There’s a lot to dive into here, and to be honest, I don’t quite know if I have it in me to write about 29 acoustic guitars on a Friday afternoon. Plus, you can view literally every single model in great detail over at Martin’s website. All you need to do is click here. However, if you want to know which ones we reckon are worth your attention, read on.
First up, there’s the D-42 Purple Flamed Myrtle, a super limited edition acoustic inspired by the Pennsylvanian purple martin bird. Limited to 100 instruments, this guitar features a beautiful decorative fretboard inlay, with a glossy Engelmann spruce top and myrtle back and sides. It’s one of those kinds of guitars that really blurs the line between being an instrument and an artwork – check it out below.
Martin have also released a limited edition version of the coveted D-18E to commemorate 2020. This one features a rare East Indian rosewood headcap and fingerboard, as well as a Sitka spruce top and genuine mahogany back and sides. It’s another premium offering from the company, and is also fitted with an internal pickup to make it all the more modern.
If you’re more of a classicist, you’ll dig the 000C12-16E, which sees Martin branching into nylon string territory with a modern twist. It boasts an auditorium sized Sitka spruce top with a cutaway to reach for higher registers, while a satin-finished mahogany sides and back gives the OOOC12-16E an exceptionally bright and responsive tone. There’s also a Fishman Matrix VT Enhance NT1 pickup thrown in there for good measure – nice.
For low end theorists, the four-string Martin BC-16 will definitely keep you happy. It’s perfect for use both onstage or at home, with a Sitka spruce top and East Indian Rosewood back and sides offering a beautifully responsive tonewood combination. The neck is fast and slick, and the BC-16 also features inbuilt Fishman electronics for those gigging bassists who need a little extra oomph.
Martin have also bolstered their Modern Deluxe range with an additional four models, combining aged tops and classic shapes with modern features such as titanium truss rods for the ultimate in performance. These new Modern Deluxe models also feature inbuilt electronics for plugging in onstage. There’s also new electro entries into their 16 series, including the GPC16E below, which features an 000 body depth, a satin finished spruce top and mahogany back and sides.
There’s also a heap of new Martin models aimed at those who can’t afford some of their more speccy instruments, such as the X1 and X2 series, . These models feature solid wood tops and high pressure laminate back and sides, as seen on the 00L-X2E below, and should be within price range for most intermediate guitarists.
With so many different guitars to check out, you’d be crazy to not visit Martin website and look at the entire series. There really is something for everybody!
Martin Guitars are distributed in Australia via Electric Factory.
