Martin D-15 Acoustic

A twelve year old flat finish mahogany acoustic dreadnought, just as it came from Nazareth in its green-lined hard case. Bought it from a starving musician for fifty cents on the dollar about 10 years ago. I can comfortably use 13 of the 14 useable frets on the rosewood neck. No bells or whistles - ust a great piece of American craftsmanship. If it came with better quality gold tuners vice silver, and strap buttons, I would have given it a 10

I play folk/blues/indie - while it can't be all things at once, it's got a marvelous tone and sustain. Whether flatpicking bluegrass close to the bridge, strumming in the middle or fingerpicking close to the neck, it's the best example in a collection of 9 eclectic pieces including a couple of pre-1960 Martins and Gibsons, of what I think a great guitar should sould like.

This particular guitar has very jerky tuner action - even after a shot of spray lube and replacing the neck nut, but it stays in tune forever. The action is astounding for a relatively inexpensive guitar, and several studio players that I occ. jam with have commented on just how great it looks, feels and plays. The top, sides and back are simply stunning in color and grain. The finish is absolutely flawless, as is the joinery, and I defy anyone to find any flaws, anywhere, in the construction craftsmanship. Even the backside of the neck has spectacular black graining that sets this one off from the rest.

The stock strap buttons are not the best - I use a rubber oring to keep the strap from slipping thru. It's more often than not my choice for miked-up small club gigs and has never let me down, not even with a broken string, but it does feel a bit more fragile than a D28 or a Guild.

Mahogany does have its downside... A few years ago, the end mysteriously developed a 2" long split which I figured was the beginning of the end. A perfect repair and restoration by Ron at the Guitar Center in Virginia Beach defies the eye and finger. I could have sent it back to the factory, I guess, but I doubt they would or could have done any better, and assume they would have charged me an arm and a leg if the loss wasn't under warranty. In all fairness, the factory folks were very friendly and emphathic.

I've been playing about 50 years. I own a total of 18 acoustic stringed instruments - including Taylor, Youngblood, Gibson, Guild, and Rickenbacker - but of all, this plain jane is hands-down my favorite. For an $800 investement (including setup and the repair) I got the best of all worlds - the sound and action equal to almost any $3000 model, without having to hire a security guard to watch it during breaks.

Bought it brand new for 6000 danish kroner (approx 1100 $)about 4 months ago. So it is still new to me.
No need to get into appearance or features - it should be covered by now.
Just good quality - plain and simple.

I needed "the one" good acoustic guitar for all kinds of acoustic styles. A guitar is, in my opinion, more that just a work-tool, it is also a kind of companion (especially when you play solo)and in that respect you'll have to have a good companion that you can trust in terms of reliability, but of course with the sound and playability being the most important issues.
I also like the fact that it doesn't have built-in pick-up. I prefer to choose the guitar for it's own sound.
And by the way, I mike up the guitar with a microphone for live jobs - nothing beats that sound - because it's the natural sound of your guitar!

Neck suits me fantastic - the satin finish brings out the sound perfectly - I actually prefer it like this.

I have never owned or even actually played a Martin guitar before, but this time I decided to check out if their reputation, as one of the worlds finest manufacturers of mass-produced steelstring guitars, would be true.
And this guitar really comes through as the best acoustic guitar I have yet owned. Sound and playability are nothing short of fantastic for the price (this being the cheapest(all-solid)guitar in the Martin-line, and included a fine hardcase, too) and I couldn't ask for anything more from an acoustic guitar in this price range, or indeed, any price-range nearby. I believe that this guitar will satisfy most acoustic players need most of the way down the line.
And I haven't even changed the factory settings or even the strings yet.
I am no beginner in this game as I have been playing on and off for 30 years. I am totally satisfied with this guitar and I can strongly recommend Martin Company to anyone who hasn't been there.

Martin D-15 - has all I need - plain and simple!

Martin dreadnaught D 15 Rosewood

Clear, articulate, reanonably balanced. The bass is very distinctly present, while the mids and treble chime in for a really rounded tone.

I've playing for well over 30 years,and have owned several good guitars, (Guild, Talkamine,Sigma etc.) In other reviews, people are concerned with the "finish" or lack thereof. Truth be known, the thinner the finish, the more freely the top vibrates, and that is what makes the majority of the sound you hear. This is th first satin finished guitar I've owned, and I like the way it looks!

I'm sure the tuners aren't the same as on the higher end Martins, but they seem to be just fine, for now, time will tell. Once again, I think to much emphasis is placed on the finish, if you want all the bells and whistles, chunk out another $1500 and get a 28! As far as reliabity goes, things can go wrong with any guitar, don't worry, be happy!

I haven't had to contact Martin with any problems, but from what I've heard, their on top. And while we're on the subject, Musicians Friend rates a solid "10" in this catagory!

I definitely would replace it. It may overtake my beloved Guild D44M as my overall favorite, but hey, a Guild doesn't sound like a Martin, and a Martin doesn't sound like Guild, they both have their own unique tone. The only thing I wish the Martin had is wider frets.
Excellent instrument!

It has a satin finish, is a normal sized Martin Dreadnaught. Has a sitka spruce top and East Indian rosewood back and sides.Has Martin tuners, that work well. It has a modified low-oval mahogany neck. It came with agreat hard case that fir the guitar like a glove. Perfect! It wad made in 2008, and made in the USA. It has 14 frets clear of body, Indian rosewood fingerboard and white binding around top and back. Solid wood throughout. This is one very handsome guitar.Fretboard has large white dots with small dots on side.

As I mainly play country(Older country, not this new junk stuff),and bluegrass and this guitar is perfect for it. Beautiful rumbling bass, Great mids and sparkling trebles. With this sound, there are no limits as to what you can play. The best sound that I have ever heard out of a guitar, was a D28, I played back in 1950. This guitar has the closest sound to it I have ever heard. This sound in my guitar would be hard to beat. I played 10 to 15 high dollar guitars before I found this one. It beat all the others, hands down. A picker just don't need anything better than this.

