These "Guitar Breakdown" series are really awesome: the best guitar testing videos in the net. May I suggest an improvement? Sound is the most important thing in an instrument. I think it is not fair to give the same numeric importance in your scores to sound and to physical resistance: I think sound quality should receive more scores. Why not dividing the "sound" category in at least three categories, each one with a ten maximum score? These three categories could be overall sound (meaning bass/midrange/trebble sound), volume and sustain (volume and sustain are measurable).
I think his test is have the effect you're looking for for the people who need it. He's showing you every test and itemizing each score. If you want to wait the scores to your values it's easy to do. And we probably wouldn't all weight them the same. For instance, I think a lot of people would value their ability higher than you are for this type of guitar. Beginners need playability and decent tone out of an entry level guitar. Experience players need durability and economy out of a kick around guitar, and decent tone. I don't think many people really need upper level tone out of a $500 guitar. Experienced players probably have something better to play, and the beginners should have tone good enough to want to keep playing but should still have goals for better tone. (Speaking generally)
@@nellatrab I wouldn't call them ridiculous. They are simulating real case scenarios. Your guitar will get scratches from rubbing against your belt buckle or buttons on your shirt. Same with the dropping steel ball - I've dinged a good share of guitars in my time by accidentally hitting against a mic stand, or corner of the table or a door knob, just because we're all human and sometimes misjudge the size and bulkiness of the guitar. And who hasn't accidentally dropped their guitar after leaning it against a wall or a chair? These things happen. As for cutting it in half, that's not really a torture test, but rather a way to properly assess the internal build quality. The way I see it, he's doing it so none of us have to. But I do agree with OP, rating sound so it gives you a mere 10 points is disproportionately small. Another guitar with horrible sound can win those 10 points on something a lot less relevant like better casing. And on top of that it will have a higher score on durability tests, because thicker wood and finish tend to be more durable at a cost of much worse sound, so a worse sounding guitar will have an overall higher score because of that. Sound needs to earn more points.
Totally agree. All these categories should not be receiving equal weight importance. He ends up giving away a lot of points for irrelevant stuff such as the quality of the case, or resistance to scratch and so on. This scoring needs to be revised to be more accurate.
You mentioned people don't like when you cut into the guitar, but that's my favorite part! And it has the added benefit of showcasing either fine or bad work. You're doing the Lord's work keeping these companies honest :)- And we all benefit in the future with improvements of these models. Love it. Subscribed.
I own one and I like it. It's good to know that it's so durable. The top is solid spruce and gives it good tone quality. Calling it plastic is disingenuous.
Why is it disingenuous to refer the backs and sides as plastic when they're made using resin? If I'm not mistaken it's a combination of sawdust and resin...
They are a "High Pressure Laminate" of wood injected w/resin (as someone else pointed out). If I'm not mistaken, it's wood recaptured from the factory, in an effort to cut down on waste. It's therefore a hybrid substance. Durable, cost effective, and reclaiming wood shavings which wood otherwise be swept into the bin. Martin's way of trying to be responsible where any waste is concerned. Of course, should you choose to toss it in a lake or the ocean, it will cause the same problems as a used Tide container. Difference being, they've yet to find one washed up on shore anywhere. Still, there's always that one drunken sailor who may drop his into the briny deep...
I have been playing this guitar for months and enjoy the sound very much . Even though it is slightly smaller than my all tonewood Dreadnaught it seems to amplify and project better. If this were not a laminate Martin would have had to charge much more. I sti!l call it "my Martin" and very proud of the sound that comes out of it.
I'm in the industrial laminate biz so a couple of educated guesses.. The HPL of the back & sides is probably paper phenolic and it is a laminate. It's made by pre-treating/soaking the paper with the resin then pressing the layers under heat. The material appears homogenous because the resin flows during the pressing and makes it fairly uniform, especially when it's that thin, the layers themselves are only about 0.004" thick each.
@mikeb792 no one does cuz it blows everything away. Alamo Music has compared the dx2e to the d13e and half people in the comment section preferred the more Basie and louder dx2e. Even Alamo had to admit it was louder but because he wants to sell the d13e he said it doesn't have as good a playability lmao...
I am enjoying this series of test drives and autopsies. For that money and the use of Formica for back and sides, I was not dismayed at the sound - it was clear and even. I am one of those who actually believe that the back and sides do make a difference to the guitar's sound, not only the thickness and bracing but also the material. Formica is not high on my list of sound-enhancing materials. Can you imagine tapping a sheet of that stuff for tone? One thing you did not comment on is the quality of the top. Yes, it is solid spruce. While I am not mystified and transfixed by spruce that has 45 grain-lines per inch, I believe that the very wide grain on that soundboard would have to leave the wood a bit flaccid. Again, can you imagine tapping, or rather, thumping that top for tone? But, the evenness and clarity, especially when played by someone who listens while playing instead of flailing away, was pleasing and better than I expected. And if you bought it at a shop, they might even fix the action.
I have a plastic Martin, not just the back and sides but the top as well. I LOVE it. Absolutely love it. I have had a 000-15, a D-18 and a d28 in the past. Is my X series any of those guitars, no. i would argue that my sons $200 Yamaha FG800 sounds "better" judging by any standard markers. Louder, clearer more defined, absolutely. Though my plastic X has a "darker" tone to it that's kind of cool if you are into that. It's VERY quiet, which is awesome for playing in my apartment (especially at night). It's BULLET PROOF. Bullet proof enough to strap to my backpack and take out hiking (directly on.. No case) or throw it in the back of my pickup truck to go to my neighbors pond and play. I'm not scared if my dog knocks it over, or jumps up onto it when its on the bed, I'm not scared to have wet dogs and kids around it. Its worry free for me. If you are looking for the cheapest way to get the "best" sounding guitar, this isn't it.. but for sub $500 its my most used guitar. It looks like a Martin, it feels and plays like a Martin (for the most part), but i can use the heck out of this thing in ways i never could my other Martins. I'm not defending them, I'm just saying that in my world this was the perfect sized peg to fill the hole in my guitar rack.
Thats awesome! You see folks, not everyone is buying a guitar to be the best sounding guitar in a collection. Sometimes you buy a guitar for something other than recording, gigging, or future resale value.
This series rocks. 1) HPL: Formica countertop veneer. 2) The Bolton neck is also glued on, this is so they can glue, screw, and move on without waiting for the glue to dry. Keep it up!
@@misinformationwithrandy When you say laminated plywood you mean that it consists of layers of plywood glued together? There's a D-X2E being sold for 700 Euros here in Ireland and I'm wondering whether I would be paying to much for it considering the back and sides are plastic and the neck is plywood?
I think this is pretty accurate I have a Martin with hpl sides and back and I take it everywhere and it truly is indestructible. I would suggest buying one of these guitars with a fishman pickup installed.
