Martin makes some of the best acoustic guitars in the World. Many musicians use this brand, which has a solid reputation.
Martin guitars has been there since 1833, so their history is widespread, and they have produced many excellent guitars.
In this article, we are going to talk about the Martin guitars and the factors distinguishing this brand from other brands out there. We are also going to discuss some of the best budget martin acoustic guitars under $1000.
| Image | Product | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Martin Guitars DX Johnny Cash Signature Edition |
| Check Price |
 | Martin Guitar X Series 000-X2E |
| Check Price |
 | Martin LX1 Little Martin acoustic guitar |
| Check Price |
 | Little Martin LXK2m |
| Check Price |
 | Martin Guitar X Series GPC-X2E |
| Check Price |
 | Martin Guitar Road Series GPC-11E |
| Check Price |
How Did Martin Guitars Get Started?
Martin is a famous American guitar manufacturer. The company was founded by the Martin brothers, and the company is one of the most important brands in the music industry. The first Martin guitar was manufactured in 1833. It was a lap steel guitar called “The T-Square”.
The Martin brothers made the guitar using a single piece of wood. They had their own workshop at that time and made the best quality instruments available in the market at that time.
Martin guitars have always been renowned for their solid sound, and for their great quality and affordable prices. The company is known for producing high-quality instruments that can stand the test of time. The Martin Company has always been committed to the creation of high-quality guitars.
From the beginning, the company has been committed to producing the best acoustic guitars possible. In fact, the first electric guitar ever produced was by the Martin brothers, and the company has been manufacturing acoustic and electric guitars ever since.
Our Top Pick
To make the article concise, here is our top pick for you for under 1000 dollars. You may check the other products if you are looking for some variety.
Martin Guitar Road Series GPC-11E
Specification:
- Brand: Martin
- Color: Natural
- Top Material Type: Spruce
- Body Material: Sapele
- Back Material Type: Sapele
Handmade with heavy-duty materials, time-tested styles, and innovative designs, Martin Guitar’s Road Series delivers unique guitars that any musician will love to play. With a variety of body styles and sizes, you can find the solid wood guitar that works best for your playing style and music type—rock, country, folk, bluegrass, jazz, pop, and much more.
Martin Guitar Road Series GPC-11E is one of the best acoustic guitars of all time. With a rich history and a heritage of craftsmanship, Martin builds on this tradition of quality and style with the introduction of their Road Series.
The Road Series is dedicated to those players who seek a martin acoustic guitar that can provide them with the best in performance and tone. It was developed with the player’s needs and requirements in mind, creating the best acoustic guitar that has a wider range of tonal options and greater playability.
The Martin GPC-11E Grand Performance Cutaway Guitar is a solid body, mahogany-neck instrument. It is a beautiful acoustic guitar with a sound that is rich, full, and powerful. This guitar is sure to become a favorite for all who appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship of a fine instrument.
The Martin GPC-11E Grand Performance Cutaway Guitar is a true performance instrument, a player’s instrument, and is designed to provide a comfortable playing experience. This acoustic-electric guitar features a solid Sitka spruce top with a satin back and sides and a glossy top.
A high-performance taper provides a strong, smooth, and responsive neck, while a solid mahogany neck block helps ensure the best action possible. The GPC-11E features Fishman electronics, including a two-band preamp, an onboard tuner, and a Fishman preamp equalizer.
The electronics are housed in a custom Fishman headstock overlay with a gold gear tuner, chrome-enclosed tuners, and chrome-plated tuning machines. The Martin GPC-11E Grand Performance Cutaway Guitar also includes a compensated white Tusq bridge saddle and nut.
The Martin GPC-11E acoustic-electric guitar is one of the simplest to play guitars under $1000 that we have mentioned. Although the voice and projection are identical to others in the category, this has a unique Martin tone. The body shape, neck, and cutaway give maximum luxury and flexibility, allowing you to play for extended periods of time.
Martin also incorporates a Fishman MX-T pickup mechanism for those stage concerts that require a lot of loudness. We strongly advise you to consider this option if this acoustic-electric guitar is within your budget range, as we believe you will be pleased with your decision.
- Solid Construction of the Highest Quality
- Playability is exceptional.
