Review: Martin’s 0-18 Is a Small-Bodied Classic
The 0-18 looks a whole lot like a 1950s or ’60s example, but it’s been updated with contemporary specs.
Gear Review: Trace Elliot’s Transit-A Preamp and Effects Unit is Tailored Specifically for the Acoustic Guitarist
Trace's Transit-A packs practically everything an acoustic guitarist needs before going into a PA system into a compact unit that weighs around 2.5 pounds.
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Martin Introduces New Custom Signature Edition D-18 RG at Summer NAMM 2017: Video
At Summer NAMM 2017, Martin released its new Custom Signature Edition D-18 RG, featuring imprinted original artwork by Robert Goetzl. The guitar is a tribute to the Lakota Sioux tribe and features a Sitka spruce top, mahogany back and sides, a single arrowhead inlay on the headplate, and four arrowheads on the fingerboard to…
Martin Introduces the New D-Boak Dreadnought at Summer NAMM 2017: Video
Watch above as Luthier, musician, and Martin archivist Dick Boak — who is set to retire in January 2018 — introduce his new Custom Signature Edition model at Summer NAMM 2017. The D-Boak is a dreadnought with Sitka spruce soundboard, mahogany back and sides, a modified low oval neck, and an…
Summer NAMM 2017: Martin Demos the New D-28, Model America 1, and StreetMaster Series
At Summer NAMM 2017, Martin introduced a number of new guitars, including a re-imagination of the iconic D-28. The model features East Indian rosewood back and sides, a Sitka spruce top, aged toner top, vintage appointments, and a new neck profile. Martin also demoed the new Model America 1, a limited edition…
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Summer NAMM 2017: Jason Isbell Reveals the Thinking Behind His New Signature Martin D-18
At last week’s Summer NAMM show in Nashville, Tennessee, Martin debuted several new guitars including the Jason Isbell D-18. Watch above as Isbell — a Grammy-winning and chart-topping country star — talks about his thinking behind the signature model, which he closely developed with Martin. “[It] reflects the kind of music that I…
New Martins Celebrate Jason Isbell, Ed Sheeran, and Dick Boak
By Greg Olwell Martin debuts several new guitars at the 2017 Summer NAMM show in Nashville, Tennessee, including a few signature models for popular players, songwriters, and a beloved longtime Martin employee. D-18 Jason Isbell Closely modeled after the D-18 from the Golden Era series, the new Jason Isbell D-18…
Video Review: Martin’s CEO 8.2 Grand Jumbo Boasts Excellent Playability and a Brilliant Voice
The CEO 8.2 feels like a whole lot of guitar. And it’s got a voice to match.
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Win A Martin StreetMaster™ Guitar!
THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED. One winner will choose between a Martin 000-15M StreetMasterTM or a Martin D-15M StreetMasterTM. Martin Guitar has expanded their popular solid mahogany 15 Series line with a respectful nod to the working musician. The StreetMasterTM models are built to the same specifications as the 000-15M and D-15M models but…
Video Review: The D-1 Authentic 1931 Is a Note-Perfect Replica of a Rare Martin Dreadnought
The D-1 is one of the latest members of Martin’s Authentic lineup, in which the company recreates its prewar designs in highly accurate detail
GUITAR TALK: Singer-Songwriter Greg Brown on His Soft Spot for Martin D-18s & More [VIDEO]
Brown, a longtime Gibson player, had more than a few tales, including one about discovering a sweet vintage Martin D-18.
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GEAR REVIEW: Martin Guitar Introduces 3 New Electro-Acoustic Models in Its Popular 16 Series [VIDEO]
C.F. Martin & Co. has added three new models to its popular 16 Series.
Guitar Roundup: 3 Travel Guitars Reviewed
Scaled-down is the new “bigger is better,” a design aesthetic for guitars that are easy to transport, gig-ready, and quite attractive. These days, modern guitar players value portability in addition to tone, playability, and visual aesthetics, and the industry is responding with compact acoustic axes that travel easily, accommodate players with small hands or ergonomic challenges, fit into cramped living spaces, and suit modest budgets.