My guitar was set up great, right off the rack Top and back matched as good as you can get, in my estimation. The action was perfect for me. I really checked this baby over before I put my $999.00 down. There were no flaws or any other problems that I could find. I really couldn't ask for better.

This guitar could handle live playing easily. Having a satin finish the guitar will stain easily I suspect, so you will have to watch for this. Sweat and skin oils will have an effect, but with the sound this guitar has I just flat won't worry about it. I bought it for the sound, not the looks. Looks don't make the music. I am quite sure I can depend on it and I would use it without a back-up. This is one hell of a great guitar. I'm as happy as a pig in a slop trough. You can't beat this guitar for 10 times what I paid for it.

Like other Martins, it has a limited lifetime warranty. Having dealt with Martin before, I know their help is as close as my telephone. They REALLY WILL HELP.

I first started playing guitar in the spring or summer of 1949. I have two other Martins, a Samick SJ 14,an Epiphone Hummingbird that I just gave to my wife, and a Beckman Music Co. Delta that I've had for 34 years. If this guitar were lost or stolen, I'd probably have a heart attack, cause I can't afford to buy another one. As I said before, I compared it to 10 or 15 others before I bought it. The sound is what I love most. Damn, it's awesome. This sucker looks professional and really it is

I bought this guitar used, a '97 model I think, and it was beat to crap but super cheap. For some reason I like trashed guitars, they tell a story maybe, and I had fun bringing this one back to life. It had been smashed, rebuilt, and experimented on with weird extra holes for multiple pickups. Still plays & sounds great! It did come with the original Martin hardshell case.
We know the deal with this model- all solid mahogany, rose wood fretboard and bridge, mortise & tenon neck joint, non scalloped x bracing, medium frets, 1-11/16" wide neck that's sorta thin, but no binding, inlays, eye candy, etc. keeps the price down.
The best feature about this dreadnaught guitar is it's lack of features. The Satin lacquer finish that's thin and allows the guitar to really resonate and breathe. Keeps the cost down too since it eliminates a few production steps to make it glossy. The finish does get shiny from wear which might bother some players. I think it looks cool, but I like when guitars get beat up. A cool "secret" about satin finish- take it to a buffing wheel and you can polish it to a gloss...
The tuners are my only complaint, mine don't stay in tune very well and tend to slip.

These guitars really need to be broken in. In the case of this one, literally broken in! Brand new 15 series Martins always sounded dull to me off the rack, with no life or sustain. A lot of that has to do with the lame coated strings they come with. This one is ten years down the road and is a totally different guitar, very open, alive, loud, and resonant. Records great, really cuts through the mix and sounds good solo. It's warm, full, bassy, but has sparkle. I'm a strummer and sometimes fingersyle player, but mostly strumming in open tunings. Huge sound. I actually sold my D28 because this one passed the blindfold test and recorded so much better. It's way louder too. It definitely has a darker, warmer tone than the more common spruce top guitars.

Martins always come well setup from the factory and have excellent quality control, light years ahead of Gibson.(Gibson says that they like to leave the final adjustments to the individual player. Whatever, that's a cop out. They're just greedy.)
I can't comment on my guitar since I bought it in a state of disrepair, but every new Martin I've checked out has been excellent, unless the dealer neglected it.

I would say that this is the most reliable guitar I have ever owned! From total destruction and back. Whoever repaired it left if pretty ugly but it's holding strong. It really depends on how nice and neat you like to keep your guitar. The finish is thin and will scratch and ding easily. I personally don't care. The tuners will probably last just fine but feel cheap. I depend on mine with no issues. Also, anything can be fixed. You can smash a guitar into a hundred pieces and still rebuild it.
If you break a lot of strings, check your nut for pinching (hey, no snickers from the peanut gallery), check your tuners for sharp edges, or check your saddle for string grooves. What else goes wrong live with an acoustic?
What working musician can afford a backup?

Martin has a limited lifetime warranty for original owners. They have excellent customer support and take pride in their instruments. They will fix any Martin guitar.
A rare business practice in this day and age.

I've been playing for 16 years, mostly "modern" rock, and have owned pretty much everything under the sun. I play primarily electric, and all Gibsons into Fender amps. If this guitar were stolen I'd try something else, maybe the spruce top version of this guitar, or an OM sized Martin. I like to check out different gear, I'm a nerd that way. I love the character this guitar has, it's a specific sound, not your standard acoustic tone. It's a great guitar. It's not an HD28, or a D18, or a Clapton. It's not supposed to be. Tone is a very subjective thing, use your own ears and think about what you need in a guitar. Overall, this is a well built guitar in a good price point.

Basic and bare bones. All solid wood - mine is mahogany for the neck, top and back, african sapele for the sides, and rosewood for the fretboard & bridge. The plastic bridge pins are a little chincy, but the saddle and nut (Tusq & Corian) are acceptable & well done. The tuners work well and are smooth. The rosette is a decal, there's no binding, and the finish is the cheaper to produce satin finish (which I prefer). I'm pleased they're still using lacquer instead of poly. Mortise & Tenon neck joint instead of the higher end dovetail.

This isn't my end-all be-all guitar, but it does sound really quite good. As other people have mentioned, it sounds well "balanced", neither favoring the top end or bass too heavily. It doesn't have the giant boom of my father in law's D-35, but it's got a good woody tone with more bass than most of the other guitars I tried before I bought it. I tried out alot of Martins, Seagulls, Taylors, Epiphones, Takamines etc. This guitar, while definitely not the showiest of the pack, has a very solid & respectable tone, especially when compared to any of the other guitars under a grand (hell more than a grand). I know it's cliched to say it, but it really does outshine many more expensive guitars. Many of the other guitars sounded thin and pale in comparison after switching around a few times. It's not super loud, but it is as loud as I'll ever need an acoustic to be.

