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6 Best Martin Guitar for Fingerstyle (2024 Expert Picks)

Martin Guitars are known to be some of the best acoustic guitars in the world, although coming in at a professional price range. These aren’t cheap, although they provide a huge amount of value and quality for the price.

Fingerstyle is a particular type of guitar technique that is commonly played on acoustic guitars. Many Martin guitar models are known to make fantastic fingerstyle guitars, so we put together this guide to show you the best guitars for the job. 

I tested 6 products and found Little Martin LX1E to be the best Martin guitar for fingerstyle.

This guitar is the perfect guitar for musicians on the go. It features an extremely high level of build quality and is ranked as one of the most popular martin guitars. 

With a luxurious Sitka spruce construction, the projection and tone of these guitars are fantastic. This acoustic guitar is fantastic for fingerstyle because of the design and sound. The shape and size make fingerstyle playing even easier. 

I chose the LX1E model over the traditional Little Martin as this guitar includes a built-in pickup. The pickup makes it much easier to amplify or record this guitar, without having to worry about a mic. You won’t find many better guitars in the price range with this level of professional features. 

I love playing acoustic guitars, particularly with fingerstyle techniques. Fingerstyle is a lot of fun to play, although not every guitar is a comfortable fit for the technique. I find some acoustics just don’t sound or feel right to play fingerstyle on. This isn’t the case with Martin guitars. I find them to be well made for fingerstyle playing. They definitely make some of the best finger-picking guitar models out there.

The best Martin guitar for fingerstyle for you depends on your style, skill level, budget, and taste.

As you might know, Martin guitars have a large range of instruments. There are a ton of great guitars from the brand, so picking a good one can be hard. The main things to think about are size, string type, and whether you want a cutaway or not. I personally think the cutaway shape makes fingerstyle easier, although some people won’t compromise on the dreadnought sound. 

Keep reading for our full review of the best Martin guitar for fingerstyle!

Alternatively, check out our guide on the best guitar for beginners. Or check out this comparison of Taylor vs Martin Guitars.

Best martin guitars for fingerstyle in our tests

Best martin guitars for fingerstyle Reviewed in Detail

1. Martin Guitar DJr-10 Dreadnought Junior

Martin Guitar DJr-10 Dreadnought Junior

The Martin Guitar DJr-10 Dreadnought Junior is a guitar designed for ease of play and comfort. This guitar is an all-around acoustic guitar that has a cutaway body and a slim neck profile that is easy on your arms while playing. It also has an inlay of the Martin logo in mother of pearl.

The dreadnought body style is the classic acoustic guitar shape, which features a U-shaped waist and round shoulders. The dreadnought size is the standard for professional players, but there are also smaller-bodied instruments, such as jumbo dreadnoughts. These types of guitars have a louder, fuller sound.

The Martin DJR-10 Dreadnought Junior is a great guitar for fingerstyle players as it produces a warm, rich sound. The Dreadnought Junior is a 15-inch-wide, dreadnought-style acoustic guitar with a mahogany back and sides and spruce top. The solid wood construction of this affordable martin guitar rivals other premium handmade guitars. These Martin acoustic guitars are indeed for fingerstyle guitar playing and have a good feel for the technique. 

The style and design create a natural playing experience which is great for those long studio sessions and is much better than other guitars from other brands. It easily creates professional sounds, and the gloss finish looks as great as it feels. 

Product Specifications:

  • Body Material: Spruce and Mahogany
  • Fretboard: Rosewood
  • Pickup Configuration: no

Pros & Cons:

  • Full, rich dreadnought tone. 
  • Comfortable design for fingerpicking. 
  • Sustainable wood certified parts.
  • High-performance tapered neck for maximum playability.

Verdict:

This is a great guitar for fingerpicking. It has a great tone and playing style for the technique, and features super high-quality materials. The sound will please any player, with its full rich tone. This guitar is capable of producing professional sounds and has a warm satin finish that feels nice in your hands.

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#2 Martin Guitar 000CJr-10E Junior Cutaway

Martin Guitar 000CJr-10E Junior Cutaway

This guitar is one of the best Martin guitars for beginners. These guitars deliver a high level of quality and a stunning sound. The design of this guitar makes it a great guitar for fingerstyle playing. 

