Yes, you could get a Martin T-Shirt (and you should!), but to go along with it, try this cool book. C.F. Martin & Co. – Images of America is the newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Images of America series.
The book by author and Martin employee Dick Boak includes a foreword from C.F. Martin IV and boasts over 200 vintage images, many of which have never been published, and chronicles the evolution of the iconic Martin guitar.
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The images in the book trace the remarkable development of the acoustic guitar in the hands of six generations of Martin family members who have managed the business from 1833 to today.
Look, every guitarist could use another tuner, even if they already have one.
Winner of the Acoustic Nation Player’s Pick Award and an all-around handy accessory, the Intellitouch PT-10 Clip On Tuner features a large, easy-to-read backlit display.
The PT10 tuner ignores background noise — it feels the instrument's vibration instead of using sound.
It is designed to clip on electric and acoustic guitars, basses, violins, banjos, mandolins and more!
A 12-string guitar is a great addition to any acoustic guitarist's arsenal and this one from Taylor is an incredible value. The 150e has a sleek, ultra-playable neck and fabulous tonal clarity in an affordable package.
The Dreadnought body’s strong low-end response balances well with the crisp octave shimmer, producing a tone that’s lush and articulate, with lots of dynamic range.
Features include layered sapele back and sides, a solid Sitka spruce top, 1-7/8-inch neck, matte-finish body, black binding and pickguard, and Taylor’s Expression System acoustic electronics.
You might have heard me mention that I am pretty much in love with small-bodied parlor guitars.
Here’s a really nice one.
The E10P is inspired by the popular body style of the late 19th century. Parlors pre-date dreadnoughts as the guitar of choice at the time designed to be played in small rooms (“parlors”).
With a decidedly tight and focused sound, players and listeners alike are surprised by the volume and tonal quality of Eastman parlor guitars, despite their diminutive size.
Here’s a guitar most often used by fingerstyle folk and blues slide players, in a variety of tunings. The E10P features mahogany back and sides with an Adirondack spruce top, hardshell case included.
Gretsch is famous for guitars and drums, but were also known as one of the best manufacturers of ukuleles.
I know, if you're a guitarist you WILL have to learn some new fingerings. But the ukulele is so fun to play, you will pick it up in a jiffy, I promise.
The Gretsch G9100 Soprano Standard Ukulele marks the return of ukuleles to the Gretsch family.
It features a laminated mahogany, soprano-sized body and 2-piece mahogany neck for excellent tone.
The soprano is the smallest and was the original size Ukulele.
The easy-to-play rosewood fingerboard has 16 frets with dot inlays and Grover tuning pegs to keep notes in tune.
Need to amplify yourself and your guitar with a portable solution?
Check out the Loudbox Mini. Fishman's lightest and most portable amp yet, the Loudbox Mini delivers the tonal quality that has made the Fishman name the standard for great acoustic sound.
The Loudbox Mini packs 60 Watts of clean acoustic power, and has two channels featuring Fishman's legendary preamp and tone control designs, plus digital reverb and chorus for the instrument channel and reverb for the microphone channel.
The Loudbox Mini sports an MP3 input and balanced XLR D.I. output, a must for jamming along and capturing your performances.
Here’s a compact guitar that can withstand just about any natural element out there.
Rain, snow, heat, you name it.
The Cargo is comfortable to play anywhere, from the forests of Oregon to the foothills of the Catskill mountains.
The Cargo easily fits airline overheads or anywhere space is tight. It's a portable guitar with the playability, sound and satisfaction of a full size guitar.
Martin's affordable Road Series feature 14-fret neck to body construction with polished gloss Sitka spruce tops.
There are two models and each features solid sapele back and sides and necks carved from "sipo," a close relative of mahogany.
These newly evolved models emulate the appearance, integrity and tone of the Martin Style 18 models. Each model also comes equipped with Fishman sonitone electronics with USB.
The USB port allows for easy plug and play with today’s computer based recording packages.
If you’re gonna amplify your acoustic, you’ll want to make sure the tonal clarity isn’t colored by the instrument cable that you use.
How about a world-class cable with a no-excuses lifetime warranty?
A high-definition instrument cable, the Mogami Gold Instrument Silent S R has a Silent Plug connection on one end and a 90-degree connection on the other.
Neutrik Silent Plug gives users the ability to hot-swap instruments without that earsplitting pop.
This high clarity cable uses quality 1/4" connectors and carbon impregnated PVC to provide an additional shield layer to eliminate any handling noise.
Comes in a variety of lengths. Get an 18’ cable for around $59.95
Its solid torrefied Adirondack spruce top is the foundation for the RP1-16C, Recording King's 12-fret single 0 cutaway with a dreadnought scale.
What the heck is that, you might ask! Torrefication is a heating process that helps new wood achieve 'vintage' tonal qualities...without the decades-long wait of course!
Not only do these guitars benefit from the vintage tone of the torrefied top, but the dreadnought scale gives them additional punch and projection beyond what you'd expect from a traditional 0 guitar.
The RP1-16C is a great instrument for fingerstyle players thanks to the cutaway and 1-3/4” nut, delivering even, vintage-style tone everywhere on the fretboard.
Acoustic Nation is written by Laura B. Whitmore, a music industry marketing veteran, music journalist and editor, who has contributed to Parade.com, Guitar World, and others. She has interviewed hundreds of musicians and hosts the She Rocks Podcast. As the founder of the Women’s International Music Network, she advocates for women in the music industry and produces the annual She Rocks Awards. She is the Senior Vice President of Marketing for Positive Grid, making the world safe for guitar exploration everywhere! A guitarist and singer/songwriter, Laura is currently co-writing an album of pop songs that empower and energize girls.
