Standard Series rosewood and mahogany axes of the future with classic styling
SC-28E and SC-18E specs include: 13-fret asymmetrical S body size with deep scoop cutaway; high gloss nitrocellulose finish; solid spruce top with patented internal soundboard recurve; spruce Tone Tension X-bracing with proprietary shaping; heel-less solid hardwood neck with satin finish, Sure Align neck joint system and ergonomic Low Profile Velocity shaping, solid ebony fingerboard with High Performance Taper; solid ebony belly bridge with 1930 profile but smooth contour surface; 2-5/32” string spacing; faux tortoise asymmetrical teardrop pickguard; nickel open-back tuning machines; revised Fishman Aura VT Blend electronics with Aura HD imaging or L.R. Baggs Anthem electronics. Comes with a molded hard-shell case with plush lining.
“I was surprised by these acoustic-electric hybrids, in how a chord strummed on the SC-28E sounds more like a 000-28 or OM-28 than it didn’t, only with that slightly more-pronounced bottom E string. But I was most pleasantly surprised by the classic Martin undertone presence in the low-mids of the SC-18E and the acoustic tone during fingerstyle picking patterns and playing lead accompaniment to another person’s strumming and singing, both when acoustic and amplified.”
C.F. Martin & Co. to Debut New Models at 2024 NAMM Show
Nine new acoustic guitar and ukulele models add variety to the company’s iconic lineup of instruments
Exlusive written and video reviews will appear on One Man’s Guitar starting later this week!!! – ed.
NAZARETH, PA, (NAMM, HALL D, Booth 5602), January 22, 2024… C. F. Martin & Co. is thrilled to announce its highly anticipated lineup of new instruments set to debut at this month’s 2024 NAMM Show – along with the recently unveiled GPCE Inception Maple and remastered X Series guitars.
With a legacy spanning nearly two centuries, Martin Guitar continues to push the boundaries of innovation in the world of acoustic instruments. This year promises to be no exception, as the company introduces a wide range of exciting new models to its iconic lineup.
These new models include ornate limited-edition anniversary guitars, the addition of traditional appointments to the popular SC lineup, a gloss tenor ukulele, and much more.
But first the two models One Man’s Guitar is most-excited to finally get to mention in public. The long-anticipated SC-18E and SC-28E, 13-fret acoustic-electric hybrid instruments made of solid tonewoods in a asymmetrical body and with heelless, ergonomically-advanced asymmetrical neck shape! – ed.
SC-18E
Modern playability and classic looks – the all-new SC-18E pairs technology with timeless style and tone, combining SC innovation and Standard Series appointments. Its patented features include a Sure Align® neck system that helps you play all the way up the neck, while the low-profile velocity satin neck barrel fits comfortably in your hand, and an internal soundboard recurve for added bass response. The SC-18E features a spruce top with mahogany back and sides, giving you plenty of volume, bright treble, and punchy midrange for that classic Martin sound. It also features an ebony fingerboard and bridge, nickel open gear tuners, LR Baggs Anthem electronics, and is strung with LUXE BY MARTIN® Kovar™ strings. The SC-18E comes with a molded hardshell case.
SC-28E
Modern playability and classic looks – the all-new SC-28E pairs technology with timeless style and tone, combining SC innovation and Standard Series appointments. Its patented features include a Sure Align® neck system that helps you play all the way up the neck, while the low-profile velocity satin neck barrel fits comfortably in your hand, and an internal soundboard recurve for added bass response. The SC-28E features a spruce top with resonant East Indian rosewood back and sides, giving you deep bass and rich overtones for that classic Martin sound. It also features an ebony fingerboard and bridge, antique white binding, nickel open gear tuners, LR Baggs Anthem electronics, and is strung with LUXE BY MARTIN® Kovar™ strings. The SC-28E comes with a molded hardshell case.
