Martin DX-1

great tuners, i love a guitar that you can just pick up and play anytime without worrying about tuning. Simple but very well made.

perfect sound, i played a few other martins, this one sounded better than all except one that was worth like $5000au. well balanced sound between the strings, good amount of bass, not too much, high strings very nice, clear and bell like, very beautiful especially for broken chords. low strings nice and bluesy with a bit of crunch when strummed hard.

Intonation is absolutely perfect all the way up the neck. action is a bit high for me but then again im used to playing an ibanez electric neck :/

the "fake wood" is bloody sturdy, i gave it a pretty good bang n didnt do any damage! but yeah cant say the same for the top :P

dunno

i was actually considering the taylor 110 as some have but they only sell the more expensive cutaway version of it. the cutaway version did sound very good so if you do manage do get the natural id consider it.

just make sure you try a dx1 with new strings, i tried a some others n i think the strings were old because it sounded quite dull.

i probably tried every acoustic guitar in sydney, seriously went to over 10 music shops! im very picky, this was actually the first guitar i favoured, i was in love with it immediately but i wanted to make sure there was nothing else better for the price out there. i came back to this one with a clear conscience knowing i had made one of the best purchases of my life!

New 2009 model. Composite neck feels perfect, no sticking as I have found with slick finishes. Moving up and down the neck is easy and precise. Some bemoan the lack of fingerboard markers. There are markers on the side of the neck where I can see them when playing. I don't look at the front of the fingerboard when playing and could care less whether there are markers for others to see where I am playing or not. Tuners are quite nice and hold tune quite well. Wish they were 16:1 to make them a little less sensitive, but they work just fine. The "plain jane" look really ends up making this an attractive instrument. I'm giving it a 10, because the features it has are "just right" for this category of guitar. Yes, fancy inlaying, binding and such improve looks. But not sound. On this end of the price scale, this is nicely done.

Sound is what attracted me to this guitar. I tried the usual group of suspects (Seagull, Epiphone, Yamaha, Alvarez, etc). None sounded as nicely as this thing. Every string rings clearly, loudly, and evenly. Some of the others are weak somewhere in one or more of the above. They might seem muffled, or perhaps dead on the low end, bright on the high end, etc. This guitar rings clearly everywhere. It has that classic "Martin" sound (not as bright as some, more dark/mellow like Martins in general.) It is also nice to play several chords, note by note, and have the chromatic tuner show green (in tune) for each note played. While hardly any guitar has perfect intonation up and down the fingerboard across all strings, this thing is really well set-up and will surprise you if you fiddle around with it and a chromatic tuner to see where it is out and by how much (or actually how little). Some of the others I tried (mentioned above) were "mostly red" (planet wave headstock tuner) on non-open strings. Best one-word description is "Wow". Under $500 bucks ($450 in my case) but sounds like much, much more.

Action is good. Probably a tad high on the nut end, but not by much. Ditto for Bridge end. Very playable as is, will probably lower it just a touch to make it even easier to play. The neck finish / material is quite interesting to look at, but more interesting to play since it feels so right when moving up and down the neck. The lack of binding means that there must be some exposed end-grain. But with the careful radiusing, it is not apparent and looks nice. The lack of sharp corners also makes it a touch more comfortable to hold and play. I'm not hung up on the HPL side and back. Looks nice. Is obviously quite strong / durable. The natural-finished top also looks nice. And sounds wonderful. It could look like the bottom of a 30 year old ocean-liner, but if it sounded like this thing sounds, I'd be happy. And this guitar is hardly "ugly". It isn't an HD-28 in terms of eye-appeal. But in terms of sound, it is very close. No cracks, no gaps. Just clean and simple.

This is a harder question to answer. I see nothing that would make me worry about failures of any kind. In fact, the sides and back are probably much more rugged/durable than a more traditional solid-wood guitar. Ditto for the neck/fingerboard. Laminated materials tend to be MUCH more stable than solid pieces of wood. That leads me to believe that warping/bowing/twisting is not going to be an issue. But it will take a few years to prove. Except for the natural finish on the top, everything looks bullet-proof. The natural finish is probably a bit sensitive to some sort of disfigurement, either from scratching, or getting something messy on it, etc. Gloss finishes wipe clean easily. But I like the look of this finish and accepted that since I tend to take care of things anyway.

Lifetime warranty for the original owner is quite a deal. No need to worry about neck angle resets, fingerboard warps, neck warpage, braces coming unglued, bridge pulling off, etc. So long as it is taken care of, particularly with respect to humidification (which some reviewers here seem to have no clue about from comments about sharp fret ends, top warping, etc) it would appear that this is truly a lifetime instrument. Takes a lot of confidence for a company to offer that kind of promise.

I have been playing off and on for almost 50 years (I started at about age 12 or so). I have not owned an expensive acoustic (I do own a Gretsch Country Gentleman bought in the 60's), but I have played quite a few over the years. This guitar seems to fit right in that class, even though it costs 1/4 (or less) of the professional guitar prices. If it were stolen, I would buy another without a moment's thought. I spent more than enough time before buying this guitar to convince myself that this was what I wanted. Nothing has changed that. The primary things that attracted me to it were (a) sound; (b) simplicity (I am not real big on gaudy things, I like things to be functionally excellent, and worry less about the frills.)

I love the finish on this martin. The washed spruce top is nice. The laminate back and sides kind of look like the top of a desk at school..but its not bad. It dents easy though so be careful.
Cant beat a martin full body dreadnaught!! Sound is amazing.
I love the neck.. very nice looking and makes the feel on this guitar AMAZING!! The tuners are very nice also... they stay in tune, except for the low E ( i jam reall hard on the low E though)
Mine was one of guitar centers last Made in America ones. There all made in mexico now.
I hate buying acoustic electrics.... I have a LR baggs m1 active that I use and is amazing!

This guitar is great for strumming and fingerpicking.. I am mainly a open chord strummer. Its not as loud and bright as the taylor 110( its competition on this price range) but the dx1 has a warmer cleaner crisper sound in my opinion. Overall better tone. I had a chance to get a taylor 110 for 299(used but barely played) and could of saved 200 bucks but I chose the martin! I use elixir lights 80/20 bronze.. Ive been messin around with millions of guitars lately... and the dx1 sounds as good if not better than any guitar out there. Theres some taylor and older martins here and there that ive really liked but for the money you just cant beat a dx1.

The action was low out of the box .. just how i like it. Very easy to play.
Guitar had no flawsss..Put elixir strings on it right away and was perfect!!

This guitar is very reliable durability wise...
I dont gig with it but im sure would work great. you gotta be carefull with the spruce top as it seems to get knicks and dents pretty easy.. but adds to the character right..
Seems very durable....

Never had to mess with martin.
Theyve been around since late 1800's soo dont think they are going anywhere soon and im sure would be more than helpful...

Have been playing on and off for 8 years. Just got back into playing seriously a couple months ago. If someone this guitar was lost or stolen I would be at guitar center at 11am when they open ready to buy a new one.
The only others guitars that compare in this price range is the taylor 110....the epiphone masterbuilts and the martin 000x1..
I played the crapp out of all of those before I chose and everytime i strummed a G on the dx1 right away my brain was like WOW. this is the one. SOunds better than guitars 4 times as much.
I wish it came with a nice case but I already got one... I love the sound soo much on this guitar, but dont like the fake laminate wish they make it look a little more real but you get what you pay for.

Like everyone else says, this is a very basic guitar -- solid spruce top, but the rest is laminate and/or high tech bonded material. Depending on whether or not you like fake wood wallpaper, you may not like the back and sides of the box. But the tuners really are fantastic, and the guitar stays in tune forever. I think the DX 1 responds a little too enthusiastically to high humidity, but that may just be my lazy fingers.

FABULOUS. After a year, it's revealed a lot more bass than when I first played it -- walking bass lines under a melody are really, really funky on this guitar. Perhaps a touch too round and full on the higher strings if you want a really jangly sound, but if you wanted that, you probably weren't going to by a dreadnought.

Great. Mine is set up low, so the action is fast and close all the way up the neck.

Already got some dings in it, but that's not the guitar's fault. It's doing just fine considering the abuse I deal out.

This is a really, really good guitar for the price. It blew everything away at its price point, and a few more expensive guitars, too. There's no reason to buy anything else at the lower ends, and all the other guitar makers should be ashamed of themselves.

quite basic and 'no frills' but it looks great this way, all of the important things are there - some people may not like the lack of fret markers but I personally prefer this.

I compared many guitars before buying this. The main choices I was left with in my budget were the DX1 and Taylor 210. Both of these guitars sounded and plated better than some more expensive solid wood models and I would have to say that the Taylor sounded very slightly better (richer tones, clearer and more volume) but I acquired the DX1 for around ??250 less than the Taylor and for the price it is QUALITY.

The action was far better than any guitar I played including other More expensive models such as the Taylor 210. It is easy to play all across the neck and it is also much easier to slide your fingers up the fretboard than many models I tried.

A few guitars I have owned required alot of effort to hold a pure bar chord on frets 7+, but this is effortless.

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for the price I paid for the DX1, the alternatives were models such as the Epiphone EJ200 OR FARIDA models. All of which were OK, but the Martin was far better and I doubt that there are many better guitars for the price.

Great tuners ,it stays in tune forever. My DX 1 has an ebony neck ,and after 5 years still has that new martin smell .Ahhhh

This guitar will fit any music style .Once you play it you will know what we are all talking about .

Great action no flaws at all. still looks like the day I bought it.Except for the pick guard.

I wouldn't be surprised if it lasts 100 years.

have not needed them

for the money you cant beat it . I have been playing 35 years and wish I could have found a acoustic guitar that sounds and plays this back then.

Incredibly basic guitar. No binding, matte finish spruce soundboard, back and ribs HPL (High Pressure Laminate) I bought the 'R' model that stands for Rosewood, it does look a bit like rosewood, but is fairly obviously not a wood guitar. Very basic purfuling around soundhole. Tuners look good quality, but are quite small. No case. Mine was a Nazereth made model, I think they are now made in Mexico. Mine has an ebony fretboard, later ones apparantly have a micarta fretboard.The neck looks very interesting.
I absoloutly love the simplicity of this guitar, the only thing I really miss are the fretmarkers on the fingerboard, they do place them on the edge, but its just not the same.
Overall - brilliant looking guitar.

The sound just blew me away. Wether it is the laminate or what, when you hold the guitar and strum a chord, you can feel it resonate through your own body, the bass is lovley. Intonation is spot on. Nicest sounding guitar I have ever played (and I have played more than a few.)

Action spot on, can't fault the guitar at all.

Seems to be well made and solid. I do use it for gigs without back - up and have every confidence in it.

Never tried customer support

I have been playing for over 40 years. I would have liked fret markers but otherwise cannot fault this guitar. I would replace it wth another like a shot if I lost it.

My Martin DX1 has a satin finish. Normal sized dreadnaught. It6 has Martin tuners. Has a stratabond neck of the right size for my hands, which are a bit small.No accessories came with it. It was made in the USA in 2008. Has 14 frets above body. No electronics. Sitka spruce top. laminated back and sides.