The real beauty of this guitar is the crazy overtones it makes - like a piano. It really fills out the lower chords, although if you go too far up the neck, they are diminished somewhat. Individual notes ring through clearly whether by themselves or in a chord - you can really hear what you're playing. You could say it sounds full but not flubby. It's a very responsive guitar. The sustain is amazing for an acoustic guitar.

As soon as I walked in to the store, I was pleasantly surprised they had a used D-15, as I'd been wanting to try the model out. That pleasant surprise turned to gut wrenching horror when I saw there was a humidifier right next to it, blowing directly on the mahogany top of the guitar (yay Guitar Center!) I knew had to rescue her. I looked down the neck & saw that the top / bridge / fingerboard had all started to sink. The salesperson said not to worry "there hasn't been water in that humidifier for months". So essentially, they had the guitar in front of a fan, left to dry out and crack into a pile of despair and broken dreams. The action was really really low (dry top) and the strings were old and dead. Even so, I was able to see that I was going to really like this guitar. The finish is flawless, the insides look good and solid, the tuners feel great. It still sounded and played really well even in it's sorry state. Once I got her home and put on a new set of strings on, I set out to re-humidify the guitar. It's almost back to normal, with just a little ways left for the top to come back up. I have to give it an 8 for it's sheer will to survive in such an inhospitable environment.

The compensated saddle and nut have kept the guitar in fine playing condition, intonation is still dead on. The neck is relatively thin & v-shaped, a good fit. I like the smaller squarish frets, so again, it's a good fit for me.

It does seem light and fragile on the surface. The finish will surely get messed up and it being mahogany, it'll ding up like crazy. But, once again, after proving itself to be able to come back from it's stay at Meguitar-olo-mart, I have to give it a good mark.

Haven't had to contact customer supprt.

I know you're sitting there, with your mouse hovering over the "buy it now" or "submit order" button, looking to Harmony Central User Reviews to justify your impulsive online gear purchase. I'm here to tell you that if this guitar were stolen, broken beyond repair etc, I would hands down buy one again from American Musical with their evil 3 easy payment plan - damn the consequences from the wife. I only hope that if mine meets a disasterous fate, they're still in production and affordable as they are now.

Can't say more than what has been said.

I play mostly country and 70's rock. This guitar has great sound. It has a rich full sound. I have added a fishman bridge pickup and the sound is still great.

I have not touched the set-up that came on the guitar. It was just about right. The guitar had a repaired crack that effects the looks but not the sound. The wood is mahogany and is soft but the aging process is ok with me.

As time goes by I know this guitar will gather dings due to the wood. But, I think it will last well and the vintage look will add to the beauty of it.

Never dealth with them.

I have played for more than 40 years and have played many good intruments. This one will hold its own with them. If I lost it I would be sad and would probably replace it with another one hoping I would get one as good as this one.

Made in USA. Nazareth, PA. All solid mahogany. Satin finish. 20 frets. Made in 2006 I think.

As for other features, I'm not primarily interested in features and looks. I just want awesome sound and this thing delivers. It's a very simple look, but don't be fooled. It's a sleeper. Have you ever seen an old Martin. They look pretty worn and simple, but the sound is always better with age. That's this guitar and I'm sure it will get even better with age.

Right now I am playing more bluegrass and flatpicking stuff. I like the tone of David Grier's stuff. At first I was looking for a solid spruce top tone. I tried this on the recommendation of the music store guy. I quickly realized that this was the sound for me. It sounds more like the David Grier sound I like. The highs are smoothed out while keeping the Martin boom. It's a nice balanced tone. It's fairly loud. When you pick a note, you can hear and feel it resonate and ring in the box. For $659, you'll be hard pressed to find any other solid wood guitars with nice ringing tones like this one. They might consider this an entry level Martin, but it sounds like much more than that. It's just missing the fancy inlays and binding of a D18 or D28. I never knew a solid mahogany top could sound this good.

Satin finsh all around. I really like the satin finish on the neck. It keeps your hand from sticking if it gets a little sweaty unlike a gloss finished neck.

Fretwork is nice. No sharp edges when you run your hand up and down the neck.

The action was a little high on the low E, but the guitar tech took care of that in 15 minutes. Shaved the low E side of the saddle down to proper tolerance. No truss rod adjustment required. It plays like butter.

I don't play live so I don't know how it would hold up for that. The tuning hardware seems good. I like the flat finsh. I think I prefer it to the glossy finsh because it means there is less finish to interfere with the sound.

Haven't had to deal with the company for a problem. But, hey, it's a Martin. I believe it's a lifetime warranty.

Not sure what year, 2001 or 2002. Somewhere around there. Made in USA. Enough said about that!

I tried the DX series and was really impressed. Then a salesperson (some kid that was adept at acoustic playing) played both the DX and D-15 for me. While his playing was more acoustically proficient than mine by far, I could definitely hear the difference in tone between the two.

Some guys may skof at letting someone else demo the instruments, but not being an acoustic player, I found it helpful to hear someone else playing the two side by side.

The D-15 was priced similarly to the DX model. I choose the D-15 because it had the fullest, most repsonsive sound and was louder (every acoustic I owned was always to quiet in jam settings).

I don't care about appearance. I'll pass on the mother of pearl inlays, the intricate rosette and other cosmetic features that may impress some. This instrument is basically a sleeper.

It is the most plain looking guitar (electric or acoustic) I've owned. but I'm past that phase of appearance, as my wife will attest to.

since this is a very modestly appointed instrument, I have to give it a 7. There is nothing fancy about this guitars appearance. That's fine by me.

Not as bright as others, but the mahogany body is at least partly, if not entirely responsible for this attribute.

