For what it's worth, I have a Martin 000-X1. Standard OM or 14-fret 000 size, solid spruce top, linoleum back and sides covered with wood-grain contact paper, "Stratobond" (plywood) neck.

I'd say it's as good a player's guitar, in feel and tone, as anything on the market that retails under a grand US.

I took it to Old Songs a year or two ago, because KT was in the lower 48 without a guitar, and had asked Kendall if he'd loan her one for the festival, but he had no spare 6-string and knew I tend to accumulate them so he asked me.

Kendall and KT both seemed to find that guitar eminently acceptable for festival purposes.

I don't play it much myself, but only because I really like a 1 3/4" at nut or wider neck, and this is the Martin "standard" 1 11/16. I plan to keep it indefinitely as a loaner or emergency backup instrument for adverse conditions such as bad-weather festivals with drunks.

I do think the wood-grain contact paper on the back and sides cheapens it. They should have just painted them plain brown.

Peter.