I mainly play country and bluegrass. It has a rich fill sound that fits in well with the music I play. It is plenty loud enough for stage play and just flat sounds great. While this is a no frills, blue collar guitar, it has an upper crust sound. My friends really liked the way it sounds. I am very happy with it and I'm a picky dude. For the money, you just can't do better.

My guitar was set up about as perfect as you can get when I bought it. I checked it over with a fine tooth comb and did not detect any flaws in it.

I believe it will handle live playing without any problem. The top has a hand rubbed satin finish, that I suspect might stain, even though it hasn't yet. I personally believe I could depend on it aqnd I would definitely use it on a gig without a back-up.

Haven't needed any customer support yet. Knowing Martin, I don't worry about it. It has a limited lifetime warranty. The experience I've had with Martin has been very satisfactory.

I've been playing for 59 years out of 72. If it were lost or stolen and I could find another DX1 that sounds as great as this one, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. The looks are rwally good, but the sound that comes out of this guitar is just flat out great. I did compare it with 4 other Martins and 3 Gibsons and 3 other brands. This one far and above better sounding than all of them. I'm really happy with this "blue collar" model, as I'm blue collar myself. Sure wouldn't trade or sell it for twice the money.

There's not much to be said about frills for the DX-1 guitar; it's about as basic a design as they come. No binding, no fret inlays, no electronics, onboard tuner, even binding, but the lack of features, weirdly, is why I love the guitar so much. Form following function at its best.

The clean, pure tone of the Martin is as good as it gets for this sort of money, clean highs, rich bass, the lot. This guitar simply sings. The sheer volume of the sound is astounding; you just can't beat that sort of tone with a stick. The bass can get somewhat heavy if you're not watching it though.

The finish of the guitar is very good, though I don't know exactly how it is straight from the factory as I bought mine used. The smooth, beveled edges of the sides, though a small touch, really improve the comfort factor of the guitar and give it a nice, clean look. The one problem I've experienced was just a hint of sharpness to the sides of the frets, though that could be fixed easily.

I've only had the guitar for about two months now, so I really can't predict long-term durability. Everything seems to be holding up nicely, though, and withstanding my somewhat abusive playing style.

I haven't had any experience with customer service, and probably won't ever need to.

This guitar, my third, was a fairly major step that I'm overjoyed to have taken. The DX-1 is a joy to play, beautiful and sounds just as good or better than guitars costing four times as much. I could well be using this guitar for as long as I play; I don't see any reason to do otherwise.
If this were lost or stolen, I'd definitely buy another. I just couldn't live without that sound in my life. My only major gripe, really, is the laminate, it just sort of feels like you're playing a desk. An astonishingly good desk, though.

Mine is the US model with morado bridge and fretboard. Martin was very efficient in scaling back the features of this model in order to put its resources into the tone-sensitive parts of the guitar. Some fine luthiery there! It has no fretboard inlays, no body binding, and I think the rosette is painted on. Not much to look at. My particular model had some after market work done to it: a Fishman Sound Matrix II and a heel strap button. Very nice touches.

I play a folkish country bluegrass breed of music and this guitar had the ideal sound for me. Very heavy on the low end while retaining a good sense of balance and clarity on the high end. Even with the mortise-and-tenon neck joint, this guitar makes some great sustain. I tried a number of Martins and Taylors while guitar shopping, many of which were definitely out of my price range, and this one instantly popped out as "the guitar with that sound."

Standard Martin quality in this department (despite the cutbacks on the finish mentioned earlier). I can't speak for the new ones that are made in Mexico, but this particular one is as good as any other Martin when it comes to the setup, as far as I can tell.

I feel fairly confident in the durability of the instrument, though I'm a bit cautious about the HPL wood. Not sure how well it will hold up on the road. It did ship from Canada to Kentucky, however, without a scratch on it. That's a good sign.

I'm very satisfied with this guitar thus far. I'm willing to make sacrifices in the features and cosmetics in order to get the sound this guitar produces. I've been playing for 17 years and have been playing to pay the bills off and on during that period (mostly off :) If I could find a guitar that sounds exactly like this one but has solid back and side woods and some fret inlays, I'd probably trade it. Otherwise, I'll stick with this guy until my fingers fall off.

I started playing th guitar at age 12 - my first guitar was a Fender Mustang with a Ampege AMP - after 6 years I traded the electric for a Gibson Sunburst - not sure of the model number. after playing for until age 23 - I sold the guitar and my playing days were over for 42 years. I recently won a Electric guitar - "Bass Ale" with a Union jack body, Strat pickups and reckonbeck neck - well the rekindled the fire to play again and the this being a "Novelty" guitar and needed something better. I set off to look for the "Guitar" and after four stores and playing many guitars I finely purchased my first Martin... the DX-1 made from "Sitka" spruce top and MAHOGANY sides I was sold... I then went back thru the stores and played every DX-1 available, along with Takamina, Taylors, Guilds and variuos others.... and after narrowing the least done to three DX-1 I played each one and check the looks and straigtness of the parts.

The Martin DX-1 was purchased and I am now added to the long list of Martin owners. Great Action, beatiful sound and a great mid-level beginner guitar. Not sure I will ever purchase another Guitar, but I will cherish this one forever.....

The sounds is the sweetest I have heard live in a long time.....

Nice action, ease of neck play, just the right dimensions to fit my hands.

The Martin Warantee should help keep me in the playing mode for years to come. You always want to keep a good sound coming....

Customer support at the Music center - Sam As has been great, Jason the saleman was very helpful and did not pressure me to make a decision until I was ready and than he was very accommodating to make sure I understod my Martin....

Triple A PLUS

Solid spruce top, Morado fret board, can play 14 clear frets, 20 in total. No money was spent on the look of the guitar, which isnt really a bad thing, ie theres no inlays or markers or details here. I feel that all of the manufacturing cost was spent on getting the best sound, feel and warmth out of this guitar and thus keeping the price down. Didnt even include a case to keep costs down, would have liked cheep free gig bag but i have spare and only intend to leave this in my studio to record.

I love the sound of the dx1, its the nicest acoustic ive played, i love the warm sound and the top isnt too much, nice and rounded. Also has good volume and projection, ive been using a simon and patrick 12 string in my studio cause i love the extra harmonics and chorusy sound you get naturally from 12's but this dx1 is just as full and warm without having too mush high sounds which the 12's can do. This sounds nice on all types of music. I like the feel of the neck and the action is good, very easy to play chords from 0-10 frets. This feels like a quality guitar or rather sounds like one, so much so that when i use in the studio i feel i can get pro sounds and i dont intend to upgrade soon to any really expensive acoustics.

Good set up, no real problems with it, infact when i compare the dx1 to every other acoustic ive played its flawless. As i said, not much was spent on the looks, plain but i really like it, has enough character.

Not had long, good stuff though.

Not used. Dont envisage doing so.

Been playing 7 years, this is probably the most expensive acoustic 6 string ive played and it feels and sounds like it. Tried 15 acoustics in the shop, ranging from #200 - #600 a few Yamaha's, guilds etc. Must say that the dx1 sounded much brighter than the dx1R which has a rosewood fret board and just sounded too mellow, theres a big difference in the sound of the dx1 and dx1R so make sure you play both before you buy.

Immediately upon getting this thing home I went into a playing funk which lasted about four days. During this time I put the guitar down only to eat and go to work and sleep. Sounds and textures evolved from this instrument that I didn't know I was capable of making. Sounds like a top line acoustic to my ears. Scored a 9 only because I would like a tad more volume (projection).

It's beautiful to my eyes. I even like the fake wood on the neck and sides. I can see no flaws.

I don't know. It's probably not gonna survive if you play 'el kabong; with it. Sems solid.

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Been playing pro/semi pro for over 30 years. I own mostly elctric guitars and basses (Gibson, Fender, etc). I needed something with a good tone for recording and occasional live performance. I don't spend much money on gear anymore because it no longer pays for itself the way it once did. $500 was what I wanted to spend and that's what I spent. I wish it had a pick-up but not if the acoustic tone suffers and not if I gotta spend another hundred bucks, so I'm happy just the way it is. Make sure you shop around. Found this at American Music Supply $50 cheaper than anywhere else.

Everything but the sides and back and the finish are fine.

I played guitars from virtually every maker I could find in a price range of $500 and $1,000, and the only thing that even came close to the same sound quality was a Taylor 110 that was selling for $150 more than this one. The sound booms like any other Martin I've ever played and blows away any almost any other guitar in the same price range.

The setup and action are great. The tuners are precise and hold their tune well. The finish leaves a lot to be desired. It couldn't be more plain, and the HPL sides and back don't add to the aesthetics. This guitar, however, is all about sound and not looks. If you want a quality sound at a low price and are willing to sacrifice looks, this guitar is for you.

The fact that the sides and back are HPL material instead of wood will keep it intact for years to come.

The sound is unsurpassed for the price. The looks could use some help though, and I didn't realize until I got home that Martin had started making these in Mexico this year. Oh well, still sounds great.

Made in 05 in the USA. Others have described features well enough. I won't.

Sounds INCREDIBLE!!! A bargain instrument that sounds like much more expensive guitars. One thing that struck me the most about this guitar, is the response it has. Even with the lightest possible bare fingered playing, this guitar sings. I mainly fingerpick with picks, but a also play with bare fingers and every now and then with a pick. Sounds great with everything I throw at it. Great with a glass slide too. Playing over the neck sounds totally differnt than by the bridge, then there are all the places inbetween!!! I also use many different tunings. I have yet to find anything that sounds bad.

WOW

The neck feels great in my hands. I hate the look of all the plys that make it, however. I almost didn't buy it because of that. The simulated wood on the sides and back don't bother me too much. However, I think something like solid black would have been better than fake wood grain.

Guitar was set up great. Holds tune very well, despite my changing tunings every day!!!

I think this will last forever, since most of it is made of high pressure "stuff." I don't see anything really going wrong with it. A bonus is that you really can't scratch the body.

For what it is, certainly a 10!!!! I wanted another Martin Dread and this is one that I could afford and not worry about beating the tar out of. Despite it's materials, this guitar sounds AMAZING!!! Nothing in it's price range comes close. Close your eyes, and you think you're on a D-28. I've owned too many guitars to list and know good tone and good quality. This has both.

Not sure if I'd want a Mexican built one however. If you can find a US made one, get it!

2006-Made in Mexico,very plain yet not ugly. decent tuners, Im not interested in anything any fancier. Nice neck, medium size. NO case or bag, which is ok, as I was on a very tight budget. Can always get one later. Laminated back and sides, and multi-layer neck, but I dont care. Very nice construction. The only features you need are a pickguard and a set of tuning machines, anything else is costly.

Well,like most other reviewers, I was stunned by how good it plays and sounds. I also looked at the high-value Martin D-15, and this is better sounding I think and it is $300 cheaper. If you arent bothered by the lack of cosmetics, the sound is comparable to guitars much more expensive! Very well balanced, a good guitar for strumming. I use it for country and blues.

Set-up was fine as is usually the case with Martin, and assembly was very good. Materials are cheap, but Martin shows that the way in which a guitar is built and assembled is what matters the most. Gibson, for one, could learn a lot from Martins assembly quality. I think the lack of a heavy finish allows this guitar to ring and sustain.

