any opinions on the martin d-15??

Bluewolf · April 2nd, 2004, 12:27 PM

I played a D-15 in a musicstore a few days ago. I really liked it and the price wasnt bad either. Now some of you folks must play a D-15, do you like it? How would it take a fishman Rare Earth Humbucker soundhole
pickup? Do you like the warm sound and do you like the playability? Would appreciate any thoughts you have
on the D-15 My other accoustic is a Tacoma EM9 mini jumbo which i like alot, but i also want something more a little traditional with a warmer sound for blues.
a penny for your thoughts folks

Bob Mc · April 2nd, 2004, 03:09 PM

If I remember they are around $500 used. I just finished up shopping for a good acoustic (settled on a nice Martin D2R). and played everything I could. I really dig the all mahogony body. For a brief time I owned a 1933 0-17; fantastic finger pickering guitar in the hands of a fool (me).
If your Tacoma covers you flatpicking chores, I doubt you could go wrong with that D15.

Bluewolf · April 2nd, 2004, 05:59 PM

I use the Tacoma for flatpicking and i will use the Martin for the same, just maybe different tunings. I love the warm sound an all mahogany guitar has. Its weird, My Tacoma is called a good fingerstyle guitar because its a mini jumbo and has a 16 inch radius neck. I find it fine for flatpicking. What makes a fingerstyle guitar? I know classicals are fingerpicking guitars with the real wide necks. But a lot of guitar makers say grand aduitoriums
and grand concerts are fingerstyle guitars and dreadnaughts are for flat picking. I think whatever works for you, what do you think?

DW Kleine · April 2nd, 2004, 06:59 PM

I also have a Martin D-15 and a Tacoma DM-9. I picked up the Tacoma recently because Guitar Center was blowing them out at an unreal price and I wanted a different acoustic tone for recording.

I luv my D-15, playablity, and sweet mellow tone. I have an electric version and use it for gigging. It came with a Fishman pickup which I replaced with a K&K Pure Western. Much better natural sounding tone and less feedback problems. I've tried the Rare Earth pickups before and to me they do not sound anything like an acoustic guitar. Check out K&K pickups. They're easy to install and sound great.

Other pickups worth checking out would be a Schatten Dualie and the new Baggs M1.

The D-15 is a definite keeper.

DW

RTod · April 2nd, 2004, 10:07 PM

I'd love to get one of the 15 series. Play nice sound nice, great neck. I went with Larrivee, I felt it did everything the D-15 did plus some. But, non of us want to settle on just one guitar....

Colo Springs E · April 3rd, 2004, 12:59 AM

........I have opinions on it--all GOOD!!

The D-15 is a very underrated acoustic in my opinion.

Looks cool. Plays well, sounds great, and that Martin SMELL!!

Seriously, a really nice all-solid-woods (I believe?) acoustic.

-Eric

Bluewolf · April 3rd, 2004, 01:55 AM

Yes, i know the rare earth doesnt sound all that natural, but, I LIKE the sound that it does give. Its quiet, well balanced string to string, Doesnt have the piezo quack, and doesnt sound compressed when u push it hard. Also, i can run my accoustic through my fender tube amp and it sounds good because its a magnetic pickup. Its also highly resistant to feedback and if I turn down the treble on my amp and puch up the midrange, and add just a little bit of distortion, my accoustic soundslike an archtop, for jazzy sounding stuff.
I have heard the K and Kpickups are nice and who knows, i might try one one day. For playing blues and jazz, i will stick with the rare earth humbucking pick up.

Yeah, i know i'm crazy, but then you and I are stuck with it.!!!!

RTod · April 3rd, 2004, 01:58 AM

I treid one of those. The Humbucker...then I bought a Neodyum Rare Earth non active. I like both of them, particularly the rare earth active humbucker. No they are not 100 % natural but still have quite a pleasant sound. Guess the only way to truly get a natural amplified sound is to mic it!

Bluewolf · April 3rd, 2004, 08:34 PM

I went into the store and ABed my tacoma em9
mini jumbo with the martin D15. Turns out i like my Tacoma better. The martin had a better low end, but the tacoma had betterarticulation, easier to play and i dont have to deal with big dreadnaught body. So....I am thinking about getting another tacomaMini jumbo. One with a cedar top and rosewood back and sides and a cutaway. My em9 is sita spruce top with mahogany back and sides and not a cutaway. In my humble opinon, I think tacomas off the most bang for the buck. My opinon is worth what u paid for it.

