Is Martinez a good guitar brand? What kind of guitars does Martinez manufacture? Where are Martinez guitars made? Do Martinez guitars sound good? Are all Martinez guitars durable? What are the materials used in making a Martinez guitar? Although Martinez is a famous guitar brand, there are still some people who are not familiar with how good these guitars are, so if you are one of them, you are now going to know everything about what a Martinez guitar can offer to you.
So, how did Martinez guitars start to become a famous guitar brand? The guitar brand Martinez was created in Germany in 1978 as a brand for classical guitars.
Martinez Standard Series
The Martinez Standard Series is the company’s entry-level classical guitars that are available in the market. There are five different models under the Standard Series: MC48, MC58, MC88, MC118, and MC128. Its top wood is made of either Solid European Spruce or Cedar, while its back and side wood is made of either Mahogany or Indian Rosewood. Its binding is also made of Indian Rosewood.
All the guitar necks of the classical guitars under the Standard Series are made of Mahogany, and their fingerboards are made of Rosewood. The bridge is all made of Indian Rosewood, while its rosette is all-natural inlaid wood music. All of the guitars have a two-way adjustable truss rod.
All these classical guitars have Mother-of-Pearl inlays in the 5th, 7th, and 9th fret. Their nuts and saddles are made of bone, while they also come with gold tuning machine heads. The guitars have 20 frets in total, as there are 12 frets from the head to the guitar’s body. They also come with strings made by the company itself, and there are also optional electronics for the MC48, MC58, and MC58 models, as you can put a Fishman pickup into it.
The Standard Series is an excellent option if you are looking for a classical guitar with great sound and built quality, while it is also affordable for most guitar players. The series is one of the most popular when it comes to classical guitars. The technology that was used in making these guitars are top-notch for an entry-level classical guitar.
Is The Martinez Professional Series Worth it?
The Martinez Professional Series is the company’s entry for mid-level classical guitars in the market. There are many models under the series, which are: the Hauser, Munich, Torres, Madrid, and the DF69. The top part of these guitars is all made of either solid European Spruce or Cedar. All the wood on its back and sides and even its bindings are made of Indian Rosewood.
The neck of all the classical guitars under the Professional Series is made of Mahogany, while the fingerboard is made of Rosewood. Their bridge is made of Indian Rosewood, while they all come with a two-way adjustable truss rod. Its Mother-of-Pearl inlays are found in the 7th fret, and all of its tuning machines are gold-plated.
Hauser
The Hauser model is based on the works of one of the best guitar luthiers that have ever lived, Hermann Hauser. He is a German guitar builder and was able to develop the Torres-making tradition and was able to incorporate it with his characteristic Germanic engineering principles.
The guitar design made by Hauser is one of the most copied and borrowed by the modern guitar luthier nowadays. It is believed by many that the Hauser design is the final form of the classical guitar. Many renowned classical guitar players are known to use the Hauser model, such as Julian Brem, Andres Segovia, and many more.
Munich
The Munich model is considered to be an innovation from the prototype of Antonio Torres in 1889. The bottom and side panels of the prototype are made of maple shadow wood, so the company decided to keep the maple shadow wood in the middle, while the two sides are changed into Indian rosewood. A Munich classical guitar sounds really balanced because of the combination of maple and rosewood.
Torres
The Torres model is another prototype of the renowned Torres1889 classical guitar, which was designed and made by Antonio Torres, who is a Spanish guitar luthier and considered to be one of the best guitar makers in the world, especially in the 19th century. Francisco Tarrega, who is known to be the father of the modern guitar, used a Torres guitar in his performances.
The guitar still maintains the pure and clear classical guitar tone similar to its prototype. It still has the same height as the original Torres guitar, and all the wood used in the original is also the same as the new Torres model guitars. All the dimensions were also followed from the original to really perfectly replicate a Torres guitar sound.
Madrid
The Madrid model is one of the best classical guitars the company can offer. It is made of the best timber materials and comes from an authentic Spanish design. The result of all the materials and technologies used in making the Madrid guitar is a very powerful and very rich overall harmonic tone.
The high frequencies produced by this classical guitar are generously thick, round, and deep, which results in a very wide spectrum of guitar tones. The classical guitar also creates a very crispy mid-range frequency and an impressive deep bass. The Madrid guitar is capable of having an excellent sound projection.
DF69
The DF69 is a prototype of the Friedrich classical guitar made in 1969. Daniel Friedrich is a French guitar maker and is known to be one of the best guitar luthiers in the world. He is known for his excellent craftsmanship and for making some beautiful guitar designs. In 1969, he was able to make a guitar with a near-perfect wood texture that resulted in a rich and solid sound.
In terms of its aesthetics and materials used, it still follows what was done and used in making the prototype Friedrich guitar. The barrel dimensions and bracing construction is still the same as the original. The only change that was done to the new DF69 model was that the fingerboard was slightly raised to allow the guitar player to have a better feel.
Are Martinez Master Series Good?
Under the Master Series, three models are available to choose from; Godoy I, Godoy II, and Godoy III. The top part of these classical guitars is made of either European spruce or cedar, while its back and side parts are made of either Indian or Madagascar rosewood. The guitar neck is made of cedar, while its fingerboard is made of rosewood.
The Godoy Series is the company’s entry for flagship classical guitars. All the materials used in these guitars are really top-notch, which is why they are really expensive. These guitars went through a very meticulous process before they were finished; that is why they are considered to be one of the best classical guitars in the market.
So, is Martinez a good guitar brand? Yes, Martinez is really an excellent brand for classical guitars. If you are looking for an excellent classical guitar that you can use in your recitals or performances, then a Martinez classical guitar is really an excellent option for you. Their guitars really sound good and are also durable, so even with their hefty price, it is still worth it.