Time is the only answer.

Had very good service in the past.

For what you pay, its a 10. Even comparing it to high end models, it is still competetive. Its not a HD-28V, of course, but if you want a cheap instrument that wont embarrass you, this is it. I have owned many high-end acoustics in the past, and I am very satisfied with this guitar. Head and shoulders above the many other $400- $500 imported guitars I tried. I am very sad to see that they are now made in Mexico, and if I had known this at the time of purchase, I may have passed on it and bought a US made one on ebay. I KNOW that the profits made on their higher priced models could have allowed Martin to continue to make these in the US. There may not be as much profit in these models, but from my experience working for a major US guitar maker, I can tell you there is VERY little money tied up in the raw materials, most likely under $50. I doubt that Martin takes more than 4-5 hours to make this model from start to finish, and now is probably paying a wage of about a dollar or a dollar and a half per hour to their Mexican work force. That complaint aside, this is a great bargain on a fine instrument, you cant go wrong.

This is very much a No-Frills guitar. Martin spent their money wisely on using the best materials in the critcal areas. I've owned this guitar for almost a year now and am still amazed at how well it holds a tune. The machine heads are top notch. The nut is smooth and silky allowing the strings to stay balanced on both sides. The lack of flashy adornments keeps the price down so as to give the owner room to customize.

The day I purchased this guitar I went out the door with $1000 in my pocket. I toured the city hitting every music store in town...sometimes twice. I was determined to find the my magic sound. After playing Martins, Taylors, Takamines, Gibsons, Ovations, ranging from $500 to $5000 the DX-1 was my pick. From the first strum I knew this was the guitar for me. Anybody with any kind of passion for music knows this feeling. I don't care about all the miles of Abalone inlays and exotic woods...ultimately it's the sound and this guitar has it. LOADS of it. The bass is strong and present due to the solid spruce top. This makes finger picking a true joy to behold when you are doing an alternating bass riff. The mids and highs are crisp but smooth due to the Formica type laminate back and sides. I use Elixir extra light nanoweb strings and it almost sounds like two guitars playing in chorus. I also own a D-28 with the same strings and much prefer the DX-1's sound.

The action was a bit high for my tastes(possibly due to severe carpal tunnel) so I had a luthier install a pre-amp piezo pickup and lower the action. With Martin keeping the price down I had the freedom to install exactly the pre-amp I wanted. When shopping for an Electric Acoustic I was going to have to pay through the nose to get the features I wanted. So now I can get the features I wanted and still have money left over for good cables.

Although the finish is flat and can be prone to staining...the back and sides are almost bullet proof. The laminate is strong, durable, and scratch resistant. This makes this guitar PERFECT for going on the road. It's not as sensitive to humidity and temperature changes as the higher dollar exotic woods models.

I've had no issues to take to Martin yet. But if I did, Martin has the reputation for top notch customer support that leaves me with a sense of satisfaction and pride in owning a Martin.

If you're looking for glitz...keep looking. If you're looking for that magical Martin sound...pull up a chair. This is a guitar I hope to make a family heirloom out of. I'm sure the purists of you are gagging right now but this guitar represents the craftsmanship, quaility, and excellence Martin has become synonymous with over the years. No, I don't work for Martin I'm just a consumer caught up in this world of corporate greed and boosting the bottom line at the cost of quality. I am a VERY satisfied customer and appreciate what Martin puts in their guitars.

My DX1 was made in 2006 in Mexico. Martin uses high pressure laminates with solid spruce top. The finish is very thin, and the guitar feels very, very light. The tuners are chrome. Visually, this guitar looks as plain as plain can get, but hey, that didn't stop me from buying it. The only thing I'd probably change is the pick guard. I like the Taylor style pickguards better. I won't score this category because for this particular guitar, Martin was not visually trying to impress us anyway, nor was that the point of this model. The DX1 is a very plain, quality instrument, and I'll leave it at that.

The sound is unbelievable. It definitely has that fabled Martin sound. The bass is VERY thunderous and the mids and trebles are clear and strong. I loved this guitar the first time I played it (at Guitar Center, of course). Fingerpicking is wonderful on this guitar. All the notes are just so... clear, and the projection is very impressive. Strumming or playing rythm is just a sweet because the sound balance across all six strings is super. Eventhough the bass response certainly impressed me, this is not a "strong bass - tinny trebbles" guitar. All notes are very woody and strong. I played this guitar against the Martin D-28, and I found myself prefering the DX1 a whole lot more.

Fit and finish is fine. Action was perfect when I bought it.

This guitar is just as reliable as any other acoustic guitar. The finish is thin, but doesn't look like it's gonna come off anytime soon. The DX1 comes with the endpin at the lower bout. I had to drill and screw in another endpin towards the top of the upper bout to use my strap.

No need for company contact so far, so no rating for this category.

I've been playing guitar for about 15 years. I also own a Crafter D45/N acoustic guitar (just as awesome and powerful as the DX1, but with its own characteristic sound), a Zager ZAD-50CE (not in the same league as the Martin DX1 or the Crafter D45/N, but still a good and very balanced sounding guitar with unbelievablly low action), a Yamaha AEX500 semihollow body acoustic electric guitar (very mellow, jazzy sound), an Esteve 1GR3E classical guitar (solid classical sounding instrument) and a David Macias flamenco guitar (unbelievably off the top of the lung sound). Lately, I've been playing more acoustic steel string and leaving the nylon stringed equipment to collect dust.

Already in love with the sound of the Crafter guitar, I also needed another powerful (and affordable) acoustic guitar to be used for certain parts for live playing and recording. Once I heard the sound of the DX1, no other guitar will do. The day I went to Guitar Center to purchase this guitar, the store had at least six DX1's on display. I had the good fortune to try all of them and purchased the one that I thought was the best, thought I must say all them sounded impressively consistent. If this guitar was lost or stolen, I would definitely replace it. No other guitar will do. I do love some of those louder, expensive Taylors, but I had to also remind myself that compared to a fine instrument such as the DX1, they're only a bit louder, and in live performance and recording, louder is just a matter of turning up the volume knob. It's really that characteristic deep, woody, resonant acoustic guitar sound that I'm after because that is what simply turning up the volume knob can't give me. The DX1 is truly what an acoustic guitar should be. Thumbs up for Martin on this one.

I have the usa made. Tuners are pretty solid. These guitars don't have the shinny finish. That's a reflection of the cost. I dropped mine and chipped the top edge. I had my guitar shop guy cut it and patch it. It Gave it some character. It plays and sounds and stays intune like it did before I dropped it.

My DX-1 Sounds flawless against some of the high end Gibson's, Taylor's,etc... that I have played in music stores. Not saying you couldn't find a Gibson or Taylor that sounded amazing. I would describe the tone as low mid magic. I do home recordings, and I rarely eq my acoustic gutar tracks because the tone itself is so close to perfect. Wether it be a condenser or dynamic @the hole. The only thing i have to cut is the low Freq 200hz range because of the DX-1's boomy bass. By far the best bang for the buck in a straight up non-electric acoustic. I would definatley have any guitar setup by a skilled guitar shop. That's the bad thing about buying one new in a store. You can't really set it up until you buy it. I would get to discuraged if a new guitar didn't play the best in the world, but first concentrat on tone.

As i said before get it setup by a pro and it will play like butter.

Like I said before I dropped mine and chipped the top on the edge. I had a square cut out where the chip was and filled the square with a new spruce peice. It looks awesome.

Made in the USA (They are now being made in Mexico.) - Solid Sitka Top - Satin Finish - HPL Laminate Back and Sides - Morado Bridge/Fingerboard - Compensated White TUSQ Saddle - Standard Chrome Tuners - No frills design

I have to say that I was amazed by this guitar. I had sold my CA Legacy AE Aura and my Taylor 314ce. Both guitars sounded great but their bright tone began to wear on me. They lacked fullness & warmth. Needless to say I was on the hunt for another acoustic. I went to my local Guitar Center & Sam Ash. I was in the market for another mid-high end acoustic. I played a few Larrivee's in the $1200-$1400 range very nice guitars, Taylor?s in this price range to bright, & I played some lower end Martins in the $1300-$1700 range. The Martins definitely excelled in the fullness dept. I saw this Martin DX1 hanging there for $499.00. Reluctantly I grabbed it. How could it sound decent for $499? When I began playing it I was blown away. It produced a very full, rich tone with just the right amount of sparkle on the high end. Very balanced sound. After a few more comparisons I realized that this guitar was a steal at $499.00. I didn't care what it was made of. I was prepared to spend alot more money to get the sound I was looking for and I ended up with a DX1 and a $1000+ bucks in my pocket

The guitar played and felt just as nice as the $1200 and up models. Of course it lacks all of the nice fancy inlays, binding, and extras that come on the high end models and its not made of solid wood, but thats ok because I was interested in sound alone. This guitar delivered. The craftsmenship was top notch no complaints there. The action was a little high but that is easily remedied.

I would not hesitate to play live with this guitar. The fact that it is not solid wood does not bother me. I have a 15 year old Eterna acoustic that someone gave me, it has a laminated back and sides. It has held up fine through the years and sounds amazingly good (for what it is) now that the Spruce top has aged. The DX1 will only get better with age. The satin finish is thin but that just improves the resonate quality of the wood. With reasonable care this guitar should last a lifetime.

Haven't had to use.

I have been playing for 25+ years. As I mentioned earlier I owned a CA Legacy AE Aura Drednaught ($2000 retail), a Taylor 314ce ($1600 retail). I know that there are guitars out there that are nicer and sound better than the DX1 but in the $1200 - $1600 range I didn't find one. Somehow Martin was able to create a very balanced sounding acoustic guitar without the used of solid wood construction. It's great to have a guitar that sounds this good at such a low price. The DX1's are now being made in Mexico so if you can find one of the USA made models jump on it I?m sure they will hold there value.

2006 DX-1
Satin Finish
VERY simple design.. no inlays in the fretboard.
Standard tuners.
Paid somewhere around 450 for this.

For me being an ex-bassist I love low end sounds.
This has the rich tone that I love without sounding 'bottomed-out' or muddy.
For me the highs seem a little bright - but I'm still experimenting with different strings and get either a brighter or 'lower' sound.

I tend to stick with Martin Bronze strings (.13)

Also - for me? This guitar is LOUD. Sure it's not the loudest out there but you can def get some noise out of it. Heh.. just ask my wife - she definitely thinks it's loud enough. But I could foresee needing a mic at a bar or small gig.

Factory setup from the local Guitar (screw you good) Center was decent. And it looked like it was recently taken out of the box as it didnt have too many hands touching it.

Action was just a 'tad' higher then I would've liked but easily fixed. The feel is perfect - not too 'lose' nor too 'tight' (Taylors feel too tight for my liking)

Frets were nice and 'polished' I've played a few guitars where I thought the frets were razors - def not the case here.

Finish of the wood on neck and body was perfect. I couldn't of asked for a cleaner acoustic for under $500 bucks.

Well... it's done the ol' dive bomb onto a carpeted floor once - and it survived without losing it's tuning - so needless to say I'm happy.

