Martin 000-15S

I bought my 00015 S as I was waiting for surgery on trapped tendons and nerves in both shoulders and needed a smaller guitar.
On this score it hit the mark 100%
Forget all the boutique items and fancy inlay, its a guitar and it does the job as designed

As a later guitar, mine is Sappele, ( Farmed African mahogany) which is fine by me, matt finish, with fittings in keeping with its price range. The case is an economy ply job with leatherette covering, in keeping with the price if a bit heavy.

At the time I bought the guitar it cost me ??899, some ??500 less than any comparable not far east solid wood guitar fitting the same spec.

From day one the guitar has had a warm sound, with volume. It has bite and snap when pushed but is velvety soft and warm when picked gently. With 3 years use it has opened up, each new set of strings is a joy as it noticeably develops.
This sound translates well when recorded, with no hidden wolf notes or undesirable overtones.
The guitar is fantastic for accompanying a song, or playing in a session, despite the warmth, picked notes stand out and have definition on all strings and on all the frets up to the 14th.
I have replaced the nut and saddled with TUSQ and used TUSQ bridge pins which has improved sustain and definition.
The guitar works exceptionally in DADGAD down to CGCGBD with a light action and 53 to 12 strings. This is very rare at any price. Tune up to concert and it sounds a dream with plectrum or nails.
There is no such thing as one guitar that does all things, but this gets very close.

This guitar attracts comments whenever it comes out of the case.
The back to basics look has a great attraction and means that there is less to go wrong.
I can buy an arguably fantastic looking guitar with inlay and lots toys for the same money but I would rather the money go into wood and skills. In this area the 00015 S does not disappoint. All the basics are spot on with no defects out of the box or in use. The changes to nut saddle and bridge pins reflect my choice and not as a result of any defects.
On a personal level I love the attention to detail in the way that the machine heads are bushed, rather simply left to run on bare wood. However it???s a crying shame that the heads themselves are of poor quality and 12/1 ratio. If anyone can recommend a set that will fit without re work I would love to hear from them.

The case is showing signs of wear, however FOC case at this price range I dont have a huge issue. It means I love playing the guitar and taking it out to play.

I use this guitar out of the house at least once a week without fear.
The build quality is above average, however any unbound instrument needs respect.
Mahogany has a reputation for splits, but I have no experience of this. Possibly living in the temperate climate of the UK helps. If you get extremes of temperature or humidity you need to take more care or get a Carbon or plywood guitar ( Both are good in their own way and for the right job).
If gigging I use the Martin for dropped tunings and a Fylde Ariel (00 sized) for concert pitch.
Long term the machine heads will have to go. Once in tune the guitar never slips, it???s just that they lack fine feel and to my taste are the wrong ratio for open tuning work. The case is fine for now, but will be replaced when funds allow for a lighter and more durable Hisock case.
All in all, for the cash paid it is hard to find fault with the standard spec.

I have had no need to talk to Martin. My Dealer is good.

Arguably a good product needs little support

I have had a number of guitars over the years and I am guilty of wasting a lot of money on frills and trends. I have been playing for 35 years.
Due to health problems I swapped a Davidson Super Jumbo (J200 sized with 26 in scale neck) for the Martin, a decision that pained me at the time but one I am glad I made. I have since got rid of a Santa Cruz in favour of another simpler small bodied guitar, a Fylde Ariel. I also have a late 1960???s EKO Ranger 6 string as a kick around, a Flying V uke and a Buchannan Bouzouki.
To my mind the 00015S and my Fylde share the basic
characteristics. ???A lot of guitar with the minimum of fuss or decoration???. Unless my tastes change dramatically or injury forces me to change the way I play I think I will be sharing the rest of my life with these guitars.
As with everything in life you think of things you would like to add, in my case 18/1 machine heads and a lighter thermoplastic case, a pre war style V profile neck, bone fittings all round, satin finish and possibly very simple yew purfling and sound hole decoration. However this guitar is factory made, to a price and having one made to spec would double or treble the price for little if any significant gain. I would happily replace the guitar with the same if the worst ever happened. If I get rich I may have the bits and pieces done but the guitar will still be basically the same.
The 00015 S is a joy to take out of its case, a joy to accompany songs with and a joy to play instrumentals on. The warmth and definition rewards accurate playing and has made me concentrate on musicality rather than speed and flash. I have grown to love its simple uncomplicated looks, but I always preferred Ingrid Berman to Angelina Jolie.
Yes I would recommend to anyone.

This 12-fret slot-head has a classic Martin look. The wood work, finish work is excellent, love the satin finish. All-Sapele wood looks great. The tuners are the only thing that are cheap, closed case Schallers tht functionally work ok but look cheap. Their gone and I had Waverly open 3 on a plates put on and they look fantastic and are smooth. Now this guitar looks 100 years old. Also, I replaced the plastic bridge pins with bone and the tusc saddle with bone. The set up did need a little tuning in and man o man did the bone make an already great sounding guitar much better. There was a noticable improvement in clarity and volume with the bone saddle and pins. The nut is Corian and that's fine, though it will wear out faster than bone and my luthier did make a couple cuts because D A and E strings were a little high. I will give the features an 8 because I like the simplicity. The herribone rosette looks good too. The 1 3/4" nut is perfect for finger picking. Just wish it came with the upgrades I made.

AWESOME!! The tone is very warm and has that mahogany topped tone. Hogtop and Saptop heaven. The volume is a lot, as most 12-fretters enjoy a boost in volume. The tone is perfectly balanced through the highs, lows, and mids. The clarity is amazing, I cannot overpower this guitar with strumming which totally caught me by surprise. She sounds great for finger picking, flat picking and for any kind of strumming. Doesn't have the sustain of a spruce top, perfect for the blues. The tone could not be better.

All great quality.

Called regarding replacement tuners that will fit and got a call back right fast with the info.

Saptop tone, simplicity, playability, slot-head, 12-frets. All for a great price. Heaven!

Not a lot of features, but who needs features ? uitar that sounds I want a guitar that sounds great and is easy to play.

Sound ? Phenomenal. Look, I went to Leo Kottke concert in 2003. He came out on stage carrying a 000-15S in his hands. Need I say more ?

No problems, fit, finish and setup were fine. I may upgrade it to a bone saddle and pins for a little extra clarity.

Well, it dings easily, being mahogany, especially on the edges (no binding) as mentioned elsewhere, but my favorite remedy (put a drop of olive oil on the ding) works because the finish is satin and rather thin. I don't gig (terminal stage fright) but I'd playing it sitting down fingestyle, which is what I do all the time anyway.

Never tried it. Hear its good.

Playing 5 years, 4 other Martins and a Gibson. This guitar is the best and the least expensive.

If it had anything more it wouldn't be the 000-15S.

You can get the specs on the Martin page if you need details. Essentially this is a 000 (auditorium, or relatively small) sized body with a 12 fret neck, "slot" head and really basic appointments. The primary difference between this and the regular 000-15 is a slightly wider neck profile. I own a 000-15 and a 000-15S and it's not a huge difference but the wider neck does help with certain fingerpicking stuff. While basic, the 15 series is a HUGE bang for the buck, I can't think of an instrument in this price range ~ $1000 that comes close to the tone and workmanship.

Simple but awesome. Fingerpicking is really what this guitar is all about. It has a ton of volume and a really "chimey" tone, although the bass can be "whumpy" if you hit certain notes too hard. Personally, I'd rather modulate the bass response via playing than not have it available. If you are primarily a flatpicker and strum chords, I'd opt for a dreadnought of some sort since you will have a tendancy to over drive the smaller body. This is the type of guitar you can pick up and strum a simple chord and just be awed by how good it sounds. Very deep and harmonically rich.