The 000C Jr. Cutaway from Martin’s Road Series has an exceptional bass response, which makes it a perfect acoustic guitar for rhythm guitarists. These guitars deliver enhanced playability thanks to their slim neck and comfortable cutaway.

This guitar has an easy playing feel, thanks to its slim body, slim neck, and slim frets. It is a great guitar for finger style and comes in a natural wood finish.The 000C Jr. Cutaway has an increased bass response and a solid spruce top, which makes it a perfect guitar for acoustic and electric players.

The 000C is an entry-level guitar, but one that packs a powerful punch. It features a scale length of 25.5″ which makes it easier to play fast runs with your fingers and still produce deep bass notes. 

Product Specifications:

  • Body Material: Spruce and Sapele
  • Fretboard: Mahogany
  • Pickup Configuration: NA

Pros & Cons:

  • Reinforce body for increased resonance. 
  • Perfect tuning stability.
  • Deep cutaway for upper fret access. 
  • No electronics.

Verdict:

This guitar is a fantastic beginner to intermediate guitar from Martin. It uses Martin’s superior guitar tonewoods, that create a stunning resonance, and strong durable body. It has a noticeably exceptional sounding bass end, which is great for rich, full chords. It needed some setup to get perfect action, which was easy with the built in truss rod.

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3. Martin LX1 Little Martin Acoustic Guitar

Martin LX1 Little Martin Acoustic Guitar

The sounds of this guitar are like nothing you’ve ever heard before.

The acoustic guitar is one of the most important instruments in the world. The sound of a finely crafted acoustic guitar is something that cannot be duplicated no matter how much money you spend.

The Martin LX1 Little Martin Acoustic Guitar is a smaller version of one of Martin’s most popular guitars. This guitar has a spruce top with a mahogany back and sides. It is also available in a 5-string version, which you can use for fingerstyle.

The LX1 Little Martin is the smaller, yet fully-featured version of the original. It’s perfect for anyone who is looking for an acoustic guitar that is easy to carry and sounds incredible. 

The LX1 Little Martin features a solid mahogany body and a rich, warm mahogany sound. Weighing just 4.2kg, it’s also great for carrying around for performances on-the-go.

The LX1 offers easy playability for smaller-handed players without compromising on the tone and sound quality.

Product Specifications:

  • Body Material: Spruce and Mahogany
  • Fretboard: Indian Rosewood
  • Pickup Configuration: Optional

Pros & Cons:

  • Small size for portability. 
  • Loud projection for size, dreadnought tone. 
  • Smooth satin finish, beautiful natural wood. 
  • No electronics. 

Verdict:

The Martin LX1 Little Martin Acoustic Guitar is a smaller version of the original. It features a solid mahogany body and a rich, warm mahogany sound. The guitar has a classic dreadnought-style shape and is perfect for both beginners and advanced players.

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4. Little Martin LX1E

Little Martin LX1E

The LX1E is the electrified version of the above Little Martin. This guitar has all the same features and design, but comes fitted with a built in electronic pickup. The pickup makes it easier to record and amplify the guitar, where you just have to plug it straight in, rather than having to worry about using microphones. 

This guitar offers a quick response to the player’s touch, and has a mellow tone. It’s a great guitar for fingerstyle playing. The Little Martin LX1E is a great electric acoustic guitar for fingerstyle players. It has a mahogany neck, and nato top and sides.

The neck is bolt-on, and the guitar includes a Fishman Sonicore pickup for acoustic tone.

This is a fantastic guitar for fingerpicking, and has a satin finish which feels great too. This guitar sounds great unplugged or amplified, and has a professional sound with a terrific tone. 

The smaller nut width makes the guitar comfortable and easy to play, and is easily the best guitar for smaller players.

Product Specifications:

  • Body Material: Spruce and Mahogany
  • Fretboard: Indian Rosewood
  • Pickup Configuration: Fishman Pickup

Pros & Cons:

  • Small guitar, big features.
  • Includes electronics for amplification, recording, and loud gigs.
  • Master craftsmanship is immediately apparent. 

Verdict:

Overall, this is a great guitar for fingerpicking The Sitka spruce tops and Fishman mx t electronics mean these guitars deliver Martin’s iconic tone in an acoustic-electric package.

These guitars sound great, and look and feel just as good.

