Martin Custom D Classic Rosewood acoustic guitar REVIEW
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- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- Here we have one of my favorite guitars I own, my Martin Custom D Classic Rosewood. This is essentially the exact specs as the usual Martin D-15 all mahogany guitar, but it swaps the back and sides for a very nice East Indian Rosewood and a spruce top. This isn't for retail sale any longer, but it was an incredible value for an all-real wood Martin. Every single part of this guitar is made from wood outside of the binding, which is a gorgeous and classy tortoise shell. Hope you guys enjoy the review and demo.
UPDATE - took it to the Martin Factory and the coolest guy Roman helped me out by shimming my nut and sanding down the bridge. The guitar played like new when I got it back, better than I had ever felt it! Now it's playing perfectly, up and down the entire fretboard. I absolutely love it and play it out at half my shows now, the other half going to my Taylor. I call her Martina and she sounds as beautiful as she looks!
I have one and love it. Sounds amazing.
It is an incredible "value" guitar - all solid woods, can't beat it. I believe I got mine used for the paltry sum of $575 shipped.
Thanks for the closup shots
Got one also. Excellent guitar. Hard to beat for the money. Been to the factory 4 or 5 times. Always a learning experience.
From Harrisburg, but a Houstonian now.
That's awesome - the factory tour is so dope. I love that I have it my backyard, being in the state. I've also been on the Fender Corona and Taylor El Cajon factory tours respectively and they are also very cool.
Thank you very much for reviewing this guitar! I recently purchased a Martin Custom DSR and am really enjoying the tone and sound of it.
I know im randomly asking but does someone know of a way to get back into an Instagram account..?
I was dumb forgot the account password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me.
@Kyrie Kristian instablaster ;)
@Brady Talon Thanks so much for your reply. I got to the site on google and I'm waiting for the hacking stuff atm.
I see it takes quite some time so I will get back to you later with my results.
@Brady Talon it did the trick and I now got access to my account again. I am so happy!
Thanks so much you saved my ass !
@Kyrie Kristian Glad I could help xD
I love mine. It's a sound machine for sure.
Nice! I bought a Martin Custom D from musician's Friend about 6 yrs ago, only mine is mahogany back and sides and a sitca spruce top. I Love mine!
Mine sounds a little different from yours. Might just be the strings or your mic. Mine has a warmer tone and to me mine sounds like butter and bells!
It's funny, you can watch my review of the Martin D-18 on my channel. I fully switched my sound to a mahogany instrument and it's such a woody, organic tone. I know exactly that model you mean. It used to be that Martin had the Mahogany Custom D for $799 I think and the Rosewood for $899 at the time of their inception. Might have $999, I can't remember. Both guitars are such great value being all solid woods and essentially poor man's D-18 and D-28's respectively.
I personally loved the simplicity of the design appointments and the tortoise binding. One thing I'll say though is that without much finish on them (to save a lot of cash) they are very susceptible with weather and temperature changes. Mine was way off when I got it used - the previous owner had really dried out. I had to re-humidify it patiently and it took like 2 weeks to get it back to a playable action. Then I took it to Martin a they put a shim under the nut. I was blown away by how it played so evenly across the fretboard. But being in PA, going into winter and then into summer, I always had a bit of action issues and string slap. Take care of yours and it'll last you a very long time - congrats on that purchase.
I have a Martin Custom D, although inside it reads 'special'. and not custom'. Got it at Musician Friend. i just got my registered warranty card from Pennsylvania this week and am , very excited, it's my very first Martin. It's such a beautiful natural wooden made guitar and it smells divine. Highly recommend. The 12th fret hump is negligible. I did have to set it up though... as it was factory brand new and never really played. First, I put some D'Addario strings on it. Then a TUSQ saddle 3/32 bridge for a 16" top. THis will lower the string action making it easier to play but still not buzzing and plenty loud enough. A little bit of hand sanding on a flat sharpening stone, was needed as the synthetic ivory saddle, was just a bit too snug.. Has to fit like the stock saddle did.😉 Finally, I put some solid Brass Push Pins to hold in the new strings. That's the formula for the best sounding & playing acoustic guitar i've ever played.... 😎 your right about being limited made, glad i bought when i did as these are selling out. I bought mine in Feb of this year, i think i got it after watching this video so thank you .👍
good deal for sure - probably the best all-solid wood guitar you can buy for the price.
Nice review. I appreciate your thoughts on this guitar. There’s one (a mahogany) that can be had for $750 in my area (used, obv)... It’s in immaculate condition. I will probably go play it and buy it if it is as good as it appears in the pictures. Thanks again!
Yeah the only real downside to these is that they don't have glossy tops. The finish comes off pretty easy with sweat and can discolor the top, but that weakness is truly a strength because the guitar rings like no other. So much vibration going on with that matte finish.