You guys are doing an awesome job with these kind of reviews. They are pretty unique and I can't wait when you start reviewing even more pricier guitars from different manufacturers.. Thanks guys
In this price range you can get an all solid Eastman with sitka top, sapele back and sides and bone nut and saddle with incredible sound. I would really like you to put one of these to the test. I love Martin, but putting cheap plastic on a 500 Dollar guitar is a shame.
It would be a good model to test. Be prepared however. Unless they've cleaned up their act, nasty bit of business on the inside. Hopefully they've improved since the last time I had a mirror inside one.
Fair enough OP. I love my old martin but there's some crazy diminishing returns with name brands and guitar quality... and if I had to buy a new one then I wouldn't wanna pay martin prices. Not to mention mine is an 82 and I'm sure all can guess what procedure it is in the process of getting right now lol. There's so many awesome economical options these days and so many arrogant companies expecting you to pay them anything just for the name on the headstock. Searching around and finding good specs for a fair price really is paramount.
I doubt that anyone at Driftwood Guitars will read this, but would like to point out a few corrections: 1)The tuners are in fact 18:1 gear ratio. You can confirm this by marking a post and seeing how many turns of the knob are required to bring it back to its starting position. 2) The fingerboard and bridge are not East Indian rosewood as stated, rather they look like Katalox or Granadillo. 3) The neck is not a "bolt on" joint; it's a glued-in mortise and tenon joint with an assembly bolt. The fingerboard extension is also glued directly to the top. As you noted, you can remove the bolt and the neck stays right where it is...
Thank you for doing this. I really enjoy seeing the inside of these guitars. I know you have done a Taylor and would love to see the GS Mini done as it is right in the price range of all of these.
Ah, when in the last video I suggested the Martin I was actually thinking about the Junior Series and not the X-Series. They're 24" scale and all wood (and $100 cheaper). Still, very interesting to see the HPL and all that in this review.
I bought the X1AE recently and actually thought it sounds pretty good. No wonder I’ve been trying to learn for upwards of 10 years and haven’t even a got a song down yet.
I'm a new subscriber who can't get enough of these videos. It's probably been addressed at some point in older content but what happens to these guitars after they've been reviewed?
Great review. Just one thought though, some of the guitars sold in high volumes are guitars around the $200 price. Guitars like Fender cd60 v3, Yamaha F-310, Epiphone DR-100, etc. Even then it's rather hard to find review of these. With the quality I've seen here, it will be amazing if you could look into that side of things as well. Maybe if not go for individual ones, you could grab 3-4, and compare/contrast them together in one video.
I own both a 000-X and a D-X and think your review is very accurate. The D is a 2013 and it sounds better than the new 000 so it still holds that a guitar sounds at it's worst the day you buy it. The top has turned a nice orange so even with the HPL back they benefit from age and playing. Because they are cheap I haven't been afraid to tweek and set them up myself and learned a lot from it. They are as high as high $699 now which is too high in my opinion but what isn't. I got the D in a fair trade and the 000 in a Christmas special so I didn't pay the normal street price for either. They are good couch players or very good beginners and benefit from tweeking. At the moment I'm considering liquidating and moving up to an OM Eastman which is actually more of a Martin 000 than an OM. Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the in depth review. I was between this a Taylor and a Yamaha and this had my fave sound….the “toughness” tests sealed the deal for me (with a 6 and 11 yr old terrorizing the house). ✅. And the shop adjusted action for me before I left.
Excellent review. I love your process Chris, very thorough. Not my kind of instrument but for a beginner or someone looking for a super casual beater, not a bad choice.
Great video, loved how in depth you went even if I felt uncomfortable watching you drop and cut open the guitar. I think you’re a bit unfair calling HPL plastic, it’s very thin layers of wood fibre and paper that are impregnated with resin, like micarta. That’s not to say that I particularly like it, but it’s not just plastic either!
Nope, there's 0% wood in HPL...just like there's 0% wood in micarta. HPL is just layers of kraft paper glued together at very high pressure, whereas laminate wood is layers of real wood glued together. Calling HPL plastic is thus quite fair.
@@donbradman334 used to be Made out of pulped crappy wood…. Losing it’s structure in the proces. MDF is Made with wood as well but behaves totally different than wood. Some Ovations sound better than Some 100% massive wood so it is not the ‘the’ factor in making a Good guitar…. But that’s just my slightly informed opinion!
Had no idea that this guitar was basically made of plastic. I played a couple of different ones in the store and thought they sounded off for some reason. My main acoustic guitar is a Seagull S6 and it sounds way way better, real wood, and made in Canada just works for me.
It’s been done before Martin had to cheap out to build a guitar that someone could afford. But hey it makes a great personal table at the picnic. Formica does it’s job well.
I looked at both the Taylor and Martin models you've reviewed and glad I stumbled on to my Cort Gold O6 for the same price...it also came with an heavy duty gigbag. It's more like the old Taylor 200 series than a Academy. Thanks again for making another great video!
@@peterdeboer8924 I'm in NY, so this guitar is now 15 months old and went through 1 full Northeast winter, four sets of strings, and probably 100 hrs of playing. Only minor issue I noticed was the original saddle was a little loose in the bridge slot and a mounting screw hole for a tuning machine was stripped. Both easy fixes. Bracing was well done and clean. Nothing has warped. Honestly it's like new, but sounds a little more opened up now. Definitely worth every buck spent for the sound, playability, and build quality.
I have had a dcxe blk all hpl guitar for over 15yrs. This guitar lives at my shop and is a instrument i pick up to play occasionally. I had it set up upon purchase. This guitar just kicks ass with setup and playability. Sounds great plugged in. Not the loudest unplugged. Over all its probably the best playing guitar you could own for a beater guitar and not worry about it missing a beat.
I build acoustics; jumbos, dreadnought and small bodied guitars out of old pianos as I can get them for free and they have a solid spruce soundboard which costs a lot to send to NZ. The back and side material is what the piano has under its veneers. Sometimes often poplar which is very light and easy to heat bend and occasionally oak which is ok for a back if thicknessed down enough to bend. I also do guitar repairs and have found quite a few guitars have the wrong neck angle due to a poor design at the neck block that allows the body to bend and flex at that point. I usually test by holding the body and pulling up on the neck. It’s amazing how many name guitars easily flex at the neck joint. That’s why I build all my guitars with bolt on necks with an extended neck reinforcement block so soundboard and back are solidly glued at that point. It really stiffens the attachment point no end. it is easy to restore the neck angle if the body rises with string tension or remove to work on the frets etc. I love the detail you put into the ornamentation on your guitars. 👍👍👍
I remember a time in the late 70’s or early 80’s walking down a south Texas city street, and I came across a guitar shop with an Ovation guitar displayed in the window. I can’t remember the exact nature of the display (the guitar may have been cut open), but it was clearly a derogatory statement on the composite shell back versus a guitar built with all natural materials. I think the store was a Martin dealer. Seeing Martin now using HPL in some of their guitars makes me chuckle.
And my 53 year old Ovation sounds a lot better. I had a DXK2 and it was a great tabletop around the campfire. Food stains clean up nicely the Formica did its job.
