Reviews of the Best Martin Acoustic Guitars!Martin Acoustic Guitars | Martin Acoustic-ElectricC.F. Martin guitars have been made in the United States since 1833 and have developed a reputation for quality and craftsmanship unparalleled by any other company. While a Martin Acoustic Guitar may have a high price tag, most musicians will agree that they are worth every penny.
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Humble Beginnings in NazarethChristian Frederick Martin may not have been a carpenter, but he did come from a long line of wood workers and cabinet makers. Apprenticed to the Austrian guitar maker by the name of Johan Stauffer at the age of 15, Christian learned his craft well and, after immigrating to the United States, opened his own shop in Nazareth, PA in 1838.
It is generally accepted that the Martin Company invented the X-bracing system during the 1850’s, though there is no actual proof. And even though fan bracing was becoming more popular in European-made guitars, Martin and other American guitar makers stuck with the X-bracing. It was a good thing that they did, for the increased demand for guitars during the early 1900’s (a demand that had its origins in the rising popularity of folk and country music across the U.S.) resulted in a demand for louder guitars. With the switch from catgut strings to steel strings, the X-bracing Martin had been using proved to be just what was needed to support the weight of the steel strings. The Great Depression had a drastic effect on all guitar makers, and Martin was no exception. To counter the decrease in demand, they began making innovations to their guitars such as the longer 14-fret neck that allowed C.F. Martin Acoustic Guitars to reach higher notes. The 14-fret neck changes plus several guitar body shape modifications increased the popularity of their guitars to such an extent that these changes became standard on their guitars. By the 1960’s Martin guitars were back-ordered by three years, but the company refused to go public, choosing instead to remain family-owned. By Year 2000 the company had built its one millionth guitar and is currently headed by the great-great-great-great grandson of the founder. Famous Musicians Playing MartinsC.F. Martin Acoustic Guitars have always been in high demand by professional musicians. Elvis Presley is known for having played a Martin and Joan Baez got her start with a Martin 0-45. But the list doesn’t stop there. Arlo Guthrie played a Martin as did Paul Simon as well as Eric Clapton, all of whom have C.F. Martin Signature Acoustic Guitars named after them. And then there is the classically-trained guitarist Dominic Frasca, who actually created a new breed, 10-string guitar by grafting the neck of an electric guitar onto a Martin Millennium acoustic guitar. Each of these famous musicians had specific models that they preferred, but they were all attracted to the quality of C.F. Martin Acoustic Guitars.Popular Models of MartinsWhile each Martin guitar is extremely well made, certain models have always been more popular than others. The C.F. Martin 000-28EC and 000-28ECB models, for example, are known as the “Eric Clapton” models. The limited edition 000-28ECB is made of an extremely rare Brazilian Rosewood (represented on the model label as “B”) and can cost upwards to $10,000 due to this rare wood. The 000-28EC, on the other hand, is one of Martin’s most popular models, most likely because of its more affordable price tag of about $3,300.So Why a C.F. Martin?C.F. Martin Guitars are not just well constructed instruments, they are works of art. And for the musician who can afford them, they are highly-valued instruments that are well worth the price.Tell us about your favorite Martin Acoustic Guitars!Include the model # and explanation of why your guitar is so great! What Other Visitors Have SaidClick below to see reviews from other visitors to this page...
Martin Acoustic Guitars: Black J-40m
Martin Acoustic Guitars: D35 Left Handed
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Martin Acoustic Guitars: D41 Dreadnought
Martin Acoustic Guitars: 000-28VS
Martin Acoustic Guitars: 000-28EC Eric Clapton Signature
Martin Acoustic Guitars: D18GE Golden Era 1934
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Martin Acoustic Guitars: HD28 Standard Dreadnought
Martin Acoustic Guitars: D35 Dreadnought
Martin Acoustic Guitars: D28 Dreadnought
Martin Acoustic Guitars: D18 Dreadnought
Martin Acoustic Guitars: J-40 Jumbo Dreadnought
Martin Acoustic Guitars: D15M Dreadnought
Martin Acoustic Guitars: OM1 Orchestra
Martin Acoustic Guitars: LXM Little Martin
Martin Acoustic Guitars: D28 Dreadnought Left Handed
Martin Acoustic Guitars: D15 Custom Left Handed
Martin Acoustic Guitars: Steel String Backpacker Left Handed
Martin Acoustic Guitars: Custom D Classic
Martin Acoustic Guitars: LX1 Little Martin
Martin Acoustic Guitars: Steel String Backpacker
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