Maybe it's pointless 3 years later but I got one and I wouldn't sell it ever
Nice review bruh. What was that first song you played? And by the way I thought it was a good balance of playing and talking lol
made it up on the spot haha
Good review, thanks. I have had a D16GT with Richlite and I now have a D16GT with striped ebony and to be honest I don't know that I can tell the difference in sound. Maybe if I had them side by side I could, but from memory I draw a blank. But I get what you're saying. That's why I went with a 2000 model D16, because my brain couldn't get past the word richlite. I also have a DM with lam B\S and although it sounds and plays great I'm looking at an alternative as a porch guitar like the Custom D. Why? Because I can't get past the words laminate back and sides. Strange creatures we are.
Yeah, my brain feels like manmade corian-type material is not made to resonate organically like wood does. Even a fingerboard and a bridge have vibrations going through them, plus I much prefer the look of real wood. I also most importantly like the feel of a wood fretboard rather than the Richlite. It hurts my fingers more to play on a Richlite board and I'm guessing that's because wood has pores and moisture which makes it pliable somewhat, it feels more comfortable on my finger tips, but who knows, that's just my experience.
Reset the neck .. fairly easy if it's a bolt on with a glued fingerboard..just need an iron to soften the glue ...
If it's a mortise bolt on it will have a wooden plate covering the bolt up against the neck block .its just on with double stick tape..
Plenty of luthiers showing you how to do it on UA-cam...
It being a cheaper guitar makes it a good candidate for you to do it yourself.
long since had it taken to Martin and they put a shim under the nut. Made completely playable, but I've since sold it
Iv got one of these. Mines stamped special on the neck block. Musicians Friend custom D.
My custom d classic says it's solid mahogany back sides and solid spruce top.
Your martin custom d classic is solid indian rosewood back and sides and solid spruce top??
This model is cheapest martin USA made all solid wood acoustic martin makes??
Yeah the mahogany one would be the cheapest of the all-wood guitars. I think at this point even the all mahogany D-15 is still more expensive. Your model used to be like $899 when it first came out. Check out Martins in the same price range - pretty much anything sub $1500 is getting cheesy Richlite for fretboards and bridges, so not all-wood in that sense. They may have all-wood back and sides, but to me, no real tone enthusiast wants that Richlite crap on the guitar they just dropped thousands on. I think thankfully, Martin is getting away from it as a material, but yes mine being the Indian Rosewood made it like $100 more at the time. They don't make my model anymore, but I think either Martin continues to produce the Custom D Mahogany or they are all leftover stock still unsold (which is CRAZY - best value in a Martin). The one downfall is the thin-skin finish - it's barely there, so it reacts really intensely to temperatures and can dry out easier too. I had to rehab mine a lot and rehydrate because I bought it used. Now it's great!
@@ia5662 martin continues ...or there leftover unsold stock"
Yeah I was just going to ask .last night googled custom d classic and they got new custom d classic martins online musicians friend and guitar center. So since guitar center owns musicians friend or merged with them years ago....and it was model made exclusively for guitar center....these are definitely new unsold stock . If I had money I would buy 5 or 6 of them!
Your right anything less even if all solid wood is a joke, the guitar might as well be 200-300.00 dollars.
I sold my Taylor 710 e bought 2000.00 new and bought this....surprisingly it sounds just as great. The Taylor 710 or 510 both great guitars also. Beyond these 3 models to me is just wasting money for a more expensive guitar
Surprisingly the 100-350.00(spend no more) acoustic guitar sound better than midrange 4500-1200.00
The cust off is when you go below the martin custom classic d and it's NOT USA made then you get junk
Martin bridges don't typically have finish on them. My D-28 has an ebony bridge with no finish. You just have to keep them oiled once or twice a year. Also, all solid wood isn't always the best. For example, I would take a hard and dense material like richlite over a softer solid "hardwood" like poplar. Also, with composite materials you don't have to worry about humidity or dryness as much. Those are big factors for some people. Take it to a good luthier and have a nice setup done to it. It will play as good as a taylor. Nice guitar though. I enjoyed the review.
To each their own, but I much prefer real wood and caring for it as opposed to the more muted tonality of composites or laminates. As for the fingerboards and bridges, I really don't like the Richlite. It makes me feel like I'm playing on a countertop and I truly believe the guitar loses something. It actually hurts my fingers more as well because of the hardness, wood gives just a "little" and can soften a little as well with a oiled fretboard. I've seen many of the high end Martins with finished bridges, but yeah I've oiled mine a few times and it gives it the darker look, but I think Martin either uses ebony or stains the wood black on many of the higher end models and puts a gloss finish on. My Martin is totally a matte finish, super thin and barely there. I've already worn through it on a few areas on the top, which doesn't visually look as good, but to me it just shows a well-loved guitar.