I tend to be pretty rough with any stringed instrument (comes from playing bass I guess) This guitar handles my punishment with a pick nicely.

My only gripe is I will probably replace the tuners as the G is already starting to get 'wiggly' after a few string changes. And it can't be fixed - has to be replaced. Overall though very solid guitar.

N/A

I've been playing on and off for about 15 years. Mainly a bassist I switched to guitars for my own personal enjoyment for the last 5 years. I don't play any gigs.. but if I did this is the acoustic of choice.

My only advice before buying this (or any guitar for that matter) is PLAY the damn thing. You can usually tell if it's going to be a problem child if you take the time in the shop to ditz with it.

I played everything from begginer Takamine's to high-end Taylors, and everything in between. I'd have to say that this is a very nice guitar. And it is all business without the trappings of silly inlays.

Spuce top (no finish), kitchen counter sides and back.

I graduated from my wife's laying-around-the-house-so-I-might-as-well-learn-to-play-it Yamaha classical guitar to this. Bought it at Sam Ash and tried every other $500-and-under guitar and this was the best sounding, hands down. It had much richer bass and fuller, more distinct mid- and high tones. But then again, it was nearly twice as expensive as its nearest competitor (I knew when I had wandered off the floor and into the expensive-guitar room I was in trouble.) I don't know squat about other famed guitar makes, but to a novice's ear, this is the finest, cheapest guitar in existence.

The lack of finish on the spruce top means it will get and hold dirt quite easily. And, damn it, it chips easily (nicked it when it barely touched a WOODEN chair.) So give it an assured safe distance from any and all obstacles.

I hope the particle-board back and sides hold up, but won't know that for a while. However, the formica-like covering is impervious to dings and nicks. Each tuner has a personality of its own, but humidity and temperature changes aside, it holds its tuning pretty well.

I only wish I'd asked the salesguy about the longevity of the back and sides. Then again, the cheaper guitars are made entirely of laminate, and more expensive ones are made entirely of whole wood, so there probably wouldn't have been anything to compare the DX-1 to, anyway.

This guitar looks simple, which appeals to me so I give it a fairly high rating.

Low end on this guitar is great, but, it is a little too bright on the high end. I do a lot of fingerpicking and this guitar is really too quiet for that style.

My biggest complaint, the neck. I think with the composites the neck doesn't like to stay in one bend. I have had to have it adjusted approximately every two months. Humidity in my house stays between 48-50 as I have a whole house humidifier and temperature is constant. The nut has been replaced, the bridge tweaked but I get fret buzz while playing an E on the A string and playing an E or F on the D string.

Because of the neck problems, I live with fret buzz until it become unbearable and it is back to the shop.

Due to this, the sound is the lowest rating.

Action was a bit too low when I first purchased it, other than that the guitar was in perfect condition.

Well, reliability doesn't exist with this guitar because the neck seems to have a memory that comes back after a month and is unplayable at about two months.

It has been repaired four times and the local repair center is baffled. Emailing Martin about the problem didn't produce any results.

If it was stolen, I would thank god so I would have a reason with the wife to buy a different guitar. Sad about loosing the 500 bucks, not at all, I have spent more 10 times that on frustration. On the bright side, when I do get another guitar, I'll hang it on the wall as decoration, my conscience will not allow me to sell this thing when I know it is a lemon.

this guitar is the best acoustic ive ever played,for the money you absolutely can not beat it,its the only guitar ive owned that i wouldnt change a thing on,and ive owned some pretty high falutin guitars in my time,the lack of ornamentation,binding and fret markers are what attracted me to it in the first place,imho if it doesnt make it sound better why put it on....

very well balanced sound with huge projection when you need it,nice bottom end thats clear,the highs dont overwhelm as they do in a lot of other guitars

great action!!dont have to mess with the bridge to make the guitar playable,no buzz anywhere on the fretboard and the neck shape is just right,almost like a good les paul neck!!

im sure its gonna keep its end of the bargain if i use it to play out,the finish is almost irrelevent to me as long as the sound is still there,but i NEVER play in public without a plan B,cause ya just never know...

never needed it

ive been playing for thirty years,in that time ive owned a store full of les pauls,strats,teles,etc..plus a respectable number of really decent acoustics,this is hands down the best acoustic ive owned.it is versatile,rugged,and easy on the eyes but the most important thing is the SOUND,and it has that in spades,sorta like finding a new ferrari for the price of a beat up pickup=)

Solid sitka top. Made in the USA. I have heard rumors that Martin is moving its lower end production to Mexico, but I don't know if this is true. No fancy inlays or binding. No features at all to speak of. So, compared to other guitars (imports can beat it for looks, but NOT tone).

I own several guitars and most of them cost FAR more than this one did. It is becoming my favorite guitar for its down. Very good articualtion, tone, projection. It is AMAZING that Martin can get this much out of a guitar with such a low price point. I have a D-15 Rosewood special edition, and this guitar is just as nice as it is in the tone department. It is a bit more direct and louder, in fact! I can't say enough about the tone, particularly when flatpicked.

Action was actually a bit low, which is unusual for a Martin. They tend to come from the factory a bit high. Perhaps becasue this is considered a beginner's Martin, they set it up a little lower than normal to make playing easier. Not bad and I may not replace the saddle, but it could be done easily enough.

I use this as my maini "take around" guitar and I trust it.

Martin customer service is one of the best in the industry. I have contacted them via phone and have always talked to a friendly rep without much wait.

Best "bang for the buck" without a doubt. I own Taylor, Martin, and Tacoma and I am more impressed than I expected to be. I had some coupons and rebates with Musicians Friend (and I sold the Gig bag it came with) which brought my total cost, with FREE SHIPPING down to $389! I am amazed.

If you buy the Musicians Friend pack, you get a DX-1, Martin Logo Gig bag, and strap. for the same price as the DX-1. It would be silly not to buy the bundle.

2005 Martin DX-1

For me, the features rate a 10. Everything I need in an acoustic and nothing I don't. I like the near absence of finish, gimmicky accessories and toned down appearance. It is nice looking, and not ostentatious.

However, because this is a review I will rate it compared to other guitars - a 7.

While hunting for my latest guitar I played about 15 guitars ranging in price from $350 - $2500. Except for the very high end Gibsons and Martins I preferred the sound of the DX-1. I am not a huge Taylor fan and other offerings just didn't impress me (Yamaha, Takamine, Fender, Ibanez, etc..). The sound is amazing for the money. Higher Martins and Gibsons have a more detailed sound and project slightly better, but not $1500-$2000 better (Maybe a few hundred dollars better...)

As others have noted this is not a loud guitar. The sound is balanced, rich, and deep. Perfect for an apartment dweller like me. Also, probably perfect for recording. I love playing it :)

I like the setup from the factory. I don't see having it changed anytime soon. I did put elixir strings on it just to try them - they also sound slightly brighter to me than the martins, but by no means BRIGHT. It still has that martin and not taylor sound.

Seems ok. I hang it on a nice hook and treat it with care. I do not play out though...

I have never dealt with martin.

Awesome! Fit all my current wants and needs in an acoustic guitar.

New (July 2005) Martin dreadnought. HPL back and sides with mahogany image, nicely quarter sawn sitka spruce top, morado bridge/fingerboard, laminate birch neck, very minimal satin finish on top.

I am absolutely astounded by this guitar's sound. I put fresh Elixer polyweb lights on the DX-1 and my 3 year old Martin D-45V. The 45 is a little brighter and maybe slightly better balanced, but the DX-1 is about the same volume and has a rich, deeper tone, that is in its unique way very satisfying for leads, fingerpicking, and strumming.

Excellent. I did lower the action a little (3/32" low E, 2/32 high E, at the 12th fret, maybe too low, but still sounds good). My only minor complaint is when they drilled the bridge holes they did not put something under the bridge plate to make the drilled holes perfectly clean (most Taylors I've looked inside were done the same way, but my D-45V is perfect in this regard). The "1" style bracing pattern is very light. It makes the forward shifted scalloped D-45V look heavily braced. All the guitar companies are experimenting with top arch (that is why a new Taylor can have braces very similar to a forward shifted Martin but still sound like a Taylor). That said I don't think the bracing patter is important with out also looking at the arch. The DX-1 seems very slightly arched, less than my D-45V, but more than a standard D-28. Light braces and a slight arch seem to make for a very loud, deep guitar, with enough treble to satify me.

I bought this as an alternative to my D-45V for taking to parties. I considered a Rainsong but decided at ~3x the price for an A-WS1000, I was better off with the DX-1. I would consider every aspect of the DX-1 except for the spruce top, similarly robust anyway. At $410, I plan to carry it in a chipboard case and enjoy it.

I've exchanged a few emails and calls with Martin over the years. I live about 30 minutes from the factory and have taken the tour several times (twice with CFM IV himself). They seem to be great people. Several years ago I bought a D-41 and decided the fret job was not perfect. They agreed and did a re-fret 100% free.

If you can live with the HPL back/sides and the primitive finish, a great player for very little money. I would take over the import guitars in the same price range.

It's a Martin dreadnaught made in'05 here in USA with the basic Martin features (plain) with no fancy decorations added. However, it looks clean, attractive and has appeal, just how I like them. It has the satin hand rubbed finish which allows the top, well actually the whole guitar to vibrate. Check Martin's website for the exact specifications. I'm rating this category on MY likes and taste, which may not be everybody's. It has the features needed for a good dreadnaught.

You know when you hear it that it's definitely a Martin!! It has that unique tone that no other brand has. I quess that's why it is a Martin. I don't know maybe it's just me, but I really like these DX models Martin has made. They have the original Martin tone and are affordable. That's a perfect combination. The deep low bass that Martin's are notorious for are distinctively there, but not so much that it overpowers the midrange and highs, as alot of the higher end models do IMHO. Everything just blends in together very nicely and makes this model sound ASTONISHING. Compared to the higher end models, these DX models lack somewhat of the projection(loudness)that they have. But, not considerably so. But again IMO the balance is better. On occasions when or if needed to be louder just use an open mike(think Clapton) or pickup. Even though it minutely lacks projection, because of the perfect balance mentioned I have to rate this as high as I can.

Just one word here describes it. PERFECT right out of box nothing else needed or desired. Just one note too mention. The hand rubbed satin finish not only is it attractive but it allows the WHOLE guitar to resonate like no other I have encountered. When played I can feel everything vibrate from the body all the way up the neck to the tuning keys. Absolutely remarkable. Here again the rating must be what it is HIGH

I've seen others remark somewhat poorly about the materials being used on these models since they are not "all wood" guitars and so forth. But these are built like a tank and feel and look SOLID as any I have seen. Plus they have the genuine Martin tone. Their saving trees by using woods only where it matters (thereby saving you money) and increasing stability in the other areas where it doesn't by using man made materials. And to top it off (pardon the pun)there is no sacrifice in tone or sound. Seems to me to be a perfect combination. Guess what this rating is going to be. That's right you guessed it.

Haven't used it since I registered the warranty information and don't expect I'll need to. And I guess Martin thinks the same way, therefore the Lifetime warranty on their products. It's just comforting to know they stand behind their products if need be.