In the late 70’s and early 80’s Ovation got a lot of publicity because they were great instruments to tour with due to the rugged nature of the bowl and the built in amplification, so many artists played them onstage, but recorded with the other guitars. Glen Campbell and Al DiMeola may have been the exceptions to that. For accoustic 6 and especially 12’s they were loud and built like a Telecaster.
At some point, it would be great to see an Orangewood guitar in this series, especially since they offer an all-solid wood guitar around this price range.
The HPL is layers of kraft paper soaked in phenolic resin compressed at high heat and pressure. Not "plastic" but I believe the outer layer is a scratch resistant plastic. Also, the neck is not bolt on at all. It's M/T (on this guitar.) They use the bolt to retain the neck while the glue sets. The Martin dovetail neck does not have this. (I should mention that I like bolt on necks. My Furch has one and that guitar sounds amazing and feels so good)... Also, the HPL guitars are great for what they are. Durable guitars that are more impervious to the elements and humidity changes. I have an all solid wood Martin dread made in Nazareth and it sounds amazing. I also have an all HPL Little Martin and it sounds great for it's size and I can take it places I wouldn't take my DSS-17. I also recently played a full size all HPL Martin model and it sounded really really good. I think the material has it's place. And Martin sells a TON of HPL guitars, soooo.... Excellent video btw. The amount of effort you guys put into these is amazing. Thank you!!!
I thought I read someplace when the x-series came out that HPL was actually pressed woodchips from the shop floor at the martin factory. One of their environmental initiatives.
tone 😕, Durability 💯 I've played the all HPL (top included) guitars. The tone was lacking in volume and character but it looked really cool and knowing it can't be destroyed kind of makes me want one.
The HPL name comes from the fact that high-pressure laminate is essentially Formica... it's made by stacking layers of tissue paper and resin and curing it under high pressure.
A big thank you for video. I've a Sigma DM-ST and looking to get a Martin & the 000-X2 was on the list. I'd call myself a shallow end of the pool intermediate player . No matter how good the Martin 000-X2 sounds for the money & how well they're built in some areas'' the formica back, sides & the neck joint, are a deal breaker for me.
Even if it's more durable and sounds better? to each his own I understand the appeal of owning precious materials like jewelry. You got understand to the guy in the video is selling guitars of course he's going to tell you it's not a sound as good as all solid wood. Otherwise play one for yourself amd compare it to other guitars in the store bud.
HPL laminate is the same kind of plastic laminate that cabinet and furniture makers use. The inside finish you talked about is just the scratches left over from the wide belt sander during the manufacturing process.
I'm seriously looking at the Martin for my return to guitar playing after 30 years. However, after looking at the April 2023 Yamaha FG830 specs (Sitka Spruce Top, Rosewood Back and Sides - not laminate, Nato Neck, and Rosewood Fingerboard) you get far more for less than half the price! ($289). I would LOVE to see your review and cut-away of the FG830 to see if it's as good as the Martin seen in this review. EDIT: The Yamaha FG830 also comes strung with D'Addario 12-53 strings - another bonus.
HPL is a laminate of wood powder put under pressure to where the cellulose reforms its bonds. Think wood fuel pellet using much smaller and dryer wood. Yes, looks and acts similar to plastics, but wood not petroleum based. Says this Chemical Engr.
I have seen most of the videos you uploaded, I love this idea. I have always wanted to see how an acoustic guitar looks inside and how some models are finished. There is a brand called Sigma that builds Martin replicas under license. They are pretty nice for the price... I would to see a 00015m or 00018m inside. Cheers and thanks a lot for sharing :D
I’ve played several of Martins guitars with HLP back and sides, and owned two for camping guitars. Playability was bad out of the box and each needed a set up. Sound was ok, but for the money…. Not so much. Thank you for this video and information
I was very surprised how poor the inside bracing was on this and the PRS P20 you did proper put me off both need to spend a bit more money me thinks, and I'm only a beginner, and at this price in UK they are not cheap guitars, and would have thought build quality would be a bit better than it is think they both need to take a good look at QUALITY CONTROL the PRS BRACING WAS A DISGRACE ON THE TOP. So glad you cut them open thanks
Judging from the inside it definitely looks like Martin was conscious that someone might get inside there one day. It is pretty clean, and not sloppy or too rough. Nice to see they care a little bit anyway.
It’s not a bolt-on, it’s a glued mortise and tenon, the screw is essentially a clamp. It’s quite common on newer entry price Martins. The only real problem with it is that it’s not traditional, so obviously it must be evil.
i have an ooox1 from 2007 thats INSANELY good its gotten better with age and my friends are still trying to buy it from me. if anyone is looking for a great used budget martin theyre like 200 used
Please do an Eastman guitar (or a Seagull ), ED1 for example. I'm curious to know how it compares to a Martin and Taylor in the same price range. I think it would be a slaughter!
After cutting guitars in half, they might make an interesting test bed for demonstrating on how different body depth affects tone, and possibly how different "partial" back and side materials affect tone. Thanks
Go to a store and try it yourself. Don’t write it off so quickly. I played a new x2e in store and was surprised by how good it sounds comparing to other all solid guitars. it is definitely a martin. That “plasticly” sound is only in your mind, i doubt anyone can tell it’s from a guitar with HPL back by just hearing it.
Well that's not true. I played one in store without looking at anything; just wanted to play a bunch and see what spoke to me. The moment I started playing, it sounded like a toy. I recall making an "ew" face, and putting it back. The 000-15, on the other hand, is now sitting in my home.
Very intersting serie of vids. Very useful for someone willing to buy a guitar in this price range. I thought there would be more harsh comments for the abuse on unsuspecting guitars. But no. Peoples want to see what's inside and how they withstand the mistreatments. To me the Taylor sounds better than the two others by quite a margin BTW.
"Definitely not as good as I have seen on the higher end Martins" Of course, if they were as good as the higher end Martins, they'd be higher end, too.
I bumped into this review after buying a OOO-X2E and was a bit bummed out. But then I listened to this Nick Jennison demo/review: "Martin X Series D-X1E & 00-X2E | Reviews", Jul 2, 2020 by Guitar Interactive Magazine. To hear the potential of the X Series guitars, give it a listen.
I have to say your idea of entry level is a little high. Nowadays a respectable affordable acoustic can be bought for between £250 and £350. I bought my son an excellent Tanglewood for £320. He’s very happy with it.
That’s not a criticism of the format though. The videos are excellently done and consistently make us all feel extremely uncomfortable about cutting up an instrument. I’d love to know what the manufacturers feel about these. Best wishes. Tony
@@andsoistopped $600 USD isn't much more than £430, so maybe a touch outside your budget, if your budget guitar comes with a case. I agree with you that it seems like all mouth and no trousers.
Hey, great review, one of the best in terms of quality and knowledge provided. Can you please review a Orangewood guitar as it has received lots of positive review for a new company with high quality and budget friendly guitars.
