Maury's Blog

Season 1 Episode 18 of Martins & More welcomes renowned artist Robert F. Goetzl to the podcast.

How long does it take to break in a Martin guitar? Here is a query we received that would fit right in with one of Maury’s Martin Myths podcasts. So, just how long does it take to “break in” a Martin Guitar?

Season 1 Episode 10 of Martins & More takes a deep dive into the 16 Series as Spoon provides a history lesson that begins in the Folk Boom of the early 1960s and Maury offers insights into the current lineup of the acoustic-electric guitars unique to the 16 Series and designed for the touring professional and recording artists of the twenty-first century.

Season 1 Episode 8 of Martins & More features Spoon providing the fascinating history of Martin’s Style 17 and how it evolved into today’s 17 Series.

There is an old advertising slogan that went something like, “More people play a Martin or want to play a Martin than any other guitar.” Certainly, Martin guitars are owned and played by countless professional musicians from the biggest stars to the anonymous studio session players that back them up on albums or play on the soundtrack scores of Hollywood films and television shows. The reason for this can be summed up in one word: Tone.
 

At long last, we're finally making strides in getting some Uke demo videos recorded, produced & out into the wild. Between Spoon Phillips, Maury Rutch and Dee Dasher, we're committed to putting together some really fun ukulele content.

If you've always wondered about popular acoustic guitar myths, how to tell which ones are based in truth - and which ones are total baloney  .... this episode of the Martins & More podcast with Spoon Phillips is for you!

History of the Martin OM Orchestra Model - Martins & More Podcast with Spoon Phillips S2 E19. If you're a fan of Martin OMs, and always wanted to know more about their early days, the various different models & why Maury & Spoon love them so much :)  .... this episode is for you!

Martin Introduces Satin Finish Models in the Standard Series! Extra!!! Extra!!! New 2023 Martins offer incredible value with great tone. Maury’s Music proudly presents SIX new Standard Series Martins, the D-28 Satin, D-28 Satin Amberburst, D-28 Street Legend, each made with East Indian backs and sides, and the D-18 Satin, D-18 Satin Amberburst, and D-18 Street Legend, made with Genuine Mahogany back and sides.

Michael Dickinson is a very good friend of Maury and Spoon who has worked at C. F. Martin & Company for over 30 years. Today, he spends most of his time procuring wonderful tonewoods from around the world as Martin’s Exotic and Sustainable Wood Buyer. Due to his unmatchable knowledge of Martin history, he was also given the responsibility of sourcing and buying rare vintage instruments for the Martin Museum.

Season 2 Episode X of Martins & More is as large and lovely as the Martin Jumbo models that Maury and Spoon are exploring in this podcast! The size J and even grander Grand J are modern Martin inventions that are well-loved for their shape, volume, and tone.

Season 2 Episode 9 of Martins & More explores the history and majesty that is the iconic Martin D-28. Between Maury’s expertise in Martin models and Spoon’s expertise in Martin history, legends, and lore, what better way for an acoustic guitar fan to spend an hour than listening to a couple good pals extolling the virtues of a true acoustic guitar icon?

Season 2 Episode 5 of Martins & More features the iconic D-18, which set the world-wide standard for what an excellent mahogany Dreadnought should be, from long before Martin even had a “Standard Series.” Thanks to anonymous listener X for requesting this topic!

Season 1 Episode 24 of Martins & More seeks to discover the many and often surprising virtues of the most affordable Martin and Blueridge guitars available today. No matter one’s budget, a bargain is a bargain.

Season 1 Episode 21 of Martins & More is dedicated to the wonderful OM-42, which has awed players and their audiences since it first appeared in the 1990s as an elite rosewood Orchestra Model.

Which Martin D-18 is the best?

Season 1 Episode 20 of Martins & More is all about Martin neck shapes, with Maury tapping into Spoon’s detailed knowledge of the various neck shapes available at C. F. Martin & Company now and those created long ago, but which remain influential to this very day.

Season 1 Episode 15 of Martins & More puts the spotlight on the concert artists and recording stars that were honored by C. F. Martin & Company with a limited edition model celebrating their contribution to popular music. Some have been honored with more than one such model. Thanks to all our listeners on the Maury’s Music Facebook page for replying to the poll that led us to doing a podcast about Artist models made by Martin!

Season 1 Episode 11 of Martins & More offers you Maury and Spoon’s authentic opinions and authenticated knowledge of Martin’s Authentic Series. Each guitar is a meticulously researched reconstruction of specific classic vintage Martins from before, during, and after their Golden Era of the 1930s.

