On 2004-06-16, Patrick...Casual Musician gave this Martin Acoustic Guitar a 5


Purchase: I bought this guitar about two months ago from a large music store in Lansing, MI. It was about $800.00 after tax, but it came with a hardshell case.
Pros: This really is a VERY nice guitar besides the fact that it smells really good, it has a bright tone, GREAT sustain and volume, great equalization, and is built from the best woods you can get(cedar, sitka spruce, mahoghany). Plus it is all American-made by a famous and renouned name
Cons: The only things that bother me are the bright sound it has can get a little boring if it's all you hear for a long time and I kind of wish it was a cut-away. Oh and it is a little pricey.
Quality: As for as the quality goes IT'S GREAT...from Martin what do you expect? I haven't had the slightest problem with it and I have even bumped it pretty hard a couple of times(accidentally). It doesn't scratch easily and the glossed top offers some reassuance in case you drip some soda on it. Also it is just one of those guitars that feels sturdy and right.

Summary: If you have the means to scrounge up 800 dollars and want a good acoustic buy this one because for quality like this in many other brands you would have to spend well over 1000 dollars.

On 2004-03-16, TR gave this Martin Acoustic Guitar a 3


Purchase: I bought the Martin D-16GT three years ago at Guitar Center after visiting different stores and playing a bunch of different makes/models. I paid $720 for it.
Pros: The guitar had great tone and action for it's price range. The construction seemed very solid although as a whole it's pretty delicate. I don't take it camping. It looks great, but I like conservative looks so it may not appeal to everyone. I admit I had been pining for a Martin for many years so the name and reputation influenced my decision greatly, much to my chagrin later on.
Cons: Recently there's been some yellowing around the bridge and neck joint. I took it to a local guitar shop that has a great reputation for knowledge and experience. They told me the bracing under the top was coming loose and the yellowing was the bridge beginning to pull away. Same for the neck. I was mortified!! This is "legendary" quality??? The owner of the shop stated matter-of-factly that any Martin below a D18 is the old Sigma line and is basically a disposable guitar. Lifespan is about 6 years. Definitely not the heirloom guitar I thought I was buying, one that would improve with age.
Quality:

Summary: In short, I feel betrayed by Guitar Center and C.F. Martin. They sell these under the "legendary" and "classic" labels yet knowing full well they won't last. I thought I'd done due diligence in researching prior to purchase but I guess not enough. I won't buy another Martin unless it's a much older model in great condition, which is unlikely given they are severl thousand dollars.

On 2003-07-02, CC gave this Martin Acoustic Guitar a 5


Purchase: I picked up my D-16GT at a Guitar Center store. After a long period of not playing (ok, I admit it ... I sold my guitar in college for cash), I decided to take up the guitar again and spent a long time researching acoustics. Due largely to price, I focused on Martin's X-series (laminate sides/backs), Martin's D-15s (all mahogany) and comparable Takamines. My visit to the store started innocently enough ... just play a few guitars and get a better feel for what I wanted. Played a large number of guitars and most sounded good ... until I grabbed a mint-condition, used Martin D-16GT in the back corner. The sound blew the rest of the contenders away. Couldn't pass it up ... I paid about 700 USD all-in, incl. hardshell case.
Pros: This is a clean-looking, beautiful guitar. The solid spruce top and solid mahogany sides and back deliver an evenly-balanced and deeply resonant sound (the trademark Martin sound). The sustain is impressive, delivering sound long after the last note is struck. The tuners hold the tuning well and the gears ensure fine tuning with ease. The low-oval neck and neck width make fretting even the most difficult chord comfortable. The gloss top really highlights the spruce and the satin finish gives the mahogany a subdued, rich look and feel.
Cons: Overall playability is very good, but the action on frets 7-14 are a little high for my taste. I plan on having some basic set-up work done to bring the action down a little. This is an easily-solved, minor issue and doesn't materially detract from playability. I played many other, lower-action guitars that didn't sound nearly as good (you can fix the action, but you can't fix the sound!).
Quality: This is Martin's basic, all solid-wood, Dreadnought guitar (with the exception of the D-15s which sport the mahogany top). It has all the characteristics of a Martin, with great attention spent on the workmanship. The top is solid Sitka spruce and the back and sides are solid mahogany. The fretboard and bridge are made of black micarta, a synthetic wood product that most of us recognize as traditional saddle material. The Spanish cedar neck and headstock are accented with a rosewood headplate and heelstock. The workmanship is apparent throughout. There is a seemless transition betweeen fretboard and neck, nut and headstock, binding and body. It looks and feels like a meticulously crafted instrument. The tough, hardshell case has a soft, green plush lining and fits the guitar like a glove.

Summary: The D-16GT is a great guitar, delivering the trademark Martin and all solid-wood sound. You'd be hard-pressed to find a comparable guitar in both quality and sound for less than 1000 USD. This guitar has all the sound and quality of more highly adorned Martins (D-28s on up) at a fraction of the cost. The price is higher than other manufacturer's solid woods, but they lack the Martin sound and workmanship. Bottom line: a great guitar with a great look and sound. Even after hours of playing, it's a tough guitar to put down.

On 2003-03-07, BJ gave this Martin Acoustic Guitar a 5


Purchase: I replaced my 30 year old Aria (Martin copy) which developed bridge problems and worn frets. I always wanted a Martin so when I played it at the Guitar Center I just had to have it. I paid $840 plus tax, including hardshell case.
Pros: My old guitar is a solid rosewood model, but when I played the Martin with the solid mahogany back and sides the richness in the bass and the clear bell-like treble really stood out. I have not heard another guitar in this price range that sounds nearly as clear and well balanced! The action is very good but just a bit high for my taste.
Cons: I have nothing bad to say about it except the store only had the floor sample and I didn't get to compare it with others of the same model.
Quality: The Martin reputation and "tone" speaks for itself. Excellent build quality, and with a patented mortise and tenon neck joint, gloss top and Micarta fingerboard this baby should last a lifetime.

Summary: I would suggest what I did not do, that is go to a reputable independent Martin dealer and try all the models that you can, to make sure you get the model right for you.