Martin Guitar New X Series Models for 2024

New for NAMM 2024! Many Martin Models in the X Series

Revamped Martin X Series models include a thinner, beveled fingerboard

(click photos to enlarge)

onemanz.com

With just over a week to go to the NAMM Show, Martin Guitar announces their least pricey models, even if they all come with world class aesthetic charm. While some of these acoustic-electric models exit already, they have been revamped with a redesigned bridge, a thinner fingerboard with a “gently beveled comfort edge,” “refined string spacing” and fantastic-looking XPL back and sides featuring glorious visual reproductions of choicest tonewoods including figured Brazilian rosewood,  ziricote, mahogany, koa, and the cocobolo pictured above in size 0, 00, and GPC.

The full lineup of the new X Series models includes the 0-X2E Cocobolo, 00-X2E Cocobolo, GPC-X2E Cocobolo; GPC-X2E Ziricote, D-X2E Ziricote Burst; 000-X2E Brazilian, D-X2E Brazilian, D-X2E Brazilian 12-String; D-X2E Mahogany; D -X1E Koa; GPC-X1E Black.

These affordable (by Martin standards) acoustic-electric guitars are made at their plant in Navojoa, Mexico from rugged high-pressure laminate back and sides. The 1 models have an HPL top with a either a koa, mahogany, or black pattern and a birch laminate neck. The 2 models have actual solid spruce or sapele soundboards and select hardwood necks and bridges.

The X Series bridges have been reshaped with a soft slope rather than the defined edge on either side of the bridge pins seen on traditional Martins. The electronics have been upgraded to the Martin E1 system that has a built-in turner and phase control in addition to the volume and tone controls.

 

While the cosmetic HPL patterns will not change the sound of the X Series instruments, they do offer excellent choices in terms of stunning visual appeal.

D-X2E Ziricote Burst (Do you see the lama sticking its tongue out at you? Or the viper’s fangs??)

 

GPC-X2E Ziricote (with solid ribbon sapele soundboard)

 

D-X2E Brazilian 12-String

 

000-X2E Brazilian

 

00-X2E Cocobolo (available in 0 and GPC sizes)

 

The popular D-X1E Koa with the upgraded fingerboard and electronics

 

Colorful and affordable, the new additions to the C. F. Martin & Co. X Series are a bevy of beauties to be sure.

Martin CEO-10 Reivew

Martin Guitar’s CEO Thomas Ripsam presents his CEO-10 model

NAMM 2023 has a Best in Show candidate in this short-scale 000 CEO-10

CEO-10 specs include: Solid tonewoods throughout, 14-fret 000 body size; figured Guatemalan rosewood back and sides, FSC certified European spruce top with 1933 Ambertone shading and Style 42 abalone purling and rosette; 1/4″ scalloped FSC certified European spruce bracing with Golden Era scalloping, composite carbon fiber/torrefied Adirondack spruce bridge plate; solid South American mahogany short-scale neck with Vintage Deluxe profile and two-way adjustable titanium alloy support rod; ebony fingerboard with Higher Performance taper, 1-3/4″ width at the bone nut, 2-/8″ width at the 12th fret, abalone fret position markers in circa 1917 William Foden pattern; ebony belly bridge with bone drop-in saddle and 2-5/32″ string spacing, and Style 42 snowflake inlays; wood fiber accents and back strip; flamed European maple binding on the body, neck, and headstock; Guatemalan rosewood headstock face plate with abalone 1932 C. F. Martin & Co. script logo over 1930 Style 45 Deluxe abalone torch inlay; Waverly open-back butter bean tuning machines; Guatemalan rosewood pickguard with abalone Style 45 Deluxe floral inlay. Limited to 100 instruments.

“The Martin CEO-10 has a full-bodied voice with impressive bass response and an expansive, ethereal projection that sounds much more like a long-scale OM to my ear, than the typical gathered and punchy sound of a short-scale 000. Yet it offers the playability of the shorter string scale, made all the more comfortable thanks to the asymmetrical Vintage Deluxe neck profile.”

Martin_CEO-10 onemanz.com

Full Review with Video Here




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Live from Brooklyn – June 14, 2020

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T Spoon Phillips – Music for a Socially Distant Audience – May 6

Live from Brooklyn, It’s T Spoon Phillips with his Martin Guitar

Edited for Length, and With a Bonus Song from the Afternoon Set

May 6, 2020

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Fall Martin Models Announced – Woodstock D-45




D-45 Woodstock 50th Anniversary Model Among New Martin Line Up

Hawaiian Koa Showcased in Road Series and X Series

Whatever the reason, C. F. Martin & Co. decided to announce their autumn additions early this year, to coincide with the release of the third and final Woodstock 50th Anniversary guitar.

click on photos to enlarge

Extra Fancy D-45

The Martin D-45 Woodstock 50th model is built from top-grade Indian rosewood and Sitka spruce, European flamed maple binding on the body, the Genuine Mahogany neck with its High Performance ebony fretboard, and around the front of the headstock. It also has the forward-shifted scalloped braces and Modified Low Oval neck profile of the  Standard Series D-45.

The headstock features an inlay of the iconic Woodstock dove, sitting atop Martin’s ornate Alternate Torch inlay, made of high color abalone pearl, as are the 1930s style Snowflake fretboard markers, and of course the purfling inlaid around the sound hole, and every edge of the top, sides, and back, including the edge where the neck meets the body.

This completes a set of Woodstock 50th models that includes a DX and D-35 released at Winter NAMM 2019.

Koa, Koa, Koa

Martin’s affordable Road Series has gained two new models, the short-scale 000-12E Koa and the full-size dreadnought D-12E Koa. Each is made from African Mahogany ( Khaya ivoresnsis) for the back and sides, which has a fine veneer of great-looking koa bonded to the outside. Although these  guitars are designated as Style 12, they have the mother-of-pearl pattern rosette used on all the modernized Road Series guitars, except for the normal D-12, which has a rosette that looks more like a traditional Martin from the Standard Series. Go figure.

And speaking of figure, the koa does look very nice indeed. The use of veneer over less visually attractive wood is as old as the C. F. Martin business itself. But today it is a new technique, designed to make these acoustic-electric models more environmentally friendly, just like use of Forest Stewardship Council certified Richlite for their fretboards and bridges.

Martin-D-12E_GLAM 20 new Martin-000-12E_GLAM 20 new

In the X Series there are now two dreadnought models, the D-X1E and D-X2E that have been upgraded by the use of real wood for the neck, and truly gorgeous looking koa was used to create the photographic image that makes the High Pressure Laminate look like top-shelf tonewood.

The D-X1E has a fretboard and bridge made of Richlite, while the D-X2E gets a wooden board and bridge made from katalox to go along with its solid Sitka spruce top.

The X and Road Series guitars come with Fishman MX electronics, with the Road Series guitars also having an onboard tuner included, placed just inside the sound hole.

You can learn more about these new Martin models HERE.

And coming soon! The new X Series Johnny Cash model!!