CUSTOM K-1 MAJOR KEALAKAI
Hawaiian musician Major Kealakai, and his custom Martin guitar, helped shape the course of music history. Kealakai was a guitarist and conductor of the Royal Hawaiian Band, and in 1916, Martin made him a unique custom guitar that was wider, deeper, and longer than a 000 to provide more volume and help fill concert halls. That one-off guitar was the precursor to the iconic Dreadnought. Now, Martin is honoring that historic milestone with a new take on his custom 12-fret guitar with a refreshed bridge design to better complement the traditional specifications, as if the company continued to produce it well past 1916. The Custom K-1 Major Kealakai features vintage gloss sinker mahagony back and sides, an Adirondack spruce VINTAGE TONE SYSTEM® (VTS) top, hide glue construction, authentic 1931 X bracing, and a modern, embellished ebony pyramid belly bridge. It blends tradition and innovation, paying tribute to the rich heritage of Martin.
click on photos to for hi-res galleries More hi-def galleries coming soon! – ed
D-42 BITCOIN
Crafted by the skilled artisans at Martin, the D-42 Bitcoin is built of premium Guatemalan rosewood back and sides and a heavy bearclaw Engelmann spruce top, producing a resonant and complex tone with plenty of volume. This one-of-a-kind guitar features a one-ounce solid gold token coin embedded in the headstock and crypto-themed inlays down the fingerboard. Among the standout features of this guitar is the unique pearl QR code inlaid on the pickguard. Scanning the code will unlock access to a private Martin webpage featuring exclusive content and photos of the guitar’s journey through the Nazareth factory – making this a truly one-of-a-kind collector’s item.
D-50 CFM IV 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Introducing the D-50 CFM IV 50th Anniversary – a timeless tribute to half a century of dedication. For the past 50 years, Chris Martin IV has been the driving force behind Martin Guitar, carrying forward the legacy of excellence and innovation established by generations before him. To honor this milestone, his namesake company proudly presents a limited-edition guitar that embodies his unwavering commitment to crafting the finest acoustic guitars in the world. The D-50 CFM IV 50th Anniversary features Guatemalan rosewood back and sides, a stunning heavy bearclaw spruce top, European flamed maple binding, and intricate abalone and mother of pearl inlay throughout. Each of these beautiful anniversary instruments also proudly displays a signed, numbered label commemorating Chris’ 50 years of service. This guitar is a true collector’s item, with only 50 available worldwide.
D-CFM IV 50TH ANNIVERSARY
Introducing the D-CFM IV 50th Anniversary – a timeless tribute to half a century of dedication, and a special acknowledgement of the company’s 35th year of quality craftsmanship by its talented family of coworkers in Navojoa, Sonora, Mexico. To celebrate, each of these beautiful anniversary instruments proudly displays a signed, numbered label commemorating both Chris Martin IV’s 50 years of service, and the rich lineup of innovations originating in Navojoa. It’s a testament to the artistry and skill that have defined Chris’ tenure. Crafted at Martin’s factory in Navojoa, the guitar features a gloss finish, pommele sapele back and sides, a bearclaw spruce top, and classic “Tree of Life” inlays on the fingerboard and headplate with a matching rosette presented in beautiful Paua pearl. It’s an instrument that promises to inspire and captivate musicians for generations to come, as Martin continues its quest to make quality and innovation as approachable as possible. This guitar is a true collector’s item, with only 50 available worldwide.
ID-ROBERT GOETZL 7
A one-of-a-kind guitar that sounds and plays like a Martin guitar but looks like something all its own. Martin has once again partnered with renowned artist Robert F. Goetzl for this nature-inspired work of playable art, featuring an eye-catching image that makes the serenity of a koi pond come to life on his canvas of wood and wire – and it isn’t short on tone. This full gloss guitar’s hand-painted spruce top and East Indian rosewood back and sides provide deep bass, rich overtones, and plenty of volume, while the high-performance neck taper allows for ultimate playability. “It’s a fun image where I could create something colorful and with movement,” Robert says. “Not only is it a valuable piece of art, but it’s a valuable instrument, so don’t just hang it up and look at it – play it!”
