Martin designs the PERFECT guitar!

[lowrider]

Can you imagine what internet message boards would have been like 80 years ago when they introduced the Dreadnought;

Waahh, we don' need that thing!

Waahh, it's too big!

Waahh, it will hurt my shoulder when I'm 80 years old!

Waahh, it's got too much bass!

Waahh, I like the guitars we have now, I don't want to try something new!

[leew3]

It looks interesting, but my guess is we all already have a perfect guitar. I played my CEO 7 at a gig last night and decided that it is the perfect guitar. But I'll likely play my other guitars today and change my mind...again!

[Glennwillow]

I spent my 50-year-long career in engineering as a design engineer. And I have been playing guitar for 56 years now.

As a result, I can't help seeing this new guitar from Martin from two different directions. Would I be interesting in owning this? Probably not, since I already have about a dozen really great acoustic guitars. On the other hand, as a design engineer, I can't help being intrigued by what Martin has done with this new design. I think this is very cool in a lot of ways. The laminated koa back and sides certainly look very attractive. I don't even mind the "bolt-on neck" design. I think that looks pretty cool, too.

The sound through the pickup doesn't sound all that enticing, but plug that piezo output into a Fishman Aura Spectrum preamp and I bet it will sound good, just like my old 2002 Taylor 514CE does.

The acoustic sound is not my cup of tea, either, but then, I'm pretty sure they didn't design this guitar for me. I'm pretty sure they designed this for younger players, and for that market, I think this design will be a winner. My grandkids would like this guitar, I'm quite sure.

I can't help being excited for Martin. And this, coming from a company known for its stodgy, conservative guitar designs is rather refreshing to me.

- Glenn

[rmoretti49]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

I spent my 50-year-long career in engineering as a design engineer. And I have been playing guitar for 56 years now.

As a result, I can't help seeing this new guitar from Martin from two different directions. Would I be interesting in owning this? Probably not, since I already have about a dozen really great acoustic guitars. On the other hand, as a design engineer, I can't help being intrigued by what Martin has done with this new design. I think this is very cool in a lot of ways. The laminated koa back and sides certainly look very attractive. I don't even mind the "bolt-on neck" design. I think that looks pretty cool, too.

The sound through the pickup doesn't sound all that enticing, but plug that piezo output into a Fishman Aura Spectrum preamp and I bet it will sound good, just like my old 2002 Taylor 514CE does.

The acoustic sound is not my cup of tea, either, but then, I'm pretty sure they didn't design this guitar for me. I'm pretty sure they designed this for younger players, and for that market, I think this design will be a winner. My grandkids would like this guitar, I'm quite sure.

I can't help being excited for Martin. And this, coming from a company known for its stodgy, conservative guitar designs is rather refreshing to me.

- Glenn

I agree with all of this, especially the last paragraph. I think this design will definitely attract some new customers, expanding Martin's base, which is obviously good for them.

[RalphH]

I don't get it. Can someone explain what is so exciting? And perfect and innovative?

Brands like Ibanez have been making thin-bodied, laminate guitars with cutaways, that are mainly designed to be played plugged in for years. Decades. So have Ovation. I can't see anything new here at all, except that Martin have finally been brought kicking and screaming into the 1980s.

I don't see it as being any more innovative than this :
https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-an...Gear4music/ENG

Not saying the build quality isn't 100x higher than a £75 shop own brand MIC guitar, or that Martin aren't allowed to step into a slightly different market segment, or that is isn't a great guitar, but that doesn't make it innovative.

As for their "we've supported the fingerboard with the neck all the way down so it doesn't sit on the soundboard..." well that's great and sensible and Taylor has been doing that for over 20 years now. Again, nice to see, but hardly new.

I'm not bashing.... I just genuinely don't get it why this is so exciting unless you've been living under a Martin branded rock and never heard of a slim, comfortable acoustic geared towards amplified use.

[agfsteve]

I said this in the other big thread on this guitar, but I'm amazed that Martin didn't put an arm bevel on this thing. I can't imagine it would be for cost-saving (Taylor put one on their budget Academy guitars, for comparison), so I think they dropped the ball on that.

Having said that, I will be interested in checking out one of these when they show up on the used market, assuming they are generally well-received in the mean time.

The biggest concern for me, though, would be the tight string-spacing at the saddle.

