What kind of wood does Martin guitars use?

The most common top tonewood is Spruce. Martin uses a variety of different types of Spruce including Sitka, Engelmann, Adirondack, Red and Italian Alpine, each with their own distinct tonal characteristics.

Where does Martin guitar get their wood?

The wood is quite valuable but the paper pulp industry buys and harvests Sitka spruce in the Pacific Northwest and sometimes they harvest trees that have no business being made into pulp.

What are Martin guitars made of?

Martin & Co. has built its reputation on guitars made of rosewood, mahogany and other desirable woods. In the next 170, it may become just as famous for using Stratabond, Micarta and other, less familiar man-made materials.

What mahogany does Martin guitars use?

The Central American mahogany is the species used by Martin on the pre-World War II golden era instruments. This wood is of the same genus, but a different species than the South American mahogany most commonly used today.

Is Martin Road solid wood?

Built in Martin's plant in Navojoa, Mexico, and featuring solid-wood builds of sitka, sapele and koa, with Fishman MX-T electronics throughout, the Road Series is positioned as a pro-quality range for gigging musicians whose appearance fee can't quite stretch to Martin's US-built models, which, if we are honest, is ...

Is the Martin 16 series solid wood?

Based on some of the more popular Standard Series models, the Martin 16 Series takes these designs and makes them more affordable and accessible. Featuring solid wood sound boxes, time tested bracing patterns and the same attention to detail found in every Martin guitar, they are a value that's hard to beat.

Is Martin d10e solid wood?

A SOLID WOOD, ROAD READY GUITAR

It has an FSC Certified Richlite fingerboard & bridge, satin finish body, and a hand-rubbed neck finish.

Where does Martin guitars get their mahogany?

"Big-leafed Mahogany, Swietenia macrophylla, also known as American Mahogany, is distributed from the south of Mexico throughout Central and South America to Bolivia and Brazil, including large portions of the Amazon Basin.

Are Martin guitars really that good?

When it comes to acoustic guitars, Martin Guitars are one of the best out there. From the Avett Brothers to David Gilmour, many musicians use this brand and they have a solid reputation. Martin Guitars have been around since 1833, so their history goes way back and they have made many great guitars.

Why are Martin Guitars so hard to play?

The problem is that every Martin I've played has been orders of magnitude more difficult to play than the comparable Taylors. The person at the music shop says that it's because Martin ships their guitars with high action and heavy strings opposed to Taylor who ships them with lower action and lighter strings.

What finish is used on Martin Guitars?

martin uses a product called chem sheen , it is a satin finished lacquer. A gloss finish still requires buffing and polishing to get the gloss as shiney as they do . for a year or two, santa cruz french-polished (with shellac) the tops of a few guitars.

When did Martin stop using Brazilian rosewood?

Supplies grew extremely thin in the late 1960s, however, and Martin and others stopped using Brazilian rosewood in 1969, moving over to Indian rosewood, then other varieties. In 1992, Brazilian rosewood was added to the CITES treaty, strictly banning its exportation.

Does Martin make guitars with Brazilian rosewood?

6-String Acoustic Guitar with Ebony Fingerboard. Made in the USA.

When did Martin stop using Adirondack spruce?

1945, for the most part. Martin started using some Sitka in that year, mainly on style-18's. I have seen a handful of red spruce tops in 1946, but they have been four-piece. That tells me that Martin essentially 'ran out' of red spruce by the end of 1945.

Is maple a good guitar wood?

Maple is an excellent tonewood for acoustic and classical guitars and is the only commercially-viable tonewood to be used in guitar bodies (tops, backs and sides), necks and fretboards. It's a beautiful-sounding tonewood with a bright tone, and the figured pieces look stunning as well.

Is maple good for acoustic guitar?

Maple is one of the traditional tonewoods for acoustic instruments. Right there with maple are rosewood, mahogany, spruce, ebony, and all the varieties of species of those trees.

What is Sapele wood for guitars?

Sapele is a hardwood tonewood with fine grain. It offers a warm tone with sustaining lower-mids and pronounced high-end. Sapele is popular in the sides/backs of acoustic and hollowbody electric guitars but doesn't see much use in solid bodies, fretboards or necks.

When did Martin start using Sitka spruce?

In 1946, as supplies of their preferred sources of spruce dried up, and Martin had used the last smaller pieces to create four piece tops, Martin began switching to Sitka spruce from the Northwest.

Where is Martin guitar made?

Martin guitars are made in Nazareth, Pennsylvania with the exception of the X Series, Backpacker Series, Road Series, Dreadnought Junior, PA5 models, and select ukuleles which are made in our plant in Mexico.

Is a Martin d10e any good?

The quality is outstanding. Workmanship and sound quality is just what you would expect from Martin. I particularly like the 1.75 inch nut width which fits my hand perfectly. I would definitely recommend this model.

What is a Martin DM?

7,0371,0132. Nov 09 '08#7. A Martin DM is a simple, no frills guitar, that puts out the sound, and sounds as good or better than many more expensive instruments. A great guitar if sound is what you are after.

What is select hardwood guitar neck?

Basically, using the term "Select Hardwood" gives Martin the option of using the wood they can acquire in the quantities needed without having to constantly update their published specs. It most often means mahogany or Spanish Cedar, but could be other woods as well.

Where are Martin 17 series made?

Martin 16 and 17 Series

Our 16 and 17 Series guitars are built in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, with the same craftsmanship as their more expensive and famous cousins. They're constructed using affordable tonewoods like mahogany and granadillo, making our legendary sound more attainable.