I own more acoustic guitars than my wife would like for me to have. And I've gotten rid of many more. I've owned either past or present Fender, Ibanez, Alvarez, Washburn, Martin, Dean, Simon & Patrick, Carlo Robelli(not bad guitars for the money)And I've played them all at one time or another Taylor's , Seagulls, Cort, Yairi(Alvarez), Yamaha, Garrison(another fine example of guitars using modern made materials in their bracing), Epiphone, well you get the point. But, it is what it is and I am what I am. I'm an acoustic fanatic to say the least. I absolutely love a good acoustic. I also own a Kramer (strat copy)electric (not a bad copy at all for the money)for that occasional electrified impulse. But, IMHO I think overall anything in the Martin DX line is one GREAT acoustic guitar for the money.

It's simple looks make it such an eye catcher. The new DX 1 (2005)has an ebony fingerboard and bridge. Great for those who like simplicity in looks. Very retro.

Well-balanced lows to highs. Very punchy and full sound.

The action was pretty good straight out of the shop, but I had a set up done and it's now even better.

I have been playing this guitar for a few months now and it's such a pleasure to use. I haven't had any issues with the DX1. When I'm not playing, I always put it back into its hard shell case. It never sits out. The DX1 has a very thin finish on its solid spruce top and it's a good idea to pack it into a case when not in use. With a little care and common sense, this guitar should last you a life time.

Overall, the DX1 is a phenominal value set at a great price. If you do plan to purchase a DX1, try out several because they don't always sound the same. This can be true for any guitar from any manufacturer.

As of January 2005 (model #: 9998XX) the DX1 has an ebony fingerboard and bridge now! It's about time! I guess they had to compete with the lower end Taylor models such as the 110 that also has an ebony fingerboard and bridge. Other than that the rest of the features appear to have remained the same.
My DX1 also has a solid spruce top but there is another item of note about this top. It is hands down a AAA top. Straight tight grain from top to bottom, no bending at all. Again, I don't know why but I'm guessing they have really 'spruced' up their lower end models over there at Martin to compete with the 'quality' of materials from other manufacturers.
Maybe they will put a solid mahogany neck on this model next and then we can't complain about the features for this particular model anymore!
Oh well, I'll enjoy this new model through many, many melodies.

I play mostly finger style but I also like to flatpick. I would say that the bass overrides the higher end when finger picking. The middle range tends to punch through almost even with the bass or lower end.
When I strum with a flat pick, due to the sharpness of the pick hitting the strings, the higher end tends to ring stronger than when I'm finger picking. This provides a more balanced sound to the guitar when I'm flatpicking as opposed to finger picking in my opinion.
It does lack the 'bluegrass' type volume but it does have enough 'camp fire' volume in my opinion.
Overall I'm still satisfied with the finger picking aspects of this guitar in conjunction with the outstanding flatpicking sound.

Ok, a couple minor things of note here. There is a minimal fret buzz when fretting the B string from the 7th through the 13th fret. I'm not sure whether a neck adjustment is in order here though. The buzz is not bad and is tolerable but we'll see if it gets on my nerves enough to warrant a new bone saddle with a slight adjustment for this or maybe even a new bone nut. Yeah, a new bone nut and saddle...
Also, where the nut meets the headplate, there is some glue leakage. Approximately 1mm wide by 3mm long. No big deal to clean up, just the fact that it was there irks me, that's all.
The frets are in fantastic shape.

Obviously the biggest issue for this category would have to be the finish or lack thereof. For the price paid, I do not expect to have a nice gloss finish that will stand the test of time. I also would prefer not to have a cheap thick 'blanket' of glossy junk on the guitar to kill the sound!
All I can say is be careful, be verrrrryyyy careful around the top of this guitar.
As for the tuners, I don't know how long they will last but they are the same tuners that are featured on some the higher end Martin models like the D-16 which retails for $1900!

I have not dealt with Martin customer support.

I have been playing regularly for about 20 years now... whoa, I'm gettin' up there! I started playing when I was a kid. As you can tell I'm borderline anal when it comes to my guitars so if I recommend it then hey it must be a great guitar!
In my opinion, the sound that this guitar delivers as well as the heritage of the brand cannot be matched for the price. Hands down. Some of you may ask, why does the brand even matter? Resale value my friend, resale value!

Update to an earlier submission I made on May 9, 2004, shortly after I first got this guitar.

Sounds great.

Excellent... at first.

The top is caving already after 6 months. I bought this guitar in early May of 2004. It's just beginning to get into the cold months (November) and the air is not dry yet here in the Northeast. This guitar stays indoors and when it's not being used it hangs on a guitar hanger. Temperature is steady around 70 degrees and the humidity is always about 60%. It has always been fine and stayed in perfect tune even after 2 weeks. However, I pulled it down after not playing it for a few weeks and found that the top is caving in at the bridge area. The guitar came strung with Martin 12's, and that's what I always use. This should not be happening.

I was sceptical when I bought it: high density plastic/wood laminate, $500. price point, etc. I'd say you're better off either spending less money on a cheaper guitar (which is likely to fold in the same manner at some point), or save your cash for an expensive guitar.

Made in 2003, made in Narzareth, etc... Standard Dreadnought fret#, Solid Spruce Top, no electronics. Decent tuners, I guess. The G-string tuner slips a little every now and then. Bought it at a Guitar Center for 500 w/ case. Since it doesn't have electronics, I am going to have to not give it a perfect ten in this category.

I play mostly acoustic stuff anyway. You name it, if it's got a good fingerpicking part, or even strumming, I'm all over it. This guitar does Dashboard, Led Zep III, even CSN(Y). I'm very pleased with the sound. I played a few top-end Ibanez acoustics, a few Takamines, a Tacoma, a Big Baby Taylor, and anything else for about 500 bucks, and this one was the winner. I wasn't so much concerned with the name as I was the sound, and this one had the others beaten hands down. It's big and round and bassy when you want it to be, or it can be an jangly as a 12. Really responsive to a light touch, especially with newer strings. I like how it sounds, I don't have a single disappointment with the tonality of this guitar. Everytime I go into GC again, I always pull off the D-18's, the 1500 dollar martins, etc... and I'm always coming back to the DX1 because it just sounds and feels better to me.

Action is nice and low (for a martin). The ones that I've played in the past have given me sore hands from how highly strung they were, but this one is a real player, in my opinion. I like how the top of the guitar isn't finished with a gloss; it's really smooth, your arm doesn't stick to it, and I think it probably allows for more resonance from the solid top. No worksmanship flaws.

The Sides and Back of this guitar are indestructible, but since the top of it isn't glossed in, it's a little more prone to being affected by careless storage... scrapes, stuff like that. The top is delicate, the rest is a tank.

I have a warranty, and I have called them with questions, but I've never had to rely on the warranty to get it fixed or anything.

Been playing for almost 10 years, and I own a telecaster, an Ibanez sr400 bass, an enormous pa and bass rig, and I spend more time practicing this than I do bass or electric. It's just a real joy to hear the sounds coming out. If it were stolen, I'd cry, because I don't have the capital to replace it. College does that to you, I suppose. I wish it had some electronics, but from what I've heard, the Fishman Neo-D sucks, and the only real way to get a good sound from a guitar that doesn't already have electronics is to get a Fishman Rare Earth Custom and then send that to a SansAmp Acoustic DI box. That's almost as expensive as the guitar itself, so that'll have to wait. Until then, condenser mics are the answer, if amplification is the question.

I own a 2003 model - sitka spruce top, composite body and sides, black micarta fretboard.

This guitar sounds beautiful! I tried out several other brands, as well as a few other Martins that cost a couple hundred dollars more, and this one outshined them all. If you're looking for a trebley, twangy sound, this is not the guitar to buy. What sold me was the incredibly rich, deep bass response and warm midrange...I play in a high-energy Celtic band, and being the "bass" of the group, this was an important factor.

The one drawback (which has been mentioned several times by other users) is that it's a little quiet, especially in a flatpicking situation. Since my role in the group is primarily rhythmic, this is not a big issue...I use a Boss GE-7 equalizer as a boost if I need to take the melody.

I felt that the action was perfect. I know that some people aren't happy with the fretboard being a synthetic material, but I think it feels fine.

I did have a tiny issue with the nut...I'm a heavy-handed player, but I was breaking strings a little too frequently. I sanded and smoothed out a couple of grooves, and things have been fine since then.

I've played the holy crap out of this guitar for over a year now, and it's held up fine. I take pretty good care of it, though, and keep it in a hardshell case. Although I like the "rough" finish (or lack of finish, I should say), it does lend itself to staining...there is a very faint discoloration from my forearm, but it adds character.

I haven't dealt with customer support too much, but I've emailed them with a couple of questions, and they responded quickly.

If you are looking for an affordable, warm-sounding guitar, this one is perfect. I've never been a fan of that jangly sound that so many acoustic guitars seem to have, so I'm glad to have run across this one. I've seen other reviewers say that they would go with a Seagull instead, and I played a few of those...they weren't terrible, but they felt and sounded a little cheap (and they definitely didn't have that bass response). I would love to own a D-28 someday, but until I've got that much money laying around, I'll stick with the DX-1.

Made in Nazareth, PA, between 3/27/04 and 5/4/04 (more on that later); 20 frets, 14 clear; spruce top, apparently 2 pieces; laminated neck, said by manufacturer to be similar to piano pinblock; laminate body; fretboard and bridge of high-density plastic, quite like ebony; flat finish; dreadnought body; case not included

I played a righty DX-1 in an effort to decide if I should order a lefty. I did the same with another guitar priced about $100 less, with more eye appeal and a case included. I played some lefties, too, though you know what it's like finding one in stock. The righty DX-1 I sampled sang. The tone was full and balanced, intonation was consistent up the neck, setup was easy to play. I decided to take a chance and order the lefty. It's every bit as good as the display model.

I do most of my playing to accompany my elementary music classes where I teach. I was looking for a guitar that can play beautiful chords. The DX-1 does that. Every string speaks clearly. I can play in a percussive style with the backs of my nails, and this guitar gives that sound authority. I'm playing more, and I'm practicing with improvement in mind, simply because this guitar sounds so good!

The factory setup is good. It's a trifle high, but I can adjust. The first two strings would stick briefly in the nut during tune-up when I got the guitar. My dealer said to run a pencil through the grooves. I did that with the first string change, and it worked.

There's a tiny spot on the neck where there must have been a bubble in the lacquer. The neck had a rough surface when brand-new, just rough enough to snag lint from a polishing cloth. I was disappointed that Martin didn't sand it finer. With playing and normal wear, this problem disappears in a month or less.

Everything fits together well. I'm coming off an 18-year relationship with a cheap electric that had terrible tuners and a poorly-cut nut, so the smooth tuning and stable pitch of the DX-1 really stand out.

The laminated neck should be very stable. The thin, flat finish might be a dirt magnet, according to other reviewers. I think the materials used in this guitar will prove durable. Martin gives a lifetime limited warranty, so they believe in this guitar.

My DX-1 looks fragile, but I've given it a few licks on the job. It can take the usual rough treatment you'd expect to encounter. I haven't had it outside in cold weather, so I don't know how it reacts to temperature and humidity.

