Martin 000-16RGT

U.S. Made, possibly in 2006, I traded in 2 very nice/more expensive guitars for this one (best thing I ever did for myself guitar wise, I'll tell you why later). All solid woods - Spruce top, Rosewood back/sides, no electronics/cutaway, neck: spanish cedar or mahogany? Black Micarta fretboard/bridge (its more stable/impervious than ebony, looks/sounds just as nice - IMHO, in fact now that I've experienced it, I prefer it over ebony, that's just me :)). Very nice/thin gloss finish on top, satin back/sides, Martin nickel tuners look/feel solid, neck "modified oval" which I like 1 11/16 at the nut...see the rest of specs on Martin's website under "inactive" models. HSC included. Paid some cash plus 2 guitars trade. This is a no frills version of the Clapton model but I'm sure I like this one better.

10 here, I truly feel that this is the best acoustic I've ever had...better (for me, anyways) than the Taylor 314kce that I traded in for this guitar (IMHO). Very nice lows/mids/highs - nothing wanting whatsoever! Specially considering this is a OOO size vs. my Taylor which was a Grand Auditorium size body. Just incredible and I couldn't be happier.

10 here also! No complaints, no glue seeping out anywhere, neck/body joint, neck/body binding, top/back/neck finish, fret ends, action mid/low, no buzzing, ALL PERFECT. No adjustments/setup necessary (I don't even want to change the strings which is stock from Martin factory). Nut is corian - well cut, saddle is compensated "Tusq." Sounds great/easy to play.... I finger pick, strum (the hell out of it - think "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" and "American Pie) and flat pick, folk, rock, bossa nova, etc... Nothing needed to be changed on this guitar when I bought it (June 24, 2006)!

10 - although not a solid (body - lol) guitar....it is acoustic and very well made but still should be treated delicately (Duh)! Its just as solid as the best of 'em/more expensive guitars of other Brands/Models. Hardware is good & solid and decent/nothing fancy - should last a very long time. Finish too is beautiful and looks like will last as long as the guitar itself if treated with care. It looks and feels very dependable/giggable/no need for backup (although if you were a serious/pro "gigging musician," to not have a backup is just plain stupid. lol

I've called and inquired at Martin before a few times and they've always been friendly and anwered all my questions.

30 + years, hobbyist only. I'm just glad I found this one and wish I'd found it sooner so I wouldn't have spent more money/energy on other guitars (all of which didn't completely satisfy me, I might add). Yes I'd buy it again - its an incredible value.

Sitka/rosewood full scale 000 made around '2005. See Martin's website for full specs. I think it's a visually lovely guitar and give it a 7 only because obviously for more $ there's room for improved features (such as full gloss, better tuning machines, bone nut & saddle, mahogany neck rather than Spanish cedar, etc.). I personally love the Micarta fretboard and bridge and would have no clue they weren't ebony were I not familiar with Martin's specs from frequently browsing their website. The Micarta looks and feels great and should exhibit better stability than ebony. I love the look of ebony but have come to prefer rosewood for its stability. Micarta would seem to bet the best of both worlds, offering the visual benefits of ebony without its tendency to chip, shrink, etc. I couldn't give a rip about the cheap market perceptions of synthetics.

Very nice-sounding, well balanced tone and perfect intonation anywhere on the board. I play mostly low-key fingerstyle blues, folk, classic rock. When I took the guitar out of its case I was initially a little dismayed at how quiet and lacking in bottom-end character the tone seemed to be; however, switching to a set of lighter 11/52 p/b strings from the stock 12/54's made an enormous positive difference. Volume is better and bass is more present, articulate and better balanced. I plan some other modifications I think will help tweak/clarify the tone a bit: will add a bone nut and saddle and possibly bone bridge pins. With those slight changes and some time for the top to open up, I have no doubt I will learn to love this guitar. I am sorry to see they've discontinued the model (one of the reasons I decided to snap one up in a hurry).

