Martin 000C-16GTE

Mahogany back and sides, slim body, Fishman Prefix Blender w/ onboard EQ. Solid gloss top. Owned it since 2000. Made in USA

I do some finger picking, but mostly strumming and flat picking for worship leading. It has an amazing big sound for it's relative smallish body (in comparason to dreads or GA's.) The highs are crisp and well seperated and the lows are not muddy. Sounds great plugged in through my Bose L1/B1 combo tower, but the sound unplugged is just second to none! It is also getting better with age.

The guitar has great action straight from the factory, but I've had it lowered a bit more and it is now one of the easiest guitars I've ever played! All the parts are perfectly fitted, and the only flaws on it are the dings and dents from my years of gigging and traveling (and being an ADD cluts doesn't help either.)

The guitar will do just fine in live playing situations. I've dropped/kicked/slammed the guitar numerous times but nothing ever goes wrong with the sound - but yes it does get dinged up but which guitar doesn't?

I've been playing guitars for over 20 years, and over 30+ guitars have gone through my hands (and I still have over 10 at the moment). I would not give this one up - this has done me wonders in every respect. Yes there are some more expensive guitars that sounds better in certain settings, but nothing has the well-rounded sound and features this guitar has offered me. It's a faithful friend I will take to the grave with me.

Also Own:

Taylor 614ce L30 (x2)
Taylor DDSM Limited Natural
Taylor 414ce L3 Maranatha Worship Leader
Taylor 814ce L7 Cocobolo
Taylor 914ce 2001 (Cindy Inlay with upgraded ES)
Taylor 314kce Koa Legend of the Fall
Larrivee D-10 Presentation Maple
Seagull 20th Anniversar

The guitar features a solid sitka spruce top and solid mahogany sides and back. The Fishman Premium Blender features an adjustable gooseneck mic and under the saddle piezo with an on board tuner. Also included is a nice hardshell case.

This is the best sounding acoustic I have ever owned! It edges out my 1955 Martin D-18! (Just barely) I play a hybrid finger style w/ a flatpick. This little guitar sings with pristine beautiful highs and nicely defined midrange with a perfect blend of bass. The mahogany is great, I hate the tubby and muddy sound of the cheaper rosewood. I played 4 of these guitars at different stores before I bought this one. As with any model guitar some are better than others. I recommend trying more than one incarnation. And oh, the Fishman Premium Blender... with out a doubt the best acoustic pick up system out there. You need the sound that only a real mic can deliver to acurately reproduce the acoustic sound. Just blend a little mic with the piezo and you are happening. The on board tuner is also very acurate and quite handy.

The action on this guitar is very, very good. However, I am considering lowering the string height just a tiny bit. It is very easy to play as it is but I like it low. From the first time I played this guitar the string tension was light and very bendable, just such joy! I have trouble setting this thing down once I start playing. I should give this section a 10 too, but I won't til I make my slight change.

Constuction is imaculate! You can see and feel the quality of this instrument, this guitar is top shelf.

I own 12 guitars, 6 amps and 2 dogs. I have been playing for 41 years and the last 35 professionaly. I love this guitar! Its 000 body style is smaller that a dread and so confortable to play. I will do some serious gigging with this baby and my Ultrasound Amp.

2003 - satin mahogany body and sides, spruce top, micarta fretboard and bridge. Fishman pickup....

Played a lot of guitars - Taylors, Larivees.... Bought this second hand from a guitar teacher who was leaving the country.

This is an interesting sounding guitar - a bit of a chameleon to be honest. Sometimes I feel like I have to adjust my ears to what it is doing. Sometimes I feel it is quite quiet and other times not. I've moved around my house with it and am always amazed at the variences the room size have on this.

Overall, I find this a very seet guitar - good balance and suprising bass from the small body. When strummed hard I can get excellent projection of sound. The guitar is only a year old and does appear to be opening up.

Plugged in this thing really does shine - tremendous variety of sound shapping available through this combo pickup. Can easily get from bright to deep and rich with minor setting changes.

Action seems a bit high for me but works well with no buzzing etc. Looks well put together and the satin finish is starting to polish itself to a gloss were it meets my belly on the back and where my arm rests while playing. Lets hope it stops at gloss.

Found an interesting flaw on the otherwise nicely finished top. Looks like a fairly substantial sanding mark close to the cutaway side of the neck - can only be seen at certain angles under certain light. I can find it at will now - but didn't even see it for the first 3 week I had it. I'm looking at it as a character flaw though I was suprised it got past Martin at the factory.