A limited lifetime warranty from a 171-year-old company that's made a million guitars speaks volumes.

My dealer had to call Martin to order my guitar, because it's a lefty. He made the call on a Saturday, and it went right through. He placed the order on March 27, and the company promised delivery by June. (Righties have no idea how unusual that promise is.) My guitar arrived at the store on May 4. That's 38 days for a special order. Think about it.

As I said, I played a few other guitars before ordering the DX-1. The best was an Alvarez dreadnought. It had a good feel and sound, a case, inlays, solid-wood construction. But when I played it, I realized that the Martin I'd played more than a week earlier sounded and felt better. When I tried the DX-1 again, I was ready to order. The Alvarez was Bobby Darren in a tux from James Bond's tailor. The DX-1 is Sinatra in a cheap brown suit. If you're buying it to make music, the DX-1 will do that very well.

I've played several musical instruments over the last 40 years. This guitar is the only instrument that has ever made me want to practice. It sounds that good, it feels that good, and it's affordable. What a package!

2003 or 2004 model, can't tell which. Solid spruce top, the body is high pressure laminate and the neck and fingerboard are painted plastic. No inlays or nothing for adornment. Basic stripped down, bottom of the bucket Martin acoustic. I want more wood.

Sure does have nice tone and sustain. I'm just kicking around strumming on it and doing some fingerpicking and it sounds nice. The tone is rich, warm, and balanced. I though my older Alvarez Professional model sounded nice, but it sounds like a cigar box next to this. The neck has a soft-V shaped back profile and the fretboard is a bit flatter than Gibson, but not as flat as a Yamaha acoustic. With the action a tad high, the guitar makes your playing more precise and projects reasonably well.

I tried roughly 10 Martins out over 2 hrs. They all had what I would call high action. I was told shims could be removed to lower it, but there were no shims under the bridge piece. I did tighten the truss a tad and the whole action became much nicer, although I wasn't trying to specifically lower the action with the truss rod- that's be an incorrect procedure. To lower the action you have to sand down the bottom of the plastic bridge piece. In my case that's not necessary.

I get a wierd vibration sound trailing off of the E and A strings when fretting various places up the neck, mostly the lower notes. The vibration sounds like it's coming from the bridge, but strangely, when I press the string down much harder against the fret, most of the noise goes away. I'm almost getting the impression that the frets need better dressing; the string sounds like it's vibrating on the fret being pressed, rather than buzzing against the one above it, as it would in the case where say, the action is too low. I've never seen this in 25 years, so now I'm off to a tech already to clean up after another lack in some companies craftsmanship. Seems I have to do this no matter what I buy these days.

The rest of the guitar is perfect. It's inspiring to play because it just sounds so nice. I'm coming up with music I've never played before. Because of this, I can see a nice HD-28 in my future.

Well the only thing truely wooden on this guitar seems to be the top. If everything else is a mixture of plastic and wood like they say, then it should sound about the same 10 years from now. Overall it feels very solid.

Been playing 25 years. I wish every guitar manufacturer in the world would spend less time on pretty finishes and just get the fretwork to where it's perfect. Not good, not great, but perfect.Overall these are great sounding guitars with nice playability. Maybe in the expensive beginner to intermediate range. If you want a nice Martin acoustic, you need to BEGIN looking in the $2,000. range. Except for the fact that I'll probably have to shell out $75. to have the fretwork cleaned up a tad, I'd rate this thing pretty high.

Well addressed in earlier reviews.

I think this guitar sounds awesome. It's not my first acoustic, but it's my first decent one. I went out looking for a Seagull as a friend had one, and I liked it and knew the company's reputation for producing good moderately priced acoustics. I visited a few independent stores and played a number of seagulls, but at the last one I tried the Martin DX1 and thought it sounded better. I was with two other playing friends, and we all agreed on that.

Further, I played six or eight different DX1's and there was a noticeable difference among them. I narrowed the field down one guitar at a time, A-B'ing them against each other, and we could all hear the differences between the guitars. For this reason, I recommend buying a guitar from a shop with a decent selection. I guess every piece of spruce is different.

I've been playing for years, and nowadays play the electric in a band, but at home I play this guitar all the time. It's trouble free and sounds better than other more expensive guitars; certainly it's a good value. Much more expensive guitars are better, but in my price range it was best. I've had it for about 3 years now.

Action seems a little high compared to other guitars owned and set up by other experienced players I know. I'm living with it though, I haven't come up with the $75 to get it set up by my local guy.

I don't know what it will sound like in a few decades; I understand all-wood guitars get nicer with age, but only the top of this guitar is real wood. After 3 years it sounds fine.

Other reviewers have mentioned that the unfinished or lightly finished top picks up smudges. I have always been in the habit of washing my hands before playing since it seems to make things go smoother on the neck; also, I ALWAYS keep it in the case...but this has not been a problem.

I guess the space age materials are very durable; no dings have appeared on the back of the neck from the little jostling it gets.

I have maybe a half dozen friends I play with from time to time, and we all have differnt makes of guitars, all costing less than $1000. This guitar is the richest-sounding. I am really glad I bought it. Others have said it's quiet...I use heavy strings, which probably explains it, but in comparison to other acoustic players I jam with, I haven't found that to be the case. This is the best $400 guitar I've ever heard, and the difference in quality between it and guitars $200 cheaper is a lot bigger than between it and guitars $1000 more expensive.

compostie body and neck, true spruse front

the sound was great when I first bought it, but after about 2 months I noticed extensive buzzing on mostly the high "e" string

after 2 months noticable "V" bow in the neck starting at the body

I've played about 35 years,owned many musical instruments and have always loved the Martin quality,but they have a serious problem with the compostie neck and low string action. After 2 months of owning this guitar I took it back to the dealer to try to repair the bowed neck but to no avail. The guitar Center is willing to switch out for another DX1 but they too were bowed. NOTE:I'm looking at a Taylor 110 that has a true Mahogany neck and a great sound for about the same price.

Martin DX-1 made in 2003, Straight from Nazereth
24 frets
Solid Spruce top
Body is laminated
Micarta fingerboard, fooled me for ebony
Dicast sealed tuners, very nice

My first acoustic guitar, I played tons of guitars at Sam Ash, Gear Trader, and finally ran across the Dx-1 at Guitar Center...I think it's the best sounding, american made solid top guitar priced under $1000. Then again, It's my first guitar and Iam learning. Iam gonna put a bone nut and bridge in, and a set of ebony bridge pins.

The action is great, nice and low...A little buzz, but made a slight neck adjustment and Wah Lah. I dont know what bookmatched means, but I like the simplicity of this guitar, I dont like high gloss finishes.

IT seems real durable, it's got a good solid feel. I love the slim neck, the finish is really thin though.

It's got a limited lifetime warranty. Hope I never have to take advantage of it though.

I've been playing less then a year...I started on a cheap electric and got knowhere, so I bought the Dx-1 and have never been happier.
GC hooked me up with a Martin case for a low price, Iam very happy with this guitar. I kinda wish it had a real ebony fingerboard, the black micarta fooled me. IT would just add to the value I think.

20 frets on 25.4" scalelength slight "V" neck; Micarta fretboard; sealed tuning machines.
Solid spruce top w satin finish; composite sides/back; strange looking multi-laminated neck.

The so-called "features," are its materials/construction, and low price.
It also gets points from me for being a genuine made-in-Nazareth Martin.

Martin's bid at staying in the hunt with low priced imports.

Rich bass. Sounds like a Martin!
Nice overall sound.
Not as loud as some, but still resonant enough with rich overtones.
I would say the trebles can't compete with the high-dollar stuff, but definitely are better than the first generation DXM's.

I use this guitar for general acoustic duties. All styles.

Bought used.
Plays/feels great!
There was a slight buzzing on the high E at the second fret, but the action is way low and the strings were light. A heavier string took care of that, though if played hard can be made to buzz slightly still. Hardley noticeable by me, and the action is like an electric or Taylor, so I didn't want to raise it.
In Martin's defense, it looks to me like the previous owner had the trebles lowered. The basses have more clearence. The saddle is not "even" across the bridge, but slightly slanted down towards the treble side.

A couple of "bearclaws" grain figures in the treble side of the top. I guess that means it's not "bookmatched," but the center seam is barely apparent.
I like the bearclaws. Adds character and woodiness. Also the unbound body offers a view of the wood top plate's end/side grain while playing, which with this guitar I consider a plus.

It seems like a Martin for build quality. The strange looking multi-laminate neck ("glue-lam," we call 'em in construction)
is the only visual clue while playing that it's not as painstakingly crafted as the upline models. More stable I'm sure though.

I don't worry about it at all.
It didn't come with a case so I just stick it in a cheap old economy case I had lying around (the old style "kiverboard" non-hardshell type).
Someday I might treat it to a better case, but not because I think it needs protection. It's its own case!

The "glu-lam" neck is undoubtedly more consistent and stable than your normal solid mahogany. Looks like a hunter's all-weather gun stock!

No experience.

I've played since 1960 and have had them all, including a '76 D-18, D-15, and both the first and second generation DXM's, as well as Breedlove, Larrivee, Gibson, Guild, etc.

I was not looking for another acoustic, but ran across this one and thought it was a decent guitar for the money, and a real Martin, so why not?

Now, I've bonded with it! I use it all the time around the house and leave it out. It's a gas!
I play it out at church worship services sometimes too.
When I play out on Jazz jobs I use electric guitars, or if it's an acoustic gig: the much louder Dell Arte!

As someone already mentioned in another review, it IS a bit diminuative sounding when fingerpicked, more like a common laminated sides/back solid top guitar volume wise, but other than that it's a good sounding, great playing instrument and has none of that "laminated TOP" type sound or vibe, if y'know what I mean? That strident midrangey nastiness? Has NONE of that sound.

I can't say the strange looking "glu-lam" neck has grown on me VISUALLY (being an old traditionalist), but I love the silky feel of the slight "V" contour neck and the Micarta feels just like ebony to me.

I play all styles, and have had loads of guitars -cheap as well as high end- THIS one I've "bonded" with, and that was a surprise.

Not much in the way of features. It's very basic. It has virutally no finish and is made of unorthodox materials. No fretboard inlays. The sealed tuners are very nice and this thing stays in tune for weeks. There isn't any binding either, the fret show on the side of the fretboard, which is made of Micarta. I didn't buy it for the features (or lack thereof) but really I've grown to like it's simpleness. I love the solid spruce top. Looks nice, sounds great, it'll only improve.

This is what sold me. This thing sounded better than mostly any other guitar in the price range, and I played every guitar under $700 in both Guitar Center and Sam Ash. It has a deep sound. Not very loud though, which could be bad for fingerpickers.

This is a very solid guitar. It feels like I could throw it down the stairs and it'd still sound amazing. My only worry is the neck material. It's Stratabond and I'lm a little worried that it won't last as the years go on. But Martin assures me (repeatedly, I asked 2 separate people there) that it'll be fine. It's very light, because the back and sides are made of a one-piece wood fiber composite laminate. The top, while beautiful, has a very thin finish. It allows the top to darken more, but it also gets smudged and i ahve to clean it alot. It's very unorhodox in general, but i tihnk Martin could make a cardboard guitar sound good.

