I've owned two Martin classics. The first one I bought when I first started taking classic guitar lessons in 1955. It was a 00-28-G (spruce soundboard, Brazilian rosewood back and sides, ebony fingerboard and bridge). A beautiful instrument with a good, full sound. A couple of years later, I got a 00-18-G, essentially identical to the 00-28-G, but the purfling was a bit simpler and the back and sides were made of mahogany. It, too, was a very nice instrument.   At the times I bought them, the 00-28-G cost $175.00, the 00-18-G was $110.00. That was then.

In 1959, the Seattle Classic Guitar Society got organized, and I was very quickly introduced to European made classics. As good as the Martins were, they just weren't up to the volume, richness of tone, sustain, and response of guitars made by Spanish luthiers, or for that matter, some of the German and French luthiers. Soon, Japanese luthiers (many of whom apprenticed in Spain) started turning out top concert quality guitars, the Kohno in particular. These guitars were a little more expensive than Martins, but not that much, especially when you consider how superior in tone they were.

I recently got an Alvarez AC60S classic for a student of mine. She couldn't afford much, so I got it in the internet, from Music 123, for $279.00 (actual list price was just short of $400.00). It has a solid red cedar soundboard with laminated mahogany back and sides. The laminated mahogany back and sides is not as choice as the woods in most Martins, but all in all, the workmanship on this instrument is about equivalent to the workmanship on my first Martin. But the tone and volume are far superior.

This is not to say that Martin classics are not good instruments—but I can't speak to the classics Martin has been making lately. However, there are plenty of classic guitars by other luthiers out there that are better, and considering today's prices, for far less money. I don't know of any serious classic guitarists these days, professional or amateur, who use Martins.

Of course, if the idea is to play the same kind of guitar Willie Nelson plays, regardless of quality, what can I say? That's a whole different thing, so whatever turns you on.

Don Firth