Bookmatching on the top is excellent and overall it's a beautiful guitar; however, there are some mildly annoying imperfections. For one, there are two tiny black dots on the lower bout about an inch below the bridge - UNDER the lacquer, which to me signifies inexcusably sloppy handling and inspection. They are barely noticeable and I'm not the least bit bothered by their presence but on principle it's irritating that something so simple to correct would have passed through Martin's processing and inspection unaddressed. The white plasticky binding looks all right from a distance, but on close inspection is sloppily executed particularly at the end of the fretboard and it ultimately looks rather cheap. The one detail that is very irritating and a little worrisome is that while I am fine with the medium factory setup, the saddle is already as low as I'd ever want it to get if a decent break angle is to be left on the thing, which basically signifies to me that the neck was set less than perfectly. I'd need a neck reset now if I wanted to lower the action on this guitar, and I've had it less than a week. Since the reset I'm certain I will need within the next five years or so will be on Martin's dime, they'd have been better off investing the time necessary to set the neck properly in the first place. Another irritating small detail has to do with the Martin ebony bridge and end pin set purchased along with this guitar (a mistake on my part - should have waited to hear it first and I'd have thought twice before ordering ebony pins, which probably only muffled my tone slightly). This is my second Martin, and my second encounter with bridge and end pins made by them that do not fit their guitars. Seriously annoying to have to sand down the set and I cannot fathom their apparent inability to fit pins with guitars of their own manufacture. A minor annoyance, but there just the same.

The guitar seem very sturdy and feels heavier than my Martin dreadnaught - a quality I actually like. I wouldn't anticipate any problems with the guitar holding up for a lifetime and beyond so long as it is properly cared for. No rating in this category yet as time will have to tell.

No experience with Martin's customer support yet. Hopefully I'll never have to go there.

I've been playing a few years and own or have owned guitars by Martin, Guild, Taylor. I am a huge fan of the Martin sound. If I'd tried this guitar in person before buying it, I probably would not have bought it; however, I'm not sorry I did. It sounds darn good right now and will only get better. If it were lost or stolen, I wouldn't lose any sleep - would look to replace it with another Martin 000 or OM. I chose this model in part because with its discontinuation, there is not an existing rosewood 000 or OM in Martin's line that is priced below an 000-28, so I figured this might be my last chance to purchase a Martin rosewood 000 at an affordable price. Glad I bought it.

Martin 000-16rgt, Made Nazareth,PA.USA
20 Frets
Solid Spruce Top/ Gloss w/full body and neck binding
No Electronics
Top-solid spruce,Sides/Back East Indian Rosewood, Micarta Fingerboard
000 Auditorim
Tuners Stock sealed Martin Machine
Medium Fret width
Case= Martin 330

Blues, Folk, Finger style. This guitar suits me well.
No amps or affects. Straight acoustic play.
Balnced, bright tone. Surprisingly deep bass. Will get better in time.
I love the way this guitar sounds, feels, and responds. Very smooth and easy to play and fingerpick. Nice to look at too.

The guitar was set up perfectly from the factory. Low to medium action,
Bookmatching was perfect. Top has a wonderful quilted grain. No flaws in finish. This is a Martin and they take pride in their product. All hardware was intalled properly and no adjustment was needed. Came with bone nut and compensated bone saddle.

This guitar will definitley withstand live playing. I've owned Martin in the past and have gigged with them. No problems,
The hardware will last. Although I am currenlty upgrading the sealed tuner to Waverly openback butterbean tuners for cosmetic reasons.
Came with one plastic strap button that is a push to intall type... Seems solid enough. Although I'd still be cautious when strap hanging.
I never gig without a back up.

I haven't delt with waraanty dept at Martin, however when I registered the guitar with them They were friendly and fast. They sent me a welcome letter from the CEO and som eliterature. Nice folks so far. I do understand form friends and fellow owners, warranty repairs can take awhile. The warranty for this guitar is lifetime. Can't beat that.