Martin's are usually WAY off from the factory. Most people need an action of closer to 3/32 (.090) at the bass side 12th fret, but these always are on the high side. It's a good idea to get it professionally set up and use light gauge strings, or even get a bone nut and saddle if you can afford it. The workmanship is basic but flawless as is usual from Martin.

These guitars are not designed to be durable but they are reliable. Mahogany is going to be softer than some other hardwoods and the satin finish will show shiny spots and scuffs after awhile.

Martin is generally good, however the warranty is only valid for the initial owner and I have had several guitars require complete neck resets and major body surgery. Still worth it to me, all things considered.

These guitars are just brilliant. They are timeless and just so amazing to play and look at. Some people get all geeked up over fancy woods and inlays and tricks, but to me a guitar is just a tool that creates sound. The 000-15S is the ultimate utilitarian acoustic guitar.

Mostly I love the aesthetics. I love the open headstock and the classic look.
Features:
1. Open headstock
2. Unique color
3. 12 fret neck
4. 000 body
5. Void of pretensiousness
6. Rare styling - one of a kind
7. Draws attention
8. Simple design
9. Ornamental & fancified free
10. Conjures basic and traditional elements of playing and listening

Sounds like all the guitars I play-crappy. But that's just me. :-)

The wood is soft. Seems like I get dings and dents way too easily. Especially the edges. Subtract 2 point for less than fabulous density on the edges, add one point for the overall strength of mahogonay.

The body cracked on me at about 6 months. For no reason. Just all of the sudden KaPoW! A 14" crack on the top of the side. Subtract 10 for craftmanship add 5 points for the loud crackle that scared the living heck out of my girl and everyone else when it seemingly exploded.

After the crack, I sent it to Martin. They checked it out and wanted to charge me about $400. Luckily for me , my dealer ripped their a55e5. H.o.T. Music is the number #1 Martin dealer in the state, and they threatened to cancel all orders. (yeah-I know-wow!) The thing is-H.o.T. had seen FIVE(5) 000-15s with split sides. It is a common issue and Martin didn't want to admit it. Note--the splits have only occured on this model.

Anyways, Martin didn't fix the guitar, they sent me a new one. But what a hassle, what a battle. End result: They did replace it, but I never could have done it without back up. Shipping $50 each way. Downtime: 3 months. Subtract 10 for the hassle add 5 for them seeing the light and replacing the 6 month old guitar.

The 000-15S guitar is not durable or as dependable as I would like. Kinda soft on the edges. It had split and this model has a history of it, and I dread dealing with Martin. My dealer tried talking me out of this model. I stuck it out. I feel it only adds character. I sure love it. I'd buy an identical replacement any time. Subtract a half point for customer service, and a half point for the soft density of the wood.

000-15S, made in 2006 I presume, All Genuine Magogany, Neck is hardwood low oval profile, Rosewood fingerboard, Corian nut, Tusq saddle, Schaller Chrome tuners, 1 3/4 inch wide at the nut. No electronics wacked into the side of it. Came with a sturdy Martin wood case that fits perfectly.

I play acoustic guitar solo, some singing, some originals fingerstyle guitar pieces and flatpick.
Sound? Very very nice. Please understand I'm not working under any illusions here. My main guitar is a D28 and have owned a half dozen various Martins. The first thing I did was order some bone bridge pins from Bob Colosi. The guitar played very evenly balanced the new pins just bought it more to life and seemed to add some depth. Cant explain it. I put Bobs fosilized walrus pins and saddle in my D28 after having it for about 5 years. Cant say enough about this modification.

The guitar was set up perfect. Not as high of action as some Martins I've got out of the box. The frets were perfectly finished. (Unlike a some I've got that will bloddy your hand sliding up the neck) The overall apperance of the wood and smell was too good to write about. The only real factory flaw was the rosette decal had a small ding blemish in it. (Makes it distinct). Someone complained about the tuners in a review. I find them very easy to tune and keep in tune. Also in a review someone took off the pickguard. Well I just had to do it also. The guitar looks very retro or classical without it. A hair dryer on low and slowly removing it left no sticky stuff on the guitar whatsoever. Its weird but the guitar looks twice as good with out it.

Well it will have to withstand live playing. And probably a bit more agressive than most. A friend has a Mahagony martin and the satin finish gets a shine where your arm rests and on the neck. Which is nice. As for backup, no problem but I usually bring a few anyways. The guitar is a little light in weight and with the light guage strings you could play it for hours.

I've called and mailed Martin with some pretty dumb questions. They are very forgiving.

I've been playing for many many years. Own lots of nice acoustics and too much stuff to go into. If it were lost I'd get another. To my ears is one of Martins best buys for $1000 or less. I doubt I'll put any electronics in this one, at least for now. I really did'nt need another guitar but thought I'd try this one after reading the countless positive reviews. This thing could'nt be that good. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised. My first love is the D28 but boy for a small body, short neck guitar this thing is right in there.

The features are somewhat plain-mahogany top with artificial herringbone rosette. However, the guitar's appearance grew on me and I have come to like the looks. It looks like a classic blues guitar from the 1920's.

The sound is terrific and maintains its intonation as you move up the neck. The only drawback is that it is a smaller body guitar so the volume, power and depth is somewhat thinner than a larger/deeper body guitar. I have installed a pickup (K&K) where I can alter the sound and get more power and depth.

With light strings the action is incomparable. The short neck coupled with low action makes this guitar play smoother than any other that I have played over the years - amazing.

The guitar is well made, however, I would treat it with care. It is by no means a heavy duty acoustic that could sustain a lot of abuse.

I bought it new and haven't had to deal with Martin at all. New it comes with the standard warranty. I have had it for a while and treat it well so I don't expect any significant problems with the manufacturer.

I have been playing electric and acoustic off and on for about 20 years. I play solo country blues/ragtime, classic rock stuff now as a hobby. If it were stolen I probably would buy another and I like the guitar a lot but I would not say I love it. In the years to come I will likely upgrade to a larger deeper sounding 12 fret 000 at some time, maybe the Martin 000-28vs. In the meantime this is a great substitute. The action and sound stand out as the best features.

I bought my 000-15S just about 2 months ago, brand new. The wood still smelled fantastic. I was a bit hesitant about the 12 fret neck but once I started fingerpicking a tune in DADGAD tuning I was totally sold. This guitar sounded gorgeous, I jumped up, said I'll take it and handed over my credit car. At first I had to look past the plain brown finish, and the kind of slope shoulders, but now I love the plain features of this guitar.

I really love acoustic guitar playing, fingerpicking, celtic-drop d or dadgad tuning, some basic travis style, chords, dissonant stuff. I'd love to be Tony Rice but gave up on that. Before I got this guitar I did not ever know what people meant when they said that after a guitar had been played a while the sound really opened up but man, did I become aware of that with this guitar. It took about 2 months of daily playing for the sound of this guitar to REALLY open up. Once I put on D'Addario phospher bronse light gauge strings I was in heaven. They really made the sound of this guitar shine. I sent the guitar in to a great shop in SF (to have some custom work done) where the head tech does guitar work for Joe Satrianni and he said this guitar sounded great (which I already knew.

When I first got the guitar I took it into a local Martin certified luthier and he said this guitar was set up nearly perfectly. He did a minor truss rod adjustment. The one thing I would change, and I might eventually do so, are the tuners. I want tuners with a greater ration than the ones the guitar come with. There is nothing wrong with them but I want to have a tad more flexibility with the fine tuning. I absolutely love the look of this guitar now. The finish knocks me out. At first I had to look past it. I really like the slotted top. I love looking at this guitar. I could not find a single flaw on this guitar.
I believe it is true what people say, having experienced it with this guitar. There were a handful of the 000-15s in the shop I bought this from, I tried a few and really felt a difference with this one.

