In this guide we share the best Martin Guitars under $1000. There are many excellent guitar models on the Martin guitars lineup. Martin Acoustic guitars are suitable for professional musicians, and have an unbeatable sound and feel.
This is a list of guitars under $1000, so they will be more affordable than our other list of Martins in the range of $1000 to $2000.
I tested 6 guitars and found LX1 Little Martin to be the Best Martin guitar under $1000.
These guitars are fantastic. Whether played solo or in an ensemble, these travel guitars have a bright sound and an iconic unplugged tone. They are smaller than standard guitars, although this guitar sounds like a full-sized one. This great-sounding guitar has just the right amount of warmth and brightness paired together to make a quality instrument.
Guitars are one of my favorite instruments. There are several that I’ve played, and I’ve always wanted to play more. The problem is that Martin instruments are simply too pricey to stock up on! Every single one of them is so well crafted that it’s a pleasure to play them. I wish I could afford to purchase more.
The best Martin guitar under $1000 for you depends on your style, skill level, budget, and taste. There is a large number of guitars on the Martin roster, and so make sure you explore all the options before diving in. They produce acoustic, rather than electric guitars.
Keep reading for our full review of the Best Martin guitars under $1000!
Alternatively, check out our list of the best guitars for beginners, or our piece on the best martin guitar for the money.
Best martin guitars under $1000 in our tests
- LX1 Little Martin
- X Series D-X1E Acoustic-Electric Guitar
- DJr-10E Dreadnought Junior
- Road Series D-10E
- X Series OMC-X1E
- X Series D-X2E Acoustic-Electric
Best martin guitars under $1000 Reviewed in Detail
1. Martin LX1 Little Martin
The Martin LX1 Little Martin is a smaller, more compact version of the standard Martin guitar. It has a soprano cutaway and is meant to be played by smaller hands.
The fretboard is smaller than a full-size guitar, the fingerboard is shorter, and the body is slimmer. This all makes it easier to play for beginners as well.
The Martin LX1 Little Martin is a smaller, more compact version of the standard Martin guitar. It is Dreadnought Shadow which gives it a louder time with a wider sound. This Martin sounds like a much larger instrument than you would think. It has a small body but a large sound.
The Martin LX1 Little Martin acoustic guitar is perfect for beginners and even experienced players as well. This guitar is an affordable option that won’t break the bank. You can find an electrified version of this which has an onboard tuner.
The Little Martin has a solid Sitka spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and rosewood fingerboard. The solid spruce top offers extra projection and brightness and makes this a great-sounding guitar. The solid woods make this guitar stronger, and they use high-pressure laminate in the guitar building process for increased strength and solid construction.
This small guitar packs excellent value for money and has a competitive fund for its size.
Product Specifications:
- Body Material: spruce and mahogany
- Fretboard: rosewood
- Pickup Configuration: optional on the LX1E
Pros & Cons:
- Strong sound for the size.
- Small and transportable.
- Great level of playability
Verdict:
Overall, the little Martin is a great acoustic guitar, and one of the most affordable in their range.
This guitar had a tone that competes with other full-sized guitars. It sounds great unplugged but is available as an acoustic-electric as the LX1E.
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2. Martin Guitar X Series D-X1E Acoustic-Electric Guitar
The D-X1E is a quality, affordable acoustic-electric from Martin.
It features a dreadnought body style and a 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays. This guitar is the electrified version, which has onboard electronics. The D-X1E also offers a selection of pre-set acoustic tones and others that can be customized by the player.
Martin’s D-X1E has a deep, resonant tone with a rich, warm bass response and crisp high end.
The D-X1E, like all models in the X Series, is perfect for the acoustic player looking for a steel-string acoustic with the option of an electric pickup.
The D-X1E is an acoustic-electric that can be plugged into power and sounds great as an acoustic.
Product Specifications:
- Body Material: Mahogany
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Pickup Configuration: Internal Martin pickup.
Pros & Cons:
- Rich mahogany tonewood.
- Loud, clear sound.
- Includes pickup for amplification and recording.
- Heavier than most acoustic guitars.
Verdict:
The DX1E is an excellent Martin guitar. It has a deep and robust sound that lends itself well to rhythm playing and acoustic singer-songwriters. The inclusion of a pickup puts it at an advantage over other guitars and expands your creative range.
