Product: Martin Mini Martin Size 5
Price Paid: US $1795
Submitted
02/02/2002
at
01:53pm
by
Anonymous
Features
:
9
Martin re-introduced the Size 5 as the Limited Edition Mini Martin (not to be confused with the infamous Backpacker) in 1999. This guitar was made in 2000. The top is spruce with sides of Indian rosewood. The tuners are open faced Waverly's. The body has herringbone edging around the top, and an abalone rosette. The neck is 1 5/8th inch wide at the nut, has 12 frets in the clear and is inlayed with diamond and square fret markers. The scale length is 21 3/8ths inches. Soundboard bracing is 1/4 inch scalloped. The fit and finish of this guitar equals that of any top end Martin. The only complaint I have with the features on the guitar is that the neck could stand to be a little wider.
Sound
:
10
This is a small bodied guitar - it makes a Baby Taylor look big. It also has a very small scale length. Martin advertises this model as a Terz Guitar - meaning it is customary to tune the strings up a minor third (i.e., 3 half steps). Tuned in the manner it was designed for this guitar sounds beautiful. I was amazed that something so small could sound so good. I rate the sound as a 10, but with one qualification - that it is tuned up a minor third. Tuned to standard tuning (even with medium gauge strings) the string tension is just slack enough that tone suffers. The guitar is playable when tuned to standard pitch and it sounds O.K., but not nearly as good as when it is terz tuned.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
Flawless
Reliability/Durability
:
No Opinion
Haven't owned it long enough to say
Customer Support
:
9
I've only dealt with Martin once concerning this guitar. I emailed them a couple questions about the guitar and they responded within a couple of days. Good enough in my book.
Overall Rating
:
9
I played Baby T's, a Tacoma Papose, and a Larivee palor model. All of which seemed to be a good value for the price being asked. This Martin is certainly not cheap when compared to the cost of these other guitars. So what did the $1,400 or so in price difference get me? It got me the equivelent of an Martin HD-28 in a travel guitar size. It sounds better, looks better, and is built better than the $400 and below palor guitars. Folks who like top end Martins will understand the money was worth it - others will tell me I could have bought a Baby T for less than $350. As for me - I love this little jewel of a Martin
