I take my LXM in the truck. It gets knocked about, has to endure big temp.changes. Humidity goes from desert to rainforest and is straight as a plank. Any wood guitar would be bananashaped.
I would normally say always go for a solid top guitar but i love the sound of the lxm , it sounds really warm and bassy, i have the lxk2 and for what it is its brilliant
@willianaol2000 Cookie What sounds good to you may not sound good to others and vice versa. To each his own, we all have our opinions and individual tastes.
As some people have commented, the LXM makes a more durable axe for traveling. My only issue with it is that the rosette is a decal which eventually seems to wear off from the pick whereas the rosette on the LX1 is either inlaid or done in ink which is more durable.
I bought a lxm for 100 bucks it was broken and had some neck issues but after i did a little work i had it working nicely,but i took it with me on a canadian backpacking trip and on a few long distance dog sled races .and it survived my constant abuse
I have the LXM. I played them both at GC and decided that I liked the LXM better. I guess the warmer sound made the difference for me. It is loud as it is. I also bought the DXK2AE because, how much I liked the little Martin.
I came into this absolutely positive that I would like the LX1 best. Nope. I was wrong. I would rather have a travel guitar with less volume but decent tone and balance (and durability) than have one with more volume but lousy tone and balance. Hotels and camping are not places where more volume is appreciated by your neighbors anyway. How rare it is to prefer the less expensive Martin.
Generally prefer solid woods, but on this size guitar, I think the laminate actually sounds better. The solid top is too bright and thin sounding, but it definitely projects more volume. Nobody ever mentions it, but you can also augment the sound quite a bit with different nut/saddle & bridge pin material, string gauge, etc…all things being equal, I prefer a warmer sound akin to rosewood, and the LXM sounds closer to it.
These Little Martins have some serious MOJO. And yes. They DO open up over time. A dread it is not but they’re Great for that old time blues sound. I’ve had an LX-1 for a few years now and play it all the time. It’s great for working out bluegrass leads and fiddle tunes because it’s so easy to play due to its short scale. At first I thought it was pricey for what you’re getting but I now feel it is worth it. Especially now that its improving in sound over time. I wonder how it;; sound after 20 years! Don’t overlook this little gem.
It cannot open up over time, it is simply physically impossible. Acoustic guitars open up because the wood dries out over time and changes the structure at a molecular level. HPL is a laminate, there no wood to dry out. What little wood is in there is particles or dust encapsulated in resin/epoxy or glue.
@@IRequireMedication Let's give the benefit of the doubt they're specifically/ exclusively referring to the LX1 spruce top model they own, and not the LXM all laminate design. That's still wood; by your own definition (and one I agree with), that has to change over time.
@@Mrliamtheblake Indeed, the spruce top/HPL back and sides would open up a bit as the soundboard loosens up. And that was the model the gentleman was referring to, so my comment should not have been pointed at him.
I liked the laminate top better because being so small, it doesn't need to be brighter. It sounds smoother, less tiny. This is my second comparison. It actually sound way better to me than the solid top. It will be tougher/stronger aswell.
In Martins website it's a 30$ difference, i would go for solid but i guess if you know it's gonna get a beating maybe i would go for something cheaper all together...
@@SquirrelDarling1 I'm so new to playing that tweaking things or spending a lot for an instrument would be wasted on me. It's enough to try to figure out hot to reach F and G with small hands (love the sh!t out of E, though). :) But I've got my father's GS Mini to learn with, and if I can pull that off I think I kind of favor one of those red/rust-colored Epiphone Hummingbirds. :)
@@josephsantana3094 i think the lowden partnership is just money.. he even tattooed martin on his shoulder and all the sudden changes to lowden? naaahh
@@kamojii money...Sheeran's profit from one UK gig can probably buy off lowden as a company completely. Lowden uses premium material and design a custom line for him, and to be honest, the little lowden with solid cedar, walnut and almost full scale length kicks the lx1's ass in terms of sound. Anyone would pick the lowden if money isn't a problem.
Joel Spaulding you can add overly bright strings or use hard picks. I actually think it's easier to add brightness than tame it. Especially while recording
people get so hyped up with Ed Sheeran using the little martin, imho its not a proof that lx1 is a decent guitar, its a proof that sheeran is an amazing musician that makes shit guitars work, it is what it is, a travel guitar with boxy sound. Listen to Sheeran's live loops, the boxy sound is there, its still quality music but it would be better with an hd28 period.
@Piano I have both the LXM and the LX1. While I like the near indestructibility of the LXM, what turned me off on the LXM is that the rosette is a decal and I was afraid my heavy playing would eventually destroy part of it. I understand that the new LXMs have the rosette in laser ink which is probably more durable.
@@randyo573 That's your criteria for a guitar, esthetics? A rosette possibly rubbing off? Fuck tone and playability, I want the rosette dammit. (You do realize that you are ridiculous right?)