The tone is very rich and full. Perhaps a little heavy on the bass, but for my style of playing (open tuning and bastardized finger picking) it works great for me. Of cours one can manipulate the degree of bass response by adjusting the attack. Plenty of natural bass if you want it, but if you pull back on your attack on the bass you can get a wonderfully balanced tone.

Great drone notes. Upper strings sing. Overall, this is a very resonant instrument.

If you've never played a decent acoustic in the comfort of your home on a Sunday afternoon, you don't know what your missing. I find this instrument to be very responsive to my input. Depending on picking and fretting pressure, you have a wide range of tone available. This guitar will deliver wonderful tones with little effort. Although if you really dig in and work it, this instrument will not abandon you, leaving you to pull back and play within its limits. The more you play it, the harder you play it, the more it rewards you.

Action is great. It's an acoustic, not a glorified eletric. The action is low enough to allow most any player to warm up to, but not so low that you can't play it hard and really get some wonderful tone out of it.

The finish is a satin finish. However, after a few years of playing you will develop shinny spots. a plus in my book. If you are looking for a glossy, shinny guitar, this isn't it.

Never had any problems with reliability or durability.

Never had to call support.

Been playing longer than my ability reveals. Should be better than I am, but I enjoy what I do. And the D-15 more than meets my needs.

2002 usa mahogany top back and sides,satin finish.nice martin hardshell case

This is one sweet sounding guitar,i play country blues,folk and rock
nice dark woody sound.lots of bass.I used this on several recordings and it sounded awsome.never could get used to the thin neck.

the finish started rubbing off after several month(it is satin)not a problem for me.the action was perfect from the factory.well built guitar

been playing since the mid 70's,loved the sound of this guitar.The only problem i had was with the thin neck,after playing for several weeks i started getting a severe pain in my fingertips.i play mainly a gibson acoustic(hummingbird)which has a thick neck.after putting this down and playing my gibson's i havnt had a problem.Went back to the martin and the pain came back.I sold this guitar to a buddy of mine.I probably should have got the om model with a thicker neck.all in all this is a great sounding guitar for the money.I do miss the deep woody tones that came out of it but just couldn't get used to martins thinner necks.If your like me and have played gibson acoustics and 12 strings for years try the om15 with the thicker neck.martin makes great guitars and the d15 is no exception.just wouldn't work for this gibson guy!

My D-15 USA made great features, pretty standard for Martin, Great looking wood, I like dark wood.

I play Christian Rock, Blues, and folk it sounds great in all styles. I also have recorded with it, with two mics in stereo, wow, sounds like a 12 string if you do it right, and I do I own a recording studio. I wouldn't have any other acoustic in my studio but Martins, the best. Taylors and Gibsons are good too. Sound is rich full and don't need major EQ ing to bring it out like other acoustic guitars do.

Action is fine from factory, but it needs to be setup by a pro if your a pro and want the best action. Don't do it yourself take it to guitar center or somewhere that the tech knows what he's doing. I found no flaws in guitar, tuning pegs are great and hold strings in tune all session long, (but you still need to check it anyway, if you bend string alot, it keeps the engineer happy). The necks are great almost as good as an Hagstrom (thin).

Reliable & durable for life if taken care of. The wood is alittle soft beware, that's why they SOUND so GOOD. Finish is fine, strap buttons strong,would gladly take to all my gigs & studio & I do. That's what is so good about this model, great for studio & your shows, super all around guitar. Rock solid & on, brother!

Martin people are the best, THEY CARE>>>> & you don't find that everywhere anymore..................

I have been in music for over 30 years now, as a musician & recording engineer, these are very good guitars. I own several guitars, fenders,epiphones,Hagstroms,Yamahas, gibsons, and others. I rate Martins as the best acoustics out there in all areas. Take it from me there are several Good acoustic and they are Martin 1st Taylor 2nd Gibson 3rd (older ones) and on & on........ If you can afford one buy it..........
BOB

Already stated many many times!!!

Everything you need, nothing you don't!!

Case is a three ply hard case with a foam faced lid.
Mmmm... secure...

Fan-tabulous.

Very very clear, well defined notes: the overall sound is very rich and mellow. Very powerful sound.

Personally, I think this is far better than the Taylor models at the same price range, and indeed higher: It seems o have a lot more body and soul than the rather bland (in my opinion) Taylor 110 and 210.

I personally adore it, and knowing that it's all solid and will only get richer in time make me love it all the more.

As with all Martins, the saddle is a little high (this is NOT an error - it allows the individual player to file the saddle down to their own required height)

However, the action is really good, and the setup in terms of intonation is 100% spot on - and I'm very very very picky!!

Well, as its solid wood, I won't banging it around.

But take care of your investment, and you'll have it for many many years.

Martins have never ever ever come back for repairs in the shop I wourked in. Ever!

Have been playing for 11 years, and this is my first "professional" acoustic.

Couldn't be happier with it. Would buy again which is the real acid test, and I don't actually want another acoustic - Taylor, Tak, Guild, or indeed a d-45. This will last me!!!

barest features for a martin guitar

this puppy sounds golden (and that goes for the 000-15 and J-15 too). nice open sound is probably due to the thin finish as well as to the general design and mahogany/rosewood combination. the bass is deep, the treble is sparkly, there's plenty of midrange and volume too. in comparison, the d-28 sounds a little more refined, restrained, with the bass tamed and the treble perhaps more sparkly, with a more smoothly blended resonance overall between midrange and bass. i'm not sure if i'm comparing them accurately, but this is my best attempt. make sure when you're testing yours out that it does not have old strings.

the martin set-ups on the 15 series are as good as they are on the standard series from what i can tell.

my experience is that mahogany is a soft wood, easily dented.

limited lifetime warranty to original owner

considering that this guitar is half the price of a D-28, it's surprisingly good. highly recommended.

La D15 tiene solo lo esencial que debe tener una buena guitarra (sonido y comodidad), y ademas en su simpleza, es bonita.