I've been playing over 20 years , and currenlty own a few guitars. This guitar is the nicest and sweetess sounding of them all. If it were lost or stolen I'd be broken. I'd get another one right away..Me and this guitar are like peas and carrots. I compared with a few taylors and gibsons, But this was the best bang for the buck. I wish it had a pick up and some fancier inlays.You can'g go wrong with a Martin, Qaulity instrument, good price..

2005, Nazareth, PA. Same specs and features listed on the other reviews.Just a straight up good guitar. No frills

I play mix of Jazz,Blues and Fingerstyle. I play mostly acoustic no amps. Guitar has a bright top end, with warm deep lows. Very full sound not muted as one would imagine with a 000 size guitar.

What I like about this instrument is that it is real easy to play. I mean to say that you dont have to concern yourself with compensating for bad action or lack of sustain you can instead concentrate on getting creative. The guitar is for lack of a better word , SMOOTH.

Being a Martin, well it's a no brainer this guitar is as neat as a pin. Not a rough joint to found. The bookmatch is perfect. And the top itself has the most wonderful cellulose grain I've seen on 1,000.00 axe. Very clean.
I purchased this from my local music shop and suspect they did a set up. The action is medium. Again very easy to play. The nut and saddle are both bone, polished nicely. No binding of strings in the nut. Very nice.

Craftmanship beats any other maker out there...They just really care at the marting factory. It shows.

This guitar will definitley be played out. I have faith in it..Solid guitar.

The hardware is right on the money. No problems I foresee.

i NEVER gig without a backup...But I would if I had no choice

Not yet. No problems. But form what I understand Martin is goo dto deal with. Let's hope I do not have to. :)

I've been playing 20+ Years. I've traded my two guitars in toward this Martin,If stolen I would scream then buy another one. I love the sound, smell, feel of this...It is definitely a martin. I compared with other guitars, a few taylors, gibson and even andAlvarez. This was the best bang for the buck. If you dont own a Martin, buy one. I't's a whole different thing then with others.

My guitar is a 2005 model I purchased in July of 2005. This is a basic guitar, not a lot of frills or fancy appointments. US made, solid wood, spruce top with rosewood back and sides. Complete features available from the Martin website. I had been saving up for a 000-28 model but picked this one up in the music store and fell in love with the tone. The rosewood body give this guitar a nice deep complex tone, and it is nearly as loud as dreadnaughts I own. If I ever find a 000-28 that sounds this good... I'll sell this one and buy it, but I don't think that is likely!

I play mostly acoustic blues and classic country/bluegrass, and this guitar has the tone I had been looking for. Every now and then you find a "special" acoustic guitar that just sounds so much better than others of the same make and model. This is one of those guitars. As I said earlier, I was saving for a 000-28 but when I played this one, I had to have it. After six months of playing, it just gets better and better!! Rich full bass, clear bright treble. Perfect.

The guitar was set up well from the factory. So far I have not seen any reason to do anthing but change strings. There are no flaws I've found in the fit and finish. I will probably take it in and have bone saddle added at some point, but that is all it needs.

It is a Martin so I don't have any worries about durability. I've only had it six months, but I've had no problems to date. I have confidence in this guitar, but I NEVER gig without a backup. No reflection on this particular guitar, but stuff happens.

I have dealt with Martin customer support in the past with issues on other guitars I own, and they have been very easy to work with. No problems with this one so far.

I have been playing guitar for nearly 50 years, and I currently own 13 guitars of various types and brands, both acoustic and electric. This has become my favorite guitar. It's not the most expensive I own by a long shot, but I am in love with the sound of it. I compared it to Martin 000-18's and 000-28's, and Taylor orchestra models, and it sounds better than any of those that I played. It's not fancy or flashy, it is plain and tasteful. And, it simply has the perfect sound for the music I play. If it were lost or stolen, I'd try my best to find another one that sounded just like it! I'm sure that not all 000-16RGT's sound as good as this one does, but if you find one that does, buy it!

