Both in look and sound, the Martim D-15M Acoustic guitar embodies the over 115 year history of Gibson in one beautiful guitar. Those modifications, combined with the mahogany top’s warmth, suit this guitar perfectly, especially for fingerpicking and lighter strumming. Bill Martin 000-15 ( 2005 ) While the 000-15M might have a little less “snap” than a comparable spruce-top model—and I did A/B it against the spruce 000-17SM to confirm that—it still sounds great. If you love the sound of Mahogany, then chances are you’ll love Martin’s 15 series guitars. Below we’ll take a look at each guitar individually in detail. I was much more interested in big, attention-worthy flattops like Gibson’s cherry-sunburst Hummingbird or the Martin D-28, with its gleaming spruce top and multi-ply binding. Like the choice between the D-15M and the D-15M Burst, the choice here is down to which you prefer the looks of, and if you prefer the burst’s looks, if you are willing to pay extra. I mention this because I’ll sometimes pick up guitars that are advertised as “balanced,” but to my ear, it means the guitar sounds equally weak across all registers. But the Rosewood model does NOT qualify Have a great day gang! There are four models in the Martin 15 Series: The D-15M dreadnaught (also available with a Shadow NanoMag pickup as the D-15ME), a no-surprises, big-body instrument; The 00-15M, the smallest of the series, offering the boxy, mid-rangy tone often favored by blues traditionalists; It has the same bridge style, bone saddle, standard taper neck and 1 11/16” (43mm) nut width as the D-15M (as opposed to the D-15ME and the GPC-15ME). The 000-15M (pictured above), with its 14-fret (clear of the body) neck, is the more traditional of the two and will probably appeal to more players. The Martin 15 Series Guitars fall somewhere in the middle of Martin’s range of guitars. There are also a couple of models with a shaded finished top if you prefer that look/are willing to pay the extra for it. Starting with the dreadnoughts and the most basic, and least costly, model, is the D-15M. Copyright © 2015 - 2020 - SixStringAcoustic.com - Privacy Policy. The only difference between this and the 000-15M is the shaded finish on the top. Required fields are marked *. Of course, given Martin’s focus on high end guitars, the 15 series guitars are of very high quality and will still set you back a reasonable chunk of cash to buy one. Don’t worry if the names look confusing now, you’ll understand what each bit means after we look at them in more detail. As opposed to the GP model, this model has the non-scalloped X bracing like the D-15M. The 15 Series offers the most affordable Martins made entirely of solid exotic tropical tonewoods, like the mahogany used for the back, sides, and tops. Some of the best acoustic guitars I’ve played recently have been Martins. If you’re more of a finger-style player, you might prefer the 000-15SM. But many—like these 15 Series mahogany-tops—have simply been well made, carefully constructed, production guitars that reflect the pride, history, commitment and guitar-making smarts of one of the great names in American musical instrument manufacturing. General Acoustic Guitar Discussion. Personally I prefer the look of this over the D-15M but I’m not sure that I would pay the extra just for that look – but that’s down to personal preference and how much importance you put into the looks of your guitar. A 15 series guitar offers a mahogany top and body, and the rich acoustic tone that Martin Guitar is known for, a perfect companion for live performances or recording. It doesn’t have quite the booming authority of a dreadnaught, but it also doesn’t sound like the standard brand-new guitar that won’t really be ready for a few years (meaning it didn’t crap out when I dug in for some aggressive rhythm). The shape is larger than the 00 but smaller than the Dreadnought and GP shapes. There are four models in the Martin 15 Series: I’ve played all four and they all deliver, but the two 000-size models are my clear choices. But that’s my only complaint. I cant find anything about it . I must not have been alone, since the dark-stained mahogany-topped guitars pretty much went away for several years. All of this is enough to almost make me forget that I like those extra frets—and a cutaway, if possible—since I’m one of those chord-melody geeks who actually plays up there. This is the smallest sized 15 series model. The fingerboard on the “S” model measures a slightly wider 1 3/4,” which makes it easier to articulate individual notes and rolls. The look isn’t flashy, but it does have a certain authentic, organic appeal. Gibson offered the LG-0 as its starter six-string; Martin had just recently discontinued their mahogany 00-17 and Guild had two similar mahogany models that were soon to be history. $17 bought a size 2 1/2, while $18 bought a slightly larger size 2. The D-15ME features the Fishman Matrix VT Enhance NT2 electronics. The shape will produce a less bass-heavy more balanced rounded sound and will be quite mid-heavy – especially given that it’s already all mahogany. Personally, I couldn’t get past the fact that they were dull, brown guitars. At around $100, any one of these no-frills guitars offered entry-level buyers some brand-name cachet and a quality instrument, even if it was kind of unexciting. His songs have been recorded by Kid Rock, Joe Perry and Molly Hatchet; he’s played bass for Chuck Berry, produced Dolly Parton, performed on several Super Bowl ads, and seen the Beatles play live. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. The neck is Martin’s “modified low oval” and it’s very easy to play. As is usually the case with guitars, you should be able to find the 15 Series models for less than their published MSRP. Again, I prefer the “burst” look – but it’s quite a bit extra to pay for it (IMHO). Acoustic vs Bass Guitar: Which is better for Beginners? The Style number was derived from the wholesale price. Mahogany Neck with a modified low oval shape, East Indian Rosewood Bridge with Compensated Bone saddle, Electronics: No Electronics (see below (D-15ME) for version with Electronics), It has a 1 ¾” (44mm) nut width – as opposed to the 1 11/16” (43mm) width on the D-15M, It has a “modern belly” bridge style – as opposed to the “belly” style on the D-15M, The saddle is compensated White Tusq – as opposed to compensated bone on the D-15M, High performance neck taper – standard taper on the D-15M, Forward shifted Scalloped X bracing – as opposed to the non-scalloped x bracing on the D-15ME, A slotted headstock (as opposed to the solid headstock on all the other models), “Golden Age Bright Nickel Side Mount” tuners – as opposed to the Nickel open gear tuners on the other models. For several years, Martin’s catalog simply referred to their “S” models as “Special.” Whatever …. Moving on from the Dreadnought models, we have the Grand Performance version of the D-15ME. Yeah, those are the best-kept secret in Martin's line. In the early 60s, mahogany guitars were on the bottom rung of most company’s catalogs. This shape is a nice balance between the narrower waist of the 000 models but in a size closer to the dreadnought size. There are 9 different guitars in the 15 series and they all share a couple of things in common but all with differences too. Make Room For Slash’s Gibson Double Neck Guitar, Fender Takes a Swing with MLB Stratocaster, Composite Acoustics GXi Carbon Fiber Acoustic Guitar Is an All-Around Winner. The Martin 15 Series Guitars fall somewhere in the middle of Martin’s range of guitars. Lightly braced for effortless tone production, and boasting aesthetics that focus on the beautiful wood graced by tasteful vintage appointments, a 15 Series Martin is an exceptionally good bargain for such a great-sounding axe. The morado (a/k/a pao ferro) fingerboard measures a standard 1 11/16” at the nut, making it a little easier for strummers. With all solid wood Mahogany top, back and sides they’re certainly not lacking in that mahogany sound! Required fields are marked *. Some say the “S” stands for “slope,” referring to the rounded shoulders of the 12-fret model. A word about mahogany: Mahogany tops tend to have a little warmer tone than spruce. Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. I’m happy to be able to say great things about them again. The early Style 17 and 18 were nearly identical except for their size. There are a few distinct differences between this model and the other 000 models. , you should be able to find the 15 Series guitars fall somewhere in early. The Faded Tennessee Orange Telecaster really a Telecaster GP model, is same... Common but all with differences too custom shop, and they ’ played! Might prefer the 000-15SM willing to pay the extra for it of ’... 00 body shape/size wants the martin 15 series history size willing to pay the extra it! 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