OM 20TH CENTURY LIMITED
All aboard! Martin and Pennsylvania-based watchmaker RGM have teamed up once again to create something truly unique – the OM 20th Century Limited. Celebrating technology and innovation, this limited-edition handcrafted work of art pays tribute to the Art Deco-inspired passenger train of the same name that revolutionized travel in the mid-1930s – around the time that would become known as Martin’s “Golden Era,” when the company’s instruments began to revolutionize music. This guitar is full of intricate design elements, including custom streamliner-inspired inlay throughout, European flamed maple binding, gold open back tuning machines, and an inlaid ebony pickguard. The OM 20th Century Limited also features hide glue construction, a spruce VINTAGE TONE SYSTEM® (VTS) top and Guatemalan rosewood back and sides for superior tone. The guitar even comes with a custom, handcrafted railroad-inspired watch from acclaimed watchmaker RGM. Only 20 of these elegant OM 20th Century Limited guitars will be built.
TKE UKE
Martin’s first tenor ukuleles rolled off the production line in 1929 and have been a favorite of countless players since. The TKE Uke is Martin’s latest addition to its tenor-sized lineup, featuring a gloss body and satin neck, and top, back, and sides crafted of solid koa – a wood native to Hawaii and a favorite of island players. It also features an East Indian rosewood bridge and fingerboard, select hardwood neck, applied dovetail neck joint, and nickel open gear tuners. Its size already provides plenty of volume and projection, but the ukulele’s electronics allow you to plug in and play at any volume. Developed in collaboration with electronics-maker Mi-Si, they provide 16 hours of play on a 60-second charge. The TKE Uke is also available for lefties and comes with a softshell case.
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)
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??)
Launched toward the future with appropriate celebration at C.F. Martin & Co., established in 1833 and boldly venturing into new territory in 2024, the Martin GPCE Inception Maple is an acoustic-electric guitar made in Martin’s Grand Performance body size with a Cutaway treble bout, representing the inception of a new Inception Series of Martin guitars that will feature domestic American tonewoods including Maple, in combination with environmentally sustainable tonewood from abroad, and the latest tone-enhancing technology inside the sold wood sound chamber.
In this case, the top is made from FSC certified European spruce. FSC standing for the Forest Stewardship Council, the world-wide entity assuring consumers that these certified natural resources were obtained from forests that are manged in an environmentally-friendly way with an eye on sustainability and with the greatest respect for the residents living within the forest.
The back and sides are made from maple grown in the USA, with a center plate of black walnut on the back that likely adds some tonal coloring to the voice of the instrument. Walnut is often described as a cross between mahogany and rosewood, but deserves its own place in the pantheon of true tonewoods that generate a pleasing sound capable of creating beautiful music. The fingerboard and bridge are also made from black walnut, as is the body binding and the decorative face plate at the front of the headstock.
This back does not have the usual alternating three-wedge shape of a Style 35 Martin. Instead, the center plate has a gentle curve to it. This is but one new aesthetic change from typical Martins.
While the back, sides, and top feature a new “amber fade” sunburst under a satin finish, the final production model retains important features of the Standard Series, like solid tonewoods throughout and the traditional, full-size dovetail neck joint. It also has the full complement of scalloped braces on the inside of the soundboard, except for a most unusual top plate that is only on the bass side of the upper bout.
However, this version of the traditional Martin-invented X-bracing is enhanced with a honeycomb of empty space, where mass was removed from the struts of the otherwise solid spruce X brace and the large traverse brace on the opposite side of the sound hole.
(click to enlarge photos)
The purpose of this laser-cut spacing is twofold. It increases the flexibility of the bracing around the sound hole while maintaining a structural integrity that keeps the top from collapsing from the pounds of tension brought to bear on the soundboard by the taught steel strings. It is an achievement of engineering both elegant and practical, invented centuries ago for weighty yet airy stone structures like the cloisters of medieval abbeys and cathedrals. But here it is brilliantly applied in miniature for a light, solid-wood soundboard of a world-class musical instrument.