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5. Martin Guitar X Series DC-X2E

Martin Guitar X Series DC-X2E

Looking for premium handmade guitars with great sound, for fingerstyle playing? Martin Guitars X Series D- model offers the best of both worlds. Like other guitars in the X series, it has a Taylor-inspired neck, which provides you with an easy playing experience. However, it also features a mahogany body and rosewood fingerboard, which gives the D- model its warm acoustic sound. 

Martin Guitar X Series DC-X2E is a great guitar for fingerstyle players. Its small body and slim neck make it convenient to play. The cutaway makes it super easy to reach the upper frets, ensuring an enjoyable playing experience. 

This acoustic-electric guitar is a fantastic choice for fingerstyle players. The Martin X Series DC-X2E is a high-quality guitar that offers the perfect blend of a traditional acoustic sound with the versatility of an electric.

The DC-X2E has a solid Sitka spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and rosewood fingerboard that creates a natural playing experience. The X Series DC-X2E also has a scalloped X-bracing pattern that produces a warm, rich tone with excellent resonance and projection no matter your playing style. These guitars deliver enhanced playability compared to other guitars. 

This guitar offers an enjoyable playing experience and is an acoustic-electric stunner. The body style makes this guitar easy to play, and the guitar strings offer a bright, rich sound. This martin professional guitar is recommended for experienced guitar players who can afford a premium instrument. 

Product Specifications:

  • Body Material: Spruce
  • Fretboard: Rosewood
  • Pickup Configuration: Internal

Pros & Cons:

  • Cutaway for upper fret access.
  • Loud, rich tone. 
  • Fantastic solid wood construction.

Verdict:

The Martin X series is a range of guitars that offer a fantastic sound and feel. These guitars feel very well made, and have superior attention to detail. Nothing can really be faulted with this guitar at the price it comes. These are decent for fingerstyle technique and have an appealing tone that your audience will love.

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6. Martin Guitar X Series D-X1E

Martin Guitar X Series D-X1E

The Martin D-X1E is a beautiful looking acoustic guitar with a sustainably-sourced, solid Sitka spruce top and mahogany back and sides.

Martin Guitar has been making quality guitars since 1833. With the launch of the Martin Guitar X Series, they are now bringing their quality craftsmanship to fingerstyle players everywhere. 

The D-series offers the versatility of a dreadnought body shape with a slimmer neck, perfect for fingerpicking styles. This is where Martin’s 200+ years of guitar crafting come together in a beautiful instrument, with all the rich history and expertise.

The Martin D-X1E is a great choice for those who are looking for a stylish guitar with a natural acoustic tone. If you’re looking for a guitar that is both beautiful and versatile, the D-X1E is a great choice.

The Martin D-X1E features a mahogany back and sides, which offer increased tone projection and strength. The D-X1E is great for fingerstyle playing and can also be played like a classical guitar. If you want to capture Martin’s Iconic tone, this is a great place to start. 

It features a shorter 24 3/4″ scale length, a wide nut, and a broad bone saddle on the top.

The D-X1E is an acoustic-electric guitar with a Fishman Sonicore pickup and preamp system

Product Specifications:

  • Body Material: Spruce and mahogany.
  • Fretboard: Rosewood
  • Pickup Configuration: Internal Fishman Pickups

Pros & Cons:

  • Strong, durable woods used for the body.
  • Loud dreadnought sound.
  • Excellent tuning stability. 
  • Needed some setup to play at its best. 

Verdict:

Martin Guitars X-Series Acoustic-Electric Guitar is the ultimate for fingerstyle. It has a dreadnought body and a solid spruce top; giving this guitar excellent projection and tone while still keeping the guitar balanced and lightweight. The X Series has a simple and elegant design that you’ll be proud to show off.

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What Is Fingerstyle?

Fingerstyle guitar is an acoustic guitar technique that uses only the fingertips as a fretting instrument.

It has its origins in jazz and blues and was popularized by guitarists such as Eddie Lang, Django Reinhardt, Chet Atkins, and Jerry Reed.

Fingerstyle guitar is much like the classical guitar but with a few key differences. For example, the thumb will sometimes slide on the lower strings to play chords rather than plucking them individually.

Fingerstyle guitar is a solo acoustic guitar music genre that uses finger-picking guitar techniques. The term “fingerstyle” can refer to either an individual player or a group of players.

