’t have much appeal for classical musicians.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller
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Old 07-29-2020, 07:31 AM
hermithollow hermithollow is offline
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Most Martin's built prior to 1900 were strung with gut strings. After the switchover to steel Martin made a "G" series for gut (or nylon) using a 12 fret neck on the OO-14 fret body. Later they came out with an "N" series that had the typical Spanish guitar shape. Martin classics are well constructed but are not considered to have captured the "Spanish guitar" sound. For that matter Hauser guitars are sometimes "knocked" for not having a "Spanish sound".
You should decide for yourself if you like the sound. They generally sell for quite a bit less than a high end Spanish guitar and actually quite a bit less than their steel string cousins. If you buy it know that you are getting a well built guitar from a well respected maker.
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Old 07-29-2020, 10:14 AM
Cameleye Cameleye is offline
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I've both a Martin 00-18G and a 00-28G from the early '50s. As mentioned above, I'm an old folkie for whom these nylon stringed guitars work really amazingly well for folk and light jazz. And not surprisingly when I went searching for a "classical" guitar I was strongly attracted to the tone of Hauser styled models.
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Old 07-29-2020, 10:39 AM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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A classical guitar is a very specific thing: it isn’t just a guitar with nylon strings.

In recent years, steel string players have wanted to play guitars that have the sound of nylon strings. A hybrid “crossover “ guitar was invented that had what appeals to steel string players, but with nylon strings. Martin -and Taylor’s - contributions to nylon string guitars fall under that general heading. Few “serious” classical guitarists would choose one as their preferred instrument. Not because they are poorly made but because they are a different sort of instrument for a different intended purpose.

If you are looking for a true classical guitar, neither Martin or Taylor make one.
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Old 07-29-2020, 06:18 PM
Carey Carey is offline
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I had a 00-28G on long-term loan for several years. I wouldn't call it a classical
guitar, mainly because it lacked the tone-colors, and to a lesser degree the dynamics of a 'real' CG; but it did some things better than those instruments,
too. It was really nice to play, and I've wanted to try a 00-18G as a result
but the stars haven't lined up for that.
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Old 07-30-2020, 05:14 AM
Norsepicker Norsepicker is offline
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Default Thomas Humphrey

The exception to the less than spectacular Martin classical guitars might be the ones Martin made with Thomas Humphrey’s collaboration. They’re hard to find, but they are considerably less expensive than non-Martin Humphrey’s. Humphrey was an innovative classical guitar builder, particularly with the raised fretboards.
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