I am having some custom work done on this guitar, buzz feiten tuning system (http://buzzfeiten.com) and had the guitar "flek'ed" I can't wait to get it back, I'm chomping at the bit to hear it. After spending about 65% of what I paid for the actual guitar to have these both done I am planning on keeping this guitar for life! The guitar does seem quite fragile so beware. I leaned it up against a chair (stupidly) on the neck and just the guitar's own weight against the back of a chair put a ding in the back of the neck. I might replace the tuners from the plastic ones that come with the guitar to something more durable.

I have not had to deal with Martin with this guitar but I have dealt with them in the past and they were always very responsive.

I've been playing guitar, on and off, since 1963. The past year has seen a great resurgence in my interest in playing and most days I get at least an hour in. My only regret is that I have not played consistently all these years. I wish I had not sold me Fender Jazzmaster, purchased in 1964 and my Gibson ES-335, purchased in 1968, and my Fender Deluxe Reverb amp purchased in 1964. I've had Fenders, a Gibson Hummingbird (which was stolen from me), Martin D-28 (stupidly sold it, great guitar), Taylor 355 12-string, and this Martin 000-15S is absolutely my favorite. It gets better with each playing.

This has been mentioned in detail in the other reviews.
It's a great reproduction of an early 20th Century instrument. The big Mahogany top, short scale and the bridge centered in the lower bout is the secret to it's sound and feel.

It has a wonderful warm but articulate voice. A near perfect fingerstyle guitar. The short scale makes the strings nice and rubbery. Makes me think of Blind Blake. Great for Old-Timey stuff. I added a Fishman with a pre-amp and its got awesome bottom through a PA.

I liked the matte finish but the more I played the guitar, the more my skin and clothes were buffing the finish in places. This gave me the brazen (for me)idea to get some 0000 steel wool and polish it-- the whole thing. Within a half hour it had a nice gloss. Not a mirror finish but a nice gloss. I could have gone farther but kept it at the level that my clothing had done in the other areas. The back of the neck got a nice high gloss(be sure to move the steel wool in small circles or a tight figure eight). I was so impressed on it's transformation that I asked the tour guide at the Martin factory if that was the only difference between a matte finish and a gloss finish and he said yes it's the degree of buffing.

Limited Lifetime warranty to the original owner.

I've been playing 40 years and have quite a few guitars both acoustic and electric. If you want a nice little fingerstyle guitar that has a nice thumpy bottom when muted and retro looks this is a great deal.
The dreadnaught is nice too.

Just got it the other day...2001, made in USA of course, 12 fret, mahogany sides and top, rosewood bridge and fingerboard w/ satin finish. Upgraded to bone nut, saddle is stock. No electronics (looking at pickups to install). Smaller, auditorium style body...I got this guitar on EBAY, as awful as it sounds I got it for $655 and the thing looks and smells like I just ordered it from the factory. The guy got it brand new in '01 and I don't think he played it too much. I bought this guitar on intrigue alone, I had never played one, but I have played and listened to other all-mahogany bodied guitars and decided I had to have one, and I also decided it had to be Martin w/ a 12 fret scale. Anyways, it is very plain looking, except for the slotted headstock, which looks kind of fancy. No electronics, I am planning on installing a preamp, probably a fishman, but not sure exactly which model yet. Anyways, except for the slotted headboard there are really arent any special features to speak of. That's a good thing because it would only make the guitar more expensive. Simple is good.

Because I hadn't played one before I got it, I was actually expecting a more brittle sound. When I got and tuned it up I was really suprised by how soft it sounded strummed. Not soft as in hard to hear, but soft as in not brittle. (You'll have to excuse me, I'm not an expert when it comes to talking about how a guitar sounds. I just know if I like it or not.) Anyways, you can get that brittleness I was talking about by picking instead of strumming. It has a nice deeep resonance and is quite a contrast to my Ovation 1867 Legend. I like the sound, I'd actually have to do a side by side comparison, but I think I have played guitars that sell for 2-3 times as much as I paid for this that don't sound as good. I should note that I have only had it for 2 days and am still getting accustomed to it. Plus I just get the feeling that this guitar hasn't been played all that extensively. I see it getting better with age. I don't have any dislikes with the sound yet, I feel like I got a guitar that I will have for the rest of my life at a discount price.

Guitar was detuned for shipping. I never asked previous owner what tuning the guitar was set up for, I tuned it to standard tuning and the action was a little high, but in order to compensate for my attempt at singing I tuned down 1/2 step anyway, so after I did that it was a lot better. I really ought to take it in and get a pro setup for Eb, but I think I will wait until I decide on a preamp to install. The neck is wider and more square than I'm used to. My Ovation has a more rounded neck and I also play Rickenbacker electrics with narrow necks so this is a change of pace, but it I am able to play it without too much difficutly. No flaws on the guitar that I can see. Satin finish isn't real great, but I think satin finish looks better on the mahogany than gloss. I've heard that satin finishes may eventually require refinishing, but we'll cross that road when we get there.

This guitar is very lightweight. It does feel solid, however, with the satin finish I think you have to use caution about the conditions you are playing in. I think if you use common sense and treat it like you are supposed to it will last as long as you want it. It only has the endpin, it does not have a strap button on the heel, and there really isn't much room to put it there. I think I would just use a string on the headstock right above the nut if I were going to play with a strap. The guitar seems dependable and it is a Martin (although I don't have the lifetime warranty since I bought it used). I don't know anyone personally who has had trouble with their Martins.

Never dealt with them. Warranty is void because I am the second owner. I guess if anything breaks I will just cough up the money for repairs. Hopefully it will last me a long time.

Playing for about 6 years. Own a 2001 Ovation 1867 Legend, my first guitar - a Yamaha APX4, which I still own, and a Steel String Martin Backpaker. The latter 2 are stored away at my parents house and don't see much playing time unless I go home to visit. I also have a variety of electrics, but I guess it's kind of a vanity thing because I am not really that great of a player. I just like guitars. I am in the military and spend much of my off time taking college courses so I spend most of my guitar playing doing what I know, and not as much as I should practicing to get better. Anyways, this Martin is very unique and I am really excited about it. I hope it brings me years of pride and joy.

According to the serial number this is a 1999 model, althought the guy I bought it from said he got it new in 2001, I guess it must have been hanging around for a while. Other reviews have given the technical specification - if you want it from the horses mouth then visit the Martin website: http://www.martinguitar.com
Now, I don't know about you, but I'm not interested in fancy features as such, whether it has got abalone this or clever inlay that, all I won't to know is what it sounds like, how playable it is and is it well made! This guitar sounds beautiful, plays well and is constructed to a high standard. Bottom line is it is a Martin and a damn fine one at that and has all the features I need :-) Someone else has said they like its simplicity, and I have to agree with this view - it really is a lovely little guitar - with a big sweet voice. Great thing about this purchase is it came with a very plush non-standard 500 series Geib style case - very plush and adding nicely to the vintage vibe.

Great sound - very well balanced - some of the other reviews have hit it spot on. One of the things that I really like (and one of the ways by which I judge a guitar) is that it still sounds sweet and reasonant even with the capo right up the neck - many guitars just loose it in this department. If you know your guitars you will know that sound is in the ear of the beholder - to me this one has it - my HJ28 didn't! It is a great picker's guitar and if you like muting the strings when strumming then you'd like this too as the bass chugs along with reasonant clarity. I haven't found any dislikes yet - maybe they will become apparent as the days pass buy and my love affair with it waxes and wanes.