El sonido es increible, teniendo en cuenta el precio. Inmejorable. Ductil, parejo, la dinamica es apabullante. El sustain eterno. Los graves, medios y agudos bien balanceados.

Martin decidio invertir sus mejores recursos en lograr una guitarra barata y buena. por eso no se fue por las ramas (por ejemplo al no incluir filetes en los bordes de la tapa). Muy bonita

El recubrimiento de guitarra no es fuerte, tarde o temprano se reaya (inevitable).
Es ultraliviana (al igual que las guitarras espa?olas, esa es una se?al buena,! en cuanto a sonido, ya que la vibracion se produce mas rapidamente).
La funcion del filete, ademas de decoracion, tiene que ver con proteccion de eventuales rajaduras por golpe, he ahi un punto encontra. Hasta ahora no he tenido problemas pero rezo. Espero equivocarme.

Martin funciona solo con Estados Unidos, el resto del mundo para Martin, parece, no existe.

No le pongo 10 poerque es posible que haya guitarras mejores, pero dudo que a precios que vayan por debajop de los U$ 2500.

i don't know much in the way of specs for this guitar, honestly, i don't care all that much. it's an acoustic guitar, there's not that much to it anyhow. some of the more important stuff: it has a satin finish, which means it will open up much faster than a guitar with nitro or poly finishes; it comes with cheap, plastic nut, saddle, and end pins--i've changed all of these for ivory; and it is solid mahogany, mine looks to be one-piece back, two piece sides, and one-piece top. the guitar should come with a case if you buy it from a decent dealer. it doesn't come with an onboard pickup, which, depending on whether you need one or not, may or may not matter. for me, since i play in situations that would benefit from having a plugin, the fact that it didn't come from the factory with a pickup is a negative mark. oh yeah, and the guitar is really fragile--more on that later.

my d-15 holds its own in all of my jams. one of my mates plays a taylor, one has three seagulls, and another bloke i play with regularly plays an alvarez-yairi. of course i'm biased, but i think my d-15 sounds better than all of them. it was a pleasant sounding guitar when i bought it, but after the modifications (as stated, ivory pins, saddle, and nut) it became a full-blown tone cannon. it has opened up an incredible amount since i bought it: the bass, which was originally a tad flabby to my ears, has sharpened and become more defined, while the mids have become more prevalent, standing out more than before. the chap who fixed me up with the ivory pieces loved the guitar and offered to buy it from me. not a chance! the guitar almost has an overdriven tone to it. this is perfect acoustic guitar tone--if i give it anything but 10 for sound, i'm going to have trouble sleeping.

factory setup was all right, but it had medium strings on it--i think martin ships there guitars with lights, but it was restrung at the shop. anyway, medium strings are too heavy for me (i'm used to my gibson electrics), so i had to have it setup again for lights (.10). the finish is a thing--mine has oil spots all around the soundhole and on the top where my arm rests while i play. you can scrub them off if you have a few days to spare, but they'll return. really, there's no point. plus, i think it gives it a neat look--the sign of a well loved instrument. the look of the mahogany with the red pickguard is amazing. uber-mojo, my friends.

as i stated earlier, the guitar is fairly fragile--you can dent the wood by rubbing your fingernail over it. my headstock has rings around the tuning pegs where my thumbnail has rubbed while tuning. however, martin build durable guitars, and mine has been through all kinds of crap (burned with cigarettes, dropped a 4lb pc speaker on it, liquor spilled on it, fallen off its stand, etc), and it's still a rock. i have absolutely no problem gigging without a backup, it's never failed me, and i doubt it ever will. these are like those guild guitars from the 70s you seen in stores all of the time (d25 i believe), these guitars are beasts. these will be around for a long time.

never dealt with them. the shop i got mine from is run by incompetent assholes, though, so i drive a bit to have mine setup and such. locally, customer support isn't that great, but i have no clue about martin themselves.

i have been playing for almost five years. i currently own this d-15 and a gibson sg standard. in the past, i've owned *deep breath* two fender american telecasters, a fernandes strat copy, a fernandes palisade acoustic, four fender american stratocasters, a gibson les paul studio, two ibanez acoustics, peavey and crate practice amps, a fender hot rod deville, a mesa boogie dual rectifier, a mesa boogie rect-o-verb, a marshall jcm800, and probably some other junk i'm forgetting. i was always more into playing electric guitar before, but, now that i've found my acoustic sound, that has changed. i've owned this guitar for almost two years (the longest i've ever owned a guitar), and i don't think i will ever sell it. if you're interested in this guitar at all, i highly recommend taking the plunge. it's not terribly expensive, and it's an incredible investment--just think, the more you play this guitar, the better it's going to sound. that statement is truer of this guitar than any other i've played due to the satin finish, bracing pattern, and tonal characteristics of mahogany. this guitar will become your ally for life. again, i'd feel guilty if i gave this prize anything less than a perfect score.

The other 100+ reviews will give you the specs. I purchased this guitar in 1999 - a few months after they were first put on the market. I saw and heard a guy playing it at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. I loved the "old"look and feel of the guitar so I picked one up at Guitar Center soon after. Simple appointments -- If it doesn't make the guitar sound better then I don't need it. I love the smell of this guitar, but I'm careful not to let anyone catch me with my nose in the soundhole

The sound has opened up over the years. It took a while though - the sound was quite restricted at first. The guitar is mid heavy, slightly brittle in the treble. But when you throw this puppy into DADGAD it is absolutely amazing. The deep celtic droan is simply not acheivable with my Norman B20's nor my Taylor 314ce. The D15 also shines in open G (sounds great with a slide)or open Dm. If your looking for an ethereal "Nick Drake type" sound this is a great choice. Of course it's not as bright sounding as Spruce -- I was looking for something that sounded unique.