Fingerstyle guitars are the main instruments in this style and the most common materials used in construction are spruce (a kind of pine tree), Brazilian rosewood, mahogany, ebony, and maple.Is fingerpicking the same as fingerstyle playing?

Buying Guide: Things to Consider When Choosing a Martin Guitar for Fingerstyle

What to look for when buying this type of product

When choosing a Martin guitar for fingerstyle, there are a couple of points to consider.

Body shape

The body shape has a large effect on the way a guitar feels and sounds. The main choice is between a dreadnought and a cutaway. Dreadnoughts offer a louder, richer sound, where cutaways increase playability by making the upper frets easier to reach. 

There isn’t a right or wrong choice, it all depends on how you plan on using the guitar. As a rule of thumb, dreadnoughts are better for rhythm guitarists, cutaways are better for lead players, although not exclusively.  

Pickup

Some, but not all of these guitars come with a built-in pickup. You might want a pickup if you like to record or amplify your guitar regularly. Pickups will add more price to the guitar, but also make it a lot easier to work with electronic technology such as amps, PAs, and recording gear. Again, the choice is yours. I like to have a pickup in my acoustics because you can be a lot more creative with how you use it 

FAQ’s

Is fingerpicking the same as fingerstyle playing?

Fingerpicking is a type of fingerstyle playing that is often associated with American folk music. It is characterized by the use of two or three fingers instead of four or more fingers on the left and/or right hand to pluck the strings.

Is fingerpicking the same as fingerstyle playing? Yes, it is considered a different style because it uses only two or three fingers on each hand rather than four or more.

The answer to this question is no. Fingerpicking is a style of fingerstyle playing that uses the entire thumb and index finger. Fingerspelling is a style of fingerstyle playing where the fingers are not used to play.

The thumb, index, and middle fingers will be used in this style of playing to pluck the strings on a guitar or other string instruments. It has been possible since the invention of the instrument itself that way back in 15th century Europe.

Musicologists have argued that these two styles may be different because they use different techniques and sounds:

Who are the best fingerstyle guitarists I can watch and study online?

There are quite a lot of guitarists that one can watch or follow online. Some of them are known as the best fingerstyle guitarists in the world.

Chris Thile is one of the best fingerstyle guitarists in the world. He is well-known for his jazz and bluegrass playing. Other famous players include Wes Montgomery, Bob Dylan, Django Reinhardt, Tommy Emmanuel, Hank Williams, and Bucky Pizzarelli.

The best fingerstyle guitarists are often referred to as the “Shred master,” who is capable of playing difficult solos with ease and fluidity.

Another great fingerstyle guitarist to watch online is John Petrucci. He is considered a “Shred master” and has played with many popular bands such as Dream Theater and Joe Satriani.
The best fingerstyle guitarists on YouTube to watch and learn from are Mat the Alien, Stephan Micus, and Chad Lawson.

The most popular way to play a song on guitar is by strumming or plucking the strings with one or more fingers of the left hand.

The finger-style players are often distinguished by their use of fingerpicking technique which gives them more expressiveness and diverse range of notes when playing in contrast to strumming.

There are many great fingerstyle guitarists out there. You can watch their videos and learn their techniques to become a better fingerstyle guitarist yourself.

-Scott Henderson
-Joe Pass
-Steve Vai
-David Torn

Conclusion

Little Martin LX1E

Overall the top Martin guitar for Fingerstyle is the Little Martin LX1E.

This is the acoustic-electric version of the little martin. 

This is a smaller-sized guitar made with the highest quality. These instruments are easy to transport, strong, and have a surprisingly stunning tone. The feel of these guitars is fantastic. I chose these as the best martin guitars for fingerstyle because of their features, price, and style. 

The small size makes fingerstyle playing slightly easier, as the compact fingerboard means you’ll have to do less work. It has a mellow sound that is closer to nylon strings, although it is steel. This is comfortable and will keep you happy during those long studio sessions. 

This guitar is very high quality and will keep you happy for years to come. The guitar strings create a satisfying, bright tone that lends itself well to fingerstyle playing, and make this an easy pick as one of the best guitars. This acoustic-electric guitar has a professional sound and feel that’s been used by famous players such as Ed Sheeran and Ben Howard. 

Check out the Little Martin LX1E today! Still looking for a guitar, check out our guide on the best Martin guitar under $2000.