- Tonality and Projection are well-balanced.
- Excellent All-Round Guitar
- For some people, the style may be bland.
5 Best Martin Guitars Under 1000 Dollars
Here is a list of the 5 best Martin guitars that are available for under 1000 dollars. Some of these are acoustic guitars while others are acoustic-electric guitars. Check out these for a great-sounding guitar.
1. Martin Guitars DX Johnny Cash Signature Edition
Specification:
- Brand: Martin
- Color: Jett Black
- Top Material Type: Spruce
- Body Material: Wood
- Scale Length: 25.4 Inches
Handmade with heavy-duty materials and a time-tested design, the DX Johnny Cash Signature Edition acoustic-electric guitar is another iconic guitar from Martin. This guitar features HPL construction, scalloped X-bracing, a modified D-14 fret body shape, chrome enclosed gear tuners, and the fingerboard is inlaid with stars and the “CASH” logo. This guitar delivers brilliant radiance that you can hear and see.
Martin Guitars has teamed up with legendary American singer-songwriter Johnny Cash to produce this limited edition signature model. This acoustic-electric guitar is the first of its kind and was made in partnership with Martin Guitars’ new Artist Series program.
This special edition of the Martin Guitar DX Johnny Cash Signature model features a “Jett Black” finish and a custom pickguard made from Corian, a high-performance synthetic material. The guitar’s body is a high-pressure laminate with a Solid Sitka Spruce top and a mahogany neck.
The guitar has an 18.5″ scale, 24-fret neck, and a body depth of 12.75″. The body and neck are covered with a black finish. A Fishman MX tuner with Sonicore pickup is mounted in the soundhole, and the guitar has a chrome-plated steel bridge and black-finished chrome tuners.
This acoustic-electric guitar also features a set of Aquila strings (1.75″ nut width, black Corian fretboard) and a white pickguard with a black pick-in-string design. The guitar comes with a hardshell case and onboard electronics.
On the top, back, sides, and headstock overlay, as well as the neck and fingerboard, the evident aesthetic is simply black. The nut and saddle are also both blacks.
The appearance of a guitar does not always correspond to its tone, but in this case, it does. This black guitar has a darker, silky voice and a plain tonal temperament, exactly like the guy who designed it.
- The black aesthetic is awesome.
- Excellent performance
- Quite a good price
- Quite heavy
2. Martin Guitar X Series 000-X2E
Specification:
- Brand: Martin
- Color: Natural
- Top Material Type: Spruce
- Body Material: HPL Mahogany
- Back Material Type: HPL Mahogany
Handmade with heavy-duty materials, time-tested styles, and innovative designs, Martin Guitar’s X Series delivers unique guitars that any musician will love to play. With a variety of body styles and sizes, you can find the HPL guitar that works best for your playing style and music type—rock, country, folk, bluegrass, jazz, pop, and much more.
The Martin Guitar X Series 000-X2E is a high-quality instrument made of mahogany, spruce, and hardwood, which is made to replicate the martin sounds and feel of an authentic Martin guitar. The top of this guitar is covered with HPL (high-pressure laminate) material, which helps to reduce the noise and provide excellent sustain.
This model is equipped with Martin’s proprietary X-Series electronics system. It features a specially designed bridge that offers improved action and a new nut design.
For many decades, this acoustic-electric guitar has been favorite among professional players. It provides a rich bass end while providing each note balance and clarity, making it suitable for use as a solo instrument, backing your voice, or blending in a full arrangement.
The neck connects to the body at the 14th fret, leading to an overall scale length of 24. 9″. To attract today’s players, the neck is constructed using Martin’s Improved Low Oval profile and High-Efficiency Taper.
With the new X2E, you get all of the features of a Martin guitar with the added convenience of the X Series. This guitar is equipped with a pre-set EQ circuit that automatically adjusts the tone to match the setting of the guitar’s volume knob.
The X Series also includes a built-in tuner and a chrome-finished tuner bridge that is designed to improve the intonation of the strings. The guitar also features a high-quality tuner.
- ounds great.
- Playability is quite great.
- Affordability is not an issue.
- A little heavy.
3. Martin LX1 Little Martin acoustic guitar
Specification:
- Brand: C.F. Martin & Co.