I wanted to get my wife a small guitar and we did side by side comparison of the taylor mini and the LXM. I really wanted the all wood taylor to win, but to our ears the lxm was better. Also, in the end, I believe the laminate is a little tougher for travel. Going to the Virgin Islands from Canada, three flights, and never sure if we could carry on, plus some ferries and cabs. Everyone who has played her LXM has liked it. Maybe for the playability as much as the sound.
I take my LXM in the truck. It gets knocked about, has to endure big temp.changes. Humidity goes from desert to rainforest and is straight as a plank. Any wood guitar would be bananashaped.
I would normally say always go for a solid top guitar but i love the sound of the lxm , it sounds really warm and bassy, i have the lxk2 and for what it is its brilliant
@willianaol2000 Cookie What sounds good to you may not sound good to others and vice versa. To each his own, we all have our opinions and individual tastes.
Apparently the lxm laminate is even more stronger on different type of weather humidity etc
The clarity of the laminate made it a better strumming guitar. The Bluesy thumb pick style was won hands down by the wood.
As some people have commented, the LXM makes a more durable axe for traveling. My only issue with it is that the rosette is a decal which eventually seems to wear off from the pick whereas the rosette on the LX1 is either inlaid or done in ink which is more durable.
If your using it as a travel guitar it makes sense to get the laminated one
LXM sounds warm. LX1 sounds a bit too brash and thin . but I would expect that mellow over the years.
Thanks for helping me to decide.
¿Cuál elegiste?
I bought a lxm for 100 bucks it was broken and had some neck issues but after i did a little work i had it working nicely,but i took it with me on a canadian backpacking trip and on a few long distance dog sled races .and it survived my constant abuse
I have the LXM. I played them both at GC and decided that I liked the LXM better. I guess the warmer sound made the difference for me. It is loud as it is. I also bought the DXK2AE because, how much I liked the little Martin.
I came into this absolutely positive that I would like the LX1 best. Nope. I was wrong. I would rather have a travel guitar with less volume but decent tone and balance (and durability) than have one with more volume but lousy tone and balance. Hotels and camping are not places where more volume is appreciated by your neighbors anyway. How rare it is to prefer the less expensive Martin.
So basically the plywood one sounds like plywood and the solid top one sounds like a solid top. Simple enough.
Generally prefer solid woods, but on this size guitar, I think the laminate actually sounds better. The solid top is too bright and thin sounding, but it definitely projects more volume. Nobody ever mentions it, but you can also augment the sound quite a bit with different nut/saddle & bridge pin material, string gauge, etc…all things being equal, I prefer a warmer sound akin to rosewood, and the LXM sounds closer to it.
Agree
I own the lx1. Great guitar, I personally love the tone of this Guitar! Would never sell it.
Finally finally finally! The comparison is back!!! Wow
These Little Martins have some serious MOJO. And yes. They DO open up over time. A dread it is not but they’re Great for that old time blues sound. I’ve had an LX-1 for a few years now and play it all the time. It’s great for working out bluegrass leads and fiddle tunes because it’s so easy to play due to its short scale. At first I thought it was pricey for what you’re getting but I now feel it is worth it. Especially now that its improving in sound over time. I wonder how it;; sound after 20 years! Don’t overlook this little gem.
M
It cannot open up over time, it is simply physically impossible. Acoustic guitars open up because the wood dries out over time and changes the structure at a molecular level. HPL is a laminate, there no wood to dry out. What little wood is in there is particles or dust encapsulated in resin/epoxy or glue.
@@IRequireMedication Let's give the benefit of the doubt they're specifically/ exclusively referring to the LX1 spruce top model they own, and not the LXM all laminate design. That's still wood; by your own definition (and one I agree with), that has to change over time.
@@Mrliamtheblake Indeed, the spruce top/HPL back and sides would open up a bit as the soundboard loosens up. And that was the model the gentleman was referring to, so my comment should not have been pointed at him.
I liked the laminate top better because being so small, it doesn't need to be brighter. It sounds smoother, less tiny. This is my second comparison. It actually sound way better to me than the solid top. It will be tougher/stronger aswell.
I'm going for the LX1E
Wood for home and kids. Laminate for back of the truck.
In Martins website it's a 30$ difference, i would go for solid but i guess if you know it's gonna get a beating maybe i would go for something cheaper all together...
I travel with a solid spruce top and haven't had issues yet but even if I did I would budget for the sitka spruce going bad every few years at
LXME all day!
no comparison there! solid top wins by a country mile :)
But I feel much better about traveling with the laminate top.
i like the boxy sound of the laminate. seems more controlled. idk 🤷🏻♂️
You appear to be in the minority by quite a bit.
@@cobbler88 I have the LX1E, and just put a little heavier strings on it if you want more bottom.
