August 9, 2025

Tag: C.F. Martin

Acoustic Guitars / Review

Martin OM-28 Modern Deluxe Review

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The Light and Lovely Martin OM-28 Modern Deluxe

A lap piano for the discerning fingerstylist

Specs include: All solid wood construction; Indian rosewood back and sides; torrefied Sitka spruce top with scalloped, torrefied Adirondack spruce bracing attached with natural protein glue, carbon fiber/torrefied Adirondack spruce bridge plate; Genuine South American mahogany neck with Vintage Deluxe profile, satin finish, two-way adjustable titanium support rod, hand-fitted dovetail neck joint and solid mahogany neck block; ebony fretboard with Standard Taper, 1-3/4” width at nut, 2-1/4” at 12th fret, abalone Diamonds and Squares position markers, EVO Gold frets, solid bone nut; ebony bridge with Liquidmetal® bridge pins, compensated solid bone saddle and 2-1/4” string spacing; European flamed maple binding; bold herringbone purfling; high gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish; high gloss Indian rosewood headstock faceplate with abalone script logo and golden Waverly open back tuners with butter bean knobs.

“The OM-28 Modern Deluxe loves to be lightly caressed and nimbly cajoled, so its steadfast notes and lighter-than-air harmonics launch and waft like the sumptuous aromas of intoxicating spirits. As with an elite sports car or a vintage OM of old, when it’s driven in the zone where the gears change friction-free, boy does it soar!”

OM-28-Modern-Deluxe_vidcap1

Full Review with Video Here

Acoustic Guitars / Review

Martin CEO-9 Review

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Chris Martin’s Introduces a New Tonewood on the CEO-9

Magnificent Mango Martin Makes Marvelous Mellow Music

Specs include: 14-fret Slope-Shoulder Grand Concert 00L size; all-solid wood construction, including curly mango back, sides, and top, 1/4″ scalloped Adirondack spruce braces, Genuine Mahogany neck with Modified V profile and traditional hand-fitted dovetail neck joint; ebony fretboard with Standard Taper, 1-3/4″ width at the solid bone nut, 2-1/4″ at 12th fret, Corian Style 42 position markers; ebony pyramid bridge with 2-5/16″ string spacing at the compensated solid bone saddle; Liquidmetal® bridge pins; composite carbon fiber/VTS Adirondack spruce bridge plate; Antique white binding on body and neck; faux tortoise pickguard and headstock face plate; Mango Sunset Sunburst top shading; full gloss body finish and satin neck finish; copper-color vintage-style open back tuners with butter bean knobs.

“For having the warm, full-bodied undertone provided by a solid mango wood soundboard, the CEO-9 shows off clear and glistening trebles, mid-range notes that punch with distinctly defined edges, and a plump bass that can get quite throaty and as round as a bullfrog. But they never get lost in the depths of the rich, bulbous bottom end.”

Martin CEO-9 vid cap

Full Review with Video

Acoustic Guitars / NAMM / Review

Martin DSS-17 Review

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DSS-17 Whiskey Sunset / Black Smoke

First long-scale large body Martin in the affordable 17 Series impresses mightily

Specs include: Slope-Shoulder Dreadnought size; all-sold wood construction; mahogany back and sides; Sitka spruce top with scalloped-braces; mahogany neck with Modified Low Oval Profile, Simple Dovetail neck joint; rosewood fretboard with High Performance taper, 1-3/4″ at the bone nut, 2-18″ at 12th fret; straight rosewood bridge with compensated bone saddle and 2-5/32″ string spacing; Antique White binding; ebony headstock faceplate with Authentic 1933 script logo; satin finish throughout; open-back Golden Age relic tuners with cream buttons.

Available in Whiskey Sunset burst finish with tortoise pickguard or Black Smoke motif with Antique White pickguard.