I've come full circle with the set-up. Action was medium/high at first, so I initially sanded down the original saddle. I eventually added a bone saddle and nut. But the bone nut screwed up the tone a bit -- there was a bit of a shrill treble. I put the original nut back on and kept the bone saddle -- original nut tamed the shrill and bone saddle added a touch of definition to the upper mids. The finish confuses me though. Satin finish looked nice at first, but there's been a strange change since 1999 (aside from the shinny neck and arm areas described in other reviews). Difficult to describe, but the sound board has developed some discolorations around the sound hole and near the pick guard. but it doesn't affect the sound so no big deal to me. Hardware is still solid

A mysterious crack appeared in the back of the D15 a couple years after I bought it. Humidity was normal, and I didn't wack it against anything. The crack went all the way through to the inside of the guitar and had to be tacked and glued to stabilize it. It was on one side of the lower bout in a non-structural area. Interestingly, I saw a Martin all mahogany acoustic bass (modeled after the D15) a few weeks later with a crack in the same location. Anyway, there have been no further cracks since then, but I hesitate to play out with it as I consider it to be somewhat fragile. So much for resale value.

Never really dealt with the company directly. My warranty was long expired and I couldn't really explain how the crack occurred so i didn't bother contacting them.

I do enjoy this guitar. Throw a good condenser mic in front of it and it's great for recording, especially in drop tunings. Since adding a Fishman Ellipse Blend with Matrix transducer, I've really come to love the amplified sound as well. I've been playing for 8 years and although I have a day job, I do the coffee shop singer/songwriter thing frequently. I own a Taylor 314ce (expression system) as my main recording/performing guitar, a Seagull Grand Auditorium for travelling, and two Norman B20's with fishman prefix (wonderful guitars for the price). I do have a zen bond with this guitar and it would be thoroughly missed if lost. It could be sturdier, but if the unique tone would be altered as a result, then it wouldn't be worth it.

I already rated this guitar.. see john cotter below. You know the features. Really what more features would be nice.... an elecronic system... a cut out...

Compared to my new guitar Taylor 410 RCE it sounds like crap. But its better than most foreign made guitars. After you play a guitar with a sitka spruce top you can tell that this d15 is missing something crucial to its tone. If you play with some string that brighten up the sound then it is ok. Elixers are bright. It does have a unique sound... and if any salesman ever says that to you in a music store then it probably means that the guitar doesn't sound good.

The action AINT BAD... lower it yourself. The finish.... IS BAD.. Either get a guitar with a glossed top or never play this guitar without long sleeves. You body-oil will leave a "natural" finish where your arm sits and rubs. The neck has got that same natural hand oil finish to it now.. and really slows down my playing. Keep your hands clean.

Its incredibly fragile. Be extra careful with it. Wash your hands before playing.. Don't let them get sweaty.

Never had to do cust support. But chuck levin's is the best cheapest music store ever.

i've been playing for about 7 years now. I also own a taylor 410RCE which blows the martin away. I would have bought a taylor big baby, if they existed at the time i bought this. i wish it had a cut out and a electric system.. If you ever think you are going to maybe one day "play out" get a guitar with a electric system.

The D-15 is a plain guitar. I have the standard version. It happened to be on sale at Mars, and I had about a $500-600 spending limit. By itself, I thought the guitar was an excellent deal for the price.

They gave me a hardshell case with the guitar, which made it an even better deal.

I had previously owned a Fender acoustic which was very bright. I like the warm sound, and I've wanted a Martin or Gibson. I don't play well enough to justify spending $1000+ on a guitar. When I played the D-15, I was amazed at the full, even mellow sound. It's not a particularly loud guitar, which is fine by me, but I was amazed--I thought it sounded better than many of the more expensive Gibson, Martin, and Taylor guitars in the room. I thought the bottom was clear and clean while the highs weren't too bright but still good. Three years later, that warmth has developed.

The action was very good and comfortable (I have small-medium size hands.) It looked good. I loved the satin finish, plus I love the mahogany grain. It's a uniform look, but it stands out.

The one adjustment that I made was a shorter saddle. I dropped the action by about 1/16". I bought the saddle from the Martin online store (though I don't see them there anymore). I thought I might have to adjust it by hand, but one of the standard saddles was perfect. The action got even better.

When I first saw this guitar, the knock on it was that it's not durable, especially for live playing. I'm one of those home players, so I can't speak to its road durability, but I think the reason this guitar got that knock was that it's very light. It probably *feels* fragile. But it's a well constructed guitar.

The finish is pretty durable, though I have rubbed it shiny on the neck and part of the body. To keep the satin finish, you'll need to wipe it after you play.

I've had no dealings with support.

If something happened to this guitar (knock on wood), I'd buy another one without hesitation. While I have owned some pretty crappy acoustics in my life, I have had several guitar players for friends, and I've played theirs. Outside of a 1939 Gibson, I wouldn't trade this D-15 for any of them. One friend, a professional guitarist, played and really liked it as well. Some might not like that it doesn't project as loudly as other guitars, but the action and the full, warm sound is what I like most.

It was a pretty decent for features. Pretty standard but it was a solid-top. I like the mahogony wood on the top. Gives the guitar a little zing.

WoW, how can i even explain this. The sound is incredible. I love the fullness of it, it just seems almost perfect, I have no dislikes about the guitar.

The guitar i got had nothing wrong with the action, fit or finish. It all looked pretty much perfect for this catagory

I think this guitar will last for quite a while. All though mahogony wood is rather soft, that is the only thing i worry about. But so far it has served me well in it's life time

Haven't delt with these folks.

I got it 525 used with a case. The case looks perfect and the guitar doesn't look like it was touched. Well this guitar is great. Everytime i play it i feel like i can make twice as good music as usual. This guitar brings out all the goodness about martin guitars. This is probably the best sounding guitar for under 1500-2000$ on the market. I love the sound and i love the orginality of the mahogony wood. If you find this guitar, pick it up. I'm almost positive it will please anyone.

