What is a ‘real Martin’ to you?

[cu4life7]

15 series and up, which gets you into the solid woods. The rest just exist so these can be made and Martin can turn a profit.

[Rudy4]

If all it takes is to say "Martin" on the headstock then I'd be buying all mine on AliExpress!

[Guitarplayer_PR]

Originally Posted by palsed

I’m thinking too much tonight about my Martins and I am genuinely curious of the answer to this question:

To you, what is a ‘real Martin’ guitar?

Is it anything with Martin on the headstock?
Perhaps just the USA made Martins?
Is it a particular year or year range?
Or is it the tone and just the tone, or tone and combo of several factors?

I haven’t made up my own mind yet, so I am excited to see your answers of what a Martin is to you.

Any guitar built at the Martin factory is a "real Martin."

UPDATE: I think someone wrote this before me

[Guitarplayer_PR]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

If all it takes is to say "Martin" on the headstock then I'd be buying all mine on AliExpress!

Wait for another 504 years.

[blakey]

I have a Road Series RSOOO1. It's solid Sapele (top and body), with select wood neck. Came with a Martin hard case. It looks like Nick Drakes guitar on 'Bryter Later'!
It plays like butter, sounds unmistakably Martin-esque but slighly darker with thick creamy trebles. I love it to bits, wouldn't swap it for a 15 series.
When I was looking to replace my old Martin I tried every brand in the shop. Faith, Blueridge, Eastman and half a dozen others. They all sounded like cardboard in comparison.

[Jeremy]

Originally Posted by cu4life7

15 series and up, which gets you into the solid woods. The rest just exist so these can be made and Martin can turn a profit.

There are many current and discontinued Martins below the 15 series that have solid woods. Road (10/12/most 13), Junior, 1, SW, etc.

[dwalton]

For me, a real Martin is the guitar that I always seriously consider, and then end up passing on, when I decide to buy a Collings.

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by cu4life7

15 series and up, which gets you into the solid woods. The rest just exist so these can be made and Martin can turn a profit.

I second this one. I've played plenty of stuff from the 15 series and up that made me smile and either pull out my wallet or wish I could. I've played a bunch of Martins that weren't made in the USA and some of them were OK guitars, but in the lower budget neighborhoods, I think there are other folks doing it better. I just never wanted to take one home.

Whereas with Fender, Epiphone, Ibanez, and various others, I've played stuff from Mexico, China, Indonesia, etc, that I LOVED and sometimes bought. Mostly electric though - the only cheap acoustic I've liked for more than a month or two is an Alvarez I bought a couple years ago.

-Ray

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

To me a “real Martin” is any guitar that Martin makes in Pennsylvania or Mexico and markets as a Martin guitar.

I’m a “big tent” kind of guy.


whm

Same here, Wade.

I will say that I do find a difference when it comes to the Standard series. Sometime special there in both history and my ears.

[Br1ck]

We have to accept everything to ensure Martin survives, but you don't have to like it. As for pretentious, the label only applies to those one step snobbier than we are, you know, the hide glue worshipers. When I get a hide glue guitar, it will be those that have hide glue and sinker mahogany, after that it will be those who have a two year wait list guitar. I however, will never be pretentious, just refined and educated.

[cu4life7]

Originally Posted by Jeremy

There are many current and discontinued Martins below the 15 series that have solid woods. Road (10/12/most 13), Junior, 1, SW, etc.

It was a generality. I don't have Martin's catalogue memorized.

[abelville]

I use an equation:

Martin (a) Any series, any style + (b) the tone your are looking for = (c):
"A real Martin"

Al

[Zexxor]

Originally Posted by palsed

I’m thinking too much tonight about my Martins and I am genuinely curious of the answer to this question:

To you, what is a ‘real Martin’ guitar?

Is it anything with Martin on the headstock?
Perhaps just the USA made Martins?
Is it a particular year or year range?
Or is it the tone and just the tone, or tone and combo of several factors?

I haven’t made up my own mind yet, so I am excited to see your answers of what a Martin is to you.

Nice question, what an iconic guitar and company.
For me the D18 is the gravity that keeps the guitar world together.
And changing it even a little makes my hair brittle.
Imagine all the songs that would not exist, the way they exist in history, if that guitar did not exist.
Life would be pathetic.
I just wish I had one, it is so near perfection it is looking at it in the mirror.

[Pura Vida]

Originally Posted by Zexxor

Nice question, what an iconic guitar and company.
For me the D18 is the gravity that keeps the guitar world together.
And changing it even a little makes my hair brittle.
Imagine all the songs that would not exist, the way they exist in history, if that guitar did not exist.
Life would be pathetic.
I just wish I had one, it is so near perfection it is looking at it in the mirror.

Funny (and respectfully), I get the opposite reaction with the question. Why should anything that gets produced with Martin's name on the label be anything other than a "real" Martin? If they are made of a certain material or in their Mexico factory, that doesn't make it any "more" or "less" Martin. If it has the name on the headstock, then it's representative of the brand. Suggesting otherwise takes away from the brand and those who own Martin guitars that are somehow not worthy of the name on the headstock.

I agree that Martin's D-18 and D-28 are the benchmark for the acoustic guitar world, along with Gibson J-45 and SJ-200.

[George6654]

Originally Posted by GroovyException

Any guitar built by the Martin guitar company is a real Martin guitar.

Can’t argue with that.