Built in 2003. Standard Martin 000-16RGT.

It sounds better now than when I bought it one and a half years ago. I bought a D-28 this summer, and when played side by side, I can hardly tell the difference. I say hardly because the D-28 of course has a louder sound, but not by much. The 000-16RGT can really deliver a good sound. Nice deep Martin bass, good well balanced mids and highs.

I was getting fret buzz from the day I bought the guitar. Took it back to the dealer, who said it was humidity and messed with the truss rod. Still buzzed. Took it to another Martin dealer who looked at it and said there was nothing wrong with it. Took it to my guitar instructor, who also is a guitar repairman, but not Martin. He analyzed it and said the neck was bad, warped. No adjusting in the world would make the guitar not buzz. I was going on a trip to visit family in NJ and stopped in Nazareth, PA (Martin factory) to show them the guitar. They took one look at it and agreed the neck was warped. Four months later, my guitar came back to me better than the day I bought it. Now it's really perfect. No problems. Plus, there was some dried glue on the neck originally, which the first Martin dealer buffed out leaving a mark on the neck. The new neck took care of that problem. New neck, no mark.

I play for fun at home, and keep it in the case when not playing. The finish is fine with no problems.

I've stopped in the factory three times now. Once for a tour and twice with problems. I bought my brand new D-28 at Nazareth Music in Nazareth,PA. It was summer and I had bug repellant on my arm. That first night I had the guitar, I was playing it and forgot about the bug repellant. Well, it marred the finish. I took it back to Martin a week later and while I waited, rebuffed the finish for me. No appointment. Very nice. They also were very nice with replacing the neck on my 000-16RGT. I can't say enough nice things about Martin and their service department. Top notch. Really.

I've been playing almost three years and have totally immersed myself in guitar playing. I play everyday and it brings me great joy. I just bought a Gibson Les Paul Studio which I equally love. It's nice to lay down some Green Day on the Les Paul, but I turn to the 000-16RGT and D-28 for my Beatles and Eagles stuff. I really bought the D-28 because the Beatles took it to India when making the White Album. Maybe a stupid reason to buy a guitar but my love for the Beatles brought me to play the guitar. I really play the 000-16RGT more because it's smaller in size, not as wide, and more comfortable to hold and get my arms around. Plus, I'm not gigging, so I don't need the full sound of the D-28. The 000-16RGT has a great sound, great features (rosewood side and back, spruce top), nice size and just really fun to play. I would highly recommend this guitar. The 000-28 (Eric Clapton plays this one) is far more expensive than the 000-16RGT. The 000-28 has more cosmetic features but I bet they both sound pretty much the same. I would be upset if my 000-16RGT was stolen.

This is an auditorium size acoustic guitar, made in 2001 and bought used in 2003. It has a solid spruce top and solid rosewood back and sides. The neck is made of Spanish cedar and the fingerboard and bridge of a synthetic material called micarta. There is white binding on the body and the fingerboard. The scale length is 25.4 inches. The tuners are a chromed generic type labled "Martin". There is an adjustable truss rod in the neck using a hex tool accessed through the sound hole.

The sound is vibrant, mellow, and well balanced, with each note clearly defined when used finger style. When strummed with a pick it is brighter and the mid-range is more pronounced and the trebles remain clear. The fretted bass E string sounds slightly muted, especially when playing the 3rd fret "G" note. Overall the volume is quite strong, and almost equals an HD 28 that I tried reciently. With the action adjusted properly, and using light ga. ph. bronze strings, the intonation reads slightly sharp but this is not noticable with the ear.

The assemply shows no noticable flaws and the wood quality is above average for an instrument in this price range. It is light weight but appears to be strongly built. The rosewood is especially nicely book-matched and the top is sealed in a gloss finish. The matt finish on the neck has worn to a shine, but the feeling is very comfortable. The synthetic nut and saddle were installed properly and the action was a bit high and was easily adjusted. This is a used instrument but in excellent-plus condition with only two minor scratches in the finish around the sound hole.