2002 Made in the USA. Non-cutaway Solid top, sides, back made of mahogany with satin finish. Very plush case included. Rosewood fretboard and headstock overlay. Nice tuning machines, seem to stay in tune very well. Dealer threw in two new sets of strings, leather deluxe martin strap, martin hat, t-shirt, martin picks, etc. Needless to say he is a martin fan.

I bought the guitar to try my hand at bluegrass. I play mostly acoustic rock with the occasional blues. I found that this thing just projects more than any other acoustic in this price range. The sound seems a little brighter than most taylors or seagulls i tried. The guys i've started playing bluegrass with love it. It stands out among other acoustics with it's own sound, which adds a variety to a band with three guitars, an acoustic bass, mandolin banjo. We laid down a few tracks of jam sessions, and you can pick this thing out in every song. There is no mistaking the brightness and projection of this guitar. Not noisy at all, no fret buzz.

This is where this guitar really stands out. In this price range a guitar should be flawless. My D-15 didn't fall short in this category. I love the neck feel and action. As soon as I played it i was amazed at how well it fretted. The frets were dressed perfectly, as are the fret ends. I love the satin finish, though i know some dilike it. The finish will hold up well, it's not as thin as people think. It is a workhorse, not a showcase instrument. But out of every acoustic guitar i've ever played, this one is has the best feel. The mahogany body also stands out in a crowd, to most people outside of the guitar community acoustic guitars pretty much look the same. I've had many comments on how beautiful this thing was. Wood is bookmatched perfectly. Hardware is still shiny, and tight. I fell in love with it after playing straight out of the case and tuned up. But when i got it home and put a new set of Martin strings on, it just came alive.

The guitar has stood up well to live playing, with no backup. I take care of my stuff, it stays in it's case when not in use, and has never seen a guitar stand. Hardware seems very good and is holding up well with no corrosion. Very dependable and reliable, has never let me down.

I have contacted Martin with a few questions about care of my fine acoustic instrument (humidity, cleaning, storage, etc.) They returned my calls or e-mails immediately, next day at the latest. They didn't refer me to my dealer, instead they took the time to help me themselves. Martin has a good warranty, and will back it up if anything ever goes wrong.

I love this guitar. It is a pleasure to play and sounds wonderful. I've owned other acoustics (epiphone, alvarez, ovation and a yamaha). None have compared to this one. If stolen i would, go straight to the dealer and pick out another one. I couldn't believe i bought a non-laminated solid wood, mahogany guitar for under $700. This is one of the best deals around. It will outlast me. Hats off to Martin for such a fine instrument

C'est une guitare tout en acajou massif,pas plaquee ni laminee.Le verni naturel mat lui donne un air tres austere mais apres tout,c'est son son qui nous ravira.
La finition matte deviendra satinee puis brillante au manche et a d'autres endroits carresses par nos mains.
L'etui que j'ai recu cette fois ci,parce que c'est ma seconde D15(en effet,j'ai regrette d'avoir revendu ma premiere voulant acheter une 016NY de 1963) est le 600,en plastique tres resistant pour le voyage e avion et plus legere que les 500 et 400.

il suffit de tapoter des doigts sur la table pour comprendre le son que cette guitare va sortir.tous les registres sont a mon gout PARFAITS! Et que l'on joue avec plectre comme aux doigts...un regal!!! J'ai essaye des Santa Cruz,Collings et autres Martins plus cheres pouvant me permettre ces budgets mais aucune ne me donnerent le son de la D15(chacun son truc!).Les basses sont enormes et la caisse vibre si bien contre la poitrine de l'utilisateur!quant aux medium et aigues,le tout s'harmonise tres bien,parfaite balance naturelle!

La guitare etait bien reglee lors de l'achat.Tout en acajou a l'exception de la touche et du chevalet en palissandre indien et les barrages en epicea.J'ai eu l'occasion de voir des photos de la D15 avec du Palissandre sur la face de la tete,ce n'est pas le cas de la mienne.Je n'attend que les heures a jouer dessus afin de rendre le manche tout poli,tout brillant par le passage de la main.

le bouton pour sangle n'etait pas place en vue de placer plus facilement un micro si necessaire. Sans filets sur les cotes de la table,il va falloir etre prudent et ne pas la cogner,sinon c'est le bois qui prendra...donc prudence!!!
Je dois dire que Martin a eu beaucoup de franchise en sortant cette guitare et en offrant le meilleu de la guitare folk a ce prix.En effet,on ne paye pas les fioritures tres couteuses.Cependant,J'adresse aux luthiers de la marque mon plus grand respect a la vue des splendeurs du Custom Shop!!!

la garantie est a vie...a vie...a vie...tant que l'on traite bien sa guitare et que l'on laisse un luthier professionnel la regler si besoin.

J'ai quelques guitare dont 3 Martin:D15,O16NY et Backpaker.
C'est ma 2eme D15 et si c'etait a refaire,encore une D15.
Je cois que resumer la D15 est difficile et que j'ai essaye d'exprimer ma plus grande satisfaction a tous les chapitres de ce rapport. LA D15 N'EST PAS UNE GUITARE COMME LES AUTRES ET CELA SE VOIT TOUT DE SUITE,LA D15 N'EST PAS UNE GUITARE COMME LES AUTRES ET CELA S'ENTEND ET SE SENT TOUT DE SUITE EGALEMENT!!! ESSAYEZ LA!!!!!

All solid wood dread. The case is first class. Quality construction.

I have compared this guitar to all the top end guitars. Can't beat it
with anything under 2 grand. I find the Taylor sound to be thin at any price. Gibsons don't have the dynamics of a Martin. After tweeking
it a bit it became superb. Everything an acoustic should be. I think that some may not hear it because they are half deaf from loud music.
A common problem.