It had been set up by a London luthier before I got, according to guy I bought it from, and I have no reason to doubt this, action is just right - a nice balance between volume and reasonance and playability. The finish is excellent, sort of a nice semi gloss - not too satiny like the new ones. The wood tone is also beautiful, I know many players prefer the colour of a spruce top, but I have been sold on mahogany guitars ever since owning an all mahogany Kinkade (handbuilt by UK luthier) some 12+ years ago. Sadly aforementioned guitar suffered a nasty accident whilst gigging :-(

All acoustic guitars are liable to damage if treated badly - for goodness sake they are made of wood (usually) - if you buy an expensive guitar to gig with then you have to expect the odd knock or two. My advice is don't do 'rough' gigs with your top end guitar. I have an old Korean Ovation that I gig with, built like a tank - also sounds good in a band mix.

Never had to make use of them - but others have said nice things!

I have been playing for 30+ years. This is my third and favourite Martin and also the least expensive. I've owned lots of acoustics over the years: Guild, Yamaha, Kinkade, Ovation (including a double neck!) to name a few - never a Gibson though - something about them I don't like. I've also had lots of electrics mostly Fender Telecasters, with the odd Godin thrown in. I'm not really an electric player, although currently in the band I use an Epiphone Riviera through an Engl Screamer valve amp. The Epiphone is a really nice guitar, I like hollow body semi acoustics. I've tried all sorts of acoustic amps - different models of Trace Elliott, Marshalls, Peavey Ecoustics and AERs. You know what, for playing in an amplified live situation I get the best sound plugging straigt into the PA, sometimes through a Trace TAP1 preamp pedal if the guitar is piezzo loaded or bypassing it if uing a Fihman rare earth. So there you have it - this little martin is a lovely guitar - great for Folk Clubs - with a traditional vibe, 12 fret to body neck and a slotted headstock - other players say they like the looks and sound of it - but the main thing is I just love it - now if it was a choice between loosing the guitar or my wife then I'd have to say ..................

Made in 2003, USA, 12 ? fret body, solid mahogany, 1 ?? neck. Kind of plain but I like it that way. Even the lack of binding is fine because I like seeing the solid grain on the edges of the top and back. Since it had all the features I was looking for ? solid woods, slotted head (great vibe), 12-fret (larger upper bout)

Sound: Best sounding acoustic guitar I have ever played. Bass is just write, great mid, treble, and sustain you won?t believe. The sound has texture. I noticed this with some of the other 15 series Martins ? D-15, D-15S etc? Its funny, a year before buying this instrument, I was trying them out at Elderly Instruments. The sales person helping me out with A & B?ing kept steering me away from the 000-15S, saying it has a mahogany top and is thus cursed. He said I should only consider the Spruce top. But I couldn?t get that rich textured, high sustaining, bell chiming, ass kicking acoustic guitar sound out of my head.

Action Fit and Finish: Action was a bit high. I made a bone saddle to correct this.

Haven't had to deal with them.

Overall rating: 10 I?ve been playing guitar for 32 years. The 000-15S has all the ingredients for the perfect acoustic guitar and I?ve never in this year of playing it, had one second of buyer?s remorse. There simply is no better deal out there. I?ve owned the following: Martin D-35, Guild D25, Guild D40 (which I still own and love), Tacoma DR12, Tacoma LJ, Alverez D44, and Larivee OM-05. The 000-15s blows them all away!

Although it looks very plain, to me it's the Jacky Onasis of guitars. It glows with simple elegance, the "Less IS More" thing applies here.

I have always wanted one of these from the first time I saw them when they first came out but unlike the rest of the Submissions here I did not like the Mate finish they came in. I always saw potiential in this little unit, a couple of add on's and it can look like any $1500 to $2000 guitar you might find in your music local store. I even pondered trying to put a few coats of gloss finish on it myself but didn't want to chance ruining such a wonderful guitar.

I was in my favorite Guitar store(FQMS) about 2 years ago and hanging there on the wall was a 000 15S with a full gloss body they had special ordered. SOLD! FQMS had ordered 2 of them with FULL GLOSS bodies, that beautiful Mahogany jumps out at you with the gloss. Again I have always seen the potiential this little beauty has to offer. I didn't like the tuners that were on it. I tend not to like anything that looks cheap or flimsy that won't last. These tuners said this to me even though I'm sure I'm not 100% right on this. I just know I didn't like them. They worked OK but the stem would sway when I applied light to moderate pressure.

I replaced them with a set of Waverly 3 on a plate Bronze tuners with Pearl buttons. Thats what this little guitar needed! It looks like it sounds and like it was made 100 years ago! I absoultly love this guitar for both it's sound, feel and now looks. Most of the other submissions did not like the looks of the Mate Finish very much at all. If ever you are faced with refinishing this guitar I'd ever so strongly recommend the Gloss over the Mate. Picture a 0017, this should give you an idea.

I then replaced the nut & saddle with bone, a year later installed a set of Mammoth Bone bridge Pins. That's the ticket! The warm well rounded sound/tone that had drawn me to this guitar has just been improved 10 fold. No kidding! Did I mention that I love this guitar? My favorite!

I loved the sound of the 000 15S as soon as I laid ears on it! I had over the course of 2 years compared it to just about everything coming & going and always came back to the 000 15S. I still can't get over the way it sounds even when it's up against other guitars priced up to $3000 retail. It comes down to this: wood is wood no matter(same set) which guitar you choose to use it on. This grade tone wood coupled with of C.F. Martin & Co's attitude toward their time honored pursuit for quality,constantly working to improve their products is why this little "Blues Box" delivers. I string mine with Martin Acoustic SP Phosphor Bronze Light, .012-.054 guage strings. They sound like they were made for it, probably were, LOL! The e & b strings are tinted with a goldish bronze color and they even look like they were made for this guitar! When in as near perfect tune you can get with an Intellitouch tuner this guitar will vibrate long after you can no longer hear the note with the plain OL ear. Mezmorizing tone! Light guage sound better to me on this guitar. When the Tec put on the new strings before the sale he got mixed up and put on a set of med. guage. They sounded muddier and were not near as bright as the light guage.

Perfect right out of the store. I've gotta tell ya, I'm one the worst on the planet about spotting flaws and things. I have always worked at jobs where I was responsible for the job and whether or not the customer would accept the product. I found "nothing" at all out of character with this instrument. If it had even one flaw I couldn't find it!

As I've mentioned before, I waited 2 years to rate this guitar. It's still as nice as the day it was bought! It's the first guitar I reach for, I have 11 other guitars. I have given it it's own chair in my living room, LOL! I have a big leather chair with all the padded arms and so on. I keep the case sitting across the arms so all I need do is walk over , flip open the lid, grab it up and start in playing/practicing. My favorite way to practice is while watching TV, This way it's always within reach if I'm indoors. I see no reason these guitars shouldn't be a highly sought after guitar in several years after they're discontinued, if ever they are! Something this good & this affordable lives on to become a Classic. Heck, you'd think I was talking about a one of a kind $20,000 guitar, LOL!!!

Don't feel like I'll ever need it in my life time! But have contacted them with questions when comparing the 000 15S with others and they were "Johnny on the Spot" every time!

I love the sound, feel and quality this little Martin has built into it. This guitar is a bonified winner whether you keep it origional or add a few of your favorite appointments as I did. I think anyone would be "hard pressed" to come up with a guitar that could hold a candle to the 000 15S just the way it leaves the factory. I lucked out with mine, the store mgr gave me an old price for a Mate finish guitar, when he realized his mistake he honored his origional word, $685, I love this guitar, LOL!!! It was supposed to sell for $770, I used that easy $85 to buy 2 sleeves of Martin SP's, phosphor bronze light guage.