THis is my main guitar. I don't gig, but I play with friends often. This guitar will last me a long time (assuming the neck doesnt wear down).

Amazing. I had a problem with 2 tuners and Martin sent me 2 brand new ones for free. I also got a free magazine subscription for filling out the warranty. They're really nice and helpful. I'd buy another Martin in a second

Great guitar overall for the money. It's sound was better than anything in the price range and it's durable. If I lost or it was stolen, I'd probably die. I'm not sure if I'd get another one, but I'd definitly get another Martin. I highly recommend this guitar.

This is definitely a no frills guitar. The thin coating on top allows for a fuller sound but is prone to stains from the hands. There are no fret markers on top, only on the side. This worried me at first but it actually made me a better guitarist in the long run, and the switch was rather painless. The tuners, although tiny looking, are great and stay in tune very well. There are no electonics so you'll have to pick up a woody or something. I just ripped out a fishman prefix from another guitar, drilled some holes and voila! (I don't reccommend this for amateurs) Other than those things, you just have to get used to its looks, and it grows on ya.

Excellent. For this price there is only one other guitar that rivals it, the taylor 110. Otherwise, there is no better sounding guitar for this price range, period. The one thing I have noticed after reading a review is that it has a slightly darker tone than most martins, but to me it just sounds better than the others. This guitar has a unique voice, expect to hear it on albulms in the future.

I cannot believe how well this guitar is setup. I took out the micarta saddle and replaced it with a tusq saddle. I made sure to keep the edge that contacts the strings extremely thin and wow! The action on my guitar is so low you would think its an electric! The intonation is perfect. I used a tuner for nearly every sing note and all were in tune. The fret job is excellent, the nut is extremely clean, and all the edges are smooth and crisp. I play agressive and it stays in tune. This is the setup that an American made guitar should have. Right from the factory is impressive, get it done professionally and you'll get a pro feel.

There are two things that worry me. The composite materials are not time tested, meaning the sides, back and neck. How they will hold over time is questionable. I have had mine for nearly 8 months and have seen no problems. Also, the thin coating on the top may be a problem down the road as well, but for now it makes it sound beautiful. Oh, and try to keep your hands clean, the top picks up stains from greasy hands. It might add character to you, but to me its just dirty.

Great. These guys will take calls, e-mails, whatever, and get right back with you. Send in the warranty card and they will give you a free magazine subscription and a nice regristration/serial number card in return. Good job CF.

There is only one other guitar close to this in the price range of 0-$1000 right now and that is the taylor 110. My suggestion, buy this one or the taylor; stay away from those Tacomas. They sound good to the player, but crap to the listeners (unless the sound hole is in the middle). And, to the guy who says he has only been playing for two years and rates this guitar low overall: get a few more years of experience. I'd give this one a 10 for sound alone.

VERY basic dreadnaught. 20 frets, 14 clear; Solid spruce top, HPL back and sides, stratabond neck; very light on the finish (hardly any, "hand rubed urethane") no inlay on the fingerboard (dots on the side though)
The guitar looks good, however. Its simple and spartan, no frills, but solid and effective.

Here, I can not say enough. When shopping for this guitar I played everything I could find in a 20 mile radius, from $300 Alvarez, to $1500 Taylors, to $2100 Martins, to Breedloves (which I really liked) to customs, and this guitar sounds like it could have cost $1500 instead of the $300 I paid for it. There was nothing in my price range even close. It has that Martin sound, warm, rich, woody, all the strings blend and ring and soar... The bass is so strong, but the balance is good, and trebels ring just fine. I have the recomended Martin 80/20 strings on it, but I think I'll try my old fav. D'adario phosphor bronze next time (to get a little more high end sparkle) At the price I paid, I could even afford to get a bone nut put in to add some volume and sustain. The volume is about the only thing that's not great, its a kind of quiet guitar compared to most full sized dreads, but that probably suits my neighbors just fine anyway. The HPL back and sides are kind of funny - it's basicaly countertop material, but the sound is great so I won't argue, plus it seems like it's darn near indestructable (and environmentaly friendly too!). I play flat picking, crosspicking, folk, rock, newgrass stuff, and for the money there is not a better guitar out there, not even close!

It's a hand made Martin... enough said!

The lack of real finish on the top worries me, but the Martin people I emailed said it will be fine, and to polish it with high quality furinture wax, so I guess we'll see. The HPL back, on the other hand, seems as though you could drop it off the roof and it would be fine. Kind of reminds me of my old ovation, only it looks like a guitar, and sounds like a Martin.

Emailed them one question, got back to me the next day. I'm sure it would be good.

I've been playing guitar for 15 years, and have always LOVED the Martin sound, but could never afford it. Now, when I get home from work, I pick it up, strum a chord and am the happiest picker in the world! I will never get rid of this guitar, and if I lost it, I would buy another in a heartbeat! Best $300 guitar in the world, and would still be a GREAT guitar if it cost $800!

I reviewed all in one topic: "Overall Rating" below.

The Martin DX-1 is one of the least expensive dreadnought guitars from Martin, a highly respected manufacturer of acoustic guitars. The DX-1 is NOT a solid wood guitar; its sides and back are made of what Martin calls a "high pressure laminate with mahogany grain." But its top is made of solid spruce.

I'll be honest right out of the chute: The other Martin laminate guitars I'd played were OK, but they didn't knock my socks off. Both the DM and DR (mahogany and rosewood laminate, respectively) were easy to play, and sounded fairly clean, but they didn't do that much for me.

The DX-1 is something very different!

First of all, the DX-1 is substantially LESS expensive than the DM or DR. The DM retails for $925, and can generally be found for around $600. The DR retails for $1125, and can generally be found for around $800. The DX-1 retails for only $650, and can generally be found for about $450. A decent case is about $100 extra.

But the price is the least interesting difference.

The Basics.

The Martin DX-1 is a dreadnought guitar with 14 frets clear of the body. As mentioned, its (one-piece) back and sides are mahogany laminate, while its top is solid spruce. It has the typical Martin headstock, chrome tuners, and tortoise pick guard. Neck width is 1 11/16" at the nut, and scale length is the typical 25.4".

The Unusual.

The first thing that makes this guitar unusual is the fingerboard. It looks and plays like ebony, but Martin can't be putting ebony fingerboards on its cheapest dreadnoughts, can it?

Checking the Martin website, I found that the fingerboard is made of Black Micarta, whatever that is. A Google search revealed Micarta to be a company that makes composite materials for industrial uses, including some surfaces that are bullet-proof! Is Martin using some new, very strong, synthetic material for the fingerboard of the DX-1? Apparently so.

The next unusual thing I noticed about this guitar was that it has absolutely NO binding, purfling, or other ornamentation. The top appears to be glued directly to the sides, and there are no black or white strips separating anything. Further, this guitar has no body finish! It is not finished with a light film of matte. There is no "aging toner." There is only wood!

I really like the rosette on this guitar. Martin calles it a "Black and White Boltaro? with Red Fiber in Middle." OK. It is really distinctive, and more attractive than the rosettes on Martin's other inexpensive guitars.

There is no inlay and no dots on the fingerboard of the DX-1. This gives the neck a sleek, attractive appearance. There ARE dots on the top side of the neck, so you can see where you are.

Finally, this guitar has what Martin calls "A-frame" bracing, which may contribute to its excellent sound.

Playability and Sound.

I found this guitar to be remarkably easy to play. The Micarta fingerboard low action reminded me Taylor's guitars, which are known for their playability. I believe the DX-1 comes outfitted with Martin "MSPLUS-3100 Light 80/20 Bronze" strings (the strings recommended on Martin's website), and these may also have contributed to the DX-1s sense of ease. There was a bit more squeak than with Elixer strings (Taylors and Larrivees come outfitted with Elixers), but sliding about the neck was a pleasure.

Bluegrass runs could be done with great speed (the limitations provided by yours truly), and hammers and pulls were also a breeze. The neck felt strong and rigid, but not stiff. Overall, the guitar was heavier than I expected it to be, given its humble appearance.

The sound of this guitar was also a pleasant surprise. It was one of the best balanced guitars I've played lately. Chords sounded remarkably well integrated, rather than like a bunch of individual notes. They were also consistently in tune, and they remained so up the neck.

The sound was warm, and I could feel the bass notes in my body as I played. In this way, th

This is a nofrills acoustic guitar. When I was shopping for a new guitar, I was really interested in the D-15, but my son went to Guitar Center and played the DX-1 and raved about its sound. The guitar looks very unimpressive---no binding, no rosettes or fret markers. It looks as if there's no finish applied to the solid spruce top, Has sealed tuners which seem fine to me. The neck is a little wider than my 30 year-old Yamaha, but it plays bar chords much easier than my Yamaha and makes it nice for finger picking.

The sound sold me on this guitar! It sounded better than the D-15. It has a rich, booming, Martin-type of sound. The solid spruce top gives it this projection. Laminate sides and back don't matter to me. My Yamaha was re-worked 20 years ago by a luthier (who replaced the first 7 frets, which were buzzing) and the guy raved about the sound of it. My Martin sounds even better and I don't have to worry so much about humidifiers and bringing it in from the cold.

I've yet to take a guitar to a luthier for set up and don't see any need for it with this model! The action is acceptably low. No fret buzz. The action is also uniform down the neck. The fret board plays well (I think the website says its nato---check the Matin website if it means anything to you). If you want a guitar that SOUNDS like something for a bargain price, go buy this model!

Like I said earlier---I've had a $75 Yamaha for 30 years. I don't play as often as I used to, but knowing Martin and their reputation for quality, I don't see any problem. I've always changed strings one at a time so I don't put any undue change in stress on the neck, treat my guitars with a little respect, keep them on stnads when not in use. I expect I'll be singing the praises of my Martin in another 20 years, just as I'll be singing the praises about my Yamaha. One note----my strap pin pulled out of the guitar. A little carpenters glue will take care of that.

Martin is the best when it comes to customer support. No worries there.

The only thing I wish it would have come with----other than a strap pin that weas more secure----is a hardshell case. I got a Martin case for $60, but a D-15 WITH a case was only $599. I'd advise going to a local shop and trying it out. I'm not one of those who thinks there's a lot of difference between 2 different guitars of the same model, so don't be afraid of ordering over the internet. Guitar Center and Sam Ash normally match prices, so if you want, try them. I just hate Guitar Center because buying something there is like going to a car dealer---they tried to sell me a D-15 for $150 more than Music123.com WITHOUT the case!!

The guitar is light weight which I like. I don't like the looks of the artificial wood but that's more that somebody else will think it's a crappy guitar because it's not made of some exotic wood that resinates for two weeks. The spruce top does not have much of a finish and is thin, but I didn't buy the guitar for it's looks. I sat in the music store and played all the acoustics and the last one I played was the Martin and it brought a smile to my face and I was off to find the salesman. I've loaned out guitars, amps and effect equipment. I would not let anyone play the Martin. It's well made, but it's something deserving of proper care and respect. If you buy the guitar, buy a humidifier as the thin top caves in and the high e string goes dead. That's not a criticism, just something I had to do to get the guitar working properly.

