Best Martin Acoustic Guitar Review

Best Martin Acoustic Guitar Review

As acoustic guitars manufacturers go, C.F. Martin & Co. (usually just referred to as "Martin") is one of the best. Founded in 1833, this company is known for instruments of extraordinary quality. And while high-end Martins are often very expensive, they also offer several models that fall solidly in the midrange pricing category, making them accessible to players on a budget, too.

It's fairly impossible to declare a single model to be the best Martin acoustic guitar. But in this review, we've gathered seven of our favorites. There's a guitar here for every price range, and each is made with the same quality that has made Martin a household name.

Quick Comparison: Top Picks For Best Martin Acoustic Guitar
IMAGEPRODUCT
  • Fairly mid-range in price for a Martin
  • All-solid construction
  • Vintage-inspired design appeals to many players
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  • Slim neck for easy playing
  • All-solid construction
  • Spruce and rosewood create a beautifully balanced tone
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  • Great for playing live
  • Cutaway for easy fret access
  • Beautiful woodgrain with ebony fingerboard gives it a standout look
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  • Very affordable, especially given the quality
  • Has a solid top
  • Quality onboard electronics make playing live easy
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  • Very affordable compared to full-sized Martins
  • Attractive design
  • Quality tuners help keep in tune
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  • This historic model has been loved by countless guitarists
  • All-solid wood construction
  • Incredible tone
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  • Solid Sitka spruce and solid East Indian rosewood construction delivers timeless acoustic guitar tone
  • It offers the focused, deep bass response that the best Martin guitars are known for
  • Open-gear tuners, an aging toner finish on the top, and antique white accents give it an authentic vintage appeal
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  • Solid Sitka spruce and solid mahogany build is a classic acoustic guitar combination Scalloped X bracing supports both resonance and projection
  • Bone nut and saddle, ebony fingerboard and bridge, and nickel tuners with butterbean knobs give it a vintage look and feel
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  • All-solid spruce and mahogany build delivers classic, balanced sound
  • Slightly reduced body depth makes it more comfortable to play for extended periods
  • Quality Fishman Matrix VT Enhance NT2 electronics give you great live sound
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  • Considering the fact that it's a solid-wood acoustic-electric Martin guitar, it's a great value
  • Ziricote offers a reverberant tone similar to that of Brazilian rosewood
  • Satin-finished, Performing Artist neck profile is fast and comfortable to play
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  • Very affordable for a solid-top, full-sized Martin
  • Comes with electronics for easy live playing
  • Grand Performance body has ample projection
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  • The solid Sitka spruce top features a hand-rubbed finish just like that of the more expensive Martin guitars
  • The specialized bracing pattern gives it remarkably full sound for a smaller dreadnought guitar
  • Though it's a high-quality guitar, it's one of the most affordable Martins available
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  • It's one of the most affordable Martin acoustic-electric guitars
  • You can choose from HPL patterned to look like spruce, mahogany, koa, or plain black
  • All-laminate construction resists changes in temperature and humidity, making it an ideal travel guitar
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Review of our Top Picks

Martin 15 Series D-15M: Best Value Guitar

Important Features

  • Made with Martin's signature neck joint, which is unusually sturdy
  • All-solid, bookmatched mahogany construction
  • Full-sized dreadnought body for impressive sustain
  • Vintage look with nickel open-gear tuners

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Fairly mid-range in price for a Martin
  • All-solid construction
  • Vintage-inspired design appeals to many players

Cons

  • Some players may prefer a guitar with electronics
  • While it isn't too expensive for a Martin, this may be too expensive for some players

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

This all-mahogany guitar is a beautiful, vintage-inspired instrument with a rich, warm tone. It's made of all-solid mahogany, and the top, back and sides are all bookmatched. This means that the guitar is built so it looks like there's a mirror image of the grain on each side. 

Martin D15M features a bone nut and a solid ebony bridge, which go well with the understated elegance of its single-ring rosette.

Our Star Rating

Given its relatively low price and quality appointments, we think this is the best value guitar on the list. We give it five out of five stars.