No flaws. All guitars need setup to suit different styles of play.
Anyone whining about the action or string buzz should learn how to take care of thier guitar or find someone that knows. If there is a REAL flaw with the guitar, Martin has the best warranty in the world.
MAKE THEM HONOR IT. My only criticism is the rosett, better to have left it off. I put a bone saddle and rosewood pins on it. I like Martin SP 80/20 extra-lights. They give it more brightness.

This guitar was built for the sound. Heavey construction dulls the sound. Heavy finishes dull the sound. The finsh is not very durable
it scratches fairly easyly. So be careful,thats all. The reason that seagull has a good sound for it's price is mostly because of the thin finish. If you want durable the sound will suffer. On mine I am thining down the finish by rubbing it down with 0-0-0-0 steel wool, just the way they do it with fine furniture.

Lifetime warranty.I haven't needed to deal with them yet.

I have been playing for 30yrs. All kinds of acoustic music. I own a dozen guitars. From an old Yamaha FG-180 to an old Guild D-212. Old is better. This is the first new guitar I have ever owned. It sounded old and it felt special in my hands when I played it. I was looking for an old one when I saw it, and it called to me. Since I bought it three yrs ago, the price has risen by 25% The word has got around
I picked this one out of thirty other D-15s. Look for straight grain on all sides with no checks. I saw a lot of them with these little flaws in the grain. Maybe I got a one in a thousand because I knew what to look for. I would not trade it for a D-28 or anything less than a OOO-28.

There is just nothing special about this guitar- It's a solid wood guitar with no amentities. Actually a bit boring for the price paid. You can read the other reviews for the generic who what where why and when.

It sounds much less full than my other guitars, almost seems muted. It also has a very narrow neck- which makes it hard to bend the high e string (not good.)

The orginal action was way to high- I had to get it adjusted by one of Martin's incompetent associates. The endpin was a joke, so I had a Martin Associate install a custom endpin- in the process of this the finish of the guitar was damaged and I was without the guitar for two months while the martin rep did nothing.

Due to the muted sound of this guitar I would not use it live without a backup. The eye catching mahogony is an excellent addition to a multi-guitared band. I'm not sure if the finish will last on this guitar- my other martins have the same Satin finish and they have become quite unappealing over time.

I've dealt with this company many times, which is not a good sign. They are not helpful, and could careless about customer loyalty. The warranty is lifetime (doesn't include finish issues - second hand martins)- but dealing with customer service and repair reps is a waste of time. Your better off buying a new guitar each time you have an issue. Worst customer service ever!

I've been playing for 7 years, and have been through about that many guitars. Unfourtunately I have invested in mulitiple Martin's, but now that I have experienced their customer service I will not buy any more Martins. I like the guitar- but every time I pick it up I think about the shoddy customer and repair service I have gotten.

2003 D15 made in nazareth pa. body,soundboard, neck made of solid mahogany(satin finish). neck, headplate and bridge made of indian rosewood. No electronics. hardshell 345 case included.

Sounds good if flat picked(not strummed)My arsenal of songs are probably 50/50(strummed/flat picked) Tight bass sounds good. Midrange is a little overpowering. Airy trebles(particular of mahogany) not a plus for me. I prefer fuller trebles. "A" sting has an intonation problem at upper registers.

Action was standard martin med/high. Some wood pieces left inside body. Strap lock hole wasn't drilled exactly straight but no biggie.

This guitar will probably last a lifetime if halfway taken care of. Tuners seem decent. I probably wouldn't want to use it on a gig(period.) without a back up but I'm just a cautious person.

Lifetime warranty always a plus! Haven't had to deal with martin directly but did have the action adjusted and strap lock installed with martin approved person and she was very nice and supportive and answered any questions that I had

Been playing for about 10 years. I also own a washburn acoustic. I'm quite please with the guitar considering its price. If it were lost or stolen I probably wouldn't buy another one only because i'm ready to move up to a more expensive piece. I do love the punchiness of it's sound though. Really kicks ass with some pieces of music. The main thing I don't like about it is it's airy, thin trebles but what do you expect with a mahogany sound board? I compared it with some takamines, seagulls and a some tacomas, but it came down to what i was willing to fork over (money).

I think mine was made in 2003.As far as design goes this is a pretty no frills guitar.No fancy inlays,side binding,decorated back,no fancy headstock. This guitar in appearance is very plain.The mahogany wood is dark and gives this guitar a somewhat uniques appearance.The fingerboard is average size.Not extra wide like some steel strings.The whole guitar is made of solid Mahogany. No electronics.

This is where Martin spent the money on the sound,not decoration. The sound is loud a powerful. Sounds excellent strummed,warm sound. This guitar can hold it's own with more expensive Martins.This guitar is loud! The bass is deep and full. The balance of the bass is great it's deep,but not dead. The sound is amazing,and to think the sound is suppose to get better over time!

Very playable guitar. Action is not so low that you get buzz,but no so high that is causes you to be uncomfortable playing it. Set up is very good,not as low as a Taylor, but comfortable none the less. The thin neck on this guitar makes this guitar easier to play also.

This guitar seems very sturdy. You can just look at it and tell someone took there time of this one. It came with a very nice hardshell case will plush interior. This is what I like about Martin,no matter what model you buy they will throw in a hardshell case.Both of the ones at guitar center had no strap button. Another feature that I like about this guitar is that it seem to be noticeable lighter than a lot of acoustics,which improves playablity.

Came with a limited lifetime warranty. I haven't had to deal with customer service yet.

If you want Martin Tone and playability without all the cosmetic frills this guitar is for you.The Tone of this guitar sounds just as good as the more expensive Martins and the playbility is there also. In my opinion If this guitar was given a lot of features to make it more attractive there is no way you could get this guitar for under $1,000. Many people because of the x series Martins that a Martin under a thousand just can't compete,not the case here. There is a key difference between this guitar and the ones in the X series. This guitar is made of all solid wood.There is not an ounce of laminate or plywood on this guitar! To me that's why the sound is as good as it is. This guitar is a great value and will proabably last for many years.