[KEY44]

Personally, If your in the market for a Martin.. I would save up another $300 bucks and buy a used Martin 000-18 or something along that point price for a used standard model. It’s kind of like the first time you tried fried shrimp and loved it and you think it’s the best.. Then you tried fresh shrimp you have to peal and you realize you don’t want the fried shrimp anymore. If your that close in pricing why not get the “real” fresh shrimp? Then again some people may prefer the fried stuff?

[rmoretti49]

Most interesting to me was the statement by the designer on the NAMM video that Martin had been intentionally, up until this model, designing their fingerboards to "fall away" at the higher reaches, leaving a higher action.

I have tried out, on multiple occasions, several different models of Martin guitars. The ones I was most interested in (CEO-7, and other smaller bodied models) had action that I would have wanted lowered. But there wasn't a lot of room on the saddle to do that, so I walked away.

The new design apparently allows a a significantly lower action higher on the fretboard than the standard designs. Moreover, neck angle will be easily adjusted, saving lots of neck reset warranty claims. Of course, this is not a new approach, as Taylor has been doing it for years. I think Martin must be recognizing this is a good strategy despite the staunch adherents of the dovetail neck join.

[JohnW63]

The neck angle adjustment screw isn't one I've seen before. That would be faster than Taylor shims, I would bet.

[phcorrigan]

I have a birthday coming up in March, so if someone wants to buy me the Purple Martin I'd be forever grateful!

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by rmoretti49

Moreover, neck angle will be easily adjusted, saving lots of neck reset warranty claims. Of course, this is not a new approach, as Taylor has been doing it for years. I think Martin must be recognizing this is a good strategy despite the staunch adherents of the dovetail neck join.

From what I hear these days Martin’s warranty neck resets are a thing of the past barring a minor miracle. Most are rejected as normal instrument maintenance now. Actually, they always were but Martin covered them even though their own warranty said they wouldn’t. They’ve decided to stop going that extra mile now. I know I won’t ever count on one under warranty with my new martins.

[dr461]

It is a Made in Mexico Martin, that has a Tayloresque tone for $1500? Not something that would excite me at all.

[Acoustic Wolf]

Originally Posted by RalphH

I don't get it. Can someone explain what is so exciting? And perfect and innovative?

Brands like Ibanez have been making thin-bodied, laminate guitars with cutaways, that are mainly designed to be played plugged in for years. Decades. So have Ovation. I can't see anything new here at all, except that Martin have finally been brought kicking and screaming into the 1980s.

I don't see it as being any more innovative than this :
https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-an...Gear4music/ENG

Not saying the build quality isn't 100x higher than a £75 shop own brand MIC guitar, or that Martin aren't allowed to step into a slightly different market segment, or that is isn't a great guitar, but that doesn't make it innovative.

As for their "we've supported the fingerboard with the neck all the way down so it doesn't sit on the soundboard..." well that's great and sensible and Taylor has been doing that for over 20 years now. Again, nice to see, but hardly new.

I'm not bashing.... I just genuinely don't get it why this is so exciting unless you've been living under a Martin branded rock and never heard of a slim, comfortable acoustic geared towards amplified use.

Because it has the Martin name on the headstock. If any other brand, like the ones you mentioned, released this exact same guitar with the exact same innovations, people would not even notice nor feel the need to have a guitar with such features.

Same with the Modern Deluxe series. No-one cares about carbon fibre bridge plates or Titanium pins, but because Martin released it, there is interest.

Martin may or may not be diluting their brand name by associating with guitars that are ridiculous, but then again, they have also come up with certain other atrocities in the past best forgotten (just take a look at Wildwood Guitars' used Martins page if you really want to remember).

[TBman]

I listened to Spoon's demo.

I didn't find the tone attractive, but I admit I like a meatier, earthier tone.

[Fatfinger McGee]

I'm eager to get my hands on one of these to see what it sounds like. Looks like some very thoughtful design went into it, and I can see the appeal for sure, if it has the Martin tone. Maybe not the perfect guitar, but it's definitely one I want to consider for everyday use. Easy to set up, easy and less stressful on your joints to play, cheaper to own...having been through a couple neck resets on Martins, spending big $$$ and waiting months for my guitar to come back, that actually resonates with me.