Martin OMJM John Mayer: Best High-End Guitar

Important Features

  • Design collaboration between John Mayer and Martin means this is a very unique instrument
  • Engelmann spruce and rosewood provide a clear, balanced sound
  • OM body and antiqued gloss finish on the top give this model a vintage feel

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Slim neck for easy playing
  • All-solid construction
  • Spruce and rosewood create a beautifully balanced tone

Cons

  • This guitar is much more expensive than most
  • Some players might prefer an acoustic-electric for performance

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

This is the most expensive Martin on the list, but it has an expressive tone and quality appointments. It was designed with popular guitarist John Mayer. This guitar has an OM body (short for "Orchestra Model," which is somewhat similar to Martin's Grand Performance model.

Its top is made of solid Engelmann spruce, and its back and sides are made of beautiful solid East Indian rosewood. This guitar has a slim neck that makes playing easy, and its abalone rosette, subtle fretboard inlays, and antiqued gloss finish make it a truly unique instrument.

Our Star Rating

Because of this guitar's unique, quality construction, we think it's the best high-end model on the list. We give it four out of five stars.

Martin OMC-16E: Best Live Performance Guitar

Important Features

  • Solid Ovangkol gives it a rich sound, and this unusual tonewood selection will help your plating stand out
  • Orchestra model with cutaway is easy to carry and play
  • Comes equipped with quality Fishman electronics, making it easy to play live

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Great for playing live
  • Cutaway for easy fret access
  • Beautiful woodgrain with ebony fingerboard gives it a standout look

Cons

  • Price is somewhat high for many players

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

This is another of Martin's orchestra model guitars, but it has a couple of advantages. Since many Martin guitars are vintage-inspired, many don't have cutaways. This model has a Venetian cutaway, making it easy to access frets that are further down the neck.

It's also an acoustic-electric, and it comes equipped with Fishman's Matrix VT Enhance NT1 pickup. It's made of all solid Ovangkol. This is a wood that sounds a little like mahogany, but it has an additional high end that's much like the clear high end found on koa guitars. It also has a beautiful grain.

Our Star Rating

Because of its electronics, cutaway, and distinctive appearance, we think this is the best guitar on the list for live performance. We give it five out of five stars.

Martin D-10E Road Series: Best Affordable Dreadnought

Important Features

  • Solid Sitka spruce top and sapele back and sides offer a balanced tone
  • Full-size dreadnought body has the classic Martin look many players love
  • Comes with quality Fishman electronics

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Very affordable, especially given the quality
  • Has a solid top
  • Quality onboard electronics make playing live easy

Cons

  • Laminate back and sides aren't ideal for some players

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

This classic-looking dreadnought is an affordable offering that can help introduce you to the world of Martin guitars. Its top is solid Sitka spruce, and the back and sides are made of sapele, a tropical tonewood that is an affordable alternative to mahogany.

Martin D-10E is also equipped with Fishman MX-T electronics. This system also comes with a unique feature--it has an onboard tuner that automatically mutes pickup output as you tune.

Our Star Rating

Given its build quality and included electronics, this is a very good quality guitar for the money. We think it's the best value on the list, and we give it four out of five stars

Martin LXK2 Little Martin: Best Travel/Smaller Guitar

Important Features

  • Smaller body is great for traveling or for very small players
  • High-pressure laminate construction is better quality than a traditional laminate
  • Made with quality Gotoh tuners to help keep you in tune

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Very affordable compared to full-sized Martins
  • Attractive design
  • Quality tuners help keep in tune

Cons

  • All-HPL construction isn't ideal for great tone
  • Smaller size may not be ideal for those who don't need a travel instrument

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

Whether you want a quality small guitar for travel or want a well-made instrument for your child to learn on, the scaled-down Little Martin is an excellent choice. This one has a koa-pattern top, and the guitar is made with Martin's special high-pressure laminate.

Martin LXK2 also is made with Martin's special neck joint, which stands up to rough handling. This little guitar also comes with a padded gig bag, so it's ready to take on the road.

Our Star Rating

As travel guitars and smaller models go, this one is very well made. We think it's the best option for traveling, and we give it four out of five stars.

Martin D-35: Best All-Around Guitar

Important Features

  • All-solid spruce and rosewood configuration produces versatile tone
  • Classic design offers great playability
  • Timeless look and sound make it suited to a wide range of music styles

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • This historic model has been loved by countless guitarists
  • All-solid wood construction
  • Incredible tone

Cons

  • This model is fairly expensive
  • Some players may prefer a guitar with electronics

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

The D-35 is a legend among Martins, and its enduring appeal matches its classic good looks. It's made with a solid Sitka spruce top and solid East Indian rosewood back and sides.

