As everyone here knows I've dreamed of owning a Martin for many years.

I was fortunate enough to stumble upon a place up in Iowa that had, IIRC, 10 or so left handed Martins. He had them mainly because I went in there one time many years ago and was saying how hard it was to find lefty guitars, so that prompted the owner to get a bunch in (not just Martins) and be known as 'the' place in Iowa to buy left handed guitars.

So here's what I'm faced with. I played everything from a $700 dollar one up to a $4800 dollar one. I swear, the one that sounded and played the best was the $700 dollar one made out of that High Pressure Laminate. It had a smaller than normal dreadnought body, but it had an equal or greater tone than the $4800 full sized one I played.

Anyone know anything about the HPL stuff?

I'm ready to buy that $700 dollar one, but it's killing me to buy a Mexican made Martin (All the HPL ones come from Mexico).

Are my concerns valid, or am I being an idiot even more so than usual?

Thoughts, input, discuss.

Thanks.

Use your ears.

Even if the HPL falls apart in 10 years, your investment was sound
(see what I did there?)

One of my favorite Acoustics at the house is a $289 Simon and Patrick from Canada.

It has laminate back and sides and a solid spruce top and it has a natural sweet sound... which was unlike the other 7, very same make and model guitars it was displayed with the day I played and bought it.

Some of the fancy guitars have extra fancy stuff glued on it that don't help the sound.

I like the Martin 28 series and am especially fond of the 21 series... after that level they get lots of the shiny stuff stuck on them and I don't think it makes them sound any better.

Have fun.


best regards,
mike

bapu

Use your ears.

Even if the HPL falls apart in 10 years, your investment was sound
(see what I did there?)

Yez ... yez ... I zee all teengs!

:)

I have an old steel string acoustic that the father of a friend made for me years ago. It has no laminate on it, it was just treated with lemon oil (I think). The result is a very open, balanced sound that has always turned heads. 

Martins are fine guitars, but it's always worth checking out the work of local luthiers as well. Mine I think sounds better than a Martin, and it was home made by a (admittedly very talented) hobbyist. 

mike_mccue

One of my favorite Acoustics at the house is a $289 Simon and Patrick from Canada.

My current acoustic is a $275 Fender San Miguel I bought in the early 90's iirc. It still plays great with a fresh set of strings, but my hands and fingers are stiffening up and it really hurts to play it. The neck is really wide on it, and it's got a huge body. It's really uncomfortable to play, especially the larger my body gets. LOL!

This is the Martin I'm thinking of getting. It sounds and feels so good.

It has laminate back and sides and a solid spruce top and it has a natural sweet sound... which was unlike the other 7, very same make and model guitars it was displayed with the day I played and bought it.

Sounds like the same materials in the one I'm looking at.

Some of the fancy guitars have extra fancy stuff glued on it that don't help the sound.

I like the Martin 28 series and am especially fond of the 21 series... after that level they get lots of the shiny stuff stuck on them and I don't think it makes them sound any better.

I fell in love with the DC Aura (Pic Link) they put out a few years ago until I had a chance to play a left handed one. I was not impressed. It sure is a beautiful guitar though with some high end electronics in it.

The place in Iowa had a high end room that was temp and humidity controlled. Two of the 6 Martins he had in there had very visibly twisted necks ... in a controlled environment. Not a good sign in my opinion.

<dregs up old story myth>

Wasn't it proven that back and sides of an acoustic guitar are NOT what contributes to the tone quality of a guitar.

Seem to recall a guitar with the back and sides  made of paper mache and the "same" guitar made with conventional sides and back and there was no real discernible difference in tone quality.

Or did I just make that up? 

I love the Taylor 414CE's but havent got off the pot to buy one yet

digi2ns


I love the Taylor 414CE's but havent got off the pot to buy one yet

Philz has one.


Or, did I just make that up?

sharke

I have an old steel string acoustic that the father of a friend made for me years ago. It has no laminate on it, it was just treated with lemon oil (I think). The result is a very open, balanced sound that has always turned heads. 

Martins are fine guitars, but it's always worth checking out the work of local luthiers as well. Mine I think sounds better than a Martin, and it was home made by a (admittedly very talented) hobbyist.

Two locals have told me about "Old Paul" that lives one town over from here. They say all he's done is build guitars all his life and used to build them for Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, and people like that. He's retired now and only does a few steel guitars a year. I should take time to go talk to him. I imagine he has some great stories to tell.