Martin X Series DX1RAE Acoustic-Electric Guitar 

Comments about Martin X Series DX1RAE Acoustic-Electric Guitar:

This guitar plays better than most acoustic guitars I've played and sounds better too. The low string action was the biggest selling point for me. It is much easier to play fast and more precisely on this guitar than another with high action. For the materials used on the sides and back, it has a surprisingly good tone. The spruce top was also aesthetically perfect. For the overall quality of the guitar, it is selling WAY below its true value. Only complaints would be the way that it is shipped (packed in a cardboard box with one thin sheet of bubble wrap around it) and the laminate sides and back (which reduce resale value considerably). Other than that I love this guitar, it is great for beginners and experienced players.

Comments about Martin X Series DX1RAE Acoustic-Electric Guitar:

I didnt buy this from MF but from my local music store and it was damaged in shipping with a small ding on the top that you cant even see unless really looking so I got it for a bargain of just over $400. I just couldn't say no.

The first thing I noticed is the ease of playability. It is so easy to play compared to my other acoustics.

It stays in tune for weeks at a time with very little tuning required, if any at all.

Construction is excellent.

I love the soft, deep, mellow tone it has with the standard SP7100 strings. Cant see ever needing to try different strings.

Unplugged or plugged the sound is beautiful. Plugged, I use a Rogue G-10 Combo Amp I actually bought from MF for my Epi LP Studio LE but the DX1 sounds truly awesome through it. The sound controls are in the sound hole which makes for a cleaner outside and changing the battery is easier done when changing strings however I have read people just loosening them to get to the battery which shouldn't be too often with Martin saying you should get around 100 hours from a battery but I have not verified this.

This really does sound and play like a vastly more expensive guitar and the MF price makes for excellent value and a great bang for the buck. I honestly cant think of any cons for this Martin. I am sure I will enjoy playing this guitar for many, many years to come. If I ever do replace it, it will definitely be another Martin.

Comments about Martin X Series DX1RAE Acoustic-Electric Guitar:

I just got my Martin DX1RAE from Musicians Friend. Excellent service BTW. This guitar is crazy good. When they say it looks and sounds like a more expensive guitar, they ain't just a whistlin dixie. This thing is pure Martin all the way. The workmanship is top notch. You can feel the quality when you hold it...just like the expensive ones. The black Richlite fingerboard and bridge looks identical to ebony and is very smooth to play on. The dang thing holds tune very well and fingers like a dream. I have nothing but praise for this model. It even SMELLS like a high end Martin! Forget the laminated back and sides, the sound comes from its solid Sitka spruce top. I've played High end Martins and this one is NO dissapointment. For this price? A no brainer folks.

Comments about Martin X Series DX1RAE Acoustic-Electric Guitar:

Overall, this was the best gift I ever bought my husband. I bought it as a combo Father's Day/15th Anniversary gift. He says I never have to think of buying him another gift! He thanks me often, especially after playing it. This was one of the best big ticket (for us) purchases I have purchased without input from my husband. I am so glad I bought the DX1RAE for him. Excellent for the price.
On another note, it comes in a cardboard box to your door. I bought him a
Gator GL-Dread Lightweight Dreadnought Guitar Case from this site as well. The case works great with this guitar.
I was looking for an acoustic electric guitar for my husband to play different places, but mainly at a medium sized church. This dreadnought was the perfect choice. The installed Fischman pickup works great.It is installed in the sound hole with the battery compartment velcroed inside. My husband cannot easily reach in and change the battery, which makes it a little inconvienent, but he plans on changing the battery everytime he changes the strings.
I purchased a Fischman Mini Loudbox amp for him and it sounds great inside the building or at home in the living room.
This guitar sounds great plugged into an amp or alone.
I was concerned that because the instrument was made in Mexico and not the USA that the quality would be compromised (yet I knew we couldn't afford a USA model right now). But the sound and playability is excellent (according to my husband). From the first time my husband played it, I can definitely tell the difference from his other guitar, which is an Alvarez. This DXR1AE has a warm, yet bold tone. It has that Martin signature sound even though it is made of compressed wood.. The way they compress the wood for the neck gives it an eye-appealing look. You can go on the Martin Website and see the process done.
I knew if I was going to buy my husband an acoustic electric guitar, it would have to be a low end model. I checked low end models from different companies, such as Taylor, Yahmaha, Gibson. The Martin X series had the best reviews for the price. And I watched YouTube videos of people playing them to get an idea of sound. Now I can write a review that for the price, you can't be beat. Listening to this guitar, people think I paid more, especially with it being a Martin, but when I tell them, they are impressed. The sound and quality for the price is amazing.

Comments about Martin X Series DX1RAE Acoustic-Electric Guitar:

Go for it. It's a great one! But sometime you have to wait, cause this guitar is too popular, lots of people like it.

Comments about Martin X Series DX1RAE Acoustic-Electric Guitar:

Now, first of all. I learned some things researching this guitar and the other "x-series" like it. All the X-Series guitars are the same quality and build-style (just in case you're wondering).

They all come with fishman pick-ups, have a spruce top, and HPL (high pressure laminate) makes up the rest. The only difference being the color really. DX1RAE stands for Dreadnaught-X1-Rosewood-Acoustic-Electric. This one has the rosewood (darker) look to it.

Overall this guitar cannot be beat. No, it's not as "fancy" looking as some other guitars in the price range, but it sounds amazing! If you cannot play one for yourself and are trying to decide based on reviews, trust me, this guitar sounds absolutely glorious! I played it up against tmore expensive guitars. Really not much difference!

The Fishman pickup is so discrete, and sounds amazing! As far as electronics go, simply amazing.

As for any cons, I haven't run into any problems or dislikes about this guitar. It plays smooth, sounds great, electronics are wonderful, and it's easy to tune.

Try it if you're skeptical! You won't be unhappy!

Comments about Martin X Series DX1RAE Acoustic-Electric Guitar:

I love Martins. The sound and quality are superior to everything else. I own a J-40 and just got the DX1RAE as a backup, "beater" accoustic. The value, sound, and craftsmanship of this beauty is second to none. Once you get beyond the fact that it's constructed of mostly composite and synthetic materials and is made in Mexico, it just doesn't matter. When you start strumming your favorite Jimi Page and Clapton accoustic sets you know you're playing a real Martin. It plays and sounds just like the expensive all wood models, maybe just a hint brighter in tone due to the HPL body. This is absolutely the best value and sound for any accoustic in the price range and rivals the tone of the much pricier D-28 Dreadnought. Of course, the high end Martins are living works of art and the gold standard for tone and quality, but for the money this is the real deal. It's a Martin - that says it all.