These features combined with its ebony fingerboard make it the perfect choice for fingerpicking and flatpicking. Martin D-35 is considered by many great players to be the ultimate acoustic guitar.

Our Star Rating

Given its quality and history, we think the D-35 is one of the quintessential Martin acoustic guitars. We think it's the best all-around model on the list, and we give it five out of five stars.

Martin D28 -- Best Historic Design

Important Features

  • Forward-shifted X bracing gives it optimal resonance and bass response
  • Iconic dreadnought shape design is a favorite of countless legendary musicians
  • Modern neck profile makes it fast and comfortable to play
  • Simple aesthetic, bone nut and saddle, ebony fretboard, and top treated with aging toner gives it the look and tone of a vintage instrument

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Solid Sitka spruce and solid East Indian rosewood construction delivers timeless acoustic guitar tone
  • It offers the focused, deep bass response that the best Martin guitars are known for
  • Open-gear tuners, an aging toner finish on the top, and antique white accents give it an authentic vintage appeal

Cons

  • It is one of Martin's most expensive acoustic guitars, and it may be out of the price range for some players
  • It does not come with electronics, which may be an issue for performers

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

For many guitarists, Martin sets the standard when it comes to dreadnought tone. And out of all Martin guitars, the D28 just might be the best. It's sometimes referred to as a "tone cannon," and it's been played by Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Elvis Presley, and countless other world-famous musicians.

The D28's acoustic guitar tone is as classic as they come. The top is solid Sitka spruce, and the back and sides are solid East Indian rosewood. This combination is incredibly responsive to every nuance of your playing, and it creates an exceptionally balanced tone.

While the low end is very present, it's never overly boomy -- it's focused and delivers just enough punch. And of course, the brilliant overtones of rosewood add the right amount of natural sparkle to your playing. The D28 features a modified low oval neck profile with a high-performance taper, so it's easy and comfortable to play.

While this timeless dreadnought is a favorite of musicians everywhere, it's important to note that the D28 does not come with electronics. If you want to plug in to perform, it's a good idea to select a high-end system to faithfully reproduce this guitar's sound.

Our Star Rating

This incredible instrument's popularity has persisted for a reason. We think it's the best historic design on the list, and we give it five out of five stars.

Martin D18 -- Best For Playing in Groups

Important Features

  • Solid Sitka spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides give it the perfect balance of warmth and definition
  • Versatile tonality is known for sitting perfectly in a mix -- it's present without becoming overwhelming
  • Old-style inlays, tortoise binding, bone nut and saddle, and ebony fingerboard and bridge give it timeless appeal
  • Powerful projection makes it an outstanding acoustic guitar for smaller, un-amplified performances

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Solid Sitka spruce and solid mahogany build is a classic acoustic guitar combination Scalloped X bracing supports both resonance and projection
  • Bone nut and saddle, ebony fingerboard and bridge, and nickel tuners with butterbean knobs give it a vintage look and feel

Cons

  • Some players may find the sound of mahogany back and sides to be too midrange-heavy
  • It does not come with electronics

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

Along with the D28, the D18 is one of the most famous Martin guitars -- Andy Griffith even played one on his TV show! And while both are dreadnoughts, the D18 isn't the same guitar as the D28 at all. This one has solid mahogany back and sides for a warmer, midrange-heavy sound.

The D18's specific tone makes it perfect for playing in groups -- its treble and midrange won't overshadow a vocalist, and its bass response still leaves plenty of room for a bassist in a mix. There's a reason that so many session guitarists and recording artists like the Martin D18 -- it's an incredibly simple guitar to record, and a condenser mic can easily capture its essence.

But while the D18 plays well with other instruments, it's still a great choice for solo performers. The beautiful responsiveness of the spruce top and the added warmth of the mahogany back and sides offer an impressive balance that makes this one of the better acoustic guitars for accompanying a single vocalist too. This is another Martin guitar that does not come standard with electronics, but that gives you the opportunity to hand-select the best system for your playing style.