Seems really well put together. I'm planning on aging with it and handing it down to one of my kids.

no dealing - bought it used. Thinking about getting an opinion on the flawed top.

Been playing for years - can entertain myself for hours. This is the best guitar I've ever owned but not the best I've ever played. If you are going to use this pprimarily as an acoustic only I would look around. If you plan to use it as an both acoustic and electric, this one is hard to beat.

This is a 2002 model made in the good old USofA. All solid constuction, check out the Martin website for complete and accurate details.

Now we all know that the sound of a guitar is in the ear of the holder - but to me this baby just sold itself ... sweet and clear with controlled bass, warm mids and just enough top end (unlike it's glassy voiced Taylor counterparts .. and yes I did try several of those before I parted with my hard earned cash). A beautiful guitar for picking (either finger or with a pick) and nice for strumming too. The top and body resonance is fantastic and notes just ring on for ever. I used to own a HJ28, which while having a louder and fuller sound just doesn't compare with it's little (and cheaper) brother. Now I guess if I was playing without amplification then I would suffer a little as bigger bodied guitars would be louder, but I don't so this isn't a worry. When I plugged it in to an acoustic amp - the capabalities of the pickup and mic were shown to the full ... what a sound ... I've owned all sorts over the years and this one really does the business. Guess you could say I kind of like it!

Flawless finish and great action (unusually so compared with other Martins I've owned or played!)

Martin guitars have never let me down, don't see this one being any different.

Haven't had to deal with them so difficult to say - website is nice though. One area that Martin could improve on is to include a manual for the electrics - had to visit the Fishman site to download this.

I've been playing since I was 12/13 - I'm now 48 - I have just parted with my USA Telecaster and Tech 21 amps and have decided to return to my acoustic routes - and with this lovely instrument I'm glad I have. Its small body is just right for my expanding one (I find dreadnoughts just too big and uncomfortable) and the acoustic sound is spot on for playing at home, while when amplified it is superb for live work, both solo and in a band.

Same as previous posts.

a thin sound. It doesn't have the low end of bigger guitars but, suprisingly, still retains the martin 'dark woody' sound. The 'thinness' doesn't bother me too much because I mute the strings anyways (I hardly ever let chords ring out).

This guitar does have a great mid/high range. I can rip out some sick solos on this axe, although the lack of thick bass keeps me from really digging deep in the low register.

Hmmm.. I always set my guitars immediately after purchase. It's been years since I've had it so I don't recall its original state. Nothing bad sticks in my mind, so that's a good thing.

It's pretty rugged. My PA thing broke (now it cracks wildly and is static'y). This doesn't matter cause it sounded like %$#%@ anyways (YMMV- I ext. mic' it).

the finish around the sound hole went too (as well as chunks of wood on the sound hole rim) ... but that's no fault of the guitar. It's technique (or lack thereof).
Yeah, I abuse the thing. Still keeps rocking though..

I love the size! It sits snug to my body and the neck is thin and fast. The sound is sacrificed a bit but it is a decent price to pay for its ergonomics (and I think it's a great looking guitar, too). I'll probably end up keeping it but I'm eyeing the Chet Atkins (ala Dave) as the ultimate stage guitar.

I would recommend this guitar. I think it's a great value for the buck ( < $1000)

See the other comments for this model's specific details. My guitar was a 2001 model. I will point out that the Fishman Blender is a really good sounding pickup for an acoustic guitar.

I ordered this guitar from an online vendor who was having a great sale on Martin guitars. I had experience with a friend's HD28 and thought Martin would be the way to go. I wanted a smaller body because being only 5'8" the Dreadnought is a little unwieldy for playing while standing up. I knew I would lose volume and low end by going with the OOO body.

Well this guitar is considerably quieter, more than I was expecting. Sure enough, the bass was also less full, but surprisingly, the mids and highs weren't brought out any more by the body style change. This guitar sounded...muddy...I guess is the right word. Notes weren't very distinct when I fingerpicked, and strumming produced an unspectacular sound. I play a lot of acoustic folk/rock music which demands different styles of fingerpicking and strumming (both hard and soft/melodic). This guitar would often give out when strummed hard.

Sure this guitar sounded better than the budget acoustics you can find in Guitar Center (Taks, Ovations) but at the price it's meant to compete at ($1000-$1500) it was a disappointment.

The gloss top is nice, but the satin back and sides is not going to be very durable. If you sweat at all, it might affect the wood over time.

The guitar badly needed professional setup by a local luthier who has a stellar reputation. He seated the bridge pins, lowered the action to a respectable level, still keeping it high for volume and to avoid fret buzz, but lower than how it came from the store (about 5/16" at the 12th fret). The bridge had to be sanded down, and the tuning pegs were tightened as well.