“Light in the hand yet large in the ears, the DSS-17 Whiskey Sunset I played at the Martin factory was very impressive indeed, with distinctly defined fundamental notes that have an expansive depth behind them, reflecting the dry, woody mahogany tone, and amplifying the well-rounded bass notes that are weighty enough to reach down into the generous body cavity and inject some richness beneath the entire voice.”

Full Review with Video Here

Martin DSS-17 Whiskey Sunset review with video pic

Guitar Beauty

Guitar Beauty: Martin DSS-17 Black Smoke

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Martin DSS-17 Black Smoke float

Martin DSS-17 Black Smoke bridge

More Photos Here

Guitar Beauty / NAMM

Guitar Beauty: NAMM Martins

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NAMM line up 2019

Guitar Beauty

Guitar Beauty: Martin DSS-17 Whiskey Sunset

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Martin DSS-17 Whiskey Sunset burst

Martin DSS-17 Whiskey Sunset rosette

More Photos Here

Acoustic Guitars / Review

Martin DSS-15M StreetMaster Review

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Martin’s DSS-15M with Sloped Shoulders and StreetMaster Styling

Mahogany mystique hits the streets as an affordable slope-shoulder dreadnought

Specs include: Slope-Shoulder Dreadnought size; solid mahogany back, sides, and top; satin finish with StreetMaster® distressed toner; solid mahogany neck with Modified Low Oval Profile; solid katalox fretboard with 1-11/16″ width at the bone nut; solid katalox belly bridge with compensated drop-in bone saddle, 2-1/8″ string spacing; scalloped A-Frame X bracing; Simple Dovetail neck joint; Old Style gold headstock logo; Golden Age relic tuners with cream buttons; short pattern Diamonds and Squares fretboard markers

“…as the thicker mids and barrel-chested bass notes are humming away, the trebles ring with a musicality that just puts a smile on my face, and effortless in how they are heard clearly from atop that warm, woody undertone, until their own sustain dips down into the massive cellar to meld with the lower registers.”

Martin D-15M StreetMaster Glam front

Read the Full DSS-15M StreetMaster Review Here

Acoustic Guitars / NAMM / video

Martin D-41 (2018)

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Now with the Standard Series new standardized neck, the D-41 remains exceptional

The addition of forward-shifted braces beefs up that scalloped bracing tone

This new D-41 (2018) and all the new Martins will have their written review published soon. I am putting out the video portions first this time around.

Acoustic Guitars / NAMM / video

Martin 000-28 (2018)

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The long-awaited makeover of the Standard Series 000-28 arrives

The addition of scalloped bracing and Martin’s High Performance neck bring this short-scale 000 into the 21st century, while returning the appearance to a pre-World War II aesthetic

The in-depth written review of the 000-28 (2018) will appear once I produce the videos of the various 2018 Martins I recorded at the Martin factory on NAMM Day 2018.

 

Acoustic Guitars / General Music News

Martinfest 12 – Annual gathering of Martin guitar lovers

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The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum has thousands of members world wide. The small percentage who make the trek to Nazareth, PA to meet in person at their annual get-together have formed an extended family beyond what normally comes from meeting people from the internet.

“It is the rare sort of bond normally reserved for old army buddies, or the lifelong friendships formed during one’s college years. They sometimes find it hard to explain to their spouses or family and friends back home, so they will bring them along and let them see for themselves…

While other guitar brands have their loyal fans, none seem to evoke as much reverence and affection from their admirers as Martin, and this has led people from greatly diverse backgrounds to find they share a similar love of music that transcends their many differences…

Republicans room with Democrats, liberals stay up till dawn with the conservatives they looked so forward to seeing after a year apart; even Yankees fans find themselves warmly embraced by fans of the Tigers, Oriels and Red Sox. From the Oscar winner to the homemaker, the CPA to the MBA, all and all, they have found common ground in this most unpretentious celebration rooted in the love of music and Martin guitars…

As one member put it, “Music is a unifying force that reaches across many boundaries and brings people together in very deep and lasting ways.” Martinfest is living proof of that.”

Read the full Article on Martinfest 12

Martinfest lounge singalong