Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Martin 000X1 Acoustic Guitar Reviewed

I just picked up a new acoustic guitar which is replacing a beloved but long borrowed Dean. Thanks Cassandra! I bought it based on a number of factors, mostly the price point, but I didn't have to compromise on the tone I was going after at all! I wanted a very percussive bluesy acoustic tone with some mid range bite, so naturally I was looking at the 00 and 000 size guitar bodies. I really didn't want a cutaway, nor did I want a dreadnaught, I also didn't need built in electronics as its primary use will be in small intimate settings. This "Auditorium" size guitar fit the bill nicely.

The guitar itself is very "ECO" friendly, meaning the only "real" pieces of wood on it is the solid sitka spruce top and rose wood fingerboard. The neck and back and side are made out of HPL (high pressure laminate, think wood flooring.) and look really good for being "fake". While I'm not a green nut I suppose its nice to see a guitar company trying other materials, even though I think most of the going green is marketing and hype right now. You can check out the full specs on the guitar at www.martinguitar.com

I played a number of guitars before deciding on this one including some Taylor, other Martin, Ibanez, Takamine, Yamaha, and Fender. I played a few guitars made from all "real" wood that sounded like pooh and some others that sounded slightly better then the 000x1, but not double the money better. That particular guitar was a higher end Martin. Just as a note, if you think these laminate guitars are poop, go play Martins version and use your ears, not your preconceived ideals. These are considered "lower-end" and I would say thats only because of the price-point. These are crafted in Mexico but the quality control levels are typical Martin. On that note I think its fair to say that Martin Guitars, no matter what the material, just seems to have something all others don't. I can't tell you what it is, but its something in their build design and/or process that makes a Martin a Martin and makes all others, well... others. Granted Taylor has this quality as well and that choice is strictly preference, but at this price point Martin wins hands down in my opinion.

Onto initial impressions, when you first pick up this guitar the first thing you will notice is its smell, it smells absolutely grand. I believe it would be along the line of what Lucy must have smelled as she entered the wardrobe, absolutely Narnian scent. I'm not sure if its the HPL or the sitka spruce top or a combination, but its spectacular aroma therapy out of the box. I know its a guitar but I have found my wife opening the case to smell it so it must be worth mentioning. The guitar feels great in the hand and on the hip, light strong and smooth, no shiny finish here, the top is hand rubbed and lets all the grain come through in the buff. The precision of the binding on the neck and the thickness of the fingerboard really let you know Martin made sure they were not skimping on the quality of the build even if the materials are "lower" grade. Its all these things that make this a Martin. The action on this guitar was the best I played in its price range and while not "electric" fast/low it didn't affect my playing at all.

Here it comes, the TONE. The tone is amazing for this price point. Its fantastic if you like Martin tone but can't afford your dream Martin. Look for your equivalent "dream" model in their "X-series" line and then go play it and find out what I'm talking about. Its not as good, but its not %50 or more off either when relating tone to dollars. The tone is mid to bright but not brash and the low-end is naturally rolled off with this smaller body shape that gives it that great bluesy folky sound. Open chords are strong and loud, each string rings clear. The tone is very balanced and rich. The sustain on the guitar is surprisingly long and the volume doesn't drop-off of sustained chords/notes as one would expect from this smaller bodied guitar. Playing bar-chords further up the neck yields nice chime tones. Finger picking this guitar really gives some of the best tones this guitar has to offer. It reacts to all the nuances of your fingers in a way I've only experienced on a Martin. The top of the guitar just seems to be "alive" as long as the strings are resonating.

Long term - The thing I'm curious the most about these HPL built guitars is the long term tone quality. Will they still open up the more they are played? I certainly hope so, and I have a good feeling it will, after all the top is the most important piece in this equation and its as real as all the Martins. I'm not sure if its that I just gotten more familiar with this guitar over the last few days or if its already started to open up as I've really spent some time in the wood shed with it, but it sounds better now to me then it did when I bought it. Whatever it is I like it!

Longer Term - If the need arrises for electronics I've already decided to put in something from L.R. Baggs that I won't have to alter the guitar for in anyway. Perhaps an M1 paired with their venue DI box. Regardless, I'm sure I'll still over analyze the decision to death when the time comes.

Conclusion - If its in your price range, you really can't go wrong with the 000X1.