Best Martin Guitar

1. LITTLE MARTIN LXK2 KOA - BEST MARTIN ACOUSTIC GUITAR

If you’ve already decided to give a Martin Guitar to your beloved little one, we suggest investing in a model; that can grow with its owner. The 6-stringed Richlite fretboard looks and feels like ebony or rosewood construction, which is incredibly durable and moisture acclimated, making the guitar inherently stable.

The best part of this fretboard is its’ easy maintenance and the capabilities of withstanding re-fretting without chipping. This 23” scale length guitar lets you tune up two notes (F#BEAC#F#) without the risk of snapping the strings.

Moreover, the fixed bridge system allows simple restringing, making it a good option for the most inexperienced players. Generally, the small guitars don’t sound like normal ones, but luckily the Martin LXK2 is pleasant enough.

This 3/4 martin guitar is just perfect for children with smaller hands and beginners for first starting out and practice all day long, even for traveling. The construction is solid enough to endure travel and weather exposure. It’s the guitar for you, me, and everyone; who plays in finger style and often struggle to reach the difficult finger picking during practice season at the beginning level.

2. LITTLE MARTIN LX BLACK - BEST AFFORDABLE MARTIN GUITAR

The Little Martin LX is another entry-level Martin guitar with a 23” scale length, but it sounds slightly different from the previous little Martin 3/4 acoustic guitar due to different material construction.

C. F. Martin uses a variety of woods but recently introduced an environment-friendly HPL material construction; that withstands all types of weather and offers a promising tone all time.

Aside from the high-pressure laminate (HPL) construction on the top, back, and side parts, it has a solid construction of sustainable wood in the important parts. The standard tapered neck with mortise and tenon neck joint, non-scalloped X-Brace, and chrome-enclosed gear tuners ensure captivating sounds.

Considering the size, the tone of this little Martin and co-acoustic guitar will surprise you. It offers a warm and smooth dark tone with good projection, making it a little different from other little martins.

In addition to the iconic tone, it offers superior playability, which is easy like other little martin and enhanced like other expensive martin guitar models. No matter whether you are experienced or at a beginner level, this Martin folk guitar makes playing a pleasure. Whether you play country, folk, bluegrass, jazz, or rock, this guitar will give you a natural playing experience; that you will love for sure.

3. MARTIN GUITARS DX JOHNNY - BEST MARTIN GUITAR FOR BEGINNERS

From the beginners to intermediate-range, we picked the DX Johnny Cash Signature Edition, an iconic martin acoustic-electric guitar. The beautiful dreadnought cutaway design features a bit different HPL construction with a firmly wooden body and Spruce top.

This guitar comes with scalloped X-bracing, which offers more bass, and typically makes it more responsive and louder than the guitars with straight braces. The high-performing tapered neck is easy to play with, whereas it looks attractive with Mortise and Tenon neck joints.

As you know, the 12-frets and 14-frets models both offer desirable tonal qualities, but the 14-frets guitars are the clear winner in terms of sound. Moreover, this 14-fret guitar is relatively more comfortable to hold and play. If you play guitars in fingerstyle or with a pick, you would fall in love with this guitar for sure.

The DX Johnny Cash Signature Edition seems to shine more in strumming and picking. We found it a highly playable guitar with an iconic sound at such a low price point.

4. LITTLE MARTIN LX1RE - BEST MARTIN GUITAR FOR FINGERPICKING

Do you know that Ed Sheeran uses mostly 3/4 sized guitars of the Martin LX series? The 3/4 Martin guitars of the LX series are really a cool option for all.

This is another great Martin acoustic-electric dreadnought cutaway guitar of Little Martin LX series for right-handed players, though the LX1RE model is also available with a left-hand orientation design, enhancing playability for all.

This model belongs to the Little Martin Guitar series, but the specs and feature set will not limit you to the beginner level. It is the best little thing out there for playing folk, rock, country song, bluegrass, and jazz. Like us, you would just love its’ balanced bassy tone.

The sound of this Martin rosewood guitar is not the loudest, but several guitar enthusiasts have claimed that they found the sound brighter than the mahogany Taylors. The package has included the pickguard, so it won’t get scratched if you play in fingerstyle or picking.

However, such a small instrument is really great for traveling or for beginners, who are still training their hands to stretch. The small body fits well and the narrow fretboard makes it easy to play for all, even for the people; who are in a wheelchair.

5. MARTIN GUITAR X SERIES D-X1E - BEST SOUNDING MARTIN GUITAR

If it's your first investment in guitars, try something; that will save your money, time, and frustration in the long run. The model - DX1E is just like the one I mentioned.

It has a solid construction of high-pressure laminate wood. If you’re side-passing this option thinking that you’ll miss the elegance of Mahogany or dark wooden construction, let me tell you that the KOA stripes also look the same.

Most guitar enthusiasts and even the manufacturer prefer laminate wooden construction due to its enhanced durability. The HPL construction doesn’t get affected by temperature and humidity.

Despite the laminate wooden construction, you could expect an amazing sound and tonal quality from this small guitar. You may feel the guitar is not shining in the low end or loud volume like other dreadnoughts.

On the contrary, this Martin Electric-Acoustic guitar features better electronics than Fishman MX, making it sound great when plugged in.

Unlike other Martin guitar prices, this guitar is lighter on the pocket, though it comes with many offerings. This is one of the cheapest Martin guitars on the market right now and certainly the best for beginners, thanks to the simple setup, easy tuning, and comfortable playability.