It has held up well during the year I have owned it. The neck and action has remained stable, requiring only slight adjustment when the strings are changed, better then some other good quality guitars that I own. The tuners operate smoothly and maintain the correct tension. I play it mostly at home or at family gatherings and have loaned it to family members. It is very reliable.

I bought it used so the Martin warranty does not apply, so I will have to maintain it at my own expense.

I have been playing for over 40 years, (since age 12), and now it is just a hobby. I have owned, traded, or sold many guitars over the years and usually keep about 3 acoustics and a few electrics on hand or share them with family members. I rate this guitar as above average, a good value, and it is fun to "fool around with". I would replace it with another Martin as I always have at least one within reach. I try to upgrade with each purchase, but at my age I'm running out of time to find the perfect one, but it is fun to try! The "street price" for a new 00016-RGT is about $ 1700 Canadian. I saved over $ 400 plus tax on this purchase.

This is an update to the old review posted below ($1900 CDN)
This guitar was at Martin headquarters for a warranty repair for 8 months. When they sent it back with a new top they added a new bridge stating it was to be upgraded to ebony but it was clearly still micarta. This is a beautiful Martin. The top material they used has that shimmering quality to it. You can tell it's much higher grade. The pickgaurd is nicer now as well.

The strings they stocked it with (Martin SP4100 - light)are excellent strings. I'm almost afraid to change to my typical D'addario phos bronze. Because of this I've had the old strings on for almost two months - they are rusted and the guitar still sounds good. This guitar came back to me sounding far better than before. It still has that great bass (reminds me of my bass playing days) along with nice clear projection in the highs and lovely overtones. I equipped the guitar with the excellent Sunrise soundhole pickup - and it only took some of the volume and tone away but I plan to remedy that by having the guitar boned. (replacing bridge pins and saddle with bone).

I love the gloss top. Martin refinished the sides and back which was sure nice of them since I had a scrape on the side where the edge of my harmonica holder gouged the guitar. I wish the sides and back were a gloss as well but with care I shouldn't be gouging the guitar much. The top has a pick scratch or two already but that's pride marks from owning a guitar I can actually strum as hard as I like.

The top was rebraced and I hope it holds out. The saddle sits kind of strange in the bridge with more height in the treble end. But the action came back perfect and thankfully has not changed these past few months.

This guitar has already gone on a few tours and played a few festivals. It's not a guitar to bring to a drunken party, where someone might smash a "fancy" guitar. The finish is solid. I would play without a backup. Thankfully this upgraded Martin doesn't go out of tune like the version I sent back. It also can withstand heavy rigorous strumming and picking. This guitar also responds to quiet playing. Very dependable. If it ain't my friend for life the warranty sure will be!

Okay, here's why I wrote. I returned this guitar through my local music store last November. I ordered the store to send it directly to the factory instead of dealing with the local repairperson. When Martin contacted me they had me sign a sheet saying warranty work would commence. A month later I signed the same paper again and it said 15 week estimated completion. Well, folks, just be patient like I was. Eight months later my music store called to say it was returned. I went and played it at the store with some ears around me (my friend is a award winning sound engineer) and everyone was impressed, including myself. The Martin customer support is fantastic, as is their warranty and professionalism. June Laubach was very helpful during those eight months, returning my emails within a day. She was a very friendly person to deal with. I'm sure that the repair people spent an extra amount of care to ensure that this guitar would come back a winner and it did. Not every guitar is a gem and I'm glad they turned this one into one. THANK YOU MARTIN!