Season 1 Episode 9 of Martins & More has Maury Rutch of Maury’s Music discussing the most modern and deliciously deluxe Martins from the Modern Deluxe Series, with his longtime pal, the always knowledgeable and ever opinionated T Spoon Phillips, pipping up and pipping in from Brooklyn, New York.

X marks the spot in Season 1 of Martins & More, as Episode 7 finds Maury and Spoon investigating the mysteries of Martin’s X Series! Each a modern marvel in its own right. From the mighty electric-acoustic Dreadnought models like the stunning D-X1E, to the contemporary Grand Performance sized GPC-X2E, these never fail to impress anyone who has yet to play an X Series model when it comes to the Tone to Dollar Spent ratio.

Season 1 Episode 5 of Martins & More presents this bulletin from Supreme Allied Headquarters, Coaldale, Pennsylvania. At 16:00 Hours, on June 6, aka H-Hour on D-Day, the combined allied forces of guitar dealer Maury Rutch and acoustic guitar scholar T Spoon Phillips unleashed a joint operation, having previously met behind closed doors to embark on the intrepid mission to crack the code of the mysterious Martin CEO models.

The 2022 NAMM Show in Anaheim, California is upon us, and Martin Guitar has officially launched several new models! Which one are you most looking forward to?

In Season 1 Episode 4 of Martins & More Maury takes advantage Spoon’s exclusive Martin insider knowledge to explore the fascinating details of Martin guitar bracing, across all their various series and instruments.

Season 1 Episode 3 of Martins & More is a fun, fact-filled conversation about the acoustic guitars that set the industry standard for professional-level acoustic guitars, offered from within Martin’s venerable Standard Series.

Season 1 Episode 2 of Martins & More focuses on some of the best-bang-for-the-buck Martin guitars, found in the amazing Road Series. When did the Road Series first appear? How has it changed over the years? Why might you want to buy a Road Series guitar for yourself or a loved one?

We proudly present Season 1 Episode 1 Martins & More, Maury’s Music’s entertaining and informative podcast featuring special guest T Spoon Phillips, the veteran New York City guitarists and venerable scholar of C. F. Martin & Company history, and all things related to acoustic guitars. This inaugural installment is about mahogany, and mahogany, and more mahogany!

Extra! Extra!! Seven New Martin Models Added to the Modern Deluxe Series!!!
We interrupt this blog for an awesome news bulletin. Our friends at C.F. Martin & Co. have released a bevy of Modern Deluxe beauties, currently available for pre-order at Maury's Music!

In 2019, the invention of the first 13-fret Martin took the world by storm with the introduction of the Martin SC-13E Koa, with its revolutionary Sure Align neck system and the ergonomic design of its Velocity neck and asymmetrical S body shape. Today, that which had expanded the possibilities of what an acoustic-electric guitar could achieve was taken to new levels, with the introduction of the upgraded SC-13E Special Ziricote model, the SC-13E Special Ziricote Sunburst model, and also the SC-10E, the most affordable S-size Martin yet!

Martins made with a mahogany back and sides are prized for the purity of their uncomplicated tone and their classic, understated good looks. But the mahogany mystique is most unique in the guitars from Martin’s 15 Series, as they are constructed with the addition of a mahogany top that produces a special kind of tone.

Blueridge BR-180 vs. Martin D-45
The Blueridge BR-180 is one handsome acoustic guitar with a powerful voice. The gorgeous tonewoods are inlayed with high-color abalone pearl, making this stunning stallion stand out from the herd, as the top-of-the-line dreadnought in the Historic Series. The Martin D-45 is the flagship of C. F. Martin’s Standard Series, setting the standard for professional-level acoustic guitars. In this blog post we will compare and contrast these two exceptional examples of modern luthiery.

The latest installment of Maury’s popular A vs. B series compares two popular guitar models, the Blueridge BR-163 from the Historic Series of traditional designs inspired by various pre-war Martin guitars, and the Martin OM-28 from the Standard Series, which upgraded in 2018 to get its own pre-war Martin styling. These two awesome Auditorium-size acoustic are similar, yet offer a unique playing experience from one another.

The terms “X-bracing,” “forward-shifted bracing,” and “scalloped bracing” are encountered all over the internet and often mentioned by Maury when discussing Martin guitars. But many people do not understand what these terms actually refer to and why they matter when it comes to the sound production of an acoustic guitar. And since Martin simplified their public spec sheets in recent years, there is even less information on their website concerning the details of what bracing is being employed to make their many different models.