Another nice ‘breakdown’ video, thanks. I’ve been looking for an inexpensive acoustic to knock around with so this series has been great. I don’t understand why manufacturers are still using plastic nuts and saddles ( on cheap models ), are they really saving that much? They make so many more appealing options these days so that’s a huge turn off for me.
Just bought an x series Martin think I’m going to try a Tailer concert cause you gave that guitar sound a better score. I’m still within my return window should probably save up a little more and get the Yamaha red label. I kinda like the durability of laminate though.
I call it “countertop material” because it sort of reminds me of Formica the way the joints are beveled. I have a 12-string Dreadnought which sounds great but had an issue with belly bulge. Warranty fixed it but I now use extra light strings and tune it down a step.
I object to paying north of $500 for a plastic bodied guitar regardless of how it sounds. Definite impression of it being a guitar shaped object with a Martin logo. I suggest a Yamaha FG820 or LS6 or LS6M for a breakdown. Yamaha is always talked up as a really well made beginner instrument so I'd like to see the guts of them.
It is NOT plastic. It’s paper and resin pressed together at extremely high pressures. Martin has special tools to cut it because of its hardness, remember how he damaged his saw? The guitar would benefit from the hardness on the sides maybe not from the back. If Martin wanted a better sounding cheap guitar they would do regular laminate on the back but that complicates the process a little because you need super glue for hpl
This is a good guitar review series. You go deeper on build quality and durability than other reviews. This guitar would be ideal as an outdoor / travel instrument because its so durable, and I think it sounds very decent for what it is. Sounds even better than a twice as expensive Gibson G-45 imo But I have to agree that there still better instruments in this price range.
High Pressure Laminate (HPL) is actually paper & resin, not plastic. Multiple sheets of paper, a top protective layer and a pattern layer are bonded under heat and pressure creating a hard, durable material. This material can be made to look like nearly any surface, wood, stone, cloth, etc... I've played several guitars made from this material and I have say this is a good cost-conscious alternative to the ever increasing costs of quality woods and sometimes prohibitively expensive carbon fiber guitars. I don't own one yet, but after playing several Martins made from HPL, I am not opposed to buying one, I was quite impressed with the tone and playability of these guitars. More info about HPL: czcams.com/video/9MAe6nTXsIw/video.html
I'm curious how a Furch would hold up. They have a hard lacker and stiff neck and tuned soundboards. Really high end stuff from the Tjech repulic. And they sound awesome! BTW. That HPL and bracing from that Martin was really dissapointing. And that sticker on the X-brace? I guess a sticker costs less than making it fit properly.
I'm enjoying this series, and so far have found your scoring fair and consistent, but I just can't understand how you give this a 10 for the string test. If a neck bends under tension, you can always adjust the truss rod, but if the top bellies, that's a serious issue that is only going to get worse over time. Sure, you can file down the saddle, but then what if you, or the next owner, decide to go back to lighter strings? I also don't understand you giving 10 for the interior build quality. It did look pretty, but when you removed that linen cap, I was shocked. That sloppy x-brace, with a joint depth less than half the depth of the brace, was probably the major cause of the bellying under tension. The strength of a beam is proportional to the square of its depth. If a brace is only half as thick, it's strength is a quarter of a full-depth brace. This notch looked more like it went 60% into the brace, which means it's only 16% effective. Effectively, it's not an x-brace, but a diagonal brace with two shorter diagonals. That abrupt change in thickness is also a huge stress riser, and likely point of failure. I don't think $600 is "entry level". Compared to your own $15,000+ guitars, it may seem like it is, but for Joe Public, $600 represents a significant commitment, and you should expect at least sound construction, good playability and reasonable sound quality. I would have described a guitar at this price point as ones first serious acoustic - the one you buy once you've outgrown your entry-level guitar and decided to commit to the guitar.
Best review series on the Internet. IMHO. You know you wanna chop an Acoustasonic up, boys! Ha ha. Already subbed and liking/sharing each episode.
These "Guitar Breakdown" series are really awesome: the best guitar testing videos in the net. May I suggest an improvement? Sound is the most important thing in an instrument. I think it is not fair to give the same numeric importance in your scores to sound and to physical resistance: I think sound quality should receive more scores. Why not dividing the "sound" category in at least three categories, each one with a ten maximum score? These three categories could be overall sound (meaning bass/midrange/trebble sound), volume and sustain (volume and sustain are measurable).
Good thinking, Batman
Personally I think they are ridiculous torture tests, for no reason :-)
I think his test is have the effect you're looking for for the people who need it. He's showing you every test and itemizing each score. If you want to wait the scores to your values it's easy to do. And we probably wouldn't all weight them the same. For instance, I think a lot of people would value their ability higher than you are for this type of guitar. Beginners need playability and decent tone out of an entry level guitar. Experience players need durability and economy out of a kick around guitar, and decent tone. I don't think many people really need upper level tone out of a $500 guitar. Experienced players probably have something better to play, and the beginners should have tone good enough to want to keep playing but should still have goals for better tone. (Speaking generally)
@@nellatrab I wouldn't call them ridiculous. They are simulating real case scenarios. Your guitar will get scratches from rubbing against your belt buckle or buttons on your shirt. Same with the dropping steel ball - I've dinged a good share of guitars in my time by accidentally hitting against a mic stand, or corner of the table or a door knob, just because we're all human and sometimes misjudge the size and bulkiness of the guitar. And who hasn't accidentally dropped their guitar after leaning it against a wall or a chair? These things happen. As for cutting it in half, that's not really a torture test, but rather a way to properly assess the internal build quality. The way I see it, he's doing it so none of us have to.
But I do agree with OP, rating sound so it gives you a mere 10 points is disproportionately small. Another guitar with horrible sound can win those 10 points on something a lot less relevant like better casing. And on top of that it will have a higher score on durability tests, because thicker wood and finish tend to be more durable at a cost of much worse sound, so a worse sounding guitar will have an overall higher score because of that. Sound needs to earn more points.
Totally agree. All these categories should not be receiving equal weight importance. He ends up giving away a lot of points for irrelevant stuff such as the quality of the case, or resistance to scratch and so on. This scoring needs to be revised to be more accurate.
You mentioned people don't like when you cut into the guitar, but that's my favorite part! And it has the added benefit of showcasing either fine or bad work. You're doing the Lord's work keeping these companies honest :)- And we all benefit in the future with improvements of these models. Love it. Subscribed.
I own one and I like it. It's good to know that it's so durable. The top is solid spruce and gives it good tone quality. Calling it plastic is disingenuous.
Why is it disingenuous to refer the backs and sides as plastic when they're made using resin? If I'm not mistaken it's a combination of sawdust and resin...
But they do sound plastic. Much much more then an all solid body guitar.
@@jacobbrown1690 How do they compare to guitars that have a solid top but laminated rosewood back and sides for example?