I've been at this for 18 years and have owned every guitar in the book. I don't regret purchasing this guitar since it is reputable company I'm proud to associate my career with. I also own a 1961 Martin 0-18 and a Jay Turser Resonator electric. If this guitar were lost or stolen I would replace it with an 18 or a 21 series. I ordered this model as a rosewood because I need bass. I strongly suggest people who want the smaller body guitars to go for rosewood for the warmth. I'm glad Martin builds lefties at no extra cost.

9.5
2003/04 american made, solid sitka (or however you spell it) top and solid rosewood back and sides. I believe the neck is mahogany. What features do you really need on an acoustic? its got strings, frets, tuning pegs and a bridge - they all work perfectly. That'll do me. I suppose an ebony rather than a micarta fretboard would be nice from a purist's point of view, but I can't tell the difference.

10 This guitar sounds wonderful. Deep and rich, warm and zingy. I love it like a smiling baby. I tried a number of more expensive instruments. This was better

lovely all round

Haven't really moved it from my flat, but seems solid enough

Martin were a bit difficult when I asked them questions about te sourcing of their timber. I'm not very happy about having bought something which may not be from sustainable wood sources. I think they should inform customers better.

Been playing for about 17 years. Best Acoustic I've ever owned.

2003 model with solid rosewood backa and sides mohagany neck sitka spruce top mircarta fingerboard. White binding on guitar and fingerboard( which I like.) All other details can be gotten from Martin website.

I will play anything from the late sixties and early 70's. Full bass with good highs and midrange. Very balanced This guitar has gotten many compliments from multiple proffesional players. Has been copared favorably to OM 21 and OOO28 by my guitar teacher.

Set up was high for me, but once lowered I have no complaints. Fit and finish are excellent. NO flaws that I could find after looking at for over a month. Bookmatching is excellent.

I changed the tuners on the guiar to a schaller tuner for better tunning control. This is the second Martin Ive owned and it seems better built than the oteher guitars Ive had.

Talked to Martin about this and other guitars.. Always very freindly and helpful. Have not used any warranty service,

Ive been playing for five years at this time. Played many a night when I was younger. Love the sound of rosewood. Looked at multiple other guitars in this price range, but just liked the martin sound the best. I am a smaller person so the OOO body fits me better than a dreadnaught. The sound is more balanced than the larger version. However I still get the same sound as the dreadnaugt. For the money this is a great buy. Nothing really fancy but a great tone and easy fingering. I would replace it in an instant if it was lost or stolen. I would hesitate to compare to more expensive model( better quality wood, workmanship, extra features, different bracing.)but would recommend this guitar for anyone who can't put out twice the cost. An Excellent choice for those who are not profeesional and like to sit in or homes and play for the pure enjoyment of music. I give this guitar 9's because it not the standard series and for no other reasons

This is a 2002 Martin acoustic guitar made in USA, Bought from Elderly Instruments on line. Solid sitka gloss spruce top,solid rosewood Matte back and sides.Mahogany neck. 1 11/16 nut. This is a 000- size auditorium guitar with case.

This guitar has a beautiful rich full sound. Set up was perfect. I play many different types of music and would recommend this guitar for all types of music.

I could not have asked for a better finish or set up on this guitar. Perfect!

This guitar will withstand any type of playing. I also have a 000-15s Martin guitar that I use for outdoor jam sessions or parties the reason being that I prefer the 000-16rgt and want to keep it in perfect condition. I am know to bang a guitar up a bit when things get a little wild. Everything is solid on this guitar and I would use it anytime without a back up.

I called Martin a couple of time when trying to decide what guitar to buy and they were most helpful. I have never had to use the warranty so I don't know how they would handle a problem.

I have had this guitar over a year and I love it. I also have a couple of other guitars, another Martin,Taylor and a custom made guitar. If this guitar were lost or stolen I would have to replace it with the same. The size and ease of playability are my favorite points on this guitar. In this price rang I could not have asked for more.

This is a 2003 Martin, custom ordered from the manufacturer in December of 2002. It has 20 frets, solid sitka spruce top, rosewood back and sides. I had a B-Band installed with a Mic and Bridge pickup afterwards by a Martin Authorized Repairperson. This is a small bodied guitar.