This is a classy guitar. It has a rich tone that should accomidate numerous styles of playing. I play some hard blues and this guitar behaves like a champ. I bought the DX1 and loved it but saw a DXIE out of the corner of my eye in the store and went back and got the electric cut out version. Didn't matter, both guitars sounded great but the electric didn't have that big dreadnaught feel. I'm a big person with long arms and I was uncomfortable with that much wood, but then I was going from a caster to an acoustic. The guitar doesn't have a lot of volume, at least the DX1E is quiet, but maybe that's just me going deaf from all the electrics...

This is a well constructed guitar. The artificial wood finish takes some time to get used to as it looks like cardboard. The body is ok, but Martin should have gone with real wood on the neck. I don't have a real cricism though as I love the guitar and like someone else said, looks aren't much use if the instrument sounds like crap.

It's a quality instrument. Like everyone else I don't like the lack of a finish on the top and I'm smudging it and cleaning all the time, but it's comfortable to play and the sound is very good. I was taking guitar lessons in a group and eveyone was tuning their guitars and I sat there and someone asked me if I wanted to borrow a tuner and I said no thanks, it's not allowed to get out of tune. I was goofing, but I think that's a sign of a really good guitar when you can pick it up and everything is where you left it.

No problems. The Martin representative I spoke to knew what he was doing and knew his Martin guitars.

I've been playing a long time and have played mostly electric with various effects and the Martin was an acoustic and I hadn't played an acoustic since I was a kid. I wanted to take guitar lessons and the teacher specified that the guitar had to acoustic so I went shopping.
The Martin was the best acoustic I could find. I was playing some blues lead in a group and the Martin is quiet, but the fretboard is great and I didn't blow a note. Goofy looking wood or not, this guitar is a great sounding guitar and people look to see what you are playing when they hear it.

Very basic, but I like it's sort of neatness. There are no dot inlays, but after a while you start not needing them, and I think it looks better without anyways. Nice white/red/white rosette. I like the satin finish simply because I can feel the finish and the materials, wood or not. It suits my tastes very nicely. But don't just the guitar by features, judge by sound.

Awesome sound, outplays anything else I've played under a grand. Haven't installed electronics. I say 9, just because as good as it is, it doesn't match high end martins.

Ok, back to the gap at the neck, which I don't think the other reviews have explained sufficently.

-------------------------------fretboard--------------------
neck -----------------------------
------------------------, | ,' guitar top
', |'---------------------------
| |

I dont know if that helps, but use your imagination... thats a side profile view of the guitar. Right under the 'fret' in fretboard, there is a right angled space in the neck for the body to fit in, but the edge of the guitar top is curved, so it doesn't quite fit in the space.

I dont know if this is a problem for any of you, it isn't for me. It doesn't make it look flimsy or anything, its just a small gap. Don't look at the picture for proportions. I recommend you go to the store and see for yourself.

Action is low, but not ultra low, just right. See features about the finish.

I've banged this guitar millions of times, and there not a single dent in it. This guitar will last you a LONG time. But I do recommend you check any guitar you plan to buy for dents. There is a small chip off the neck that I missed when I bought it, but its not big, and I dont wanna go through the trouble of fixing it.

Never had to deal with, cept for a few general questions about the guitar. No hold at all, just a few rings and you're talking to a real live human being.

There is only one thing pestering me about this guitar. There is virtually no finish on the neck, and I can already feel it getting worn and rough. This is my first guitar and I dont know if its supposed to do that. If you can help please email me at the bottom of this review.

VERY BASIC DREADNAUGHT, BUT SOLID TOP, NICELY UNDERSTATED

I BOUGHT IT AS A BACKUP GUITAR, AS I PLAY MAINLY SMALL BODIES, TRYING TO KEEP MY RYAN IN GOOD SHAPE AND NOT PLAY IT OUT SO MUCH. THE SOUND AD TONE OF THIS INEXPENSIVE GUITAR IS WHAT SOLD ME. ITS NO GOODALL,RYAN COLLINGS OLSON, BUT MAYBE BETTER THAN OTHER MARTINS AND SOME OTHER GUITARS COSTING 2 TO 3 TIMES MORE IE. 310 TAYLOR,IMPORTS OF ALL KINDS. I DONT NOW HOW THIS COULD BE WITH FAKE WOOD BODY AND ALL BUT ITS TRUE. MARTIN DREADS ALWAYS SOUND BETTER THAN OTHER DREADS

ACTION IS THE BIGGEST SELLING POINT, COULDNT FIND ANY FLAWS EVEN ON DISPLAY MODEL. WHAT FINISH...

EVERYTHING SEEMS SOLID

MARTIN ALWAYS ANSWERS THE PHONE, AMAZING

I HAVE BEEN PLAYING 8 YEARS AND PLAY OUT REGULARLY. I PLAY OUT WITH THIS. DEFINATELY THE BEST SOUNDING BUT NOT BEST LOOKING OF ANYTHING UP TO 1000.00 IM NOT EASILY IMPRESSED BY HYPE, MY RYAN MISSION IS WELL WORTH WHAT I PAID AND SO IS THIS GUITAR

The DX-1 is a Martin that can withstand cold and drastic humidity changes. The sides and back are all composite. The guitar is as sturdy as an Ovation (aka canoe paddle) but it looks and feels like a real guitar. I purchased my DX-1 so that I would no longer have to take my D-15 with bone nut and saddle work out into Wisconsin winters. This may be Martin's entry level product but I love mine for practical reasons.

The sound is suprisingly warm and rich for a composite guitar, It sounds better than a Sigma Martin by far. The tone is blooming slightly with the solid top. Nice!

There is a strange gap near the top where the neck is set into the body. The neck is a composite material, set true and straight. They all have a slight cosmetic issue near the neck and top - just the way they are made. My D-15 has custom luthiered bone nut & saddle and a K&K Pure Western pickup, plays like a dream. The set-up on the DX-1 was very good straight from the factory. I am very fussy.

The main feature on this guitar is durability. If you own a really nice Martin, buy a DX-1 to gig with. Leave the D-35 at home.

Lifetime warantee. You can call the Martin factory and ask silly questions. Martin customer service is superb.

I have 2 Les Pauls, 2 Strats, a Tele, a Jazz Guitar, a Sigma Mandolin, and 2 Martins. This is an outstanding guitar. You can take it outside the house without fear. I've played for 28 years. Nice Guitar.

Well this is a hard area to rate it on because features is not what this guitar is about. I should probably have given it a lower rating on features because it basicaly has none but it is perfect for what it is. An entry level Martin. I learned how to play on this guitar and have played many accoustics since and none in this price range (and many above) don't sound as good. I guess I'll save that for the sound rating. Back to features: Many have complained about it not having the inlayed fret markers which I guess was annoying for me at first, especially as a beginner. But having learned on this guitar, it has forced me to use the markers on the top of the guitar which I am happy about. All in all, it's basic but good.

Sound is where this baby shines. The sound that comes out of this rather thin wood is surprisingly fat and resonant. I have actually installed a Martin 332+ pickup and it sounds amazing with my Fender Deluxe. Absolutely love the sound of this guitar. I will one day soon be investing in a more expensive robust guitar. But my DX-1 isn't going anywhere. I will hold on to it dearly for the rest of my life and it will always hold a special place in my heart.

The action is a little high for my taste, as it comes from the factory. But don't forget this guitar was my first so, I needed lower action. That said, if I got the guitar new today, I probably would have left it alone.

Well considering this is a rather light weight guitar and I have had no troubles with it, I have to assume it was put together well. I've knocked it around a couple times, including having it fall down (in the case) half a flight stairs and really don't have a single nick on it. Has held up well and still does good for me. I'm taking off a point simply because the guitar is real light weight and I'm sure if you did not take care of it, it would not hold up. But so far so good.

Never had to deal with them.

Overall, I love this guitar and wouldn't trade it for the world. Like I said, even though I will be upgrading to a louder, more robust guitar in the future, I would never part with this one. I think it is a great guitar.

2002, made in USA. Features well covered elsewhere. But a very basic, stripped down guitar. No inlay on the fretboard, no binding, a plain rosette-- everything about this guitar says "basic." So, on a 1 to 10 scale, in terms of features, I have to rate this guitar below my Washburn D-10s. That does not mean it is a worse guitar, just that it is lacking in the features department. And this is Martin's intention--to make a stripped down Martin for the masses. I guess a couple of dot inlays in the fretboard would have kicked them over the edge.

This is a very tight sounding guitar. It plays in tune up and down the neck. It felt like it was scientifically engineered. The action was perfect, low without significant buzz. However, the guitar has little to no projection. Very quiet and restrained.

In this department, the guitar is schizophrenic. It is well set up from the factory. It's pieces fit together seamlessly, like a precision instrument. However, there is a gap where the top meets the neck. I don't know how to help you visualize this, but here goes. The guitar's spruce top has a bevelled outer edge. (That is, the outer edge is not straight and flush with the sides, but rather tilts inward slightly.) This causes a problem where the top meets the neck, because the bevelling means that there is a small space between the neck and the body of the guitar. Check it out in the store and you'll see what I mean. When I saw this, I was disappointed-- I mean, Martin couldn't even take care of small details like that?
The finish on the guitar is minimal. I would almost say it is an unfinished guitar. The sides are made of "mahogany-grained high pressure laminate." This basically means wood chips and glue, with a mahogany grain "photographically" superimposed on the composite. Martin apparently makes an entire guitar (the DXM) out of this travesty. Having a guitar whose back and sides are made of cheap formica is pretty disappointing. The salesman didn't tell me that the mahogany grain was fake-- I found out from the small print on my owner's manual. The neck, likewise, is made of something called "rust stratabond." It is a resin-infused plywood. It looks nice and is pretty strong, but its ugly and fake.
The only nice synthetic part of the guitar was the micarta fingerboard, which I think was pretty awesome. Very fast.
Overall, with this guitar Martin seems to be saying: our products are so superior that for 450 dollars we can only offer you the most basic of basic guitars. There is almost a contempt for the buyer in the way that Martin has left out nice little extra touches. And yet one can find guitars for 100 dollars less with real wood all over, nice satin finishes. When you buy the DX-1, make NO MISTAKE-- you are paying for the Martin name. This is, needless to say, not a wise guitar buying strategy.

Since this guitar has no finish, I expect it to get grimy with time. Also, it is EXTREMELY sensitive to changes in humidity-- the composite back has been known to separate from the body due to dryness. Many people buy Martins hoping they will appreciate in value with age. This one, undoubtedly, will not.

Did not deal with them. I owned the guitar for 32 hours returned it to the Guitar Center at which I bought it (actually really good people), and then bought a seagull from a small shop one town over.

I have been playing for 2 years. I own a Washburn D-10s and now a Seagull S6 Spruce 20th Anniversary. Because of the lack of appointments, the poor projection, and the preponderance of composite materials, I rank this guitar very low. I would advise beginners not to purchase this guitar. Martin is a great company--the only way to get them to stop diluting their esteemed name is to stop buying their low quality mass market products. If no one buys travesties like the DX-1 and DXM, maybe Martin will stop making them and go back to making real wood instruments.