Not much to say here...the features are limited, but that's the point of this guitar. Stipped down to the minimums for an affordable good sounding rig. I will say however, that the more I look at this guitar hanging on my wall, the more I love the blast from the past look of it. The color is actually quite nice and matches well with the 12 frets until you hit the body. It looks like a guitar meant to be played.

It's a basic 12 frets until you reach the 000 body which looks very nice. All Mahagany Body (solid wood), Rosewood Fretboard, and the Slotted Head looks fantastic.

I'm giving it a rating suitable to the guitar...it's not a dressed up 10, but please keep in mind, the money you are not spending on all the trimmings is what puts this amazing guitar in your hands for $700 instead of $1700. AND it comes with a hardshell case.

The features are appropriate for what this guitar is...a meant to be played machine...It's like Rueben winning American Idol...it has Talent of Looks.

I'm not going to rate it's features...it doesn't have any, and it's not supposed to. Martin did an AWSOME job with nothing added except a perfect sound and easy to play feel.

This is where it shines. I bought this baby as a Camping guitar, because I didn't want to take my $1300 Takamine Santa Fe out to the island. It was meant to be an investment to protect my Santa Fe from the elements....but, I cannot put this thing down. Possibly the best investment I made because this thing feels and sounds SO good, my Santa Fe will never get played again unless I'm plugging in.

I won't install eletronics in this guitar..I do not want to mess with the sound one bit. It's perfect...somehow Martin found the perfect shape, build, and sound for a Mahagany guitar. I lowered the action a little myself (a lot of effort on that 12 fret to get your bar chords if the action is too high, but some slide blues players will like the factory set up) and I cannot stop playing with this guitar.

With the Satin finish, you can feel the notes ringing through your whole body...it has great sustain and nice base (as good as a much more expensive guitar...better than most) while the high notes ring true from fret to fret.

This guitar sounds wonderful...do not think twice about spending less and getting this guitar instead of the $2000 guitar. Trust me...this guitar sounds as good as anything. I absolutely love it.

It's a Martin...what else is there to say...you're hands move with no effort and you don't have to focus on your position at all withe the 12 fret neck. Lead players who like getting past 12 will be limited with this guitar, but what you lose in Neck...is gained in Body which gives you the sound.

It had no flaws and the only thing I did was lower the action. I'm giving it a 10 even with the Satin finish..because...DUH, it's supposed to have Satin Finish. That's intentional and it lets more sound out by not having to get through all that gloss.

Don't beat it against a tree...It's solid...holds it's tuning.

The hardware will definitely last...I love the slot head. Feels tighter. Finish should not wear off as long as you don't drag it down the street. It has a pickguard...basic strap button...I would definitely gig with this baby. I'd probably mike it...sounds to good to mess up with electronics.

Not Applicable...never had to deal with them.

I've been playing for 4 years, I love this body style in this guitar much more than a dread....

It is now my favorite guitar. If stolen, lost, broken...whatever...I would first pout for about 60 seconds, and I'd be back in the Music store immediately to replace it without even trying anything else.

In and out...I'd have another on in my hands. I would not "upgrade" to a different model...I love it...you will too.

This is a solid mahogany guitar based on an old martin design from the 1920's. 12 frets to the body... slotted head-stock... 1 3/4 inch at the nut... 2 1/4 (?) at the 12th fret. 4 inch depth at the base. I love the simplicity of this guitar. I was looking at other 12 Fret guitars (Goodalls, Froggy Bottom, Ryan, etc...) and felt the 000-15s better represented a guitar from the old Country Blues days than the others. I actually surprised myself, I never thought I was going to own a Martin. I'm not partial to the large guitar company's. But, regardless of the automated machinery they use, I believe they have created a great sounding guitar... at a resonable price.

This is where is totally shines... even over the aforementioned guitars I tried. I love the sound from this mahogany top... great mid-range and fantastic treble... the bass strings were strong. I have a luthier friend of mine who was doing some work on my Lowden guitar. I brought him the 000-15s to check out. This luthier is considered one of THE best in North America (I can't afford his guitars :)... during his early years he worked at restoring vintage Martins. He was so impressed by the 000-15s... thought it was the best sounding/playing guitar in that price range... he really liked the mahogany top... he couldn't stop playing it. He did noticed the neck was slightly bowed and made a minor truss rod adjustment (nice to have such friends eh ? :)

I love the satin-matte finish... you feel the wood more than a lacquer, which is a nice feeling. The neck is SO playable. I have a few other 14 fret guitars... I don't think they will get much playing time compared to the 000-15s. If you are looking for a 12 fret guitar that captures that old Country Blues or Vintage Western music, this is the guitar for you. Compared to the other 12 fret guitars out there... it's a fantastic deal. I am so happy I bought this guitar... I feel no need for anything else.

Everything looks extremely well constructed... I'm a very detailed oriented person and I couldn't find the slightess flaw in this guitar. From reading many comments in the newsgroups, it sounds like Martin produces quite a consistently good product (000-15s).

I have not had to deal with these folks. Their website seems informative/helpful (www.martin-guitars.com) but a bit clumsey to navigate.

Again, I liked the sound and feel of this guitar better than all the other higher priced guitars. They were all quite nice in appearance and sound, but I thought the 000-15s was their equal and at a more resonable price. I fell for its simplicity in appearance, the mahogany top, the slotted-head stock, the finish, etc... this is an outstanding guitar that is resonably priced. If you like playing the Country Blues this is the guitar for you.

2000 was the production on my OOO-15S, 12 fretter.No frill's simple playing box. Serial # starting with 7. Made in USA, Solid mahogany top/sides/back. Matte/Satin finish.Rosewood board and bridge,micarta nut/saddles (replaced the bridge pins w/ ebony/abalone top dot).Body style OOO from the 20's.Tuners are of high quality, Stays in tune.Neck is 1 3/4 from nut.Came with a nice Geib style case, along with and endpin for the straps.I have an adjustment tool on its way from Martin which i requested.

Sound is very clear/balanced/clarity is there for every note all along the fretboard.Rich/Full/Round/Warm.Top vibrates like a conga when tapped,great for rhythm thumpin' sound.Cannot be compared to other acoustics, A&B'd againts perfeectly set-up D-15,D15S,OO-15,OM-15,D-18,D-28 which are all brand new?? Recorded with a couple of high end mic which includes Roden/Neumann cut and play??? Guess who came on top?? Enough said!!!!

I adjusted the action to a med/low with no relief at all. Perfectly straight neck,Slapped on a fresh new set of Gore/Elixer's NanoWeb Lights? Bammmm!!!! I'm a Happy Camper!!! No flaws to be found at all.Meticulously put together by one of Martin's Best Hand Jobber.( Hats off to them,whoever they are!!.) Everything is cut perfect from top to bottom.Amazing!!!!

This OOO-15S will do anything but fly!!! LOL!!! I would trust it GIG Wise,Jam and all!!! It will last better thatn the Gloss Top,i can assure that.It's actually a gloss top which Martin put another very thin durable coating satin finish.Time will only open this puppy up more. The more i play it the more it opens up.I have giiged w/o a b/u. This guitar/acoustic may not be perfect to all?? But to me its the TOPS!!!

Great Customer Support all throughout!!!!

N/A It'll be too long.