- Color: Natural
- Top Material Type: Spruce
- Body Material: Mahogany, Sitka Spruce, Spruce
- Back Material Type: Mahogany Wood
X Series LX1 Little Martin Acoustic Guitar Natural. While the Little Martin is Martin's smallest guitar, it is very big on tone, quality and versatility. The LX1 model features a solid Sitka spruce top and mahogany high-pressure laminate HPL back, sides and top. It’s ideal for travel, student practice or for just playing around the house or campfire. Includes gig bag.
The Martin LX1 is a great introduction to the world of acoustic guitars. It is a short-scale acoustic guitar with a mahogany body and solid Sitka spruce top, mahogany neck, and Indian rosewood fingerboard.
The Martin LX1 Little Martin was designed by Martin’s most notable instrument designer, John Petrucci, and has an extremely playable action with a solid mahogany neck. The LX1 is a full-sized acoustic guitar with a 23″ scale length, a 1 11/16″ nut width, and a 1 3/4″ nut height.
The LX1 features a mahogany body with a Maple/Solid Sitka Spruce top, a mahogany neck with a satin-finished fretboard, and a Morado fingerboard.
The LX1 comes equipped with a soft black padded gig bag and includes a Martin branded hardshell case for storage. It has the same sound quality as a larger acoustic guitar, but is easier to play, and is built to last.
While it has some of the punchiness associated with smaller-bodied acoustics, it has a pretty strong frequency response. It doesn’t have a lot of low ends, but the bass is certainly present, and the design allows it to pierce through in the midrange and treble levels.
It also reacts well to aggressive playing, making it suited for a wide range of performers, whether you’re in a band or playing as a solo artist.
There’s really no preamplifier setup on the top of the instrument like there used to be; instead, there’s a volume and tone knob discretely placed in the soundhole. It’s simple to access them, but it may take time to get accustomed to them if you’re modifying them frequently while playing.
This also implies that the head of the instrument looks cleaner, however, the tuner that used to be in the old preamp was rather useful.
- Excellent sound for the small.
- Playing is simple and enjoyable.
- Excellent amplification
- Well-crafted
- A full-size acoustic projection is missed.
4. Little Martin LXK2m
Specification:
- Brand: Martin
- Color: Dark Natural
- Top Material Type: Koa
- Body Material: Wood
- Back Material Type: Koa Wood
Handmade with heavy-duty materials, time-tested styles, and innovative designs, the Little Martin series delivers classic acoustic guitars that any musician will love to play. These models are made from sustainable wood-certified parts and are available in a variety of different wood types, so you can find the solid wood guitar that works best for your playing style and music type—rock, country, folk, bluegrass, jazz, pop, and much more.
Little Martin LXK2 is the new flagship model of Martin guitars, the new generation of the LX series. With its classic look and style, the LXK2 is an extremely versatile instrument that will satisfy both amateur and professional musicians alike.
Little Martin LXK2 features a full-size body and neck, which are made of solid Sitka spruce wood. This is one of the most popular woods for acoustic guitar solid construction and has been used for many years for its rich, resonant, and bright sound.
The body and neck are built using Martin’s proprietary “1-style” neck bracing, which is the same system used on the famous Martin D-18 and D-28. This bracing technique gives Little Martin LXK2 the best overall balance, resonance, and sustains of any Martin Acoustic guitar available.
The LXK2 neck is constructed of a premium Solid Sitka spruce top and back, set off with a solid mahogany neck block. Mahogany is a very hardwood, which makes it more stable than a maple neck and also allows for a thinner neck to be produced, which results in a more precise string action.
The neck has a natural fingerboard and bridge. Its “1-style” neck bracing system provides the best balance and resonance of any Martin guitar available.
The Martin LXK2’s bridge is set off with a single-piece, black-anodized aluminum saddle and stop bar. The saddle and stop bar are covered with black nitrocellulose lacquer. The finish on the bridge is matte, not glossy.
The LXK2 is fitted with a DiMarzio “No-Sweat” pickup system, which allows the player to adjust the volume without having to take their hands off the strings. The LXK2 has a DiMarzio single-coil, alnico V-type humbucker, which is placed in the bridge position.