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3. Martin Guitar DJr-10E Dreadnought Junior
The Martin Guitar DJR-10E Dreadnought Junior is the younger musicians, buskers, and practice sessions.
The Martin Guitar DJR-10E Dreadnought Junior has been designed with beginners in mind and features many features that will help develop a new musician’s skills. It features a light body, and a wide fretboard makes it easy to play in the higher frets
The Martin Guitar DJr-10E Dreadnought Junior is the perfect choice for beginners. The dreadnought body shape keeps the upper bout and lower bouts of the guitar the same size, which makes it easier to hold on to and play.
The guitar also features a lightweight, Sitka spruce top that provides bright and even sound.
It comes with the classic Martin “X” bracing pattern and an oval soundhole. This improves the resonance and sustains of the guitar. The solid wood construction and high-pressure laminate give this more durability. The dreadnought body style also helps to increase strength and projection.
Product Specifications:
- Body Material: Spruce and mahogany
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Pickup Configuration: none.
Pros & Cons:
- Smaller size ideal for young players and small hands.
- Comfortable fretboard.
- Loud sound for the size.
Verdict:
Overall, this Martin junior Dreadnought is one of the best Martin guitars under a grand. These affordable instruments boast a high level of workmanship that will impress any guitar player.
They are marketed as junior guitars but are more than suitable for adults. It is small, which makes it transportable but it also has a loud clear sound which is surprising given how compact it is.
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4. Martin Road Series D-10E
The D-10E is part of the Martin Guitar Road Series. With its familiar design, this guitar is good for beginners or as an ideal first guitar.
Martin D-10E acoustic guitars are a perfect match for beginner players and will project their sound to any size room. This guitar uses quality tonewood for the whole construction. Including a rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays.
The Martin D-10E acoustic is a perfect match for beginner players and will project their sound to any size room.
The D-10E features a mahogany body that is rich in color and tone.
It creates a more traditional style of sound than the D-28, with more midrange and less treble.
The E series includes a basic pickup so you can plug the guitar into electronics. This makes it useful for gigs and open mics where amplification is needed.
Product Specifications:
- Body Material: Mahogany
- Fretboard: rosewood
- Pickup Configuration: internal
Pros & Cons:
- Deep, warm tone.
- Attractive mahogany finish.
- Loud and clear.
Verdict:
The D-10E is a high-quality, professional-grade instrument that will last for many years. This guitar is exceptionally well made and has a beautiful tone. This guitar comes at a reasonable price point and competes with guitars in a much higher price range. It’s recommended for anyone from beginners to seasoned professionals.
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5. Martin X Series OMC-X1E
The Martin Guitar X Series OMC-X1E is one the most versatile acoustic guitars on the Martin lineup, and will be your go-to for everything from fingerstyle to strumming styles.
This guitar is perfect for beginners and professionals alike with its sleek design, versatile sound, and high-quality components.
The X-Series guitars are designed to meet the needs of today’s players and are equipped to handle all styles of music. The OMC-X1E features a solid Sitka spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and a matching rosette and bridge.
The guitar also includes a cutaway which makes it easier to reach upper frets, making it ideal for lead guitar players and soloists.
The Martin Guitar X Series OMC-X1E Acoustic-Electric comes in quite a different style to most of their guitars, favoring a dark black finish rather than the typical natural look. Although it retains the high quality that Martin is known for.
The E version of this guitar includes a Martin pickup for plugging into Amps, PAs, and recording gear. This makes it even more capable for the professional lifestyle.
The OMC-X1E was introduced in 2015 and has remained a popular guitar for heavier styles of acoustic music.
Product Specifications:
- Body Material: spruce laminate
- Fretboard: rosewood
- Pickup Configuration: Martin acoustic pickup
Pros & Cons:
- Hard, dark appearance.
- Cutaway for fretboard access.
- Includes pickup for electronics.
- Comfortable and easy to play.
Verdict:
This sleek, mysterious guitar is another killer instrument from Martin. It has a powerful, robust tone that fills the space you play it in. The quality is obviously high, you wouldn’t expect anything else from this brand after all!.
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6. Martin Guitar X Series D-X2E Acoustic-Electric
The Martin D-X2E is a rare find these days. The D-X2E is an acoustic-electric guitar with a spruce top and mahogany back and sides. This type of construction gives the D-X2E a full, wide tone that is unmatched by other guitars.
