What wood are Martin guitars made of?

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.

What are Martin acoustic guitars made of?

The Martin 15 Series 000-15M acoustic guitar has a comfortable 000 body style with 14-fret neck and is built entirely of solid mahogany for warm, round tone with the increased articulation thanks to its smaller body.

Where does Martin get its 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.

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 ...

Does Martin still use 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.

The basics of Tone Woods

When did Martin switch to Indian rosewood?

C.F. Martin began looking for alternative woods in the mid-'60s, when Brazil briefly banned the export of unprocessed rosewood logs. The guitar-maker switched to East Indian rosewood as standard wood in 1969.

How do I know if my guitar is Brazilian rosewood?

Bring the container under the blacklight and observe the results: true Brazilian Rosewood (Dalbergia nigra) will not fluoresce or show any appreciable change of color under the blacklight, while most other rosewoods will glow a pale blue/green color.

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.

Is a Martin D 10E solid wood?

This solid wood Dreadnought model is a great sounding guitar at an affordable price.

Is Rosewood better than mahogany?

Rosewood is much denser/harder and stronger than mahogany. This is why it is also used a lot for bridges and fingerboards.

Where does Martin Source Its mahogany?

We were excited to learn that Martin had obtained a small quantity of mahogany from trees that had been cut in virgin forests in Belize in Central America between 1880 and 1920. The Central American mahogany is the species used by Martin on the pre-World War II golden era instruments.

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.

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 makes Martin Guitars sound so good?

In terms of recording, it has a full and deep lower end, which makes a very good bass sound. Martin makes wonderful acoustic guitars, and they are definitely an investment. They are a bit on the expensive end of the price range, but it is said that with age Martin guitars sound better and better.

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.

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?

6-String Acoustic Guitar with Solid Sitka Spruce Top and Laminated Mahogany Back and Sides.

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.

What is a Martin special 16?

A Great Sounding Guitar That's Easy to Play.

This Special 16 is a series of Martin guitars that are produce specifically to Musician's Friend specification.

Where are Martin 15 series made?

Crafted in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, 15 Series guitars feature traditional all wood construction and a satin finish.

Do Martin guitars have a truss rod?

Martin switched from T-bar to square steel tube truss rods in 1967. That's what everyone in the guitar world calls it; the 'square tube'. It's a length of ⅜” (9.5mm) square tubing (or 'box section'.

What wood is closest to Brazilian rosewood?

There are various other woods that can be used as alternatives to rosewood. These woods include: Macassar ebony, ziricote, bubinga, grenadillo and pau ferro. Macassar ebony and ziricote are higher end woods whereas bubinga, grenadillo and pau ferro are more moderately priced.

What wood has the best tone?

Spruce. This evergreen, found in northern temperate regions of the globe, is literally top choice: the ideal wood for the soundboard, or top, of an acoustic guitar. Its look — light in color, even in grain — is appealing though somewhat plain; what sets it apart is its beautiful tonal properties.