Whereever they come from, They all are STILL awesome sounding, which is the only requirement for me. I like Martins for singing. And for flatpicking, Give me a brighter sounding gibson or even guild with projection!

I think the sound quality can still be great in the overseas or Mexican models Martin has, the difference is that they just don't have the collateral value of the vintage models, rarity or handmade beauty. that is especially true with Martin, but those are the ONLY differences.

I've play cheap Martin Road Series models that sounded better than the D-28's next to them in the store, and I am sure others here will vouch for that experience as well. Most of the time its sticker shock that you end up paying the bucks for, not over-all sound between the various Martin models.

The only exception is the Martin DXM, This model seems to have chronic buzzing and neck issues. Don't know if it is a mass production problem or not, but if the neck stays playable, you will definitely still hear that signature martin tone that marks all of these instruments reguardless of where on the globe they originated from.

I think Martin has been vary careful about preserving their image as the sound leader, as this is why people seem to choose their guitars over many other brands.

Dewey