Stupid Deal of the Day; Martin special D 699

[lowrider]

If you're looking for all solid wood Martin Dreadnought on the cheap, take a look at this;

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/stupid

[buddyhu]

This looks like a matte finish guitar.

I owned a matte finish Martin Dread (called “Custom D” when I bought it in 2007) that I got from Musicians friend. Not a bad guitar for the price, but I hated the matte finish, and sold it after a couple of years.

Still, the guitar sounded good…it was he accumulated grime and stains on the top that I didn’t like.

[ribsareyummy]

It's tempting. Seems like these Special Ds have replaced the old Custom Ds, which I think had a bit "more" in terms of construction/appearance, and may have been USA made. I always regretted not grabbing one when they were on sale.

[CASD57]

Small nut....Probably not as good or not much above my Alvarez MD60BG...But if it wasn't for the Alvarez I would be even more tempted..
If I bought something it needs to be different... All solid Adirondack Top..Rosewood back and sides...Thats what I'm looking for...in that price range

[L20A]

Originally Posted by CASD57

Small nut....Probably not as good or not much above my Alvarez MD60BG...But if it wasn't for the Alvarez I would be even more tempted..
If I bought something it needs to be different... All solid Adirondack Top..Rosewood back and sides...Thats what I'm looking for...in that price range

I doubt that you will even find a kit in that price range.

[lowrider]

Originally Posted by buddyhu

This looks like a matte finish guitar.

I owned a matte finish Martin Dread (called “Custom D” when I bought it in 2007) that I got from Musicians friend. Not a bad guitar for the price, but I hated the matte finish, and sold it after a couple of years.

Still, the guitar sounded good…it was he accumulated grime and stains on the top that I didn’t like.

My J-17 is satin finish. After 2.5 years it was looking kind of grubby with shiney parts and dirty spots. I never wanted to polish it because I thought it would become a mantainence issue. I finally broke down and cleaned it with Virtuoso cleaner then polished it with Virtuoso Polish. I'm so glad I did.



It looks fantastic with a vintage gloss look, and it hasn't faded or dulled at all. If I got another satin finish guitar, I hit it with Virtuoso Polish right from the beginning.

[rollypolly]

The custom D is a great guitar. If the Special D is anything close, that's a good deal. The Custom D does have a fairly slender nut width which is why I sold mine. Everything else was top notch for the price.

[bsman]

Originally Posted by CASD57

All solid Adirondack Top..Rosewood back and sides...Thats what I'm looking for...in that price range

I hope you're patient, because with the current market you're going to be looking for quite a while!

[gr81dorn]

Originally Posted by ribsareyummy

It's tempting. Seems like these Special Ds have replaced the old Custom Ds, which I think had a bit "more" in terms of construction/appearance, and may have been USA made. I always regretted not grabbing one when they were on sale.

I think those are now the USA version of the SPecial D:
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guit...pecial&index=8

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by ribsareyummy

It's tempting. Seems like these Special Ds have replaced the old Custom Ds, which I think had a bit "more" in terms of construction/appearance, and may have been USA made. I always regretted not grabbing one when they were on sale.

Yes, the Custom D's were built in Nazareth, PA.

[zmf]

Seems Musician's Friend has the final word on glued joints vs bolt-on necks in their D699 ad.

"The Martin Special D is equipped with a mortis and tenon neck joint. This glued, neck-to-body joint allows the neck and body of the guitar to resonate as one instrument. Like many of the world’s finest string instruments, the mortis and tenon does not have any bolts that limit sustain and change the color of the acoustic sound. The tight fit increases the transference of tone and sustain across the entire instrument."

Glad that issue is finally settled.

[Shishigashira]

Originally Posted by CASD57

Small nut....Probably not as good or not much above my Alvarez MD60BG...But if it wasn't for the Alvarez I would be even more tempted..
If I bought something it needs to be different... All solid Adirondack Top..Rosewood back and sides...Thats what I'm looking for...in that price range

Then it seems like you're looking for the Recording King RD-328 an all solid Adi/Rosewood dread. It retails for a bit more ($799), but you can still get 10-15% off if you ask around. People seem quite pleased with it although fit and finish may be somewhat lacking from some of the reviews I've seen.

[Kyle215]

Originally Posted by zmf

Seems Musician's Friend has the final word on glued joints vs bolt-on necks in their D699 ad.

"The Martin Special D is equipped with a mortis and tenon neck joint. This glued, neck-to-body joint allows the neck and body of the guitar to resonate as one instrument. Like many of the world’s finest string instruments, the mortis and tenon does not have any bolts that limit sustain and change the color of the acoustic sound. The tight fit increases the transference of tone and sustain across the entire instrument."

Glad that issue is finally settled.

Lol. I’ll tell my Huss and Dalton next time I see it that Musician’s Friend doesn’t think it has enough sustain. I don’t think it will mind though 😄

[gr81dorn]

Originally Posted by Kyle215

Lol. I’ll tell my Huss and Dalton next time I see it that Musician’s Friend doesn’t think it has enough sustain. I don’t think it will mind though 😄

My loudest, most resonant and best-sounding acoustics have bolt-on necks, as well.