New Martin D-15E (as Compared to D15M) - Mexico vs USA
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ส.ค. 2024
- Mexico-made vs US-made: the new D-15E (made in Mexico) is an awesome new guitar, but how does it compare to the guitar we all know and love from the US factory (D15M)???
If you’ve had your eye on a Martin 15 Series guitar, the D-15E is going to knock your socks off. This 14-fret Dreadnought is crafted with sapele back and sides and a mahogany top with non-scalloped bracing, so you’re going to hear bright, airy trebles and a punchy midrange. The Dreadnought body provides plenty of volume so this baby can handle whatever music scenario you can dream up. To top it off, this model comes equipped with Martin E1 electronics and a softshell case to make it super easy to take with you on all your adventures.
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GUITAR SPECS:
Back & Side Wood: Sapele
Body Size: Dreadnought
Top Wood: Mahogany
Nut Width: 1 3/4"
Neck Shape: Performing Artist
Bracing Pattern: Standard "X" Non-Scalloped
Scale Length: 25.4"
String Spacing at Saddle: 2 5/32"
Pickup: Martin E1
Tuners: Nickel Open Gear
Case: Martin Softshell
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Spoon Phillips & I discussed this model a couple of episodes ago. He has no issue with this being called a 15, but I personally feel it's inviting confusion, calling this MIM Martin a "15". YMMV
I agree with you Maury… they could’ve easily called it a Road Series DM-14E and no one would bat an eye. But there have always been inconsistencies with the nomenclature in the 15 Series, so why stop now! 🤣
my guess is that they did it for commercial reasons - associate it so closely with the famous D15, that people would buy it in droves as a more budget-friendly alternative. Everything Martin does is meticulously considered
I don't understand why C.F. Martin needed to put the 15 in the model name for a guitar built in Mexico. The only explanation is they are testing the waters here to see how valuable the model labeling is, because the specs are different enough that they could have kept the D15E labeled "DRS" ("Road Series") yet they are NOT labeling it as that, instead intentionally keeping this Made in Mexico model as part of the 15 series, which is where the USA built line has begun historically. Will take the time to praise Gibson. Love or hate Gibson, they are the only big builder at this point not putting the historic brand name on import product. Buy an acoustic or electric guitar that has the Gibson logo on the headstock and you know it was built in the United States. I own many import guitars. I own many USA built guitars. I'm not biased, but what I like from manufactures is transparency and not manipulation. Builders want to blur the line on country of origin so they can maximize profits with foreign labor, of course consumers may get nominal discounts at retail, but most of that difference enables the builder to make more money.
Couldnt agree more. If its a 15 series then it should be USA made and be all mshogany. This review should have made that clear.
I also agree. I don’t think it’s a smart move. There’s a place for both guitars and there’s no need to cause any confusion. And we won’t be fooled, because we know how these things work. But I’ve seen grown ups who were disappointed when they were told that their X1 Martins couldn’t really be compared with a 000-18 or a D-28.
Now they know, because I told them what to look for and I explained how you could easily tell the differences. And now I have to teach them all over again.
It won’t keep me awake at night, but I just don’t think it’s a clever thing to do. This way Martin tries to upgrade their MIM series by downgrading their American made guitars. It won’t affect the quality of the guitars, but it most certainly will affect the perception of their potential clientele.
What happened to the Swedish D-28’s?
I agree with you 100%. I’ve owned a D15, ( 25 year old guitar). It was amazing and kicking myself for letting it go. I’ve owned the DRS1. Their Mexican imports are very good but it’s NOT a D15 and putting the D15 name on this is wrong in so many ways.
Gibson has import versions of their guitars. They just market them as Epiphone. As for Martin, they're transparent as to what the materials are and where they're made so I don't really see an issue.
@@gregweber3387 : The only issue is the name. You and I know all of this stuff. I know a number of brilliant musicians who know absolutely nothing about the transparency of the Martin brand. And these are the guys who go for the good stuff. But the younger kids who always wanted a Martin will be tempted to buy the D-15E, because they won’t necessarily know that these aren’t D-15M’s.
Well…, they will find out eventually.
There’s nothing wrong with the cheaper Mexican made Martins, but stay clear by naming them differently.
The Made in Mexico D-15E has an "Indian Plantation Mahogany" top with "Katalox" bridge and fingerboard. Thank you.
The more I hear the 15-E the more the sound grows on me. I have an all Mahogany Alvarez AD66SHB that has a great sound
I bought one SE-10E 6 months ago and absolutely 💕 LOVE it!!!
Picked one up today and couldn’t be happier. Neck needed a little oil but fit and finish at the 1200 dollar price point is the new normal I think. Carmel is a good tone description. The D-10e had the usual muddy mid tone (I don’t usually like Martin’s) but the D-15e was an instant yes for the studio weapon rack.
