Martin’s Official “New Era” release

[baseball]

Originally Posted by doctone

I bet it is going to sound like a guitar. The truth will show in the stores.

Agreed, but I guess I am bummed I fell victim to the hype. I knew THAT I would eventually hear them...

When those SC13 guys came out, there was video's of people playing them.

I am the loyal;est Martin guy there is...just let down

[llew]

My guess is you won't get a decent (YT video?) until one of the AD's has a chance to make it. I did read somewhere that Maury was trying to get one out but who knows when?

[baseball]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cMqxrkyvWg

special thanks to @JackB1

!!!!!!

[GCWaters]

Originally Posted by baseball

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cMqxrkyvWg

special thanks to @JackB1

!!!!!!

Well, that does nothing for me, aurally or visually....

[baseball]

Originally Posted by llew

My guess is you won't get a decent (YT video?) until one of the AD's has a chance to make it. I did read somewhere that Maury was trying to get one out but who knows when?

Maury's Videos are the BEST!

OK..Just watched the sweetwater video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cMqxrkyvWg

I will refrain from commenting out of my loyalty to Martin

[llew]

I hate to say it but I'd rather have an OM-28 (standard) for a little less $. But this guitar could open the door for more Standard models to receive the laster cut lighter bracing as well. Put that bracing in a D-18 or D-28 and lets hear that! Better yet...put a two piece maple back (and sides) on that same D-18 with the new laser cut bracing and see what that brings to the table...

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by SaintClarence27

Maybe I was taking it incorrectly, but I heard it more as "we want it to sound like a MARTIN," not that Maple sounds bad.

I dunno, other than Ripsam, who never said anything specific about maple, everyone else seemed to take a dig at it:

Tim Teel at 1:27: “With maple in particular, the tone that it produces is a very bright and compressed sound…”
Tim Teel at 3:25, explaining that walnut was chosen for the back wedge because it’s a softer wood and “helps balance out some of the harshness of maple.” (Notice that he didn’t say that it balances out all of the harshness. )
Tim Teel at 4:57: “Maple—although it’s great for archtop guitars and violins—for acoustic flat-top guitars, it’s actually very difficult to get a very warm and robust sound out of the instrument, compared to other woods we use typically, like rosewood or mahogany.”
Josh Parker at 5:19: “In an effort to unlock maple’s true potential, we have reduced the size of the soundhole, which increases low-end response…”
Fred Greene at 7:27: “I hope players get the opportunity to hear maple as it should be, for the first time…”

I have heard and played plenty of guitars with maple back and sides that don’t suffer from the deficiencies they describe.

[GCWaters]

Originally Posted by sinistral

I dunno, other than Ripsam, who never said anything specific about maple, everyone else seemed to take a dig at it:


I have heard and played plenty of guitars with maple back and sides that don’t suffer from the deficiencies they describe.

Yeah, a number of builders do maple very well....I guess Martin just doesn't, for some reason...

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by baseball

Maury's Videos are the BEST!

OK..Just watched the sweetwater video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cMqxrkyvWg

I will refrain from commenting out of my loyalty to Martin

I just wonder how thin, harsh and jangly the maple on that guitar would’ve sounded if it hadn’t been tarted up with skelotonized bracing, tone channels, a walnut wedge and a reduced soundhole?!? The video put out by the Music Zoo didn’t sound any better.

[baseball]

Originally Posted by GCWaters

Yeah, a number of builders do maple very well....I guess Martin just doesn't, for some reason...

Yep. Played a Larrivee Maple 000 at the studio that was veeeeery close in sound to my mahogany 000...not brash or loud at all. Very pleasantly surprised

[baseball]

Originally Posted by sinistral

I just wonder how thin, harsh and jangly the maple on that guitar would’ve sounded if it hadn’t been tarted up with skelotonized bracing, tone channels, a walnut wedge and a reduced soundhole?!? The video put out by the Music Zoo didn’t sound any better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cMqxrkyvWg


In Baseball that's called 'the Golden Handcuffs'...

[troystory92]

I think it's a good looking guitar overall.

Very modern for Martin.
Definitely made to compete with Taylor.

I usually like 3 piece backs but this one looks a bit wonky. Maybe its the contrast of the maple/walnut. Or just how the walnut is cut. Can't put my finger on it.



Price seems too steep given the woods used and a satin finish...

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by fazool

The name is the species - doesn't matter where it grows. Like a Japanese Cherry tree, or a Canada Goose.

I don't think it'll beneath them to correct that situation if and when the domestic (sic ) starts to get flooded by artefacts made with "counterfeit" European spruce

[co2bruce]

I think if I was going to drop 4k on a new Martin it would be on a proven design (I.e D28, HD28, D18, or any 000). Just my thought.

[gr81dorn]

Originally Posted by troystory92

I think it's a good looking guitar overall.

Very modern for Martin.
Definitely made to compete with Taylor.

I usually like 3 piece backs but this one looks a bit wonky. Maybe its the contrast of the maple/walnut. Or just how the walnut is cut. Can't put my finger on it.



Price seems too steep given the woods used and a satin finish...

The woods in that guitar will certainly be more expensive than the woods in a D18, for example.

Walnut lumber is about 2x the price of the "mahogany/select hardwoods" species typically used for necks at Martin. Maple is a mid-priced hardwood, Norway spruce is on the higher end of the softwood market. FSC certification inflates the price of all of lumber by about 30-35%, so the cost of this guitar's wood is probably significantly higher than most of what Martin makes and they'd be buying it in significantly lower volume to make it even more expensive, relatively.

Satin finish is less labor, so there's some offset there.