Quote:
Originally Posted by billgennaro
i generally like the Martin "tone" but i find them to be not quite as "resonant" as non-factory builds (generally speaking, of course). as a result, they can sometimes be a tad dull sounding and a little muddy as well. but the 28 and 18 series' both seem to be in their proper place in the guitar world for the price they command (not overly expensive). i'm guessing that 90% of them are good guitars, 5% are dogs, and 5% are special. i've owned four Martins but eventually weeded them out of my collection. they all had nice tone but lacked just a bit in the area of resonance, which is big for me. on the other hand, i have played a few that were superb as well (40 series and customs). i'd like to audition an "authentic" one of these days.
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This was very much in line with my observation. "Resonance" would be a nice way to describe what I felt was lacking. That extra facet of the tone that adds depth and a sort of 3-dimensional effect, the way a good tube amp does on an electric.
I would never say that these guitars were bad, bad-sounding, or bad value for the money. I just think that, since they're what you'll find hanging on the rack at most stores, that it can be easy to miss out on the handbuilt guitars in this same price range.