Then my friend, you haven't played many
Martin guitars. Their intonation sucks. Period.I've seen more than a few that came through with the bridge off by as much as 1/4 of a inch. They are like buying a new car and having to give it a complete tune up before you can drive it.

Many years ago, Packard made the top of the line in American cars. Anyone who was anyone drove a Packard. Then in the 50's they allowed their quality to slip and within a few years they went under. Martin was headed the same way, riding on its reputation, but fortunatly they woke up and felt Taylor nipping at their heels. Now they are back to building good guitars.
If I were going to buy another Martin it wouldn't be one made in the 70s.

It always gives me pleasure to hand my Taylor to a Martin lover and watch his reaction as he plays it.Instant converts. One well known collector/picker played it and was both amazed and crest fallen. he said, "This sounds as good as my vintage Martin for which I just paid $10,000!" So much for value. In my opinion, playability and sound are far more important than resale value. Of course, if I owned a music store I'd fill it with Martins