Closest thing to Martin?

[mekke]

Hi, am not from this neighborhood, but I thought this would be the most appropriate venue to ask this...I am looking for an acoustic which I can pair with my YAMAHA LL6. The LL6 is a great axe, but it lacks a bit of bass punch.

 

I heard that Martins deliver a great bass punch along with the legendary tone...Now, I don

[LaXu]

I felt the same way about the LL6. I ended up with the Ibanez AW800 (all solid wood) which is about 400

[Michael Martin]

Maybe go with one of the older Takamines that were carbon copies of Martins...?

[Freeman Keller]

Welcome, Mekke, and you are right about Martin's legendary tone. As you know, however, different woods, different sizes, different bracing patterns, even within the Martin lineup, will sound very different. Martin dreads do have that big boomy bass, but some other models will have a very different sound.

 

An interesting comparison was recently posted by a company that sells both Martins and Blueridge (at a fraction of the price). You might enjoy listening to these to see if there is something that suits your needs. And of course, nothing beats getting out and playing every thing you can

 

Maury's blueridge vs martin clips

[rjoxyz]

In my experience (not that I have played every guitar out there), I would have to say the Blueridge pre-war style guitars come closest.

[markwayne]

I'm have a couple of nice Martins and love the tone. I recently purchased a Blueridge BR163 for my wife who is petite and, therefore, dwarfed by a dreadnaught. I had very low expectations for a guitar this inexpensive. I've been very taken with her guitar! It's become the family's defacto "couch" guitar. Perfect size and volume for family sing-along night.

 

This little Blueridge, while not quite a Martin, comes close. If their dreads match their 000s (and I have it on good authority they do), at your stated price-point I don't think you could get any closer to a Martin bark.

 

Wayne

[redhawks2]

Blueridge!!! I have their BR-280 and BG-40 and I am blown away by what you can get for the price. The BR-280 is their high end but the BG-40 is somewhere around $400 US with case and I actually prefer it to the 280 for sound. The BG-40 has solid spruce top and laminate mahogany back and sides. You will love it if you get one. I also have a Morgan Monroe which i wil put up against just about anything and everything for tone. These really are incredible guitars at any price (not just for the money).

[mekke]

thanks everybody. I will hunt some blueridge over here if I get a dealer...

Do they have a site?

[AK47]

I noticed you are in Sweden. See if you can find an old "Levin" for sale. These guitars are early 70s' or older. All solid wood construction and very Martinish. [is that a word?] These were home grown treasures for you.

[Freeman Keller]

These were home grown treasures for you.

 

As a couple of folks have noted, there were several "lawsuit" copies during the 70's - Taks, some Yamahas, and apparently this one. All of the normal cautions about buying a 30 year old guitar apply, but the reason Martin brought the suits is that they were too darn close.

[StratAttackJack]

I've got a Sigma DM-1 that sounds exceptionally well for a $200 guitar - it was my first and it'll never be replaced. Its got laminate hog back and sides with lam spruce top. The Sigma DM-1ST is the exact same (and not much more $$) but is a step up with an actual solid spruce top. These are very, very good guitars for the money.

 

They also have a DR-1 and DR-1ST for those who'd rather have rosewood back and sides...and of course a verison of the ST that is loaded with a pickup and a features a cutaway. I believe any of these guitars can come in black if you so desired, and they are constructed with scalloped x-bracing.

 

This is really if you want a good CHEAP guitar, you could probably spend a couple hundred more and get something "better" but I just thought I'd throw this out there. I did some searching and all the guitars I mentioned can be had for less than, or around, $300.

 

I forgot to add that these are "ripoffs" authorized by Martin and made in Korea, so they actually have the Martin logo on the headstock under the "sigma" decal. I should add though that Sigma's are NOT Martins...they are closer visually than sound wise.

[moctzal]

I have a Blueridge and it sounds just as good as the Martins that make it here to Calgary (I don't think much of the ones that get here new...very incosistent). I find that my BR-140 (D-18 copy) in comparison has a tiny bit less bass than the D-18 and a little more top end zing and a slightly different tone, very nice guitar. Check out the link that Freeman posted. It's kinda cool to listen to those clips.

[guit30]

Why are you selling the Blueridge?

[moctzal]

Dreads are getting a bit uncomfortable to play. I'm thinking of selling my yamaha too. I spend a large majority of my playing time on my Tanglewood (000 12 fret cedar top). It's still in pristine condition. Now to get around to posting pics and making an add in the classified section...

[Bernie P.]

I played a bunch of Martin's and Taylors yesterday when I was picking up some strings.I was surprised how similar a couple of the Martin's sounded to my Epi EF500RCC since I changed the Epi strings out to DeAddario PB lights.The difference is very slight.Not to shabby considering two of them were over two grand ! That said the Epi AJ500RC 12 fret has more bass than anything I've tried so far though not as similar sounding to the Martins as the EF. You might want to give them a try.

[mekke]

These were home grown treasures for you.

 

...been looking. Swedes are very fond of those, and they usally are very rare to find. Damn!

[Treborklow]

I played a Blueridge today and I was surprised to find it WAS very Martin like.

[riknofx]

 

That said the Epi AJ500RC 12 fret has more bass than anything I've tried so far though not as similar sounding to the Martins as the EF. You might want to give them a try.

 

 

+1

on the epi's. I fell head over for the AJ500RC 12-fret. Super open and loud sounding out the box. Definetly great lows and sweet overtones. Maybe its the cedar top or the scale but the one I tried smoked everything else in the room. Some Taylors, Guilds(great too), and a couple Gibsons. No Martins there, but really sweet deal great alternative to the $$$$ I am saving for it already. Good luck

Rick:thu:

[blimpo]

I was looking for the same thing.

 

I passed on a Blueridge due to the poor design of the peg head.

 

I bought a Morgan Monroe M 20 and I am happy with it.

[Tony Burns]

Any way of looking for a used Martin - rather than new -- Ive always been a believer that if you buy the best youll always be happy . Im not saying that in all cases Martin is the best - but they do have that typical bassy sound we love so much.

[DeepEnd]

 

thanks everybody. I will hunt some blueridge over here if I get a dealer... Do they have a site?

 

Since nobody else has posted it, Blueridge is distributed by Saga Music: http://www.sagamusic.com/. There's a dealer locator as well.

[guit30]

The Monroe Morgans are awesome looking, nicer than Blueridge, haven't played one though

Jim

Almost bought this last night

 

http://www.playbetterbluegrass.com/morgan_monroe_m10_5021_prd1.htm

[mhelin]

Mekke,

Tiptop (.se) in Stockholm sells Clern guitars which look like pretty good Martin 000-28 EC copies (the other model has om deep body, the other's got d deep body). If you live nearby go try them (and tell us what did you like, I'll do the same next time I visit Stockholm).

[mekke]

I will chech this mhelin, thanks! I hope they also sound like Martins.

I am flirting with this....I am falling in love, and the fault is this thread

[mekke]

Closest thing to Martin...I was in this store selling off everything at 30% less...so I enter and see what