April 2nd, 2004, 12:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
Bluewolf TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 97	any opinions on the martin d-15?? I played a D-15 in a musicstore a few days ago. I really liked it and the price wasnt bad either. Now some of you folks must play a D-15, do you like it? How would it take a fishman Rare Earth Humbucker soundhole pickup? Do you like the warm sound and do you like the playability? Would appreciate any thoughts you have on the D-15 My other accoustic is a Tacoma EM9 mini jumbo which i like alot, but i also want something more a little traditional with a warmer sound for blues. a penny for your thoughts folks

April 2nd, 2004, 03:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
Bob Mc Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Mo'town NJ Posts: 1,618	Played two; liked them both If I remember they are around $500 used. I just finished up shopping for a good acoustic (settled on a nice Martin D2R). and played everything I could. I really dig the all mahogony body. For a brief time I owned a 1933 0-17; fantastic finger pickering guitar in the hands of a fool (me). If your Tacoma covers you flatpicking chores, I doubt you could go wrong with that D15. __________________ All of us contain Music & Truth, but most of us can't get it out. Mark Twain

April 2nd, 2004, 05:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
Bluewolf TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 97	actually, i am basically a flatpicker...... I use the Tacoma for flatpicking and i will use the Martin for the same, just maybe different tunings. I love the warm sound an all mahogany guitar has. Its weird, My Tacoma is called a good fingerstyle guitar because its a mini jumbo and has a 16 inch radius neck. I find it fine for flatpicking. What makes a fingerstyle guitar? I know classicals are fingerpicking guitars with the real wide necks. But a lot of guitar makers say grand aduitoriums and grand concerts are fingerstyle guitars and dreadnaughts are for flat picking. I think whatever works for you, what do you think?

April 2nd, 2004, 10:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
RTod Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 177	Love 'em I'd love to get one of the 15 series. Play nice sound nice, great neck. I went with Larrivee, I felt it did everything the D-15 did plus some. But, non of us want to settle on just one guitar....

April 3rd, 2004, 12:59 AM	#6 (permalink)
Colo Springs E Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 5,203 5 Photos	Yes.... ........I have opinions on it--all GOOD!! The D-15 is a very underrated acoustic in my opinion. Looks cool. Plays well, sounds great, and that Martin SMELL!! Seriously, a really nice all-solid-woods (I believe?) acoustic. -Eric __________________ Think I'll pack it in and Buy a pickup Take it down to LA...

April 2nd, 2004, 06:59 PM	#4 (permalink)
DW Kleine TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: San Luis Obispo Posts: 24	I also have a Martin D-15 and a Tacoma DM-9. I picked up the Tacoma recently because Guitar Center was blowing them out at an unreal price and I wanted a different acoustic tone for recording. I luv my D-15, playablity, and sweet mellow tone. I have an electric version and use it for gigging. It came with a Fishman pickup which I replaced with a K&K Pure Western. Much better natural sounding tone and less feedback problems. I've tried the Rare Earth pickups before and to me they do not sound anything like an acoustic guitar. Check out K&K pickups. They're easy to install and sound great. Other pickups worth checking out would be a Schatten Dualie and the new Baggs M1. The D-15 is a definite keeper. DW

April 3rd, 2004, 01:55 AM	#7 (permalink)
Bluewolf TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 97	fishman rare earth on d-15 martin..... Yes, i know the rare earth doesnt sound all that natural, but, I LIKE the sound that it does give. Its quiet, well balanced string to string, Doesnt have the piezo quack, and doesnt sound compressed when u push it hard. Also, i can run my accoustic through my fender tube amp and it sounds good because its a magnetic pickup. Its also highly resistant to feedback and if I turn down the treble on my amp and puch up the midrange, and add just a little bit of distortion, my accoustic soundslike an archtop, for jazzy sounding stuff. I have heard the K and Kpickups are nice and who knows, i might try one one day. For playing blues and jazz, i will stick with the rare earth humbucking pick up. Yeah, i know i'm crazy, but then you and I are stuck with it.!!!!

April 3rd, 2004, 01:58 AM	#8 (permalink)
RTod Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 177	Rare Earth I treid one of those. The Humbucker...then I bought a Neodyum Rare Earth non active. I like both of them, particularly the rare earth active humbucker. No they are not 100 % natural but still have quite a pleasant sound. Guess the only way to truly get a natural amplified sound is to mic it!

April 3rd, 2004, 08:34 PM	#9 (permalink)
Bluewolf TDPRI Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 97	didnt buy the d-15 afterall!!!! I went into the store and ABed my tacoma em9 mini jumbo with the martin D15. Turns out i like my Tacoma better. The martin had a better low end, but the tacoma had betterarticulation, easier to play and i dont have to deal with big dreadnaught body. So....I am thinking about getting another tacomaMini jumbo. One with a cedar top and rosewood back and sides and a cutaway. My em9 is sita spruce top with mahogany back and sides and not a cutaway. In my humble opinon, I think tacomas off the most bang for the buck. My opinon is worth what u paid for it.