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October 2002
Posts: 30
| I'm sorry but I don't get it? Is there something wrong with me? I understand the hype about Gibson Doves and hummingbirds, I've played them and if I had the cash, I'd go out and buy one right now. What I do not understand is all the hype about martins. I recently played some 2500 dollar Martin, as well as some others, and honestly, they sounded pretty flat and weak. The action is good, but not great, and the playability on my balladeer is better I find. That could be because I'm more used to it but probably not. Any thoughts? |
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June 2002
Posts: 6202
Location: Phoenix AZ | Hi Magic. Let me say 100% that I love Ovations and have plenty of them in the house. But I am currently babysitting a Martin 00-28EC for a guy who went the pursian gulf with the army. And I can tell you this is one DAMN nice guitar. It's not loud, but it plays like butter and has very smooth and balanced sound. I'm not sure I care for the style all that much, but I can't say anything bad about the sound. Granted, this is a $2000 + instrument. Others will chime in and say how this or that model Ovation blows away the Martin and maybe even some of mine own O's do the same. But I would definately NOT religate this 00-28EC to the back of the bus just yet. Dave |
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March 2002
Posts: 255
| I heard that Martin is making an enormous amount of guitars a week. I heard a Employee that is truely not happy with that. I think they lost a bit in high production. |
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January 2002
Posts: 970
Location: Atlanta,Ga. | Martin still makes a great product.I own a few and man they sound great.Im sure not all the guitars they produce sound great and yes they are probably crancking them out,but overall they have good quality,sound,my respect and business!! |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | I own several martins. I would NOT suggest their graphite top or their aluminum top guitars. |
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May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Martin is probably approaching the century mark, and they probably learned a little in those years. Remember, the Ovation was modeled on a Martin's sound, and evolved into a different instrument that allowed acoustics to be plugged in. There are great sounding Martins and pieces of Martin merde today, whereas 30 years ago, a Martin was king of acoustic sound. Unfortunately, acoustic sound is better in a living room than in a bar or dance hall where the music has to be heard, therefore, a Martin becomes the sweet sounding living room guitar that you play until you have a gig.
Take that you bluegrass extremists.
Bailey |
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Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | martin hit the century mark a while ago |
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March 2002
Posts: 15686
Location: SoCal | In another 30 years it will be 200 years. |
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March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | i have an old martin 0018ny that is in storage, not because it isn't a good guitar, but my ovatons are built for someone who takes their guitar out of the parlor several times a week and often travels between humid and dry climates. before my first ovation when my martin was my prefered guitar, i remember how much i had to consider traveling with it and how much tuning and attention it required. in the 3 bands i play with my ovations require the least tuning and retuning, and even though they are fine instruments i don't feel like i have to baby them. they are tough rugged instruments that are ideal for what i do, which includes playing regular gigs within a hundred feet of the surf and often much closer for informal beach parties. they are truely a great sounding guitar that are wash and wear and built for working musician. i never leave home without one.
last night when i checked my adamas 12 string before we did an acoustic night i got 12 green lights on the tuner and it hadn't been tuned since the last week after i changed and streched the strings. that is one hell of a stable guitar. in fact i can tell if a string is going to break because it goes out of tune while playing. for those of you who know what it is like to tune between songs on stage and to use up part of your break tuning between sets, this is an important factor in choosing a "work" guitar. |
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Posts: 15686
Location: SoCal | Russ:
What year is your 0018? I've got one that's come down thru the family that was built in 1914. It's a nylon string and as Norsey would say "It's purdy" in it's sound. |
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February 2002
Posts: 613
Location: Zion, Illinois | If I had to list any guitar regrets, I'ld have to say that 2 out of three where Martins, the ones that "got away".
A couple of years ago I stopped in at Gand music off the interstate near Chicago to buy some recording tape. The had a Martin classical on the wall. I played and was floored with the fantastic sound. It was $1000 and my wife said to go for it. I decided to wait for a while and by the time I went back to buy it, it was gone!
The very first time was when I first go divorced. I started dating again and met a girl. She had a guitar that had been sitting in their attic for years. She was asking $200. It was a small guitar, but it turned out to be a pre-war Martin guitar. Stupid me decided to impress her with my honestly and TOLD her what it was.