All-mahogany body (and neck). Rosewood bridge and fingerboard. The cool features that make this guitar really stand out, to me, are: it's 12-fret, old-school body (fellas, it's Rag Time!); it's 1-3/4" nut width; and it's--again old-school-cool slotted peghead. Small, shallow Martin frets would come under the only real bummer for me, as far as appointments go.

For what you pay, this guitar sounds fantastic! Actually, regardless of the price, this one is a winner. It's warm and full... and just plain pretty sounding. Now, when I first set my sights on this guitar, I was hoping for a modern-production guitar that caught that old, trashy-but-hoppin' sound of the old ragtime/country blues guys. This is not that--but I ain't complaining. (It's not a resonator or an arch-top, and 70 year old recordings do a lot to a guitar's sound.)

This is just a really good sounding acaustic guitar. Bass notes are full but not boomy. Also, though I would not mind it, it doesn't suffer from the brittle top-end attack that I've heard in other all-mahogany Martins. Yes it's great for fingerpicking... but it belts out considerable volume when picked. If it does "bottom out" under heavy strumming, I haven't strummed it that hard yet and wouldn't really want to.

It's a no-frills guitar with a satin finish and no decorations (which is to my taste). The wood seems to be consistent and high-grade and the fret work was fine. The only problem on mine is a very slight raising of the fingerboard where the neck meets the body. I lowered the action a little and would also like to lower the nut to closer to zero-fret level. That is something I feel outfits like Martin ought to do to all their guitars, but maybe some people like high action at the nut, with it's resulting difficult F (and even C) chords.

Looks and feels good to me. It is, however, an acoustic.

I ordered this guitar from musician's friend and did not get it until over five (5!!!!!) months later. During this time they continued to advertise it as "available in 2 - 4 weeks." I emailed Martin after several months asking THEM for feedback as to production/availability and they did not, and have not responded. But hey, water under the bridge.

This guitar is an absolute winner. I think the price has gone up recently but even then it's a steal. I have long been a fan of 12-fret guitars of yore, but to own one seemed to be a choice between custom, "botique" models (at staggering prices) or 70 year old vintage intsrument, too frail to play and at double staggering prices. Thanks to Martin for making affordable production models of this classic (and functionally excellent) design.

Made in 2000 in the USA, like all Martins (Backpacker excepted). 12-fret body, all solid mahogany. 1 3/4" neck. Dark stain, matte finish all over. Some call it plain, but with the slothead, it oozes mojo. I gave it a 10 based on what what you get for the money. Nothing else came close.

Absolutely outstanding. Deep, rich tone that compares with guitars costing 2-3 times as much. Good all-around guitar, great for fingerpicking or strumming.

Action a little high, but I like it that way. Flawless, though plain, construction. No binding or embellishment, but what is there is well built.

Lifetime guarantee, and Martin's reputation for standing behind their guitars. Though quite light, it seems very well built for the long haul. Finish seems thin, but from what I understand, its the same as gloss guitars, just not buffed out. I'd play it live in a heartbeat.

Can't comment, haven't had to use it. Martin has an excellent reputation, though.

As I stated before, I haven't found any other guitar that can touch the 000-15S for the 2-3 times the price. I was prepared to pay $2000 for a guitar when I bought it. I tried several that really impressed me, but were no better than this one. It's probably the best all around guitar I've seen. I've also got an Epiphone Les Paul Standard and an Epiphone PR-350-12 12 string.

A simple looking guitar, with solid mahogany top/back/sides - the 12 frets clear/slot-head gives this guitar a unique look. Purchased with all satin finish - rosewood bridge and fretboard, and 'throwback'pearloid tuners.

Nothing fancy, but for the money - what does one expect? Martin took as much 'fringe' labor out of the mix as possible, to reach the > $1,000 price point..

I can only say that that I was looking for a warmer guitar to add for recording purposes - and been given the 'OK' (wife on board), and had scrounged up enough dough to consider the $2 - 3,000 range...

The guy brought out a used 000-15S - after sampling other Martins, Santa Cruzes, Lowdens, Taylors, Larivees - I walked out with the 000-15S...Sweet sound across the board, with unbelieveable sustain and presence. Louder than I would have ever expected this guitar could be (just looking at it) - without being 'muddy' - and extremely well balanced. Equally proficient finger or flat-picked.

I'm simply amazed by this guitar - I think that this is one of those rare instances where everything goes right in planning, production, pricepoint, planets' alignment...etc.

Everything seems 'tight' and ship-shape. As I said - I bought the guitar used, and with the exception of some 'glossing' of the satin finish on the necks' 1st position, and on the lower bout (where your right arm rests) - everything is as solid and tight as new...including the original tuners..

Action (while not original - due my replacement of nut and saddle with fossilized mammoth ivory) is 'crisp' and very responsive. Low-profile 1 3/4" neck is comfortable and 'fast'..

I have, and will continue to use the 000-15S for both recording and at gigs. The finish is less of a concern with this instrument than it would be for an axe greater in detail and appointment. It gives the appearance of a 'work-horse' and should be treated as such!

I've been playing for about 20 years, and have 'sampled' a number of brands in that time. I currently own a Taylor 410 and 714CE, Aparicio flamenco, Tacoma Papoose, Yamaha APX as well as a couple of electrics.

As I mentioned, this particular guitar was tested against Santa Cruz, other Martins, Taylor, Lowden, Larivee - most were 3 - 4X the price!

I would describe my experience with the 000-15S as 'falling in love'. And would be quick to replace it with one just like it, if necessary (God forbid!)

I bought this for $600 over Ebay because I wanted to try a 12 Fret and trusted Martin. Features are "utilitarian" but I think it is a very cool, vintage sorta look. It has no electronics, satin finish, slot head, nice case, good tuners

One word: Unbelievable. After I bought this guitar for $600 I stopped playing all my other guitars, inclduding my $2500 Taylor. Big bottom end, great fingerstyle blues guitar

Nice action, plain finish. If you're in to looks, this is not your guitar. If you want maximum tone for the money, then buy this

She has held up nicely so far and I "play 'em hard"

No experience

For the money, a 10+++. The best bargain I've seen recently. I've played some high end stuff, including Taylors, Santa Cruz, Collings. The sound coming out of this 600 buck guitar can hold it's own with the big boys. This is a "working man's guitar", inexpensive, reliable, and plays the blues for ya...

US-made Martin. All-mahogany. All solid. Lifetime warranty. 12-fret, blah blah blah -- it's been covered. Case included. I'm not rating it, 'cause it is what it is. Features is a silly category for acoustic guitars, IMHO.

I started out on a good-sounding, inexpensive Art & Lutherie and was looking to upgrade. Decided I wanted an heirloom quality guitar -- something that would make me stop wanting to buy other guitars (yeah, right.) I was willing to spend up to $2500, if that's what it took -- though that would mean some pretty serious sacrifices for me (I'm a graduate student.) Looking for a versatile guitar primarily for fingerstyle, mostly blues and early jazz.

To put it bluntly, the only guitar whose sound I could characterize in any way, "better" was a Santa Cruz 12-fret (like $3000+ new). And saying it was "better" is maybe not honest. I fell in love with the sound of the 000-15S. It's a unique sound, and maybe the Santa Cruz just sounded "different." The martin sounds warm, deep, sweet...

No troubles. Well made guitar, to my relatively untrained eye.

Seems solid to me. Martin apparently backs up their product. I have a 1974 D-12-20 as well.

Great guitar. It has fully satisfied my GAS for 6-string steel acoustics, and now I just want a resonator, a dobro, an archtop, a hollow-body electric, a nylon-string, etc etc...