Dick Boak to Retire from Martin in 2018: Watch Him Say Goodbye [Winter NAMM 2017]
by Whitney Phaneuf The legendary Dick Boak — a Martin employee for 40 years and wearer of many hats, from design draftsman to director of artist relations to company historian — is retiring next year, on January 8, 2018. Watch above as Boak bids adieu to his music industry family, talks about his…
Martin Guitar Unveils Its Titanium Core Acoustic Guitar Strings: Winter NAMM 2017
By Greg Cahill In this Winter NAMM 2017 video interview, Jerry Lawlor of C.F. Martin & Co. talks about the proprietary process the company used in development of its new Titanium Core, nickel-wrapped acoustic-guitar strings, the latest addition to Martin’s popular SP string line. Here is what Martin says about…
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Martin Reveals New D-420, Celebrating Marijuana Legalization, John Prine and Dwight Yoakam Sig. Editions, and More [Winter NAMM 2017]
by Whitney Phaneuf Martin went bold directions for its newest guitars — devoting one to iconography from the California marijuana legalization movement and going ornate on its watch-inspired 2-millionth Martin (which readers had a lot of opinions about). Watch above as artist-in-residence Robert Goetzl and Martin historian Dick Boak unveil 5 new…
Martin 000-30 Authentic 1919—Retro Cool: WINTER NAMM 2017
By Greg Cahill One of the standouts of Winter NAMM 2017 could be found at the Martin Guitar booth in a reproduction of an ultra-lightweight guitar based on a rare guitar from the venerable company—only two original models were ever built! Remaining true to its origins, the 000-30 Authentic 1919…
Keeping Time: CF Martin & Co. Unveils the 2 Millionth Martin Acoustic Guitar
By Greg Cahill It took C.F. Martin & Co. 121 years to produce its one-millionth guitar, and the company marked that milestone with a lavishly inlayed commemorative axe. It’s taken just 12 years to reach the two-million mark. That landmark Martin features a D-45-style body, with a top crafted of…
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Video Review: Martin Custom’s Limited-Edition CS-Bluegrass-16 Dreadnought Delivers the Goods
The CS-Bluegrass-16's sound is nicely split between robust fundamentals and shimmering overtones. It’s everything a fine dreadnought should be—and then some.
Gear Review: Martin’s GPC15ME Is a Great Stage Guitar, Well-Suited for a Myriad of Musical Styles [Video]
There is a certain familiarity to the Martin GPC15ME—the rustic charm of all mahogany guitars that have a log-cabin-type appeal can inspire a gutbucket response.
Gear Review: Martin LE Cowboy Is a Collectible Triple-0 Acoustic Guitar with a Lively Voice [VIDEO]
The instrument has all the hallmarks of a great 000: a brilliant, piano-like response and a sound that’s distributed evenly across the frequency spectrum.
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Artist William Matthews Keeps Western Tradition Alive with Martin’s 2016 LE Cowboy Acoustic Guitar
The Golden Age of the cattle drive lasted a mere 20 years, from 1866–1886. But the cowboy has since occupied a distinct role in American consciousness. A lone figure, often on a horse, tending to nature’s perilous landscapes and occasional scofflaws, the cowboy is seen as a folk hero, a…
Gear Review: Martin DCX1AE Macassar Is Built of Laminate, But it’s Unmistakably a Martin [VIDEO]
With a street price of just under a grand, this Macassar is one of Martin’s least expensive guitars, but it’s not an inferior instrument. A solidly built guitar with a winning personality and Fishman Sonitone electronics, it’s a smart choice for a beginner or a cost-conscious pro.
Guitar Review: Martin 00-18 Authentic 1931
This diminutive, slope-shouldered beauty has a warm and lively voice and is extremely responsive. It’s got a surprising amount of volume and projection for its size.
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SUMMER NAMM 2016: Martin Guitar Introduces 2 New Dreadnoughts & More
Martin & Co. introduced several new models at the Summer NAMM 2016 show in Nashville last week. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the dreadnought body shape, Martin has issued the 1931 D-1 Authentic, built at the custom shop using hide glue and other high-end construction techniques. Martin and…