We lasted maybe 1 more week before breaking up. Sad part is that I doubt that she believed me and probably sold that guitar for $200 anyway.
Oh well
Bradley |
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November 2002
Posts: 1196
Location: Lafayette, Louisiana | I met a priest once who owned a Martin D-41. That guy had no idea how nice that guitar was. It was given to him as a gift. This was years ago, but I still remember how nice that guitar sounded. Well I think he knew three chords. I just wish I could have gotten it from him. Who knows, I could have at least taught him four chords....Paul Hebert |
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January 2003
Posts: 4
| My dad has a sweeet early '70s D-18. I borrowed it for a recording I did in the spring. What a great guitar!
I'll second alpep's opinion on Martin's synthetic-materials guitars. I've played a couple, and they sound like poo. And they feel weird. The vibrations from the instrument are all funny. |
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March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | paul, i bought my 0018ny new in 1968. it evokes lots of memories of playing cross legged on the floor of black light, smokey, parlors to long hairs dressed in salvation army cloths. for that reason alone i like that old axe as much as any. |
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Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Russ
There was a lot of that in San Diego in the 60's and I'll admit to being around it. I also was lucky enough to see a 1930's brother act at the SDSU folk festival in the 70's who played D-18's that they had bought in the 30's, they were an impressive act and during the work shop they discussed their D-18's and said that was all the guitar they needed and they never considered replacing them with anything newer, they were a well known country group and I cannot remember their name (I mentioned this once before on this board). The story was that they saved up for their D-18's and were as happy with them as I am with my GMC Suburban.
Bailey (I forgot what I was talking about, the mind is a bad thing to lose) |
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March 2002
Posts: 873
Location: puerto vallarta, mexico | they say the mind is the second thing to go bailey. |
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October 2002
Posts: 33
Location: Pittsburgh PA | I have a little Martin story for the board. I bought a Martin D-35 new in 1974. I used it for years at Gigs (mainly trio with a bass player and lead guitar player - no drums) mic'd through the PA. About 12 years ago I seemed to detect an issue with intonation - mostly the high e string and b string. The action never was real good on it. I even had the bridge sanded down as low as it would go, but it still was not good.
I had heard of Ovations long ago when I first saw Glenn Campbell playing one, but had never really tried one. So one day about 3 months ago I was in a guitar store, saw Ovations on the wall and just tried one. It was a Celebrity - I didn't even know it was Korean made at the time. The action was so great and the playability so smooth that I fell in love with it. I also liked the electronics. I got one and really enjoy it. I wanted to learn more about Ovations, that's how I found this message board. But I'm getting off my story.
The Ovation played so great that I felt something had to be done about my Martin! I figured there is no way a $400 guitar should out play a Martin D-35. I contacted Martin. They said I could take it to a Martin authorized repair shop (here in Pittsburgh). My Martin has a lifetime warranty with the original owner - which I am. I Looked in my records and found that I had never send in the registration. I thought I was done for. I contacted Martin again. They said if I sent in the registration now (28 years late) with a notorized letter with my driver's licence picture, they would register the Martin. How about that for customer service. I did it and now my Martin is in the shop for "major" surgery. They said the neck was not angled properly. They are in the process of "steaming" the glue loose and removing the neck. Once they angle it proberly, it will correct the two issues: action and intonation. How about that?
--Mike |
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December 2001
Posts: 7248
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Sounds exccellent, but I still would not be surprised that the Celeb blows it away. I think the biggest issue with the import Ovations is not overall quality, although they are built cheaper obviously, but consistancy. I have seen a few hanging in stores and played a few that I was ashamed they had the Ovation headstock, but I have also played a few, that were really nice. No they didn't sound like an Adamas or an Elite, but the action was good, tone acceptable and the electronics as far as I know, are the same as the USA models. Having said all that, I hope they restore your Martin. Like Ovation, I think Martin's have a unique acoustic sound. It's not my preference, as I really like the brightness of an Ovation and balance the length of the neck, but Martin is a nice tone, and it's good to hear they are taking care of you (and the guitar). |
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October 2002
Posts: 30
| I think I'd have to agree with everything Mr.O just said. Well put. |
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What's the deal with Martins?