Mahogany or Rosewood? The answer is “Yes!” Yes to both. We are now going to explore the marvelous qualities that make mahogany and rosewood the most revered tonewoods used to create world-class acoustic guitars, in this, our May edition of Maury's Music’s A vs. B.

As with most exotic species of wood, Guibourtia ehie has several common names. But in the world of musical instruments it is known as ovangkol. The latest Martin guitars to feature ovangkol are the D-16E Burst and OMC-16E Burst, the all-solid wood wonders that use it for the back and sides, and for their gorgeous tops under a high gloss mahoganyburst finish! And aren’t they pretty?

To Auld Lang Syne and the Coming New Year!
Our final blog post for 2020 looks back across this most unusual of years to remind all of us how the power of music has brought so many together when they couldn’t even be in the same room. Maury had a wonderful time making music via the internet with so many talented artists. And we have enjoyed experiencing the music of our many friends and customers who have shared their own love of music onYouTube and Facebook and other forms of social media.

Martin’s Standard Series, Reimagined for the Twenty-First Century

In 2018, Martin Guitars released the Reimagined Standard Series, with upgraded features for acoustic guitar models made in Styles 18 and above. This is why you will see (2018) next to the name of a Martin guitar model, e. g. 00-18 (2018) or D-42 (2018.) Extra, extra - read all about it!

Q: Why isn’t the Martin M-36 called an M-35?
The M-36 is a classic Martin model with a unique configuration of features found nowhere else. Those familiar with Martin's catalog see the M-36 and recognize how closely it resembles guitars made in the classic Style 35. So why did they call it M-36? Let's find out!

June is the time for weddings, and anniversaries. It is the month of True Love. And with a tone as pure, powerful, and compelling as Love itself, the Martin D True Love is a magnificent guitar of aesthetic beauty and musical loveliness most befitting this time of year.  
 

Made in the Shade
Martin has a long tradition of adding special toner to the spruce soundboard of a guitar to darken the  lacquer finish in a pleasing, aesthetic way. The official company language has always described such guitars as having a “shaded top,” with the common terms like “sunburst” and “burst” being used for specific types of top shading. And while there have been multiple bursts over the years, the two most popular examples remain available today, the Sunburst 1935 and the Amberburst 1933.

A week after Maury appeared on the popular YouTube webzine “The Aaron Short Music Hangout,” Martin’s Dick Boak took his place in front of a webcam for a lengthy and enlightening interview on the same show. Aaron asked him what his favorite Martin guitar was. Dick replied that there are so many great Martins, but for him it is the Orchestra Model. And it is no coincidence that John Mayer’s signature model is based on his long-time go-to axe, which happens to be the same Martin OM model that Dick Boak plays, and the very same one played to this day by Maury of Maury’s Music. The reason is simple – Martin OMs are awesome!

With its nautical theme celebrating the age of the great clipper ships, the Martin D Homeward is a true masterpiece of the woodworking arts, among the most visually beautiful guitars C. F. Martin has ever produced. Read more.

Martin Body Sizes

When you see a Martin model name like D-15 or 000-18, the number on the right side of the dash refers to the “Style” of decoration and the materials used to create the instrument. The letter or number on the left side of the dash refers to the body size. And today we will look at the various Martin body sizes available in 2020, starting with the newest one. Read more!

Maury’s Music, in association with C. F. Martin & Company is proud to present the new 2020 Martin guitars – New Martins for the New Decade! Extra, extra - read all about it!

They're all here!  John Lennon. Johnny Cash. Eric Clapton. Over recent years, CF Martin has honored several guitar legends with their own signature model Martin Guitar - and we have them in stock. The Martin Legends are at Maury's Music!

With its unique pedigree and impressive good looks, a guitar made in Style 35 stands out like a thoroughbred stallion from the impressive Martin herd, especially when it’s heard. A rich and robust rosewood voice of exceptional complexity attracts admirers from all styles of music, and with good reason. Read more.

Scary good guitars at shocking good prices!

As the golden October afternoons are spirited away and replaced by the spooky, spine-chilling nights of a dark and blustery November, we are reminded of how the cheerful voice of a Style 18 Martin guitar is as bright, clear, and pretty as a sunny Sunday in Spring Time. It is the perfect musical tonic for the soul this time of year, as the days grow dark, the nights grow long, and the winter blues approach. Read more!
 