This guitar should be fine for use onstage and for informal jam sessions. As I pointed out above, the satin finish on the back and sides doesn't protect as well as a guitar with all-gloss finish would, anbd it doesn't look as nice. The gloss on the top isn't very thick, which means it won't affect the sound too much, but also might wear over time. I would not use this on a gig without a backup guitar.

I had a couple of questions for Martin guitars, and my emails were answered within 48 hours, and the one call I made was short and sweet (although it wasn't an 800 number). Martin is known for its outstanding lifetime warranty for the original owner.

I am 28 and have been playing for almost eight years. This guitar was definitely an upgrade from the Yamahas and Ovations that a lot of my friends have. But at nearly a grand I want something more. I was at a local shop and had a chance to try a Lakewood M32. I instantly fell in love with it. I ordered a custom M32 from www.samusic.com and it is on the way. Unfortunately I shipped back the 000C-16GTE because I didn't want to pay a grand for something that I will want to replace. Although the Lakewood will cost a bit more (base price of $1650 from www.samusic.com) I believe it is money well spent.

When the Lakewood arrives I will post a review in the appropriate category.

Mine is a 2001 model made in the USA. It has 20 frets (all accessible due to the cutaway.) Gloss top, absolutely beautiful. Came with Fishman Stereo Blender electronics (which played through my Fender Acoustisonic Amplifier sounds awesome.

This guitar sounds awesome for the money I paid. I play mostly acoustic rock i.e. Dave Matthews band, Days of the New, etc.. and it fits so well with those styles of music. It came out of the factory with light strings on it, but i wanted a little higher pitch on the high strings so I use ultralights now and it sounds perfect. Great blend of powerful low end and beautiful high end.

I have not yet had this guitar set up and I have had it for 7 months now... and it doesnt need it anytime soon. martin did a great job right out of the factory. With the right mixture of notch, blend, treble, bass, etc.. you can get ANY sound desirable out of this instrument. My guitar is in immaculate shape as of now, but I do baby it alot, and I plan on doing so for quite some time. Everything was put together perfectly right out of the factory. Awesome.

Everything on the guitar was built to last. Perfect.

Havent dealt with them, doubt I will have to for awhile.

I have been playing for almost 5 years now and this is the best sounding acoustic I've played yet. My dad did just buy a 000C-28SMH (Merle Haggard Model) so that might take over as the best sounding, but we'll just have to see. I also own a Fender Powerhouse Stratocaster, Fender Acoustisonic Amplifier, and Danelectro Effects Pedel. I love this guitar. Exactly what I was looking for. Great Instrument.

Paid:

What year was it made?
2001

Solid-Top?
Solid top, back and sides

Make and model of pickups?
Fishman Blender - has a microphone AND a pickup under the bridge. You can use either, or a combination of both (hence, the Blender).

Body and neck woods?
Spruce top (gloss finish), mahogany back and sides (Satin finish)

Body style (strat, tele, dreadnought, cutaway, thinline, etc...)
Auditorium cutaway

I play blues, fingerstyle, plugged in and unplugged.

The quality and workmanship are outstanding, it's truly a masterpiece.

I love this guitar. I upgraded to it from a Martin DM - I wanted a smaller body for comfort reasons, as well as a pickup and cutaway. You have to have solid woods all around like this has to get a great sound when unplugged - the laminates just don't deliver in the smaller body size.

I will not repeat what the other reviewers have already written as far as the features are concerned, other than mine is a 2001 model.

Well, what can I say. I've been playing guitar for about 12 years and
this is my first Martin. When I bought this guitar I was in the market for a steel string acoustic with built-in pickups, specifically,
for studio recording. I tried out Ovation Legends and Elites, several top of the line Takamines, some high end Alvarez products and even
some not so high-end guitars.

The day I bought this guitar I had played up to a dozen different ones in all of the reputable shops in town. I figured by the time
I made it to my local Martin dealer my ears would be saturated and
they would not be able to discern any subtle differences between the
Martin and the other guitars I had played up to that point.

I was dead wrong!!! As soon as I picked up this guitar I knew it was the one. No other guitar sounded this good! Period. It's all about SOUND. The Takamines and Ovations are sexy and sound real good plugged in for live work; to play over all the noise of drums, keys and bass. But for going directly into a board after some subtle chorus and verb; the Martin wins hands down. It wasn't even close. This is coming from a current Takamine owner and past Ovation owner. And unplugged, this guitar has some unbelievable low end and very bright highs.