They are a "High Pressure Laminate" of wood injected w/resin (as someone else pointed out). If I'm not mistaken, it's wood recaptured from the factory, in an effort to cut down on waste. It's therefore a hybrid substance. Durable, cost effective, and reclaiming wood shavings which wood otherwise be swept into the bin. Martin's way of trying to be responsible where any waste is concerned. Of course, should you choose to toss it in a lake or the ocean, it will cause the same problems as a used Tide container. Difference being, they've yet to find one washed up on shore anywhere. Still, there's always that one drunken sailor who may drop his into the briny deep...
I have been playing this guitar for months and enjoy the sound very much . Even though it is slightly smaller than my all tonewood Dreadnaught it seems to amplify and project better. If this were not a laminate Martin would have had to charge much more. I sti!l call it "my Martin" and very proud of the sound that comes out of it.
I'm in the industrial laminate biz so a couple of educated guesses.. The HPL of the back & sides is probably paper phenolic and it is a laminate. It's made by pre-treating/soaking the paper with the resin then pressing the layers under heat. The material appears homogenous because the resin flows during the pressing and makes it fairly uniform, especially when it's that thin, the layers themselves are only about 0.004" thick each.
Wow! Interesting. I believe you’re correct. Thanks for the info.
@@DriftwoodGuitars Commonly refereed to as "Formica". As in kitchen countertops formica
@@CaptainRon1913 Cool story bro. I noticed you dont have any SOUND comparison vids of this guitar
@mikeb792 no one does cuz it blows everything away. Alamo Music has compared the dx2e to the d13e and half people in the comment section preferred the more Basie and louder dx2e. Even Alamo had to admit it was louder but because he wants to sell the d13e he said it doesn't have as good a playability lmao...
I really appreciate you making these videos.
There's probably a lot of time, effort and money spent to create these.
I am enjoying this series of test drives and autopsies. For that money and the use of Formica for back and sides, I was not dismayed at the sound - it was clear and even. I am one of those who actually believe that the back and sides do make a difference to the guitar's sound, not only the thickness and bracing but also the material. Formica is not high on my list of sound-enhancing materials. Can you imagine tapping a sheet of that stuff for tone? One thing you did not comment on is the quality of the top. Yes, it is solid spruce. While I am not mystified and transfixed by spruce that has 45 grain-lines per inch, I believe that the very wide grain on that soundboard would have to leave the wood a bit flaccid. Again, can you imagine tapping, or rather, thumping that top for tone? But, the evenness and clarity, especially when played by someone who listens while playing instead of flailing away, was pleasing and better than I expected. And if you bought it at a shop, they might even fix the action.
I have a plastic Martin, not just the back and sides but the top as well. I LOVE it. Absolutely love it. I have had a 000-15, a D-18 and a d28 in the past. Is my X series any of those guitars, no.
i would argue that my sons $200 Yamaha FG800 sounds "better" judging by any standard markers. Louder, clearer more defined, absolutely. Though my plastic X has a "darker" tone to it that's kind of cool if you are into that.
It's VERY quiet, which is awesome for playing in my apartment (especially at night). It's BULLET PROOF. Bullet proof enough to strap to my backpack and take out hiking (directly on.. No case) or throw it in the back of my pickup truck to go to my neighbors pond and play. I'm not scared if my dog knocks it over, or jumps up onto it when its on the bed, I'm not scared to have wet dogs and kids around it. Its worry free for me.
If you are looking for the cheapest way to get the "best" sounding guitar, this isn't it.. but for sub $500 its my most used guitar. It looks like a Martin, it feels and plays like a Martin (for the most part), but i can use the heck out of this thing in ways i never could my other Martins.
I'm not defending them, I'm just saying that in my world this was the perfect sized peg to fill the hole in my guitar rack.
Thats awesome! You see folks, not everyone is buying a guitar to be the best sounding guitar in a collection. Sometimes you buy a guitar for something other than recording, gigging, or future resale value.
I have this guitar and i love it. It sounds great and the the neck is smooth and easy to play.
Me too. I seriously doubt any of the critics would be able to pick it out of a mix.
This series rocks.
1) HPL: Formica countertop veneer.
2) The Bolton neck is also glued on, this is so they can glue, screw, and move on without waiting for the glue to dry.
Keep it up!
Is there actual wood in the HPL back and sides though? As in a combination of resin and wood dust? Or is Formica completely resin?
@@Brenners2010 there is no wood in it. It's a plactic material.
@@misinformationwithrandy Okay. What about the neck then? Is that made of actual wood or is it a composite material also?
@@Brenners2010 the one I repaired had a laminated plywood neck, the neck and top are wood, just not in a typical formula.
@@misinformationwithrandy When you say laminated plywood you mean that it consists of layers of plywood glued together? There's a D-X2E being sold for 700 Euros here in Ireland and I'm wondering whether I would be paying to much for it considering the back and sides are plastic and the neck is plywood?
I think this is pretty accurate I have a Martin with hpl sides and back and I take it everywhere and it truly is indestructible. I would suggest buying one of these guitars with a fishman pickup installed.
You guys are doing an awesome job with these kind of reviews. They are pretty unique and I can't wait when you start reviewing even more pricier guitars from different manufacturers..
Thanks guys
Would love to see a video like this on a Yamaha FG or FS series acoustic in the future
Agreed! I have an FS800 w/ cutaway and electronics and it punches wayyyyy above it's weight class
@@Tsak112 Yamaha has really good quality control. My family has a few from the 90s that are killer and were entry level models.
In this price range you can get an all solid Eastman with sitka top, sapele back and sides and bone nut and saddle with incredible sound. I would really like you to put one of these to the test. I love Martin, but putting cheap plastic on a 500 Dollar guitar is a shame.
LOVE my Eastman E2-OM!!
It would be a good model to test. Be prepared however. Unless they've cleaned up their act, nasty bit of business on the inside. Hopefully they've improved since the last time I had a mirror inside one.
@@kendaniels2179 I couldn't care less about the inside as long as it is not a structural integrity issue.
Fair enough OP. I love my old martin but there's some crazy diminishing returns with name brands and guitar quality... and if I had to buy a new one then I wouldn't wanna pay martin prices. Not to mention mine is an 82 and I'm sure all can guess what procedure it is in the process of getting right now lol. There's so many awesome economical options these days and so many arrogant companies expecting you to pay them anything just for the name on the headstock. Searching around and finding good specs for a fair price really is paramount.
They don't have the bass sound or volune a martin has though. Most people prioritize that over precious materials lol.
It's NOT plastic as such - it's sheets of paper / card pressed into a mould with a resin. Same stuff as formica that is used to top counter surfaces
Plastic 🤷🏻♂️
@@mago2986 No, not plastic.
@@GotAUkulele check the Taylor break down. You will see the real lamite
@@mago2986 I'm referring to his term 'HPL Plastic'. It's not - it's mainly paper pressed in a phenolic resin (like bakelite)
Very radical, but highly effective way of getting your pick out.
This is the best guitar review on the internet
I doubt that anyone at Driftwood Guitars will read this, but would like to point out a few corrections:
1)The tuners are in fact 18:1 gear ratio. You can confirm this by marking a post and seeing how many turns of the knob are required to bring it back to its starting position.
