Martin LX1 Little Martin Acoustic Guitar  

Didn't realize guitar was made in Mexico.  Believe Martin should change name and start a budget line of guitars like Gibson & Fender.  When I hear Martin I think of that dream guitar (D-28)  Maybe they could call the line "Martinette" 

Guitar is well made with no structural issues.  I wish I could say the same for the finish, leaves much to be desired.

You get your monies worth.  Guitar was bought for student 10 yr old.  Works great with such a small investment.  Immediately lowered the action and changed strings to make it easier for small hands and fingers.

Nice little guitar, but with all the competition out there I think Martin dropped the ball on this venture.

as advertised, no frills, straight up parlor guitar. good tuning keys. nice gig bag.

well made and finished. smooth fret edges. only gripe, and i'm reaching here, is that the strap button on the butt of the guitar could use a metal sleeve or washer as its a bit recessed.

cant beat the price. other comparable models do not posess the same level of quality found in  martin guitars.

i had wanted this guitar for a while and when i found it used i had to have it. love the sound, which is surprisingly big for a small guitar. great for fingerstyle. good action right out of the box.

As soon as this little axe came out of the box I knew it needed some work.  As Martin specifically states: "This Little Martin is not designed to be cosmetically perfect."  And they're not.  I've got a few spots on the soundboard where the finish is blemished, but these imperfecions don't affect the sound one bit.  I restrung my LX1 with some Martin M130s and it sounds like the real deal.  The gig bag that the Little Martin comes in is also kinda classy - the Martin logo in gold embroidered on black...a nice touch.

The Martin quality is there and it's noticeable.  Just remember, your Little Martin is not for display purposes, but for the camp, beach, roundup, rodeo or whatever.  Make sure to get the solid sitka spruce top - it will help the sound a lot.

Hey, I joined this guitar with some Martin M130 strings, an Ernie Ball strap, a Dunlop Trigger Capo, and a variety of flat, finger and thumb picks.  Since the Little Martin comes with the gig bag, you're all set to head down the road for Not a bad price at all and it's money well spent for endless hours of enjoyment.

Please remember, when you buy a 3/4 sized guitar you're going to get a 3/4 sound.  The Little Martin is designed for a campfire while the Martin D-28 is for performing in concert.  I'd recommend the LX1 for anyone just starting out who wants an all-around, knock-around axe with Martin quality.  With the right strings, the Little Martin is a good choice.

I do have a D 45, a D 35, a D18,  and have owned Martin Guitars most of my adult life. This LX1 is not what I expected from Martin. The finish on the Sitka Spruce top was rough to say the least, and it appears to have no seal or topcoat of anything on it. It also is not smooth as I have come to expect in a guitar from Martin. There appears to be pitted areas in the grain across it. The sound and playability is fairly good for a new guitar, but I will weigh in with an update as the strings break in  some .. it is definitely a little bit tinny.  The finish of the supposed rosewood fingerboard is also not what I would expect from a Martin.... no gleam or patina to it at all, just rough and dusty appearing, but the dust does not go away with a hand rubdown. It will obviously take a long while for the patina of the Rosewood to come through. I rate this as an 8 because it is well constructed, but just not well finished off.

As stated above, it is well constructed but it looks as if someone in the finish department was having an off day on this one.

For the price, this is an addequate instrument. It plays well, although tinny with the new strings, As a beginner guitar it is just fine, and my grandson will get it for sure. I am not sure that I will use it as a carry though, I am too used to the fit and finish of my D45. It does play true and the fretboard and frets are well placed, with minimal distance to the fret from the string yet it does not buzz easily.

Useable instrument, but just not up to the standards I believe that Martin Guitars should have.