Seriously, this is a hell of a good deal. I played everything out there. There are some great $700 guitars, but this one just has a certain vibe to it. I got it set up, and the guitar tech started playing it, and just kept on playing it, letting the phone ring, etc. Said, "this is a hell of a guitar. Solid Mahogany. Damn, 20 years or so, it'll just sound better. (plays some more) You know, man... this is why I'm a guitar tech... millions of guitars, most of 'em crap. But every once in a while, you get to play one like this, that just... just... well, it's just got the VIBE, man... you know? (plays some more)... great guitar, man."

I felt like I'd made the thing myself. I'm never selling it!

A U.S. built Martin, 12 fret, with solid top and back and sides, all of mahoghany. It came with no electronics, but I have had a Fishman Matrix II installed. Came with Martin hard shell case. I have had guitars that look more visually appealing, but the sound more than makes up for the plain visual appearance

Well, let's put it this way--I sold a '73 D-28, and a $4000 custom guitar since their sound didn't match this guitar! It has a depth, warmth, and haunting clarity that I have yet to hear from any guitar in my life (and I have owned and played many many guitars)

The guitar was set up higher than I liked at the factory, but a $25 action adjustment at the bridge put it right. It is now incredibly comfortable and easy. The fit and finish are perfect. No flaws in the guitar.

Well, again, I sold the D-28 to keep this one, and it is a Martin, so I expect to have it, and have it sounding even better, in 30 years. I have been playing it every day, and it looks like I just unpacked it. Everything is solid, and I would depend on this guitar without any worries. I do use it at gigs without a backup.

Martin--'nuff said.

Been playing 36 years. This is my favorite and now only steel string. I sold the others since I always found myself picking up this one. Amazing that after all these years, I like best a $700 guitar! If lost or stolen, I would immediately buy another. There are no features I hate (although a cutaway might be nice)

Came with a flattop case instead of an archtop case, good tuners, rosewood bridge, fingerboard. All Mahogany Body. Slot headstock is cool, and the twelve-fret body is cool. This guitar is either ugly (my sister says) or 30's retro (I say).

This guitar is RIDICULOUS!!!! I sold a great 1956 D28 and bought this, what's that tell you? I went to Elderly instruments in Lansing Michigan and picked out the best guitar under a $1000 I could find. This particular guitar not only beat out everything in that category, but it competes in ANY category. I played two of these up there, and both were good, but this one is awesome.

The small body makes it loud and very balanced. Great for fingerpicking or flatpicking. The 12 fret body connection gives a more robust bass and fuller midrange than the 14 fret 00015. Every note from top to bottom has the same volume. The mahogany top has a zillion overtones. The high end is crisp and clean.

I play a variety of styles, although primarily bluegrass/folk styles. I wanted something that would be more versitile than a dreadnought, and have a really dry mahogany sound, like on "Man of Constant Sorrow." This does everything I wanted.

Purchased from Elderly Instruments, the biggest Martin dealer around, and they always do their own setup, which is great. The guitar is solid. The neck joint isn't completely clean, but there's nothing wrong with it, and it sounds great, so who cares?

Yeah, this is a really solid guitar (super light, by the way). I would not be afraid to take this anywhere, either to a campfire because it's so cheap, or a real gig because it's so good. Tuners good, bridge good.

lifetime warranty. I called Martin once a few years ago, and the guy who answered the phone was really rude to me. Oh well, the guitars are great anyway. Generally they farm out repairs to local Martin Certified repair people. The guy I had do some work on my D28 was named Paul in Davenport, IA, and he was great.

I've played three of these no, and they are all good. I think that the combination of the Rosewood bridge, mahogany body, lonng scale, small body, and the 12 fret neck, really falls together in this model. The D15 doesn't work, the 00015 sounds good, but not great, the 0015 sounds small. This one has everything.

2001 0015-S made by Martin in the U.S. All solid mahogany throughout. Rosewood bridge and fingerboard. 12 frets to the body, a modern repro of a 000 twelve fret with slotted head produced by Martin from 1924-34. that cost me $769. instead of $24,000. Came with a very nice plush case. I put a Fishman Acoustic Matrix Natural 1 in it.
The finish is satin and comfortable, not a gorgeous guitar, no extras but it sounds better than my $2,500. Taylor.
I own a Larivee parlor guitar and the construction is very similar, no frills but quality materials that sound good.

I play fingerstyle and love this guitar for the warm old-time John Hurt, Big Bill stuff plus it inspires songwriting-I can't put it down.
I've been tuning my guitars down a whole step. The first three days I had it I played in Standard and loved the sound. It felt slightly stiff for what I was used to and I decided to de-tune. It is so rich,balanced from string to string and sings like a mo-fo. It is perfect for what I do. Even with the action low(I play pretty lightly) and de-tuned I have no buzzes all the way up the neck even strumming with a pick.

I dropped the action a bit in the store and fell in love. First, to find a grand auditorium 12 fret in this price range is amazing in itself. Honestly, I never liked Martins! Even the expensive ones I played over the years always sounded muddy to me. This is very well constructed inside and out-no glue anywhere,no gaps-and sounds and plays like a dream.

It is very light which is why it's so lively, I like the tuners very much. Because I take good care of my guitars it should last a lifetime. I surely intend to use this alot live. It sounds great with the Fishman. I use them in all my guitars

Don't know. Lifetime warranty to original owner

I've been playing for 37 years, acoustic and electric, guitar, dobro and bass. I will use this live because I know that if anything happened to it I could replace it. If it were original it would live at home.Thank goodnes for this trend toward retro models.You can use them!

I submitted a more detailed review previously (which incidentally hasn't shown up yet!) but wanted to add one observation since. As I look into the soundhole on the inside of the upper and lower bouts, there are what appear to be cracks in the wood, presumably as a result of bending, located precisely at the most agressive part of the bend and transversing the side completely from top to back. Those cracks do not appear on the outer surface, and there is no problem whatsoever with structural integrity.

Hence I conclude that the sides of the sides of the instrument must be laminate. No big deal: the thing still sounds great!

New Martin 000-15S, twelve fret to the body slotted headstock. All solid mahogany top, sides, and back. Satin finish. 1 3/4" width at the nut. A decal for a soundhole rosette. Absolutely devoid of binding. Compensated saddle. Martin Phosphor Bronze light strings.

Overall, pretty near as butt-ugly a musical instrument as one might imagine. But you won't care.

As my interest has evolved to fingerstyle, I've been struggling with an appropriate instrument. Last year I bought a Collings D2HS twelve fret slotted headstock dreadnought, and while it has absolutely killer tone, complex harmonics, great volume and sustain, and a comfortable, wide string spacing, I've concluded that it's really not articulate enough for what I'm looking to accomplish.

So along comes this little thing. I really wouldn't have given it a second thought, having an unjustifiable prejudice against all things mahogany, particularly a mahogany top of all things! I was really astonished when I picked it up.

The geometry of a twelve fret guitar seems to expand its low end response. The Collings has beautiful, deep bass. In fact, after playing a twelve fret dreadnought one can understand the rationale for going to fourteen frets: more cut in a body that size. Here, in an instrument with much less internal air volume, the lowered soundhole just makes a nice, well-balanced bass tone. It's wonderfully articulate and loud for those alternating bass lines.

The instrument is all solid tonewood which I'm sure contributes to its sound. The little sucker is LOUD. But not loud and raggy. It holds up to some intense picking. The tone is wonderfully balanced.

I've seen folks say, "well it's a Martin so it's great." Well, that ain't necessarily so. I'm not disparaging them or anything, but I have had incidents with braces coming loose and tops cracking (the classic 'pickguard under the finish' problem) etc. They always made good on their lifetime warranty, so I have no complaints.