The LXK2 has two Seymour Duncan Black Label humbuckers, which are fitted in the middle and neck positions. The neck humbucker is a custom wound, reverse-wound, dual-coil design. The middle humbucker is a Seymour Duncan custom-wound, single-coil design.
It features a 22-fret, 34mm nut width, ebony fingerboard with dot inlays. This is a medium-heavy gauge, nickel-plated, 5-way blade, rosewood bridge.
A typical issue with many smaller-sized guitars is that they are marketed toward beginners, and many beginners are scared of investing too much money because they don’t know if they will persist with the instrument.
As a result, many guitars marketed to novices are of poor quality. Martin, on the other hand, opted to deviate from that course and produce their smaller-sized guitars from higher-quality materials.
The Martin LXK2 Little Martin Acoustic is a 34 size, which means it has a smaller body and a scaled-down neck.
- Martin quality at an affordable price.
- Playability is simple.
- Format designed for travel.
- A great acoustic guitar for young guitar players.
- It's not a solid wood guitar.
5. Martin Guitar X Series GPC-X2E
Specification:
- Brand: Martin
- Color: HPL Macassar Back/Side
- Top Material Type: Mahogany
- Body Material: Rosewood
- Back Material Type: Mahogany Wood
Handmade with heavy-duty materials, time-tested styles, and innovative designs, Martin Guitar’s X Series delivers unique guitars that any musician will love to play. With a variety of body styles and sizes, you can find the HPL guitar that works best for your playing style and music type—rock, country, folk, bluegrass, jazz, pop, and much more.
Martin Guitar X Series is an innovative series of acoustic guitars. They are made of lightweight, durable composite material, and feature a unique soundhole structure, allowing the guitar to produce a clear and balanced tone.
The X series also comes equipped with a soft gig bag with a headstock, endpin protectors, and a water-repellent exterior. The guitars are also designed with foam padding, providing comfort to players.
The Martin Guitar X series GPC-X2E features a mahogany body, rosewood neck and fretboard, and a 6-string headstock. This guitar features a unique headstock design with a Macassar finish on the back and sides, as well as Martin’s iconic logo on the headstock.
This is a semi-Grand Performance Version with a cutaway frame that seems to be perfectly comfortable resting or standing, along with exceptional reach to the higher notes.
The edges of the frame feature a very lovely curved feel, that contributed to a notable level of comfort, being used to contoured instruments.
The GPC-X2E has a scale length of 25.4″ and a nut width of 1 3/4″. 20 frets in lower traditional sizes that are nicely formed and polished. This model features a Sapele top and Macassar textured high-pressure laminated back and Sides.
- Excellent build quality
- Outstanding Value
- Smooth playing experience
- Great tonal variety
- No tuner
What To Keep In Mind Before Buying A Martin Guitar – Martin Guitar Buying Guide
Martin guitars are available in a variety of dimensions, designs, and wood compositions. They are also produced at a variety of price ranges. Costs for different Martin models are measured by the level of craftsmanship and the caliber of the woods and other materials used.
However, as we’ll see below, there are some amazingly inexpensive Martin acoustics that can give a lot of the tone and quality for which the firm is famous. The users can select which Model will better suit their requirements and budget.
This guide will help you in choosing the best Martin guitar for you.
Tonewoods
It is critical to consider wood while purchasing a Martin guitar. The sort of wood chosen for the top contributes significantly to the sound of a guitar. The majority of Martins has a solid wood top, which produces deeper, richer, and stronger guitar sounds than others.
Because of its loud, clear response, spruce is by far the most commonly utilized wood for Martin soundboards. However, various tonewoods are available, such as cedar, which has a soft and delicate sound, and mahogany, which has a deep and robust tone.
Rosewood’s rich bass vibration and sparkling high notes let the guitar distinguish amongst a crowd of guitars. Mahogany has a more balanced tone range and blends well. Sapele, which is used in most Martin guitars, has tonal properties similar to mahogany.
Maple places an emphasis on loudness, range, and improved sustain. Think about where you’d like to play your Martin.
Most stage musicians, regardless of whether plugged in or not, prefer a solid Sitka spruce and rosewood combination to make their guitar sound stand out when playing Most studio musicians enjoy the mix of solid Sitka spruce and mahogany.
