Martin LX1E is an acoustic-electric guitar and it is gaining popularity. I'm here to weigh the pros and cons and share my experience after using it for 2 weeks.
SUMMARY
The Martin LX1E is an amazing guitar in general, and a PERFECT choice for people that like to travel but hate leaving their guitar at home.
Martin LX1E may be nice to have if sound is important to you, but you don't want to go for a big guitar and want something portable.
Want to know a secret? I love small guitars. It's not that I don't like to play the normal sized ones, but small guitars just feel special. They make you stand out from the crowd and make people intrigued.
And if you're anything like me and love to travel, the LX1E model could be perfect for you. Take it to the beach on a sunny day and have a wonderful jam session, or bring it to an airport when you travel.
While other small guitars tend to produce bright and thin sounds, the Martin LX1E (known as Little Martin) projects the classic Martin sound. You'll love it when you hear it!
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Pros
Comes with a pre-amp
Portability
Durable laminate
Amazing sound considering how small the guitar is
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Cons
Might be too small for some people
7 Things I Love About It
- Portable (it's a perfect travel buddy)
- Good sound
- Simple design
- Good playability
- Has a pre-amp
- Durable
- Perfect for practicing
If you would like to buy the guitar, make sure to buy it through my affiliate link (no extra charges for you) and buy me a coffee? 🙂
Sound
We've all been there. Buying a guitar online and patiently waiting for it to arrive, only to unwrap it and find out the sound isn't what you wanted it to be.
You start to worry and realize you've been lied to..maybe online reviews only provide false information? I know the feeling.
Here's the deal: the LX1E sounds really good, but it isn't one of the best-sounding Martins out there. You won't get that dreadnought sound impact because of its size.
This model, however, manages to sound really good despite its small size, and it has a special vibe to it, a vibe no other guitar can match.
The Fishman Isys T with a pre-amp combo system on this guitar features built-in tone shaping, volume control, and phase controls, giving you a whole new level of sound customization .
Look: the Martin LX1E might lack a punch of dreadnought and bass, but it possesses an exceedingly useful palette of sounds loud enough, especially if you play it through a pre-amp! It's THE guitar to buy if you're not just looking for a normal one, but something special instead.
Size
Can I be totally honest with you? This guitar is small, but it isn't the smallest guitar on the market. Because of its size, it is a great option for people who like to travel, young players and those with weak hands.
The hassle of having to carry a full-sized guitar through busy airports and crowded tour buses can force you to leave your most prized possession behind when you travel. And this is why small-profile instruments like travel guitars are gaining popularity.
Who Is It Suitable For?
Good news: the Martin LX1E is suitable for a whole range of players. Its small size means it is most suitable for individuals with smaller hands and small stature, and adventurous people in general!
Players with a more significant stature shouldn't worry though, as they can quickly adjust. LX1E is a good choice for beginners too, because it doesn't require much stretching. And it's also a great fit for experienced players who like to travel. That's right!
But you know what else? There are different editions of this guitar - the most popular being the Ed Sheeran edition and the classic Signature edition.
Material & Build Quality
For its top, Martin used solid Sitka spruce, like they do in most of their guitars (this feature looks nice on electric guitars too). Thanks to this material, guitars can sound bright and more dynamic.
On back and sides, we can find Koa pattern - HPL, which stands for high pressure laminate. That's a standard in this price range and we have nothing more to expect. It looks beautiful because of this material.
Saddle is made out of TUSQ, which is standard in most guitars in this price range, or even in the high-end ones. That's a synthetic material, but far from cheap plastic.
Nut, on the other hand, is built out of Black Corian and the bridge out of Black Richlite.
The neck or the Stratabond is laminated with 35 strips of layered wood glued together. The material may be human-made, but the bridge and fingerboard resemble dense ebony evoking a classy feel and look.
Verdict
To sum up: if you need a guitar that has the best of both worlds (small size and amazing sound), Martin LX1e is the right choice. So if you like this guitar, go ahead; click the button below and purchase it on Amazon. It just might be the best decision you've ever made!
Features & Specifications
- Stratabond low oval-neck
- Highly pressured mahogany laminate at the top, back and sides.
- 23. scale length Richlite fretboard
- 20 frets in total
- Belly bridge style
- Hand rubbed finish.
- Onboard electronics, Fishman Isys for plug-in-and-play flexibility
- Richlite fingerboard material
- Mortise neck joint
- Inlaid Bolter on rosette without red fiber
Martin's History
- The Martin's are renowned worldwide for manufacturing the finest musical instruments with an experience spanning over 180 years.
- All their guitars are created by highly skilled craftspersons, who blend cutting-edge innovation with the ideologies of Christian Frederick Martin - the company founder.
- Their acoustic guitars have been used by various reputable musicians of our generation on stage and in the studio, and they all appreciate the gold standards and playability maintained over the years. Notable players include John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney, Kurt Cobain, Mumford and Sons, John Mayer, and Ed Sheeran.
- Not all travel guitars perform as expected, but the best-selling Martin LX1E easily stands out from the crowd. Popularly referred to as Little Martins, the LX series represents the company's smallest size guitars.
- The LX1 is Martin's line flagship instruments which ships in 4 variants: Acoustic-Electric (LX1E), LXM, LX1 and the Ed Sheeran signature variant.
- Martin has put in the full effort to this small but mighty guitar to offer you the best value for your money.
Great review, always wondered if LX1E is worth buying!
I own 3 guitars and this is my favorite one! It’s super fun & easy to learn on because of it’s low action, Martin did a really nice job there.
Finally a great Martin Lx1e review, thanks!