Another significant enhancement is implementation of “sonic channels” cut into the solid spruce soundboard, around each brace and tone bar, and along most of the circumference of the soundboard. This allows the sold top to respond more-easily to the vibrations passing through it.
Soundboard channeling is an idea that has been explored by other guitar makers, but not nearly to this extent or in the same patterns. This feature also appears around the back braces that have been redesigned to allow the back to contribute to sonic resonance, not just passively reflect the sound waves generated by the spruce top.
While I could go on about the development of this project based on insider tidbits, I felt it best to prevail upon the man inside Martin Guitars who knows more about it than anyone, Vice President of Product Management Fred Greene. Fred was happy to share some exclusive insight with One Man’s Guitar about the evolution of the GPCE Inception Maple in his own words, and how this exciting new Martin guitar is but the vanguard of the bold future ahead for America’s most venerable musical instrument maker.
OMG: How long has this project been in the works?
FG: The project has been in the works for about 18 months.
OMG: What were the origins of this new model?
FG: It started with a desire to highlight the possibilities of sustainable domestic hardwoods in guitar construction.
OMG: Martin has made some very successful models with sustainable domestic tonewoods, like maple and walnut, yet not many, and nothing with this combination of body size and tonewoods. What was behind the inception of the Inception?
FG: I knew we couldn’t simply make another maple Dreadnaught and leave it at that. It’s been done by us and others in the past. Too often big manufacturers get lazy and stop innovating. When that happens, new models can be met with a collective yawn from guitar players. I felt we needed to make changes in how we designed this musical instrument on a deeper level.
OMG: Well, nothing is boring about this new maple model! Who was the primary designer of the GPCE Inception Maple?
Like most projects at Martin, it was a team effort. But as the leader of the product team, I instigated a change in our approach stemming from my desire to show off the potential of these woods by combining the technology we have developed over the past 190 years with innovations we developed in the twenty-first century. That was the mission I tasked the team to embark upon.
Nate Hoffman, our R&D leader, took up the challenge and his team really dug deep and presented us with some cool concepts. Those concepts were discussed, massaged, prototyped, and eventually agreed upon by myself, designers Tim Teel and Rameen Shayegan, and the production team. We felt it was very important that we showed the world that Martin continues to innovate and explore the possibilities presented by a changing world of materials and technology.
OMG: How are the gorgeous, skeletonized braces created?
FG: The new braces are created using lasers. We realize we are not the first company to put holes in braces. Small one-off builders have done this in the past. However, I believe Martin is the first “major” builder to do it in a true product guitar. It was fun developing a weight-relieving pattern that was both visually appealing and strong.
OMG: How do they affect things like energy transference and tone production?
The general concept is simple. By lightening the weight of the braces, and consequently the top, less energy is required of the strings to move the top. Thus making the instrument more responsive and increasing sustain.
photo: C.F. Martin & Co.
Maple tends to compress sound in acoustic guitars with traditional builds so that all you hear is the fundamental notes without any pleasant overtones. We wanted to allow the guitar to move a little more and offset some of that compression. We wanted to open it up. This bracing in combination with the new sonic channels set into the underside of the soundboard more than accomplished that goal.
OMG: Why the Grand Performance body size?
We saw this guitar as a stage guitar for a singer/songwriter and the GPC seemed like a natural canvas for something new. We thought if we started with a Dreadnaught or 000 it would simply draw too many comparisons to existing models that already have a very established sound signature. We didn’t think these traditional shapes would be the right formula or recipe for the player we were targeting.
OMG: Might we assume the new Marting GPCE Inception Maple is so named because this is the beginning of a new trend at Martin Guitar? Should we expect to see other models featuring domestic American tonewoods and the new bracing and sonic channels under the top?