So I have a Taylor 210e deluxe - which I love... But was debating switching to the Martin equivalent (same as this one in your video) - thoughts? I love my Taylor because it is super easy to play and sounds great - however I think the Martin may be more balanced tone, though I'm not always a huge fan of the "feel" of a Martin - would you suggest sticking with the Taylor, or going with the martin
Smart observation, Martin's can be a bit temperamental to set up I've found once they get a chance to break in, but they always sound best in my opinion. Taylors are also beautiful guitars and they are hands-down the easiest playing guitars on the mass market. I own both, but I think I love my Martin a hair more. It honestly comes down to preference. I've played my Taylor since 2007 with little changes, whereas I battled with the Martin to get the action where I wanted it. I took it back to the factory (perk of living in Southeast PA) and got a SWEET setup. It played like butter after that, but I feel it really reacts to humidity and changes in temp more than the Taylor. Now I only own this Martin and it's hardly got ANY finish on it to trap in moisture more, so it's very breathable. Great for resonance, but it unfortunately fluctuates in bigger increments in regards to action and playability depending on the time of year. Still sounds the best though! I'd say, go with your gut on what sounds best to you and what feels best. The Taylor still sounds absolutely crystalline in tone, just maybe not the same depth as a Martin. They are also different woods, big difference between Sapele and East Indian Rosewood!
@@ia5662 my special D Mahogany purchase from MF Nov 2018 ready to go out of the box.
Luck of the draw? Maybe, but any guitar stores are many miles away so I order over the net and X my fingers.
Been on a lucky streak :-)
I'm thinking Taylor has the arrid desert known as Southern Cal figured out... ya think? But for the best cheap beater? FG800!
Was it the guitar center in Ply mtg? Going to play one of these today if they have it
I'm not sure - I think they are only offered online. The Rosewood version is no longer offered - now it's just the mahogany version with the spruce top. I think they are available through both GC and Musician's Friend.
Does this guitar just need a truss rod adjustment? Wouldn't a 12 fret hump mess with intonation?
No, the truss rod has nothing to do with 12th fret hump. The truss rod only controls the convex or concave shape of the entire length of the neck. Humidity did the trick for this guitar. It doesn't have a lot of finish on it at all, so when I had gotten it used it was super dried out. Once you rehydrate a guitar, the hump greatly goes away, but it'll always be there somewhat. It's kind of an irreversible thing. It really needed a combo of the rehydration, a nut adjustment and a bridge adjustment (both of the latter were done at the Martin factory, which was awesome - I'm lucky to live in PA).
Action can be adjusted.
I inherited one that's pretty much brand new, and I have no ability to play it. It's gathering dust alongside a les paul standard, and it makes me sad.
Dust it off and try again!
@@ia5662 I'm a bass player, and as many times as I've tried to play a guitar over tje years, I get frustrated. I've also got a zion strat. That has enough sentimental value that I'll let it collect dust. Guitars are meant to be played.
MF has them new (mahogony version) for $899 as of 11-26-18
The mahogany is still a SOLID deal, and by SOLID I also mean all solid woods! It's the cheapest Martin by far in that area, no stupid Richlite fingerboard or bridge, all real mother earth. Everything is resonating. Only downside if at all is the finish is very light and it takes on heat and moisture easier. I had to rehydrate mine quite a bit when I first bought it used from the previous owner.
There are 20%...15% deals going on Musician's Friend and Woodwind Brasswind. If not now, I'm sure they will pick up around Christmas. Got mine for $716 at Woodwind Brasswind and I'm waiting 45 days for the points I accrued to post...which equates to $36. So really it was only $680. Couldn't be happier with it.
I got one in November '18. Best $899 i ever spent, 4 years no interest. Sweet!
...... Yes, all the Martin Love almost always will get you a new, and expensive, guitar that needs the neck reset as soon as it leaves the factory. Yea .. HD28V Custom w/ jammed truss and Martin tech said '' it's within limits ''
Drop the saddle down some..or have it done professionally
about a week after this I took it Martin in Nazareth north of me and they modified the bridge and nut and it played like butter
Has to many highs for my taste. And Im a Martin man.
I think not having the glossy top definitely rings the highs a little extra. I actually prefer a D-18's sound over any other Martin. Mahogany and spruce go together so perfectly on a Martin, or really any guitar. However, I still love this Rosewood baby of mine!
@@ia5662 No offence intended. I have had HD28s that I liked. I Guess Im like you, just kinda prefer Manhogany. Nice guitar!
Special D Mahogany from MF for $899. Super sweet and the best deal at that price point.
I also bought a ultrasonic humidifier for my living room. Nazareth sez 45-55%. Where I live I'm lucky to get 20% (hence the Yammie FG800 on the stand).
But be careful back east with 70-80%!
Really? 6:00 of talking? Wasted 6 minutes of my time.
Thanks for stopping by the channel!
it's a review, and there's a good bit of playing. Get out lol
I think it’s a review.. there’s supposed to be talking or it would be called a demonstration!
😎