Our Star Rating

We think that the D18's versatile, midrange-focused tone makes it the best Martin acoustic guitar for playing in groups -- regardless of whether you're in a working band or just want to jam with friends. We give it a 4.5 out of five stars.

Martin D16-E -- Most Comfortable to Play

Important Features

  • Spruce and mahogany dreadnought shape offers versatile tone suitable for a range of genres
  • The slim, satin-finished neck is fast and comfortable to play with, even with small hands
  • Forward-shifted scalloped bracing enhances bass response, helping make up for the shallower body
  • Open-gear tuners, bone nut, ebony fretboard, and herringbone rosette give it vintage appeal

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • All-solid spruce and mahogany build delivers classic, balanced sound
  • Slightly reduced body depth makes it more comfortable to play for extended periods
  • Quality Fishman Matrix VT Enhance NT2 electronics give you great live sound

Cons

  • The slimmer body makes it sound slightly different than full-size dreadnoughts, and that sound may not be ideal for everyone
  • Despite the relatively high price tag, it doesn't come with a hardshell case

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

If you're in search of the tone that only a Martin guitar can offer but want an instrument that's a little less cumbersome to handle on stage, the D16-E is worth a look. At first glance, it looks a lot like any other Martin dreadnought with its natural finish and understated appointments. However, this instrument's slightly thinner body helps temper the powerful bass response. In terms of tone, it sits somewhere between the sound of a 000 and a full-depth dreadnought.

The D-16E is also a Martin guitar that comes equipped with electronics. However, those electronics are much better quality than what you often find on less-expensive Martins. This guitar comes with the Fishman Matrix VT Enhance NT2 system. It's essentially an undersaddle pickup with an especially useful "enhance" feature that helps percussive playing techniques and nuances in your playing style translate to a larger audience.

Our Star Rating

We think that this slimmer dreadnought-shape guitar is the best Martin acoustic guitar when it comes to playing comfort, and we give it 4.5 out of five stars.

Martin D13-E -- Best Unusual Tonewood

Important Features

  • Ziricote back and sides offer a stunning aesthetic along with tight low end and sparkling highs
  • All-solid wood construction makes it a high-quality guitar for the price
  • Richlite fingerboard and bridge have a similar look and feel to ebony
  • Fishman MX-T electronics feature a soundhole-mounted tuner that mutes your signal when engaged

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Considering the fact that it's a solid-wood acoustic-electric Martin guitar, it's a great value
  • Ziricote offers a reverberant tone similar to that of Brazilian rosewood
  • Satin-finished, Performing Artist neck profile is fast and comfortable to play

Cons

  • Some players might prefer a more traditional acoustic guitar tonewood for the back and sides
  • Fishman MX-T electronics are decent, but some players might prefer a higher-end pickup

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

If you haven't heard of ziricote being used on an acoustic guitar, you're not alone. This wood is more commonly seen in flamenco guitars, but you may also find it on a classical or two. This chocolatey-grained wood is sometimes compared to Brazilian rosewood -- its bass response is incredibly deep yet focused, and its glittering treble adds life to any genre of music. It's a good choice of wood or an acoustic guitar, especially if you're looking for something a little different.

The ziricote D13-E has a more traditional solid Sitka spruce top for impressive responsiveness when playing. And though its price tag is relatively low for a Martin guitar, don't be fooled -- it's made of all solid wood. When it comes to appointments, the D13-E is a little more snazzy than the typical Martin aesthetic -- the mother-of-pearl patterned rosette and fingerboard inlays add some sparkle, and the white binding adds some subtle visual interest. 

You may also be able to tell from the model name that the D13-E is an acoustic-electric guitar. It comes with Fishman MX-T electronics. These electronics are essentially upgraded versions of the Fishman Sonitone -- they simply have an added soundhole tuner. The MX-T isn't the best pickup out there, but if you want to enhance your live sound, you can always run it through a high-quality preamp for acoustic guitars.

Our Star Rating

We think that the all-solid, affordable D-13E is the best Martin guitar made with an unusual tonewood on the list. We give it four out of five stars.