@@SquirrelDarling1 I'm so new to playing that tweaking things or spending a lot for an instrument would be wasted on me. It's enough to try to figure out hot to reach F and G with small hands (love the sh!t out of E, though). :)
But I've got my father's GS Mini to learn with, and if I can pull that off I think I kind of favor one of those red/rust-colored Epiphone Hummingbirds. :)
Why not just an lx1 with a simple binding like the lxm? It seems complicated for Martin, but that's what we'd like. no?
The top bracing is different as well.
Stopped liking laminate tbh, defo going for the LX1
Ed Sheeran didn't choose LXM. :)
Ed Sheeran choose Lowden
Ed Sheeran also said he would go through an lx1 about every 6 months because they would only last him that long on tour. And now hes with Lowden.
@@josephsantana3094 i think the lowden partnership is just money.. he even tattooed martin on his shoulder and all the sudden changes to lowden? naaahh
@@kamojii money...Sheeran's profit from one UK gig can probably buy off lowden as a company completely. Lowden uses premium material and design a custom line for him, and to be honest, the little lowden with solid cedar, walnut and almost full scale length kicks the lx1's ass in terms of sound. Anyone would pick the lowden if money isn't a problem.
Sheeran's lx1 is way way better than what they actually sell
Williamson Springs
LXME or BT1/2E? Help pls
Lx1 horrible bright, LXM wins.(for me...)
Exactly what I thought when I tried both. I got the m
You can always tone down the bright by adjusting your pick material/technique. You can't add brightness to the LXM that simply doesn't exist.
Joel Spaulding you can add overly bright strings or use hard picks. I actually think it's easier to add brightness than tame it. Especially while recording
i have this lxm and its great
LX1 is more bright and clear.
Francis Cliff
Which is cheaper? I need answer plz.
The LXM is slightly less.... www.musicvilla.com/martin/travel-size/lxm www.musicvilla.com/martin/travel-size/lx1
As Paul said its perfect application is to put it in a fire for the camp.
Night and day - the LX1 easily sounds like a full-size guitar
Stroman Ports
Not even close. Wood wins.
For a travel guitar, I think the laminate is tougher. Doesn't sound quite as good but has nice playability.
@@rickrider You appear to be in the minority.
LXM all the way...the solid top sounded to thin.
the laminated one was left a little bit out of tune to make ppl want the more expensive solid top more
The chicken plucking does little to compare the two guitars. You should redo the video if you want to make a comparison video.
people get so hyped up with Ed Sheeran using the little martin, imho its not a proof that lx1 is a decent guitar, its a proof that sheeran is an amazing musician that makes shit guitars work, it is what it is, a travel guitar with boxy sound. Listen to Sheeran's live loops, the boxy sound is there, its still quality music but it would be better with an hd28 period.
I thought the LX1 is a Sitka top ?!!?
Yes, the LX1 has a solid Sitka Spruce top.
Davis Larry Lopez Cynthia Thompson Jeffrey
can you review hex guitar from korea,but made in indonesia review ... sir... icant find rite review for this brand.. only shitty review :(
Young Brenda Martinez Laura Taylor Laura
Test guitar like a beginner...
Why do you have a herd of elephants on all your videos?
I heard that as well
Why would anyone pay $1000 + dollars for a shitty laminate guitar even if it is a martin?
$329, not $1000. Close, but no guitar 😉
People like you amuse me. Fcken luddites. I bet you think electric automobiles are terrible as well
Say whatever you want; plywood by any other name still stinks!
Thank's God, my religion is against laminated body guitars
@Piano I have both the LXM and the LX1. While I like the near indestructibility of the LXM, what turned me off on the LXM is that the rosette is a decal and I was afraid my heavy playing would eventually destroy part of it. I understand that the new LXMs have the rosette in laser ink which is probably more durable.
@@randyo573 Hola, ¿cuál de las dos me recomiendas comprar?
@@randyo573 That's your criteria for a guitar, esthetics? A rosette possibly rubbing off? Fuck tone and playability, I want the rosette dammit. (You do realize that you are ridiculous right?)
I have the Taylor GS Mini much better than either of these.
I wanted to get my wife a small guitar and we did side by side comparison of the taylor mini and the LXM. I really wanted the all wood taylor to win, but to our ears the lxm was better. Also, in the end, I believe the laminate is a little tougher for travel. Going to the Virgin Islands from Canada, three flights, and never sure if we could carry on, plus some ferries and cabs. Everyone who has played her LXM has liked it. Maybe for the playability as much as the sound.
Jim Brown Ed Sheeran did not choose the Taylor GS Mini
@@rickrider You do realize that Taylor minis are not all wood right? Or did I just burst your little fantasy? lol
The laminate tops, not good.The compress end anonymous timbre sound.
$330+ for trash plywood? martin has lost its mind.
Blah, blah fucking blah! Play the things!
That's no way for a lady to talk (er, type)