2) The fingerboard and bridge are not East Indian rosewood as stated, rather they look like Katalox or Granadillo.
3) The neck is not a "bolt on" joint; it's a glued-in mortise and tenon joint with an assembly bolt. The fingerboard extension is also glued directly to the top. As you noted, you can remove the bolt and the neck stays right where it is...
Thank you for doing this. I really enjoy seeing the inside of these guitars. I know you have done a Taylor and would love to see the GS Mini done as it is right in the price range of all of these.
Ah, when in the last video I suggested the Martin I was actually thinking about the Junior Series and not the X-Series. They're 24" scale and all wood (and $100 cheaper). Still, very interesting to see the HPL and all that in this review.
I bought the X1AE recently and actually thought it sounds pretty good. No wonder I’ve been trying to learn for upwards of 10 years and haven’t even a got a song down yet.
Keep going😊
I'm a new subscriber who can't get enough of these videos. It's probably been addressed at some point in older content but what happens to these guitars after they've been reviewed?
These breakdowns are great for insight before buying! Can I suggest doing a Yamaha Acoustic?
Great review.
Just one thought though, some of the guitars sold in high volumes are guitars around the $200 price. Guitars like Fender cd60 v3, Yamaha F-310, Epiphone DR-100, etc.
Even then it's rather hard to find review of these. With the quality I've seen here, it will be amazing if you could look into that side of things as well.
Maybe if not go for individual ones, you could grab 3-4, and compare/contrast them together in one video.
I own both a 000-X and a D-X and think your review is very accurate. The D is a 2013 and it sounds better than the new 000 so it still holds that a guitar sounds at it's worst the day you buy it. The top has turned a nice orange so even with the HPL back they benefit from age and playing. Because they are cheap I haven't been afraid to tweek and set them up myself and learned a lot from it. They are as high as high $699 now which is too high in my opinion but what isn't. I got the D in a fair trade and the 000 in a Christmas special so I didn't pay the normal street price for either. They are good couch players or very good beginners and benefit from tweeking. At the moment I'm considering liquidating and moving up to an OM Eastman which is actually more of a Martin 000 than an OM. Keep up the good work.
I keep the Dx man cuz you might miss the bass.
Love these videos! Looking forward to some more expensive guitars. Keep it up!
These are the best reviews I've seen of any kind of product on YT. Kudos.
I can't believe this Martin stamped guitar is made of plastic. I would like to see a guild chopped open. Great video.
Thanks for the in depth review. I was between this a Taylor and a Yamaha and this had my fave sound….the “toughness” tests sealed the deal for me (with a 6 and 11 yr old terrorizing the house). ✅. And the shop adjusted action for me before I left.
Excellent review. I love your process Chris, very thorough. Not my kind of instrument but for a beginner or someone looking for a super casual beater, not a bad choice.
You can buy an Eastman PCH3 for $450. Why would you buy this?
Great video, loved how in depth you went even if I felt uncomfortable watching you drop and cut open the guitar. I think you’re a bit unfair calling HPL plastic, it’s very thin layers of wood fibre and paper that are impregnated with resin, like micarta. That’s not to say that I particularly like it, but it’s not just plastic either!
Nope, there's 0% wood in HPL...just like there's 0% wood in micarta.
HPL is just layers of kraft paper glued together at very high pressure, whereas laminate wood is layers of real wood glued together. Calling HPL plastic is thus quite fair.
@@bertrandguerra7621 and what’s paper made out of?
@@donbradman334 used to be Made out of pulped crappy wood…. Losing it’s structure in the proces. MDF is Made with wood as well but behaves totally different than wood. Some Ovations sound better than Some 100% massive wood so it is not the ‘the’ factor in making a Good guitar…. But that’s just my slightly informed opinion!
@@mightymikemeijer ovations sound way better than this martin
@@donbradman334You're try so hard to make this martin looks good😂
Had no idea that this guitar was basically made of plastic. I played a couple of different ones in the store and thought they sounded off for some reason. My main acoustic guitar is a Seagull S6 and it sounds way way better, real wood, and made in Canada just works for me.
HPL is basically Formica. A great counter top material
I hope someday I will do it with some Yamaha and some Ibanez. Thanks for the content, I'm glad I found this channel.
Good stuff. Even though it's not the best in some cases, I like that Martin experiments with things like composite backs and fretboards.
It’s been done before Martin had to cheap out to build a guitar that someone could afford. But hey it makes a great personal table at the picnic. Formica does it’s job well.
Actually the Martin website says that the saddle is white Tusq, not plastic. The nut is corian though, which I think is plastic (or a type of plastic)
we need more budget brands on this kind of videos or series. Love it!
I looked at both the Taylor and Martin models you've reviewed and glad I stumbled on to my Cort Gold O6 for the same price...it also came with an heavy duty gigbag. It's more like the old Taylor 200 series than a Academy. Thanks again for making another great video!
The gold corts are way better than 200 level Taylor's. Solid b/s,, great finish, really vibrant, nice tuning machines, etc
@@peterdeboer8924 I'm in NY, so this guitar is now 15 months old and went through 1 full Northeast winter, four sets of strings, and probably 100 hrs of playing. Only minor issue I noticed was the original saddle was a little loose in the bridge slot and a mounting screw hole for a tuning machine was stripped. Both easy fixes. Bracing was well done and clean. Nothing has warped. Honestly it's like new, but sounds a little more opened up now. Definitely worth every buck spent for the sound, playability, and build quality.
I would love to see a video of a top being removed and revoiced to see what difference it makes
I have had a dcxe blk all hpl guitar for over 15yrs. This guitar lives at my shop and is a instrument i pick up to play occasionally. I had it set up upon purchase. This guitar just kicks ass with setup and playability. Sounds great plugged in. Not the loudest unplugged. Over all its probably the best playing guitar you could own for a beater guitar and not worry about it missing a beat.
I build acoustics; jumbos, dreadnought and small bodied guitars out of old pianos as I can get them for free and they have a solid spruce soundboard which costs a lot to send to NZ.
The back and side material is what the piano has under its veneers. Sometimes often poplar which is very light and easy to heat bend and occasionally oak which is ok for a back if thicknessed down enough to bend.
I also do guitar repairs and have found quite a few guitars have the wrong neck angle due to a poor design at the neck block that allows the body to bend and flex at that point. I usually test by holding the body and pulling up on the neck. It’s amazing how many name guitars easily flex at the neck joint. That’s why I build all my guitars with bolt on necks with an extended neck reinforcement block so soundboard and back are solidly glued at that point. It really stiffens the attachment point no end.
it is easy to restore the neck angle if the body rises with string tension or remove to work on the frets etc.
I love the detail you put into the ornamentation on your guitars. 👍👍👍
I remember a time in the late 70’s or early 80’s walking down a south Texas city street, and I came across a guitar shop with an Ovation guitar displayed in the window. I can’t remember the exact nature of the display (the guitar may have been cut open), but it was clearly a derogatory statement on the composite shell back versus a guitar built with all natural materials. I think the store was a Martin dealer. Seeing Martin now using HPL in some of their guitars makes me chuckle.
