Exclusive Video – One Man’s Guitar Samples the 2014 Martin Guitars
January 23, 2014
At the same moment the doors opened at the NAMM trade show out in sunny Southern California, we were in frozen Nazareth, Pennsylvania having lunch with Tim Teel, Head of Instrument Design at C.F. Martin, discussing the 2014 Martin guitars. Dessert consisted of a sampling of seven Martin prototypes, recorded in 1080p hi-def video, which was later synched to hi-def audio recorded in stereo with one large diaphragm microphone and one small diaphragm microphone.
Vote Now for Which 2014 Martin Guitars You Want Reviewed First!
A full video of each prototype will appear in the near future, along with the kind of in depth review you have come to expect at One Man’s Guitar. Since the reviews will come out approximately one per week, we are happy to receive suggestions of which order these reviews should appear.
Please send an email to oneman@onemanz.com, with Vote for Reviews in the subject field, and include in order of preference each (or all) of the guitars you are interested in seeing.
Here is the order as they appear in the video:
SS-000-14 (NAMM Show Special)
CS-00S-14 (this year’s Custom Shop Series offering)
000-28 Authentic 1921
000-18E Retro
D-35E Retro
D-28 Authentic 1937
OM-ECHF Navy Blues (Eric Clapton/Hiroshi Fujiwara signature model)
(Not Appearing in the Video)
D-15 Burst (vintage style shaded top)
DCPA4 and GPCPA4 Shade Tops (Performing Artist Series acoustic electrics)
DRSGT and 000RSGT (Road Series acoustic electrics)
We will continue to accept votes even after we start putting up the reviews. The first review should be on line before Friday January, 31.
And that is one man’s word on the 2014 Martin Guitars – Winter NAMM Show Sampler
View in Hi-Def 1080p on Youtube for Best Sound! (click image below)
Despite my prejudice against the Navy Blues EC (I don’t like painted guitars), I must say I liked the way it sounded very much. The 000-28K was amazing too. But the one I was waiting for eagerly was the D28A ’37. It sounded great, but I would like to see a comparison between it and its siblings (the ’31 and the ’41).
Thanks for the wonderful opportunity you gave us to experience these great guitars from the comfort of our couches :-).
Welcome back to One Man’s Guitar.
When the review of the ’37 comes out we will have the full video we normally do. That was the first guitar I played that morning and I see I am turning the guitar toward the large diaphragm mic more than I should. So I will try mixing the stereo to have bit more of the small diaphragm mic in terms of levels, that will probably help get the bass up and out more, so it better represents what that guitar sounds like in person.
It is unfortunate that we only had the camcorder mic when we recorded the other two 28 Authentics last year. But you can find video of my demonstrating each of those models on the Youtube Channel of Maury’s Music. They were recorded with similar mics, but in a slightly different configuration, which Maury uses in his own setup. While it is not a direct all-things-being-equal comparison to my recording of the Authentic ’37, it may still be of some use.
I think each of the ones you demoed is a masterpiece and I wouldn’t mind owning any of them. And alll but one of them deliver a distinct version of the overall Martin Sound (whatever that is) … except for the ECHF blue. IMHO, it has a certain “Lowden” sort of sound, a little chimey and soft in the highs, but very sweet throughout. Although be that as it may, I would like to see a full review of this particular guitar … and you know why. 😀 😀 😀
Surprised at the sound of the 000-28EC……but had some serious love for the 00……very nice video thank you!
You are welcome. This Clapton model is actually a long-scale OM, which makes it different from all other Martin Eric Clapton models, which are short-scale 000s. And yes it is lovely.
That 000-28K is beautiful.
I want them all! But realistically I would like to see a review of the 000-18E Retro first, that is a style of guitar that I am currently lacking, and price-wise it has shot of fitting into the budget in the not-to-distant future.