I'm a jazz/light rock player, and this guitar delivers. You can get that Craig Chaquico sound if you so choose, or crank out the heavier chord work for some rock rythms. Very, very impressed with the sound of this guitar. Now, for those of you that need a country sound, perhaps I would look elsewhere. I'm by no means a country player, but
I can see that other guitars may be better for that type of sound.
It's just my opinion and I could be wrong.

What is it that makes this guitar sound so good? It's the engineering
the salesman told me. The engineering. Martin does it right. I agree.

The Fishman Pro is so acurate it's ridiculous. It's perfect for studio work; just perfect. That's all I can say about it.

The action was a bit high toward the higher registers but the tech at the shop adjusted it in about ten minutes.

The action is a dream.

This guitar will last if you baby it. It's real light and my tendency
could be to swing it while picking it up and possibly bumping it against the corner of the mixer console or any other hard object.
I've done it and fortunately I hasn't been damaged; YET!

I don't play live, so my review is solely based on studio applications. For this, I think that this guitar should hold up fine.
But, if I were playing a live rock n' roll gig I would probably use a
Takamine or Ovation.

I've bought lots of different gear over the years from the shop where I bought this Martin. But, I've never been treated as nicely as when
I bought this guitar. There was something about buying a Martin that
brought out the best in the salesman. I don't know what it is....:-)

I've never had to use Martin support and suspect that I will never need to.

I'd been wasting my time with Ovations and Taks for studio recording.
The sound, action and Fishman system on the Martin are superb!
This is the Mercedes Benz of guitars. At least for recording studio purposes. I wish I would have accepted this fact years ago.

I would look for another if it were loss or stolen. This instrument
has inspired me like no other(except for my synths..:-)

My guitar is an '01 model, electric, auditorium cutaway with an attractive, glossy solid Spruce top, satin mahogany back and sides, scalloped bracing, striped ebony fingerboard, a cutaway, and a Fishman Prefix Stereo Blender.

At the time that I bought this guitar, I owned some low end but adequate sounding acoustics (the Fender FR-50, a Seagull S12, and a Sigma DM-1), and I was looking for a good acoustic tone for playing with the 7 member jamband in which I am lead guitarist. I had used a Bartolini sound hole pickup with the Seagull and the Sigma in the past, and it had sounded okay, though I was really not upset when my bassist broke it, as I was excited to try something different. Thus, began my tale of a tonequest that took me from looking at Dean Markley pickups under $100 up to my decision to by this Martin. To make a long story short, given the features at this price point, this Martin just offers too much bang for the buck to overlook. To achieve warm, good amplified acoustic tones, blender systems such as the Fishman Stero Prefix Blender are currently the best options, and, as a lead player, the cutaway and auitorium body size facilitate playing. Honestly, unplugged, this guitar does not sound any better than those other, far cheaper guitars that I listed earlier (largely irrelevant comparisons given how different a dread, a resonator, and 12 string sound from an auditorium in general), but that's not its intended purpose. Thanks to the wonderful Fishman blender system, it really sounds beautiful plugged through good acoustic amplifiers like an SWR California Blonde or my POD, then a RAPCO passive DI, into the mixing board. The Blender's many features also offer versatility in providing good tones for leads, strumming with the band or alone, and fingerpicking.

The top on this guitar is just beautiful. After seeing the devestation that I wreaked in just a few short years on the satin top of my Seagull, I realized that I better get a gloss top if I were planning on buying a more expensive guitar with looks that I would like to maintain.

Gotta love Martin's lifetime warranty! They offer it for good reasons; their guitars are built to last.

Have not yet dealt with Martin.

I have been playing for twelve years. I have now had this Martin for several months and gigged with it a couple of times. It offers everything that I learned that I wanted after several intense weeks of research on the web and in guitar stores. One can purchase a Yamaha Compass series guitar with similar features (auditorium, cutaway, blender systems) for about $270 less, but the more prestigious, American made Martin with solid back and sides (which the Yamaha Compasses do not have, if I remember correctly) and the MUCH better finish was much more attractive to me. I would definitely purchase this instrument again if it were stolen, without reservation, because it offers exactly what I wanted at the best price. In fact, I had not begun shopping for electric acoustics planning on spending this much at all, but this model of Martin is SO sensibly priced that I decided that anything else would not do. Of course, this guitar will get compared to Taylors. I like the way that the slightly beefier neck of this model feels better, and the fact that Taylors with these features cost hundreds more helped make my decision easy. Try it; you'll like it!