And my 53 year old Ovation sounds a lot better.
I had a DXK2 and it was a great tabletop around the campfire. Food stains clean up nicely the Formica did its job.
My 32 year old Ovation sounds very good. I get complements on it pretty regularly.
In the late 70’s and early 80’s Ovation got a lot of publicity because they were great instruments to tour with due to the rugged nature of the bowl and the built in amplification, so many artists played them onstage, but recorded with the other guitars. Glen Campbell and Al DiMeola may have been the exceptions to that. For accoustic 6 and especially 12’s they were loud and built like a Telecaster.
My 33 year old sounds very good. The thing about Ovations. Is they are extremely consistent.
At some point, it would be great to see an Orangewood guitar in this series, especially since they offer an all-solid wood guitar around this price range.
Test drive the high end Tanglewood guitars. I've heard a few well recorded ones and they sound dang good !
Great review!
And being able to see the inside of the guitar is very revealing (even if my heart makes a jump every time! 😅 ).
The HPL is layers of kraft paper soaked in phenolic resin compressed at high heat and pressure. Not "plastic" but I believe the outer layer is a scratch resistant plastic. Also, the neck is not bolt on at all. It's M/T (on this guitar.) They use the bolt to retain the neck while the glue sets. The Martin dovetail neck does not have this. (I should mention that I like bolt on necks. My Furch has one and that guitar sounds amazing and feels so good)... Also, the HPL guitars are great for what they are. Durable guitars that are more impervious to the elements and humidity changes. I have an all solid wood Martin dread made in Nazareth and it sounds amazing. I also have an all HPL Little Martin and it sounds great for it's size and I can take it places I wouldn't take my DSS-17. I also recently played a full size all HPL Martin model and it sounded really really good. I think the material has it's place. And Martin sells a TON of HPL guitars, soooo....
Excellent video btw. The amount of effort you guys put into these is amazing. Thank you!!!
Finally, a guitar I don't mind seeing a guitar fall on the floor. It actually sounded pretty good - might make a good electric guitar.
That guitar in the corner of the background is HUGE.
I thought I read someplace when the x-series came out that HPL was actually pressed woodchips from the shop floor at the martin factory. One of their environmental initiatives.
It’s just solid plastic now. Not sure it was ever anything different.
It’s Formica
My stomach always turns where you drop them face down. I have to close my eyes at that bit. I've learnt so much from these videos. Thank you.
tone 😕,
Durability 💯
I've played the all HPL (top included) guitars. The tone was lacking in volume and character but it looked really cool and knowing it can't be destroyed kind of makes me want one.
The Martin mortise and tenon gets a bad rap. They only use the screw for assembly and leave it in to help with finishing. It is a glued in neck joint.
Thanks for sharing your evaluation with us. It is really helpful to understand the differences in guitar construction and tone.
... also you can take your guitar apart and build a nice insulated circuit breaker or laminate your countertop with it
I bought one recently and love it.
The HPL name comes from the fact that high-pressure laminate is essentially Formica... it's made by stacking layers of tissue paper and resin and curing it under high pressure.
This is a damned great idea for a video series. Love it!
A big thank you for video. I've a Sigma DM-ST and looking to get a Martin & the 000-X2 was on the list. I'd call myself a shallow end of the pool intermediate player . No matter how good the Martin 000-X2 sounds for the money & how well they're built in some areas'' the formica back, sides & the neck joint, are a deal breaker for me.
Even if it's more durable and sounds better? to each his own I understand the appeal of owning precious materials like jewelry. You got understand to the guy in the video is selling guitars of course he's going to tell you it's not a sound as good as all solid wood. Otherwise play one for yourself amd compare it to other guitars in the store bud.
HPL laminate is the same kind of plastic laminate that cabinet and furniture makers use. The inside finish you talked about is just the scratches left over from the wide belt sander during the manufacturing process.
really love the series, really interesting.
I'm seriously looking at the Martin for my return to guitar playing after 30 years.
However, after looking at the April 2023 Yamaha FG830 specs (Sitka Spruce Top, Rosewood Back and Sides - not laminate, Nato Neck, and Rosewood Fingerboard) you get far more for less than half the price! ($289).
I would LOVE to see your review and cut-away of the FG830 to see if it's as good as the Martin seen in this review. EDIT: The Yamaha FG830 also comes strung with D'Addario 12-53 strings - another bonus.
Wow!! Was researching this exact guitar & found this channel! Thank you for stearing me clear of it! ( I'm just not into plastic for $500++!)
HPL is a laminate of wood powder put under pressure to where the cellulose reforms its bonds. Think wood fuel pellet using much smaller and dryer wood. Yes, looks and acts similar to plastics, but wood not petroleum based. Says this Chemical Engr.
I have seen most of the videos you uploaded, I love this idea. I have always wanted to see how an acoustic guitar looks inside and how some models are finished. There is a brand called Sigma that builds Martin replicas under license. They are pretty nice for the price... I would to see a 00015m or 00018m inside. Cheers and thanks a lot for sharing :D
I’ve played several of Martins guitars with HLP back and sides, and owned two for camping guitars. Playability was bad out of the box and each needed a set up. Sound was ok, but for the money…. Not so much. Thank you for this video and information
I love this series.
Keep it up.
*Can you review SQOE A8? It make quite a buzz in my local community
I was very surprised how poor the inside bracing was on this and the PRS P20 you did proper put me off both need to spend a bit more money me thinks, and I'm only a beginner, and at this price in UK they are not cheap guitars, and would have thought build quality would be a bit better than it is think they both need to take a good look at QUALITY CONTROL the PRS BRACING WAS A DISGRACE ON THE TOP.
So glad you cut them open thanks
Judging from the inside it definitely looks like Martin was conscious that someone might get inside there one day. It is pretty clean, and not sloppy or too rough. Nice to see they care a little bit anyway.
It’s not a bolt-on, it’s a glued mortise and tenon, the screw is essentially a clamp. It’s quite common on newer entry price Martins. The only real problem with it is that it’s not traditional, so obviously it must be evil.
i have an ooox1 from 2007 thats INSANELY good
its gotten better with age and my friends are still trying to buy it from me.
if anyone is looking for a great used budget martin theyre like 200 used
Please do an Eastman guitar (or a Seagull ), ED1 for example. I'm curious to know how it compares to a Martin and Taylor in the same price range. I think it would be a slaughter!
After cutting guitars in half, they might make an interesting test bed for demonstrating on how different body depth affects tone, and possibly how different "partial" back and side materials affect tone. Thanks
Go to a store and try it yourself. Don’t write it off so quickly. I played a new x2e in store and was surprised by how good it sounds comparing to other all solid guitars. it is definitely a martin. That “plasticly” sound is only in your mind, i doubt anyone can tell it’s from a guitar with HPL back by just hearing it.