6. Martin SC-13E Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Martin SC-13E is slightly different from others. The ‘13’ in the name is not the model no. of their SC series. The fact is; that the neck of this guitar joins the body at the 13th fret; that works differently from the time-honored 12th or 14th frets cutaway.

Moreover, the Fishman MX-T electro system works like a handy onboard tuner; that helps you mute the output while tuning, as it should. There is also a little decorative embellishment, like - an easy-access battery compartment, phase switch, volume, and tone controls, all accessible within the soundhole.

The combination of the unique neck shape, the extended easy access, and the low string height makes it extremely easy to play. The only trouble is going back to either any Taylor guitars or Martin cutaway acoustic references after getting used to the SC-13E will feel like clunky battleships.

When it comes to Martin SC-13E vs. Taylor, this one is a clear winner, but you may not like the offset shape. The die-hard fan of the martin acoustic guitars could also find it a little sniffy. On the other hand, the persons; who are not biased with something and love to play any guitar with electric or arch-top or nylon strings will be more than happy.

7. Martin Guitar D-15M StreetMaster Acoustic Guitar

Are you looking for the best guitars of the Martin standard series? Here; it is - the D-15M StreetMaster, a real champ acoustic guitar. The model is in Mahogany Burst shade, though there is another color option to choose from, - is dark Mahogany.

This Martin D guitar has a solid Mahogany wood body with 14 fret design; that gives you a lively sound with a rich tone. In addition to the impressive tonal quality, the dreadnought cutaway delivers a rich bass response.

Aside from the superior sound, the dreadnought body style with low oval-shaped neck, non-scalloped X bracing style, and dovetail neck joint enables easy playability, making this guitar best for the gig.

8. Martin Guitar 000CJR-10E Junior Cutaway Electric-Acoustic

When it comes to an acoustic guitar, you may be satisfied with Sitka Spruce construction for the beautiful tonal properties; that we mostly find in a guitar. But we feel that durability also matters, as the Martin guitars’ cost is slightly higher than others.

This classic Martin guitar has a combination construction of sapele and Sitka spruce wood; that delivers warm tones with a strong mid-range response. The OOOCJR-10E is specifically designed for the persons; who want loud sounds from a small guitar.

9. Martin Guitar Road Series D-10E Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Another triumph of the Martin D series comes in the form of the D-10E model, featuring the largest size among all dreadnought cutaway models. It is equipped with Sitka Spruce and Sapele construction, D-14 Fret, and high-performance Taper. The hand-rubbed neck with 14 frets design and high-performance taper eases the playability, making it suitable for beginners.

Otherwise, it delivers a professional-quality sound and covers a wide range of tones, though it shines in the low-end range. With D-10E, you’ll be more likely to stick with it all day around.

10. Martin Guitar X Series GPC-X2E Acoustic-Electric Guitar

This Martin acoustic-electric guitar belongs to the Martin GPC special KOA X series, comes with solid Rosewood and Mahogany wooden construction. Do you know what the GPC means? The GPS refers to the Grand Performance Cutaway of this guitar.

Whatever, the C-shaped neck, vintage-style tuner, and satin finish all around truly capture the attraction with its grand appearance and sounding performance. It offers an extended musical span with a highly resonant and voluminous tone.

You may have heard a lot of praise for this series, but the GPC-X2E is not overrated. The quality construction, professional sound, and easy playability are worth every penny you pay.

BUYERS GUIDE THE BEST MARTIN GUITAR

Here are some key things; that you need to look for during shopping to make a good deal on the best value martin guitars. 

BODY SHAPE

Martin dreadnought guitars are the best selling option for their sound and shape, but the brand has introduced different body-shaped models to meet every playing style and tone you want.

STRING

The professional guitarists appreciate the strings of the Martin guitars for their quality, craftsmanship, and offered tonal quality. 

BUILD QUALITY

Martin uses a variety of woods to carry out a robust build quality and promising sound and tonal quality. So, you don’t need to worry about durability and build quality. If you have a dry climate in your region, just ensure the guitar is properly humidified between 45%-55% RH. 

pLAYABILITY

Just because you owned one of the best-sounding martin guitars doesn’t mean you’ll never have any frustration with it. If you, unfortunately, choose a bit stubborn or hard-to-play guitar, you will take time to adapt to its playability; even after getting used to it, you could miss your comfort or the styles you want to play.

So, you should choose one of the top martin guitars; that boasts great tone and comfortable playability, though most martin cutaways are comfortable enough to offer easy playability.

SOUND

When it comes to sound quality, frankly, all martin guitars offer an overall good sound. Different martin guitar styles provide different tones. That means; you’ve to do some research regarding style and tone. We always encourage trying out guitars or listening to the demo tones to ensure whether the instrument is for you or not?

PRICE

We suggest choosing the best martin acoustic guitar you can afford, as pricing is one of the considerable matters for you and the manufacturer. To be fair, the more you play, you’ll play better or sound better.

FAQ

1. What is Martin Guitars known for?

From expensive to affordable Martin guitars, every instrument of Martin collects huge appreciation for their superb sound quality and flexible string choice. This guitar allows you to experiment with different sounds by using different strings.

2. Are Martin Guitars Good for Beginners?

Martin guitars are a bit expensive; this is only a big disadvantage for beginners, as most of them don’t have a solid budget for a guitar lesson.

3. Are Martin Guitars Harder to Play Than Other Brands?

We disagree that Martin guitars have hard-to-play strings and necks. All acoustic guitars are actually harder-to-play than light-stringed electric guitars, as they require high action to create a wide range of vibrations. You will be fooled if you choose a guitar with a light string by considering it easy to play.