If i ever had a custom baritone made, i would 100% make it an all sapele guitar. Tuning my drs1 down a whole step and it sounds so rich.
Funny you mention it. I’m always looking for relatively cheap guitars like this to downtune it with heavier strings on it. It usually sounds pretty good in C standard tuning.
Thanks for saying this. I almost primarily use open tunings BUT just didn’t like the sound of the new MIM Martin D15 Sapelle. I assumed it was the wood…. Interesting.
I have an all-sapele guitar and it's a bass machine.
@@LegsON That’s great to hear. Thank you!
I am disappointed that Martin put the D15 designation on this guitar. D15’s are one of the best guitars in their class. I feel like them marketing this with the D15 in the name cheapens the history of the D15 and I don’t like Martin’s marketing ploy. And I’m a big Martin fan, own several but don’t like some of their gimmicks.
Thank you for your video.
Totally agree.
Second that. I'm real tired of Chris - C.F. IV. His ploy to move production down to mexico was a mistake and solely numbers driven. Sigma guitars from Japan are garbage too.
Such an iconic family brand that has shaped music history and survived the great depression - should be holding onto their legacy, not changing it.
I’m happy to see a 15 series with a 1 3/4 nut width however I wish it was on the traditional 15 model. My suspicion is that 15 series will be moved down to the Mexican plant in a matter of time.
Perhaps you are right
If it's not broke don't fix it! The 15 series is too popular to mess about with.. I've both the mim road series sepelle and a 15 series and there's no competition..
@@krismcreynolds984 I hadn’t thought about it in terms of how popular the guitar was. That’s a good point! I love my D-15m but I thought with the standard series getting reimagined with the 1 3/4 nut the same treatment would eventually make its way down to the 15 series
@@lhvent I hope not, but with the way guitar prices have been lately I imagine that moving the 15 series to Mexico will allow Martin to build the same guitar without it going up drastically . I mean hard cases have already been replaced with gig bags for that reason
I'd like to see a 15M with the 1 3/4" nut width, but still made in Nazareth. I bought a D15M after I already had a D28 and a Gibson Songwriter. The D15M sounds beautiful and it looks beautiful with its own simple features. I have never liked sapelle and I have played many makes and models made from it.
I think you really liked the 15E! You broke out the fancy fingers! Nice!
Glad I bought the 15M in 2021.
I ordered a Martin Special GPC-10E Streetmaster acoustic electric guitar from you and want to know: is this guitar top, back and body all solid wood or is it laminate? Thanks, Classic Mike
For the fretboard it's Katalox and not Rosewood like its big sister. Same for the easel. Katalox is a Central American wood. The table is plantation Mahogany. Mahogany Top of course
"Warm"..."Carmel"...I owned a D15M, I called it 'Muddy' (spruce tops only)
The neck of the 15E seems a little thicker than the 15M, not quite the low-oval profile, a little more chonky.
Once the new model is broken in, the sound will open up
That d-15M sounds like a monster by comparison… in a good way.
Sapele wood tone is cool too y btw with spruce top;
I had a dreadnaught size all mahogany guitar y an om size(‘hog’ as well )
Sorry but too expensive. There are just as well built, better sounding with solid rosewood back and sides for less than that one. Plus those have NO BINDING at all cheaply made.
name the rosewood guitars that u like better
Yamaha ac3r
I personally prefer no binding.
You dont want binding on a new Martin. It"s only going to peel off in a year or so.
No good sound comparison?
Why can’t you get the 15m electric?
make in USA keep American workers, working.
Figured Mahagony/Sapele always looks so cheap, because all the classic guitars are made with normal Mahagony
D-15E made in mx, nut is 1 3/4 D-15M made in USA nut 1 11/16
Hello Chris Martin make USA Martin with 1 3/4 nut maybe I will buy it.
Its a shame the 15 was put on a Mexico made guitar, as well as those incredible tops wasted on subpar quality builds. Martin fanatic here, and I've heard the quality go down consistently with each passing year do to their QC down there. They arent doing the name or the wood justice.
Nazareth made, true CF Martins - dont buzz, even when they -need- maintenence they sound better than any other guitar ive ever played.
If this new _DRS1_ was made here I'd buy it. That top is of the most gorgeous grain ive ever saw. So disappointing.
Mexico factory needs to tighten their standards. Its just a job to them, not a passionate heritage career like so many view it here.
You can feel the care and attention put into US made ones, and the lack thereof with MX
They don't even compare unplugged. The new martin ain't but a mere skidmark on the underpants of the old ones
Should have made it in the US with Mahogany not Sapele.
i wish he had someone else playing
I personally think the top is ugly.
Shocking. Another video where they haven't done their homework and don't know the tone woods. Really guys?