Why are there so many versions of the D-28 for sale? From its introduction in early 1930s, the Martin D-28 set the standard that all other acoustic guitars have been compared to ever since. Today, Martin offers more than one version of this most-iconic acoustic guitar, inspired by various renditions from the D-28’s historic past. And we are going to take a closer look at each of them in this blog post. Read more.

Martin unveiled more new models for Fall, 2019!  Including the D-45 Woodstock, DX Johnny Cash and others. Learn more!

Boy Howdy! Summer is heating up in Nashville, Tennessee. But the Martin guitars will be super-cool as the new 2019 models make their debut at Summer NAMM 2019. And here is Maury’s Music’s exclusive sneak preview!!!

The NEW Martin CEO-9 closely resembles the super-popular CEO-7. Both guitars were designed by Company CEO, Chris Martin, and have many features in common. Which one might you like best? 

At Winter NAMM 2019 C.F. Martin & Company debuted the new Dreadnought Junior 10 and Dreadnought Junior 10 Burst. The new DJr-10 design differs from the previous version in one significant way, the depth of the body is shallower. Read more.

Brenden Hackett of Martin Guitar paid us a visit, and gave us a thorough education on all things Modern Deluxe! Check it out.

Sal scored a brand new Martin 000-28 Sunburst & we talked him into doing a couple of tunes!

Martin unveiled their new 2019 NAMM models in Anaheim on Thursday, January 24th at 1pm.  Many were also on display at the Martin Factory and Maury was rolling tape all day! We have lots of high-res pics on our Facebook page! 

Starting Monday, January 7, Martin Guitar will be revealing a new 2019 NAMM model each day throughout the month of January!  We'll check in with Spoon Phillips to hear what he thinks about each and every one. 

Heavily inspired and influenced by acts from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, The Munoz Brothers seek to recreate and adapt the music of the past with a unique personal twist. Comprised of brothers Ivan Munoz (bass, vocals) and Damian Munoz (guitar, vocals), the acoustic duo aims to bridge the gap between “the contemporary” and “the classic” through their instrumentation and vocal harmonies.

Lost & Haunted Ways is the new CD by our pal T Spoon Phillips.  After a long session in the studio, we talked him into playing a tune for us on his 000C-21TSP Custom Artist edition.  

Check back often for Maury’s MartinFest 2018 updates!

The 2018 Summer NAMM show wrapped up on Saturday & Martin unveiled some interesting new models!  Maury was at the Martin factory the moment they were released & he brought some video footage back to Maury's Music. Extra, extra - read all about it!

Martin's 17 series guitars are a special breed. They're snappy, light & bright - without sounding thin or nasal. The finish is deliberately lo-fi and they almost look like something out of a 1920's catalog. Read on!  

Our pal Mike Dickinson gave us a VIP tour of the Martin Guitar Factory - including some truly behind-the-scenes hiding places!  

Maury compares the older style Martin D-45 to the new Reimagined 2018 D-45.  Which do you prefer & why?

Maury needed to meet John Hall for some important company business.  What better place to meet than at Martin? 😎

Spoon Phillips has been playing and critiquing Martin guitars for many, many years. When he expressed interest in designing the perfect guitar for himself, we asked if he'd allow us to bring this exciting creation to the general public. This 000C-21 TSP custom artist-dealer collaboration is a short-scale 000 cutaway with a unique collection of desirable features and primo tonewoods, available only at Maury's Music. 

Martin unveiled their new 2018 NAMM models on Thursday, January 25th at 1pm. If you have any questions about these great new Martin models, please contact us. 

Scheduled for introduction at Winter NAMM 2018, the reimagined Standard Series is collectively the most significant update to Martin's flagship line of guitars in their 185-year history.  We'd love to connect you with one of these great new Martins!

After 41 years with the legendary company, Dick Boak has retired from Martin Guitar.  It's the end of an era.  When people speak of Fender guitars, you often hear the phrase "Pre-CBS".  I won't be surprised if January 8, 2018 marks a similar shift in the way people eventually refer to Martin Guitar, in Nazareth, PA.  #postboak

Maury's old bandmate Lamar Snyder dropped by & the two reconnected on some of their favorite old songs.  Lamar was invited to sit in with Maury & Tim at a local gig, but a snowstorm canceled those plans.  Oh well ... plan B.   

Maury compares three Martin Grand Performance Cutaway guitars.  The GPC-18E, 
GPC-28E and GPC-35E.  Which do you prefer & why?

The Martin Model America 1 is a limited edition Made in the USA dreadnought, featuring all United States sourced woods!  Spoon Phillips of Onemanz.com puts it through its paces. 