Sound And Scale
Consider one of the Little Martin Series models designed on a 3/4 scale if you have short fingers or want a relatively small guitar. There are both acoustic and acoustic-electric guitar variants available. Because of their mobility, several players who travel extensively choose a Little Martin.
Orchestra and 000 body variants are also available for individuals seeking a shorter guitar. They are more comfortable than a normal dreadnought guitar since they are smaller, especially for people with tiny hands and bodies.
The tone of these smaller-bodied instruments is more harmonized than that of dreadnoughts, with little focus on bottom notes. They’re a popular option for recordings because of their well-balanced tone spectrum. Select what really is best for you.
Electronics
Martin has collaborated with Fishman to provide instant-use electronics to several of their best acoustic-electric guitars. Fishman has been one of the leading brands in amplification, and their circuitry complements Martin’s iconic voice to offer a professional amplified performance.
Fishman pickups and preamplifiers are particularly intended to enhance the organic tone range of every Martin on which they are fitted.
Durability
As you initially start learning to play guitar, you’ll need to have a guitar that can bear constant use. If you put in the effort to learn, you’ll find yourself playing it a lot and wanting to take it anywhere you go.
The more you practice, the better you’ll become and the faster you’ll get all those callouses. So you’ll need the best acoustic guitar that is both sturdy and lightweight, but also simple to play.
Get one that comes with a box, ideally a guitar bag, so that you can simply carry it along during the journey
Some Common Martin Guitar Series
Here are some of the most common series of Martin guitars. Before going to a guitar market, you should know what series guitars are you looking for.
Little Martins
Little Martins are small in size but big in performance. Ed Sheeran has even played sold-out stadiums with one. And because the back and sides are made with HPL (High-Pressure Laminate) they provide worry-free durability.
Martin even makes models that have HPL tops for an even more affordable and durable option. And because they’re small, they are very travel friendly.
X Series
They are extremely resilient, and they offer X Series models in a wide variety of sizes and designs, from the smallest to the largest body size. Some have solid wood tops, while others have HPL tops.
Models with a 1 have HPL tops, while those with a 2 have solid wood tops. Many have included cutaways to help aspiring shredders reach those high notes. And we have a choice of high-resolution wood patterned HPL to choose from, so you can get the appearance you want.
Another unique feature of the X Series is that they all incorporate electronics, so after you master them, you’ll be able to plug in and record or perform live in concert.
Junior Series
Junior Series guitars are relatively smaller than full-size guitars. Despite being significantly smaller, they are manufactured with solid wood tops, backs, and sides, so you won’t be sacrificing much quality or loudness.
The Junior Series was created to be pleasant and simple to play, making it the ideal introductory guitar. They even include full-sized Martin details like scalloped X-bracing.
So, the Junior series provides everything of the tone you’d expect from a full-sized Martin, but on a somewhat smaller scale.
The Junior Series also includes a curved back that lays extremely securely against your body, as well as our high-performance tapered neck, which is slimmer and shallower, making it very simple to operate even if you have limited mobility.
Road Series
These are an excellent starting point in Martin’s full-sized, solid wood category. These guitars are of extremely high quality, and they will be with you every inch of the way as you master the skill.
Solid wood craftsmanship, modern technology, and exquisite embellishments are standard on all Road Series models. You get a full-sized, solid-wood Martin at a low price.
So, if any of these alternatives appeal to you, we suggest trying them out in person to figure out what works better for you.
Moreover, Approved Martin merchants are well-versed in the subtleties of each model and can assist you in making your selection.
Frequently Asked Questions
In this section, we will answer a few faqs to clear your mind further.
What Martin Guitar is the best under 1000 dollars?
If you have a low budget and you are searching for a good guitar, the martin GPC 11E is probably made for you. Martin Guitar Road Series GPC-11E is the best guitar for under 1000 dollars. It has an amazing quality, unique sound, and good looks.
The Martin GPC-11E Grand Performance Cutaway Guitar has a solid frame and a mahogany neck. It’s a lovely musical instrument with a rich, deep, and strong tone.
What size guitar should I get?