The Martin D-28 is a great choice for any player looking for an affordable, high-quality instrument. The Martin D-28 dreadnought is designed for players who need a comfortable instrument that doesn’t compromise on tone or volume.
It also has a Martin Dreadnought body shape that adds fullness and volume to the sound. The D-28 also features scalloped bracing with a “D” shaped neck to maximize left-hand comfort.
Product Specifications:
- Body Material: Spruce and mahogany
- Fretboard: rosewood
- Pickup Configuration: Optional internal
Pros & Cons:
- Loud, full Dreadnought tone.
- Excellent resonance and sustain.
- A relatively dark tone, with the perfect amount of brightness.
Verdict:
The D-28 is a great guitar. It has an impressive Dreadnought tone that really fills out the band. It’s good enough to use in large performances and has the dynamic range to work in any situation.
This guitar is available in either a standard acoustic format or as an electrical acoustic version with a built-in pickup.
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FAQ’s
Which Martin acoustic guitar is easiest?
There are a few things you should consider before making your purchase decision: brand, type of woods used, price point, and more importantly – your skill level.
There are many martin guitars that you can choose from. But I think the easiest to play would be the Little Martin. This is a simple guitar with a great sound and all the features you need.
The D-18E is used by many new players because it has a great sound with a lot of bass and warmth. It also has a bright neck, making it easy to play chords on. The D-18E has a reasonable price tag and is easy to play.
Are Martin guitars a good investment?
Martin guitars have been around for over 150 years and have a rich history. They have also been producing other musical instruments, such as violins and violas, since the 1800s.
Martin is one of the best guitar brands in the world, but it is not easy to know whether or not it’s a good investment to buy one of their guitars.
Some suggest that you should wait until you find an offer that fits your budget before buying one of these instruments. Other people argue that Martin offers great products at great prices and there is no reason you shouldn’t buy them right now.
Martin guitars are considered to be the best for a reason. However, you should be cautious about buying them and make sure that you’ve got the money to invest in them.
One of the most important factors that you should consider is how much it costs to maintain a Martin guitar. It is one of the most expensive instruments out there and it will require more investments like strings, repairs, cases, and other accessories.
Martin guitars are considered good investments because they have been around for so long and they produce high-quality instruments that last a lifetime. They also have some really rare models on their list which can fetch a higher price when they come up for sale.
Are Martin Acoustic Guitars overrated?
I personally think Martin guitars aren’t overrated. They have a lot of great features and a level of quality that other instruments don’t come close to.
Martin guitars are known to be super high quality and regarded as some of the best guitars around. You will find these in many professional recording studio situations.
Martin Guitar History:
Martin Guitars is a very famous brand, known for its high quality and affordable price. It was founded in 1833 by a German immigrant to America called Christian Frederick Martin. He began making guitars in his New York workshop with the help of his father and sister.
Initially, they made violins, violas, and cellos, but eventually decided to focus on making guitars due to the increase in demand for them due to the increased popularity of music.
The prices for these instruments were not only accessible but highly affordable as well.
Martin guitars are often considered the best for their craftsmanship and sound. However, as technology has come a long way in recent years, some guitar players and experts are questioning if Martin guitars deserve their high price.
The price of Martin guitars varies depending on their model as well as the materials used in it. There are several models available at different price ranges of $1000 to $10,000+, with some being much more expensive than others.
Some say that Martin guitars are overrated because they only produce a few models while there are many other cheaper guitars with a similar level of quality.
Conclusion
Overall, I thought the best Martin guitar under $1000 was the LX1 Little Martin.
You really can’t go wrong with this instrument. The solid Sitka spruce top creates a fantastic bright, articulated tone that suits many styles of music.
This guitar honestly produces a great tone for its size, you may think it would be quiet but it’s actually surprisingly loud. This guitar sounds like one with a much larger size.
Check out the LX1 Little Martin today!
Didn’t find the instrument of your dreams? For more of the best Martin guitars, check out our post on the best Martin guitars under $2000.
Noah is an accomplished audio engineer with several years of experience producing music for major companies and independent artists. He enjoys sharing his vast knowledge of audio engineering topics to help musicians and music producers create great music.