By popular request, Spoon Phillips compares 3 popular Martin Guitar body sizes.  The OMC-18E, GPC-18E and DC-18E.  Check it out!

We receive lots of questions about the proper way to restring an acoustic guitar.  Martin Guitar's Dave Doll has a really good video showing you the step-by-step process.  Check it out.

Dan "Couser" Crowley dropped by to pick up his Custom Shop Martin deep body 000-28C.  Maury installed a Trance Audio Amulet M for him, and when he came to collect, Maury talked him into playing a tune.  Thanks for dropping by - you sounded great!

NEW for 2017: You can now order select Martin Guitars with your choice of electronics.  Choose between the Fishman Aura VT Enhance or the LR Baggs Anthem!

Maury compares the 2016 Martin D-28 with the new, updated 2017 version.  Which do you prefer & why?

Tommy & Clayton have been performing in the Panther Valley area for a little over 2 years.  Now they've finally made it to the big time:  Maury's Music.  :)

Maury & Tim have been playing together onstage since 1996.  Tim is also a founding member of Becky & the Beasts.  Here's some video footage from Penn's Peak 6/29/17!  

John Rossi dropped by with his Martin OM-28 to have his Trance Audio Amulet MV preamp adjusted & his brother Vinnie came along for the ride.  John is playing his OM-28 and Vinnie is playing a Martin 000-17.  Thanks for dropping by!

Martin unveiled their new 2017 NAMM models on Thursday, January 19th at 1pm.  Maury was rolling tape by 1:00:01! Check out our video footage!

Marshall Fleisher is Maury's bandmate, customer and good pal!  In this clip, Maury is playing his Martin OM-28V, and Marshall is playing the Martin OM-42 he purchased at Maury's Music in 2014.  Thanks for dropping by!

Autumn Brew has an open invitation to drop by Maury's Music anytime ... but Maury couldn't pass up the chance to see them live!  Greg & Leanne Kendig have a sound all their own, and we were excited to get some of their set on video!

Plan on visiting the C.F. Martin Guitar Factory! We'll give you one more good reason to make the trip.  Now customers can buy a new Martin Guitar at Martin Guitar through the Buy From Factory Program. Tell 'em Maury's Music sent ya!

This week we embrace our wanderlust and discuss Martin's travel guitars. Which one is right for you?

Maury has been a proud member of the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum since 2002 & he's attended every MartinFest.  Follow us on Facebook for LIVE updates, and check back here for instant-replay! 

​This week we take a look at the iconic musicians that have played Martin's most iconic guitar.

"Known by it’s serial number of 58957, this guitar was once owned by Clarence White before it was sold by him in 1965 due to financial concerns. Nearly 10 years later it found it’s way into Rice’s hands. Although it certainly shows the signs of its age, including divots in the soundboard where a young Clarence White shot it with a BB-gun..."

Tim Teel has been a great friend of mine for many, many years.  He's solidifed a place for himself in the Martin history books, and I'm so proud to have known him along the way.  At the end of a busy work week, he was kind enough to walks us through some of the new NAMM models. Thanks for taking the time Tim!  

This week we take a look at where Martin's most unique instruments are made, the Custom Shop.

"Now that I have a better handle on it, I like to think of the Custom Shop as a way for a player to take an already great standard model and make it the perfect guitar for themselves. Love the D-35 but you’re uncomfortable with the narrow neck? Change it to a 1.75”. Love the sound of an HD-28 but you’re not a fan of herringbone? Put scalloped braces on a D-28 instead."

This week we take a trip into the woods and check out some Bear Claws!

"The idea goes that if a bear scratches a tree then after the wood heals it’s going to leave 'scars'. While I will admit that this explanation is a lot cooler than what’s actually happening, it’s simply not true."

This week we take a look into the future! Will your guitar sound better next year than it does today? That depends on how well it "Breaks-In".

Becky & Sean from Becky & the Beasts dropped by Maury's Music  & we found time to put together an old Sheryl Crow tune.   Thanks for stopping by!  #thatgirlcouldsing

This week we take a look at the artists who made the Martin D-35 their own.

Spoon Phillips is a walking Martin Guitar encyclopedia, a snazzy dresser and the talent behind our in-depth YouTube guitar reviews. But exactly who IS Spoon Phillips?  Let's find out.

This week we take a look at two of the new Martin 17 Series guitars and discuss their biggest difference, 12 vs 14 fret construction.

We've teamed up with our friends at the Fretboard Journal to bring you - Great Martins!

NAMM 2016 is starting... It's like Christmas, but for guitar players!