If you have a low budget and you are searching for a good guitar, the martin GPC 11E is probably made for you. Martin Guitar Road Series GPC-The appropriate size is determined most reliably by the player’s age and height. It is also critical to select a great guitar that will motivate you or your kid to play. If they like rock music, an electric guitar is a good choice.
Folk music is best performed on a steel-string acoustic guitar. Electric guitars are shorter than steel-string acoustic guitars and nylon string classical guitars; they are used by most persons, but the added weight must be considered.
Acoustic guitars are larger but hollow, whereas electric guitars are smaller but made of solid wood, making them heavier. When you first start playing an acoustic or electric guitar, the steel strings may end up causing some discomfort or pain.
Consider pressing down with a small knife. We’ve found that kids, in specific, are more likely to stick with that if they start with a nylon string guitar. The strings are much larger and more comfortable on the fingers.
Should I buy a new guitar or a used one?
A few people will benefit more from purchasing new acoustic guitars. Buying a new guitar is a good option if you’re willing to pay a little more for the peace of mind that there will be no cracks on the instrument.
Sometimes when you need to save money or get a great deal on a higher-end guitar, it is worth looking into used guitars. The additional research you conduct assists you in locating the best offer for what you are searching for.
Even if you make a decision to buy a brand new guitar, you may be able to negotiate a lower price in the shop.
Do I need to get a tuner?
A tuner is required if you intend to play the guitar. A guitar tuner is a device that will allow you to tune your guitar to the proper pitch.
There is no way around it, and if you purchase your guitar without also purchasing a tuner, you will soon find that you are out of luck.
A guitar tuner is required for guitar players who tune in a noisy background, make accurate intonation modifications, are novices learning to teach their ear, or simply just want the comfortability of accurate tuning in a short period of time.
There is indeed a lot that goes into defining whether or not a guitar tuner is truly required to play the guitar properly.
is the best place to find a guitar?
Not distant past, most guitar players would have shuddered at the prospect of purchasing an instrument online.
While it is true that having a feel for what you like is beneficial, the need for this has lowered dramatically in recent years due to easy refund policies and enhanced guitar production methods.
Now, the comfort of online buying overrides, which is important if you don’t live anywhere near a guitar shop or musical instrument retailer. If you’re planning to buy a guitar online for the first time, you may be wondering which website is the right choice to buy a guitar from.
There are a number of websites from where you can grab your guitar online. These are Amazon, Sweetwater, Guitar Center, or eBay. You can also check our website Instrumentbuzz to search for a guitar of your choice.
How much does a guitar cost?
Picking the appropriate acoustic guitar for a specific guitar player entails matching the suitable cost and quality to the player’s skill. A credible guitar store should stock a huge spectrum of well-made guitars at a range of different price points.
Those who are new to the guitar world should consider paying somewhere around $100 and $500 for their instrument, depending on the manufacturer, reliability of buildability, and included equipment.
When you get into the $500 – $1,500 range, the changes become more delicate, but they are significant as players evolve their techniques. The wood is chosen with care, and the instrument is built with much more attention to detail.
Is there any way to improve my guitar skills?
Any musician who takes their art honestly, whether they are a complete novice, master of their art, or somewhere in between, wishes to improve.
Finally, you would never be a great guitar player unless you have a strong motivation to enhance. There are no shortcuts in this case. There are generally some tips given which you can follow to improve your skills.
• Make use of a metronome.
• Experiment with various guitar brands.
• Practice your guitar daily.
• Practice by doing Chord Changes.
• Discover Something New.
• Dedicate some time for practice.
After following these tips, you will see how you improve your guitar strumming techniques.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a guitar for under 1000 dollars, you have a variety of options you can choose from. Again it’s all about how much money you can spend, the reason for which you are buying the guitar, and what options you prefer.
There are several factors to consider when choosing a guitar, including the brand, the guitar sounds, the type of strings, and the price. All of these elements must be taken into account when deciding on what guitar to buy.
A list of some best martin guitars is mentioned above. If you are looking for a good budget guitar, you can choose anyone from the above list. These are all the best quality guitars for under 1000 dollars.
If you have any suggestions for us, or any comments or problems, our inbox is always open for you. You may also contact us through the comment section and communicate with other community members.
