Well, as you may have picked up in one of my comments, I just bought a new guitar!
Watch the video to hear how it sounds! (And trust me – our camcorder mic does not give the guitar justice…)
This purchase has been in the works for a looong time. For the past few years I’ve grabbed every opportunity I could to play other guitars, and by last month, I knew almost exactly what I wanted.
It had to be a dreadnought, have a cutaway, and have a built-in preamp. In addition it couldn’t be “glitzy”, had to play well, and sound extraordinary!
My budget: up to $800. (But my cheap self preferred something in the $300-$500 range).
To make a long story short, the Martin DCX1KE impressed me the most out of all the other guitars in that price range. It has a wonderful tone, especially to the player – every single string not only rings out crisp and clear, but reverberates inside the body for an amazing (bassy?) feel. If this is a hallmark of all Martin guitars, you can call me a fan!
The playability and action “out of the box” was perfect for me, and the factory strings, although no longer quite as jangly crisp as they were a few weeks ago, are mellowing out beautifully.
The bass and treble response are both awesome – clear and loud without messing up the mix. I’ll allow that the mid range on this guitar is more prominent (but not dominant) than most others on the market, and it takes some time getting used to. But I love it now!
And the look? Well, you can’t beat it. Matte, hand rubbed finish throughout – not a spec of shiny lacquer. The wood grain in the neck is beautiful, and feels almost like it’s just been sanded at the woodshop. That’s how I like it!
An added bonus is the smell. It’s been 3 weeks since I ordered the guitar online, and the spruce top still emits a wonderful woodsy aroma.
Now for the bad news. The price. It was still well within my budget, but I had secretly been hoping to find a dream guitar for something cheaper… 
Price: $699.00
In the end, you usually get what you pay for. I didn’t pay for the $8,000 Martin guitar that I played at one of the music shops that I visited. But neither did I skimp, and go with a “halfway decent” $300 – $400 Fender or Takamine.
I’m very glad that God led me to this perfect balance, and pray that I may use this guitar for His glory in the days, months, and years to come.