With so many variations on their bracing available, choosing the style right for you can seem like challenge. This week we're going to break down different bracing styles and see what makes each one unique. 

"Undoubtedly the most popular bracing pattern Martin uses is their 'X' bracing. Found on the majority of Martin instruments, the X bracing was first developed in the 1850s. This 'X' bracing took the place of the more traditional fan bracing used by European guitar builders at the time. While maybe not as ideal for the gut strings used during this period, as the market changed and players started demanding louder instruments, Martin's sturdier 'X' bracing allowed for an easier transition to the higher tension steel strings necessary to achieve that. "

We've teamed up with our friends at the Fretboard Journal to bring you some... Great Martins!

This week we take a look at two of Martin's most iconic dreadnoughts, the D28 and the D35.

Maury visited Blues Creek Guitars in Hegins, PA with our pal John Hall.  Maury & John chatted for a bit & we get a peek at a pre 1890 Martin Guitar!

This week we talk mostly about Martin Guitar Neck Profiles and maybe a little about Italian Westerns.

Spoon Phillips of OneManz.com visted Maury's Music for another round of Martin Guitar demos.  At the end of Day 2, he checked out three OM-28 Authentic 1931's and allowed me to roll camera.

Today we get into the nitty gritty, talking about how Body Size and Scale Length affect the sound of your acoustic guitar.

Spoon Phillips of OneManz.com visited Maury's Music for another round of Martin Guitar demo videos, and he showed me one of his original tunes. 

Spoon Phillips of OneManz.com dropped by the shop to record another round of Martin Guitar demo videos.  After a long shoot, we took a break and played some other Martin guitars.  :)   This Martin D-45 was hard to put down. 

Maury visited the Martin tent at Musikfest and jammed on some Beatles with Custom Shop guru Danny Brown. 

We tested a VTS Martin D-28 Authentic 1941 against a non-VTS version of the same guitar.  Check out the results & let us know what you think!

Over the years Martin has changed the exact position of the "X " bracing numerous times, but on modern Martins the standard positioning of the center of this X is about 1.5” from the soundhole. If the center of the X gets closer to the soundhole this is known as forward shifting. If the center is farther away it’s known as rear-shifting.

At Maury's Music, we play the products we sell.  Maury has performed onstage with some very talented local musicians over the years, and from time to time, many of them stop by for a visit. 

Many guitar companies are looking towards more responsibly sourced woods with which to build their instruments, both for their more positive impact on the word at large as well as the security they will provide for the manufacturer years down the line.

This topic was actually requested by a customer who was having some difficulty understanding the difference between the D-28 Marquis and D-28 Authentic 1937. Both of these guitars offer similar woods, construction and features. However, as with all things acoustic guitar, the devil is in the details and it’s only by looking carefully at the specs that you’ll get a full picture.

Martin brought the 00-15M design into the Retro Series.  The 00-15E Retro is the first-ever mahogany-topped Martin to include Fishman Aura electronics!

With the official start of summer only a few days ago and the Fourth of July fast approaching we are right in the middle of road trip season.  Whether it's to a family BBQ, to the shore, to a music festival or any of a thousand other places, many of us are going to be traveling this summer and there's a good chance your guitar is going to come along for the ride. 

For a newcomer to Martin guitars, the sheer size of their lineup can be overwhelming. With over 100 guitars in their lineup at any one time, all labeled with Martin's own unique labeling system, it could seem tough to narrow down your options. This weeks article is going to be an explanation of Martin's guitar naming system, breaking down exactly what each part of a model's name designates and what it means to you. In ten minutes you can go from a complete Martin beginner to an expert. 

For 2015, Ed Sheeran has again teamed up with Martin for another signature guitar, the Ed Sheeran X Signature edition. While taking many design elements from the previous Sheeran model, the X does make a few marked improvements on the original...

This week we're going to take a crack at answering one of the most common question's I'm asked: What exactly is the difference between a D-28 an an HD-28?

" Projective enough to be heard over multiple instruments without sacrificing tonal quality or detail, the D-28 has carved out a place in Bluegrass, Country, Folk, Pop and probably a dozen genres that I'm simply forgetting. The D-28 is the guitar that made Martin a household name and without it I don't believe they'd be the same company we know and love today."

Martin's new Performance Artist series guitars have re-set the bar when it comes to acoustic-electric tone.  I spent some quality one-on-one time with these new models in the sound room at Martin.  Dave Evans and Tim Teel were there to get me up to speed on these terrific new instruments.