GPCX 20th Anniversary Easiest To Carry

Important Features

  • Solid Sitka spruce top provides a rich tone with plenty of sustain
  • HPL back and sides help keep it affordable
  • Comes with Fishman Sonicore electronics
  • Grand Performance body with cutaway makes it easier to play and handle

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Very affordable for a solid-top, full-sized Martin
  • Comes with electronics for easy live playing
  • Grand Performance body has ample projection

Cons

  • Laminate back and sides may not offer the same tone as solid wood

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

This guitar is one of Martin's Grand Performance models, and like many Martin acoustics, it has a solid Sitka spruce top. It's very affordable for a full-sized Martin, and it has high-pressure laminate back and sides.

Despite the low price, this guitar also comes equipped with Fishman electronics--it has the Fishman Sonicore system, which is one of Fishman's more affordable offerings. Even though it's fairly low in price, this is a beautiful guitar with a surprisingly rich sound.

Our Star Rating

We think this guitar is the easiest to carry (due to its compact size and HPL laminate back and sides) on the list. We give it four out of five stars.

Martin LX1E -- Best Solid-Top Mini Guitar

Important Features

  • Shorter 23" scale length and scaled-down dreadnought guitar body make it a great instrument for kids and smaller adults
  • Solid Sitka spruce top and HPL back and sides give you a clear, nuanced tone while keeping costs low
  • Fishman Sonitone electronics make it a great guitar for traveling performers
  • Mortise/tenon neck joint supports great sustain, impressive sustain, and overall stability

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • The solid Sitka spruce top features a hand-rubbed finish just like that of the more expensive Martin guitars
  • The specialized bracing pattern gives it remarkably full sound for a smaller dreadnought guitar
  • Though it's a high-quality guitar, it's one of the most affordable Martins available

Cons

  • Fishman Sonitone electronics aren't as high quality as those in the best Martin guitars
  • Some players might prefer a full-size Martin, especially if they're looking for the main guitar

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

All too often, even respectable acoustic guitar manufacturers seem to forget about quality when making smaller instruments. But the LX1E can hold its own against Martin guitars many times its price. Thanks to its custom bracing pattern and solid Sitka spruce top, it still delivers a great dreadnought tone -- it sounds, unlike any mini dreadnought you've ever heard before.

If you care about the environment, you'll also appreciate the LX1E. It's made with plenty of sustainable materials -- the back and sides are made of Martin's lightweight and environmentally-friendly HPL, and the Richlite fingerboard and bridge look like ebony. The Stratabond neck plays quickly and smoothly. And even though this quality instrument is at home on the couch or around a campfire, the onboard Fishman electronics make it easy to plug in and play wherever you are.

Our Star Rating

We think this is the best of Martin's solid-top mini acoustic guitars, and we give it four out of five stars.

Martin DX1E -- Best All-Laminate Guitar

Important Features

  • Scalloped X bracing delivers a natural, resonant tone
  • Richlite fingerboard looks and plays like ebony
  • It's an affordable way to play a genuine Martin guitar
  • Corian nut and Tusq saddle support quality tone and great intonation

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • It's one of the most affordable Martin acoustic-electric guitars
  • You can choose from HPL patterned to look like spruce, mahogany, koa, or plain black
  • All-laminate construction resists changes in temperature and humidity, making it an ideal travel guitar

Cons

  • Laminate top won't sound quite as full and nuanced as solid wood
  • Fishman MX electronics aren't quite as natural sounding as those in higher-end Martin acoustic-electric guitars

Brief Review & Star Rating

Review

If you're like most guitarists, you might look askance at acoustic guitars with laminate tops. But even though the DX1E is made entirely of Martin's high-pressure laminate material, it still plays -- and sounds -- like a genuine Martin. It's a full-size dreadnought, and the scalloped X bracing delivers the same signature low end you get with Martin guitars.

The Martin DX1E also comes equipped with Fishman MX electronics. This high-quality pickup also includes a soundhole-mounted preamp. It's ideal for performance, and you may even find that it works well for direct-line recording. You can select a DX1E that suits your aesthetic preferences -- though all of these acoustic guitars are built with high-pressure laminate, you can choose one that's pure black or patterned like spruce, koa, or mahogany.

Our Star Rating

We think this is the best of the all-laminate Martin acoustic guitars. We give it three and a half out of five stars.

Buying Guide -- What Should You Look For When Buying A Martin?