You are correct that the Inception is the first of several new guitars that will be coming in the future using more sustainable woods. It’s exciting because these new guitars will allow us to offer new designs and hopefully give guitar players more options and sounds to explore.
Well, it’s been worth the wait to see the end results of this long-anticipated project. Now I have to wait a little longer to play and hear the finished product officially being released at the NAMM show on January 24, 2024.
Check out the Martins and More podcast where Spoon Phillips and Maury Rutch share even more information about the minds and muscles that created this super cool new Martin GPCE Inception Maple, below.
Professional quality at hobbyist prices make these new small-footprint pedals immensely attractive. Each was developed specifically for acoustic guitars and offers solo artists and band members expansive options.
(press each pedal to learn more)
The blender lets create two separate mixes of two different audio sources, the reverb three adjustable options, Hall, Plate, and Spring. The looper has WAV file transfer via USB and 24-bit / 44.1kHz recording quality, and the EQ/preamp has five bands, including Low Cut and Brilliance, and phase control. Plus, they are all conveniently small in size.
Create separate A and B mixes from two audio sources
AFX Pocket Blender Mini A/B/Y + DI Changes Everything
Fishman AFX Pocket Blender Mini Features include:
* Balanced D.I. Output with Ground Lift
* Innovative Dual Path Routing
* Super Compact Design Fits Almost Anywhere
* 9V External Power Required (sold separately)
All the essential tools in one compact pedal. A level-adjustable A/B pedal. A built-in DI output with ground-lift. A boost pedal. An output Y-splitter. A two-channel mixer. The AFX Pocket Blender is the ultimateA/B/Y pedal combining four essential tools:
1 – an Input Mixer that lets you continuously adjust the level of audio source(s) connected to the TRS input
2 – a D.I. output featuring Fishman’s balanced line driver circuit that can be used to send to a house PA or amplifier
3 – an ABY output to split a signal or connect to one or two stage amps
4 – an A/B Mode switch determines the overall behavior when the footswitch is pressed
This is the classic Pocket Blender in a small footprint.
Without even touching the A/B features, it’s a mini two-channel mixer allowing you to connect two audio sources and blend them together. This is perfect for dual-source systems such as Fishman sound hole pickups that feature a mic or body pickup.
Build on the simple blender by setting up an “A mix” and a “B mix” where pressing the footswitch toggles between one mix and the other. You could balance your onboard pickup (50%) with your onboard mic (50%) on mix A. Then on mix B, which you use to take solos, you could boost the pickup to 75% while leaving the mic on 50%. All with a single stomp of the footswitch.
Hall, Plate & Spring provide ambiance while preserving acoustic tone
The Reverb Time knob controls how long you hear the effect, and ranges from short to very large spaces. Tone knob affects only the reverb and not your direct sound. Similarly, the Level knob adds the effect into your signal chain without overwhelming the sound of your instrument.
Three reverbs designed for acoustic guitar
Spring
Recreates the classic sound of a spring type reverb found in many electric guitar amplifiers
Hall
An all-around reverb with natural, resonate spaces capable of replicating rooms both small and large, with long reverb decay times
Plate
Recreates the dense reflections and metallic characteristics of mechanical plate reverbs used throughout the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s
New for 2023 is the third Keb Mo signature model from Gibson guitars. It has a torrefied Sitka spruce soundboard with forward-shifted hand-scalloped braces, mahogany back and sides, traditional nitrocellulose gloss finish, and L R Baggs onboard VTC electronics. The traditional dovetail neck joint is set with hide glue. The guitar has a 25″ scale and the rosewood fingerboard has a width at nut of 1.805″(roughly 1-4/5″) to go along with the proprietary Keb Mo neck profile shape.
The latest edition in Gibson’s satin finish models is the J-45 50s Faded, which offers similar construction to the traditional gloss lacquer version, including the rounded 1.725″ neck with a 24.75″ string scale and a hot hide glue set dovetail neck joint. It also comes with LR Baggs VTC electronics. The satin finish and faded sunburst evokes a “vintage vibe.”
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