And now of course with the advent of modern milling machines and other modern production techniques, their instruments are much more predictable.

But I must say that the upside of Martin replacing a lot of the hand work with machinery is that they can offer guitars of this quality in this price range. There are no flaws I can see in my instrument. The finish isn't the most attractive I've seen, but I trust that whatever space-age crap they're using, it's letting the wood breathe properly, as would a nitrocellulose lacquer.

There's plenty of height on the bridge should the top decide to bulge a bit (hey, this thing is so green it smells like the inside of a sawmill...once it dries a bit who knows what might happen?)

I could only hope that the finish might wear off with playing...that way it'd look a little more hip.

Ahhh, well, in a quirky sort of way, one might talk themselves into believing it looks pretty hip just the way it is.

But definitely the thing ain't gonna fall apart. No way.

These Martin folks are great people, all the way around.

Lifetime warranty means lifetime warranty. Just be a little patient...it'll take a while for them to get to your instrument.

I've been playing for less than fifty years. But more than thirty.

I've owned a few and played a whole lot more, including some killer specimens.

I only wish it had a Britney Spears decal on the top.

But seriously, even without the decal, this thing's a wonderful value for a budding fingerstylist.

This is an update of an earlier review on this guitar now that I have had time to gig seriously with it and enter the recording studio with it. My earlier review in this section remains the same

After having played this guitar for several months, my evaluation of it tone has nothing but improved (and I gave it a 10 before). Although it has a mahogany top, it is sufficiently loud to play in a duo context with an old D-28. It's tone can be described as warm, mellow, yet having nice brightness on the high end with a hint of edge to the tone, like all good mahogany guitars. The overall tone has a nice pleasing "soft" quality to yet, while retaining volume and dynamics. The sustain is remarkable, and this was especially evident in the studio, where the recorded quality was remarkably alive with very little need for equalization.
The guitar has a wonderful tone quality for "old-time" music, backing up a fiddle. In our neck of the woods, guitarists prefer old Gibsons for this job, but this guitar does a wonderful job at this.
This Martin is equally adept at both flatpicking and fingerpicking, a good all-around size.

A simply fantastic guitar for the money.

Brand new. All solid mahogany, no veneer. Rosewood bridge and fretboard. Decent-enough hard case. Good tuning pegs. Satin finish. Nice wood, as all Martins tend to have.

The neck is a tad wider than I'm used to, but I love it. I'm also getting used to it fast.

The whole deal with this guitar is the slot head and the neck being attached at the 12th fret. Sure, it cuts back a tiny bit on playing up the neck, but it lengthens the body and is what gives this guitar its incredible sound. A great, classic body shape.

Just gets better and better. Very articulate. Not as deep as a slope-shoulder Gibson, but it's not supposed to be.

Just a great sound that makes you think about each note. Chord voicings sound different entering my brain with this guitar.

I love it.

Perfectly built.

It's a Martin.

It's a light guitar, which is why it sounds so good. I wouldn't sit on it, but it's also very well-built.

Martin rules.

Playing a long time. I love Gibson slope-shoulders and need a new one, but this guitar falls into a completely different niche. Great for blues stuff, but don't want to peg into into just one style. You can play anything on this guitar. Really great tone.

I'm going to keep it. Now I want another 000.

This all solid mahogany guitar is one of the latest editions of Martin's extremely successful 15 series of bare-bones mahogany guitars. This guitar is built in the "old" 12 fret style with elogated body and slotted peghead. It reminds me of my old 1928 0-18K which was such a lovely little guitar.
This guitar is solid wood and very basic. It features no body binding at all and a very thin dark brown stain finish. The bridge and fretboard are rosewood and the rosette a simple gold herringbone decal. The pickguard is the typical "pepperoni" plastic that Martin uses for most of its guitars. I replaced it with a "Tortise" pickguard from Greven which is more authentically antique looking than Martin's and has beveled edges.
About the only thing "fancy" on this guitar is the very nice set of tuners with pearloid buttons. They are probably gotah and are much better than the Grover tuners on my old D-18S which tended to fall apart. Strings are Martin SP phosphor bronze light gauge.

This guitar is truly remarkable. I previously owned a D-15 which I thought was very good sounding in the mid-range but rather subdued in the bass and weak in the trebles, probably due to the mahogany top. This guitar seems to be the perfect size and shape for a mahogany topped instrument, because it is perfectly balanced all across the spectrum. Not only does it have the wonderful mid-range, but it has a very clear bass and the high end just sings. This guitar is the perfect tonal blend of mellowness, crispness, and clarity. It displays no boominess. The separation is to die for. And it's loud to boot. Above all, this guitar tonally displays the unique Martin sound and vibe, which is reason enough to choose it.

This guitar, although simply finished and appointed, is built to Martin's customary impeccable standard. Everything is is tightly and cleanly put together, just like the more expensive Martins. About my only complaint is that the nut slots are a little high, but all Martins come this way and it's simple to file the slots to my personal preference. The mahogany is straight grained and looks good to me. No complaints otherwise.

This guitar is very lightly built and lightly finished, but it's a Martin and they have stood the test of time since 1833. I see no reason why this guitar won't last a lifetime. But even though this model is not an expensive instrument, it probably deserves more care than an Asian import, because it is a lightly and precisely built musical instrument and not a toy.

Martin has been there for us since 1833. I've owned numerous Martins and have never had a problem with the company. And they have aneat free factory tour right there in beautiful Nazareth, PA.

I have been playing for nearly 40 years. My music is old-time, bluegrass, Celtic, etc in both flatpicking and fingerpicking styles. I also own a wonderful Martin SPOM-16, a Mid-Missouri mandolin, two Mike Ramsey banjos, an old Washburn D-60SW which I resurrected from the dead, and an old Hohner classical guitar of nice quality.
The 000-15S is a good tonal alternative to my SPOM-16. The 16 is fuller and more "modern" sounding. The 15S is a little thinner and crisper in tone, imparting a more vintage quality to the sound. It's wonderful for old time music. It lost or stolen, I wouldn't hestitate to replace this rig with another just like it. It's a great deal.

This guitar was purchased from Elderly instruments. There was approximately a 6 month wait. The wait was worth every minute. The
guitar came with a great case. It is a 000 size solid mahogany guitar
with 12 frets clear of the body. It has a slot head. It is a beautiful guitar, and Martin all the way. This is a solid mahogany guitar, and is the second Martin I own. I also own a 1969 Brazilian
D-35, and a Gibson Hummingbird, (Montana). The finish is wonderful, and I am extremely happy with the sound. In some ways, it sounds as good or better than my D-35.

This is a wonderfully balanced guitar. It is solid mahogany, so it has a really great "twangy" guitar type of sound. The sound is mellower than spruce top guitars, but perfectly balanced. It is excellent on the mid range. A well balanced guitar. I have used it at song swaps that we have locally. Everyone has commented positively. It is also as good a sound as a 1955 00-17 I played many years ago. I am so glad I waited. The guitar is a fingerpickers dream. Forget spending money for the Clapton model. This guitar has a warmer sound, and compares well.

Everything was done well. This is a Martin all the way.

I would do a gig with this guitar. Amplication would certainly be an issue if it was a very large room. The guitar has a nice warm sound. In many ways it is a "porch guitar." Woody Guthrie played a
0-15.

Lifetime warranty. Just don't keep it in your car during the summer, or next to your fireplace in the winter.

I have been playing for over twenty years. I own a 1969 Brazilian D-35, a Bozeman Hummingbird, a 1923 Gibson Snakehead "A2Z" mandolin, Various Vega banjos, from the twenties. I do not go lightly with musical instruments