Martin guitars, as a general rule, are quality instruments. Unlike some manufacturers, Martin doesn't make a line of very budget-priced guitars. As you shop, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Body Style

Many Martin guitars, and especially older models, are dreadnoughts. The dreadnought is the most popular guitar body style for a reason--its large, deep body produces plenty of volume, projects well, and has a rich sustain. Another popular body style you're likely to see is the grand performance, which is called the grand auditorium by Taylor and some other manufacturers. The grand performance has a few advantages--it's smaller and easier to carry and handle than a dreadnought, and it also has a clearer sound with fewer overtones than larger models. This makes it easier for fingerpicking, or any other time you want to clearly hear individual notes.

Martin also makes a scaled-down guitar called the Little Martin. This guitar is great for traveling or for playing songs with less low end. It's also a great choice for small children who are just learning guitar.

When evaluating body styles, it's important to remember that no body style is necessarily better than another. You'll need to take your playing style into account in order to choose the best one for you.

Tonewoods

Before getting into a discussion of the tonewoods commonly used in Martin guitars, it's first important to address solid vs laminate woods. You likely know that solid woods (especially when used to make the top of a guitar) make a significant contribution to sound. Solid tops produce a rich, nuanced tone that almost always sounds better than a laminate top.

The best guitars are made with all solid wood, but there are plenty of instruments made with laminate backs and sides that still produce excellent tone. Martin's particular brand of laminate is worth addressing--this company uses a high-pressure laminate (abbreviated as HPL) for laminated woods. This has some advantages--since it's made using very high pressure, it's hard and strong, and often similar to a hardwood in character. However, it does have the disadvantage of being somewhat prone to breakage due to its inflexible nature.

That said, Martin uses quality tonewoods on its instruments. Here are a few of the tonewoods you're most likely to see:

Spruce

Spruce is likely the most popular material for making the tops of acoustic guitars--it yields a bright tone that balances well with most woods used for guitar backs and sides. Sitka spruce is commonly used, but many Martins are also made with Engelmann spruce, a paler wood that has more of a ring to it.

Rosewood

Rosewood is a beautiful, durable tonewood that's commonly used for guitar backs and sides. It adds incredible warmth and resonance to your tone. This is one of the reasons it's commonly paired with spruce tops.

Mahogany

Mahogany is an excellent tonewood choice for players who want a sound that isn't too bright. It sounds warm and somewhat dark, and it's great for emphasizing midrange playing. Mahogany is used for tops, backs, and sides, and it's especially good for fingerstyle playing.

Electronics

One of the very important factors to consider when selecting a Martin is whether you intend to play live. While you can play a guitar into a microphone, it can be difficult to accurately and completely capture the sound, especially if you're playing in a noisy venue. If you want to play live, choosing an acoustic-electric may be wise, since this lets you simply plug in your guitar and play.

If you do choose an acoustic-electric, the quality of the electronics is also a concern. Martin primarily uses Fishman pickups. Fishman is one of the leaders in acoustic guitar amplification. However, as you might expect, higher-end Martin acoustic-electrics will have higher-end Fishman pickups.

Other Appointments

While the nut and saddle of a guitar may seem insignificant, they play an important role in shaping a guitar's tone. Many cheap guitars use a plastic nut and saddle, which have a mild deadening effect on sound. On the other hand, many Martins use bone nuts and saddles. Bone has richer sonic properties and can give your guitar a livelier tone and better sustain.

Of course, if you choose a guitar that has a cheap plastic saddle or nut, these are relatively easy to replace. You can install saddles or nuts that are made of bone or Tusq (a composite that's sonically very close to ivory), or you can pay a guitar shop to upgrade them.

In Conclusion

You can't go wrong with any guitar from Martin--this company has been making quality instruments for over a century, and countless professional and hobby players enjoy their guitars. Our top pick of this list is the OMC-16E--this is the most versatile one listed, as it also can be played live. Its all-solid wood construction means it has a sound that will only open up over time.

That said, if you don't need electronics, we think either the D-15M or the D-35 is the best choice. Both are quality, all-solid instruments, with the D-15M being more suited to players who like a less bright tone. Whether you end up choosing a guitar from this list or ultimately select another Martin guitar, you'll be selecting an instrument that can grow with you through the years.

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