Well that's not true. I played one in store without looking at anything; just wanted to play a bunch and see what spoke to me. The moment I started playing, it sounded like a toy. I recall making an "ew" face, and putting it back. The 000-15, on the other hand, is now sitting in my home.
Enjoy these reviews. Thanx.
Very intersting serie of vids. Very useful for someone willing to buy a guitar in this price range. I thought there would be more harsh comments for the abuse on unsuspecting guitars. But no. Peoples want to see what's inside and how they withstand the mistreatments.
To me the Taylor sounds better than the two others by quite a margin BTW.
Agreed! You should have seen the comments when we released the first video. You’d have thought I pushed an old lady into traffic.
It would be cool to hear your opinion on the Martin Jr series which is their most affordable all solid wood guitars
"Definitely not as good as I have seen on the higher end Martins" Of course, if they were as good as the higher end Martins, they'd be higher end, too.
Great series!
I really love these videos!
Amazing review after you cut these in a half what do you do with them? Thanks for all the great content man!
"Oh it breaks my heart to see those stars smashing a perfectly good guitar"
There ought to be a law with no bail saw a guitar in half and you go to jail!
nah..it's a shitty guitar..cut in in half and set fire to it!
Martin..piece of..
I bumped into this review after buying a OOO-X2E and was a bit bummed out. But then I listened to this Nick Jennison demo/review: "Martin X Series D-X1E & 00-X2E | Reviews", Jul 2, 2020 by Guitar Interactive Magazine. To hear the potential of the X Series guitars, give it a listen.
I have to say your idea of entry level is a little high. Nowadays a respectable affordable acoustic can be bought for between £250 and £350. I bought my son an excellent Tanglewood for £320. He’s very happy with it.
That’s not a criticism of the format though. The videos are excellently done and consistently make us all feel extremely uncomfortable about cutting up an instrument. I’d love to know what the manufacturers feel about these. Best wishes. Tony
@@andsoistopped $600 USD isn't much more than £430, so maybe a touch outside your budget, if your budget guitar comes with a case. I agree with you that it seems like all mouth and no trousers.
Hey, great review, one of the best in terms of quality and knowledge provided. Can you please review a Orangewood guitar as it has received lots of positive review for a new company with high quality and budget friendly guitars.
Another nice ‘breakdown’ video, thanks. I’ve been looking for an inexpensive acoustic to knock around with so this series has been great. I don’t understand why manufacturers are still using plastic nuts and saddles ( on cheap models ), are they really saving that much? They make so many more appealing options these days so that’s a huge turn off for me.
Just bought an x series Martin think I’m going to try a Tailer concert cause you gave that guitar sound a better score. I’m still within my return window should probably save up a little more and get the Yamaha red label. I kinda like the durability of laminate though.
Chris, the plastic IS the HPL. Think Formica countertops.
Please do the Eastman E1d they said is top notch quality.
I call it “countertop material” because it sort of reminds me of Formica the way the joints are beveled.
I have a 12-string Dreadnought which sounds great but had an issue with belly bulge. Warranty fixed it but I now use extra light strings and tune it down a step.
I object to paying north of $500 for a plastic bodied guitar regardless of how it sounds. Definite impression of it being a guitar shaped object with a Martin logo. I suggest a Yamaha FG820 or LS6 or LS6M for a breakdown. Yamaha is always talked up as a really well made beginner instrument so I'd like to see the guts of them.
Eastman offers a 600$ all solid wood
It is NOT plastic. It’s paper and resin pressed together at extremely high pressures. Martin has special tools to cut it because of its hardness, remember how he damaged his saw? The guitar would benefit from the hardness on the sides maybe not from the back. If Martin wanted a better sounding cheap guitar they would do regular laminate on the back but that complicates the process a little because you need super glue for hpl
@@1ch0r41 it’s not plastic it’s Formica countertop. I’ll give it to Martin they make a real nice picnic personal table top. I used mine like that.
I obj6 to a plastic guitar...
Wow you crazy!!!!!!!!!! I love your mad skills
Would the Yamaha FX5 fit into this category?
This is a good guitar review series. You go deeper on build quality and durability than other reviews.
This guitar would be ideal as an outdoor / travel instrument because its so durable, and I think it sounds very decent for what it is. Sounds even better than a twice as expensive Gibson G-45 imo
But I have to agree that there still better instruments in this price range.
High Pressure Laminate (HPL) is actually paper & resin, not plastic. Multiple sheets of paper, a top protective layer and a pattern layer are bonded under heat and pressure creating a hard, durable material. This material can be made to look like nearly any surface, wood, stone, cloth, etc... I've played several guitars made from this material and I have say this is a good cost-conscious alternative to the ever increasing costs of quality woods and sometimes prohibitively expensive carbon fiber guitars. I don't own one yet, but after playing several Martins made from HPL, I am not opposed to buying one, I was quite impressed with the tone and playability of these guitars. More info about HPL: czcams.com/video/9MAe6nTXsIw/video.html
I'm curious how a Furch would hold up. They have a hard lacker and stiff neck and tuned soundboards. Really high end stuff from the Tjech repulic.
And they sound awesome!
BTW. That HPL and bracing from that Martin was really dissapointing. And that sticker on the X-brace? I guess a sticker costs less than making it fit properly.
I'm enjoying this series, and so far have found your scoring fair and consistent, but I just can't understand how you give this a 10 for the string test. If a neck bends under tension, you can always adjust the truss rod, but if the top bellies, that's a serious issue that is only going to get worse over time. Sure, you can file down the saddle, but then what if you, or the next owner, decide to go back to lighter strings?
I also don't understand you giving 10 for the interior build quality. It did look pretty, but when you removed that linen cap, I was shocked. That sloppy x-brace, with a joint depth less than half the depth of the brace, was probably the major cause of the bellying under tension. The strength of a beam is proportional to the square of its depth. If a brace is only half as thick, it's strength is a quarter of a full-depth brace. This notch looked more like it went 60% into the brace, which means it's only 16% effective. Effectively, it's not an x-brace, but a diagonal brace with two shorter diagonals. That abrupt change in thickness is also a huge stress riser, and likely point of failure.
I don't think $600 is "entry level". Compared to your own $15,000+ guitars, it may seem like it is, but for Joe Public, $600 represents a significant commitment, and you should expect at least sound construction, good playability and reasonable sound quality. I would have described a guitar at this price point as ones first serious acoustic - the one you buy once you've outgrown your entry-level guitar and decided to commit to the guitar.
I have a Martin X series 12 string, it honestly sounds SO good and is perfectly intonated.
Love this series of vids 👍
Hey guys, love this series! If you take requests for guitars to review in the future I'd love to a see one on the Martin 15M series guitars!
This is a cool idea, but I think sound should contribute more to the total score. For instance have a score out of 100 instead of 10.
please do a video like this on a martin D-45. I really want to know what makes it so special. thank you
Best guitar review eveeer
can't wait to see what inside on Taylor vclass