My style of music is eclectic, with everything from fingerpicking to flatpicking, bluegrass, funk, country. The shorter scale gives me problems, and I ordered this way but since I'm left handed I didn't really get to try out a guitar to realise the scale length makes the guitar sound not crisp enough, especially on the higher frets when I do solos. Otherwise this guitar sounds beautiful. Huge bass, (more than on a jumbo Epiphone J-200 Acoustic I have) and nice volume response as far as being poignant with soft fingerpicking and the wood moves when you dig into it and the volume projects well. Sometimes I notice the mid frequencies seem non existent, and for a guy who likes twang near the bridge for a hard picked solo, that kind of bites the biscuit. This guitar is not bright or crisp, but mellow and warm. Not my cup of tea - I like them brighter but it's not bad sounding at all.

The action this guitar came with was impeccable. I have a real problem with this guitar though. The factory told me it would take 3 months to build this guitar from scratch, but it took 2. When I got the guitar there were finish cracks behind the bridge. One of my guitar buddies told me it could possibly be attributed to structural flaws in the bracing. When the top cracked along the middle behind the bridge a week after I got it, I brought it to the Authorized Repairman, and he filled the hairline crack for 40 bucks. I felt like I shouldn't have had to even pay a cent for it, especially after I took out a bank loan for 1800 bucks to pay for it. The guitar buddy of mine mentioned that the crack might be caused by bracing and that I should send it back to Martin. I was convinced otherwise by some other people at the music store, and told it wasn't the case. This friend told me that the bridge would most likely start to lift within a year, which as of now (7 months later) it is. The ends of the bridge are lifting. I have other friends telling me to return it to Martin. Should I? Maybe they'll say it's a warrantable repair - I just put a down payment on an Epiphone J-200 so I have something to play in case I have to do without my Martin for however long due to this situation.

This guitar seems fragile, even though I bought it with a gloss top so the top wouldn't go "willie nelson" on me. I already scratched up the back and sides a bit, just in the typical craziness of a gig (bumping things by accident etc) and the sides and back are not laminated, so they get the beating. I decided this winter that I should buy the Epiphone J-200, because the authorized repairperson around here tends to take a long time repairing things, and the last thing I need is the bridge to lift off this winter (which it probably will) and I'm stuck without a guitar for four months. I bought this guitar for quality, and because as a left hander (boo-hoo) I'm often stuck with crappy floor models of lower end brands while I'm a professional musician. So I ordered this left handed to end my problems, instead of getting slapped with more. These guitars can be workhorses, but I would opt for a Guild or Gibson for durability rather than this particular model.

This company, when my top cracked, gave me the whole spiel about how "everyone even down here in the South is calling about cracked tops". I have had guitars for 10 years that are worth 450 bucks that haven't cracked, and they were solid tops. Yamaha has a lifetime warranty on the top, no questions asked. A company as rich as Martin should be able to afford this as well, rather than having their "scapegoat" warranty, and have their Service Repairpeople admonish us rather than the forces of nature, however cruel they may be.

I've been playing and performing since 1991. I'm also an owner of a Jasmine 12 String Acoustic, and a Yamaha acoustic. I've gone through many guitars in my life including several Simon And Patrick and other Canadian company guitars made of soft cedar woods not designed to last forever (especially if you play and work hard). This particular guitar I'm fond of, but have lost some faith in. I wish I would have had my friend build me a guitar instead, since he could have used the money and given me repairs as a friend, for free possibly. If this guitar was stolen, I'd probably be upset only because I'm paying for it for another three years. I'd like to trade it in for a full scale neck model like a D-1 or something, but I doubt my music store would give me a deal I could live with. Plus I'm left handed, so who wants one of those anyway? When I took this home I might as well have just said "for better or worse". This is how it works when you are left handed.