MusicRadar Verdict
It’s tough to find serious fault with the D-X2E. Although a bit more personality wouldn’t go amiss, it's comfy to play, built to last and sounds suitably massive. While it might not be the vintage D-28 of your dreams, this is a Martin you can be proud of.
Pros
- +
Powerful dreadnought sound and Martin heritage.
- +
Super comfortable neck.
- +
Sounds great plugged in.
Cons
- -
Overall aesthetic still lacks some personality.
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What is it?
Back once more with a reboot of their popular X Series, Martin continues to bring iconic acoustic guitar designs at accessible price points.
Its dreadnought body shape has been around since 1916, when it was introduced to help guitarists compete with louder instruments in the band. Big and booming, it remains the number one choice for everyone from Neil Young to Jason Isbell to Billy Strings.
But, owning a guitar exactly like the ones these guys have (though an X2E Strings signature model was unveiled at NAMM), is beyond the means of most of us.
Cue the D-X2E. Featuring solid wood elements (top, neck, bridge and fingerboard) and High Pressure Laminate (HPL) back and sides, it promises the classic dreadnought look and sound at a fraction of the price.
While the mere mention of HPL will have purists recoiling in horror, Martin has a solid track record of building good guitars with this stuff, and it champions HPL's ecological credentials and “rugged, take-it-anywhere” durability.
Recently, it has also been working hard to make it look more like “real wood”.
For this iteration of the D-X2E, Martin is offering three “photo finish” tonewood patterns for back and sides: mahogany, Brazilian rosewood, and ziricote burst.
At the risk of stating the obvious, these are purely aesthetic choices and don’t impart any of the tonal qualities associated with these rare and desirable woods.
Our test example has the Brazilian rosewood pattern and a natural spruce top.
It certainly looks pretty convincing, but how does it sound?
Specs
- Price: $699 / £699 / €879
- Made: Made in Mexico
- Body shape: Dreadnought
- Body top: Solid spruce
- Top bracing: Scalloped X-Bracing
- Back & sides: High Pressure Laminate (HPL)
- Neck/shape: Select Hardwood, Martin Performing Artist neck profile with High-Performance Taper (1 3/4" at the nut and 2 1/8" at the 12th fret)
- Scale/length: 25.4" (645mm)
- Nut/width: White corian, 1 3/4'' (44.5mm)
- Fingerboard: Select Hardwood
- Body depth: 4 3/4” (123mm)
- Finish: Natural spruce top with mahogany or Brazilian rosewood effect HPL back and sides or sunburst spruce top with ziricote effect HPL back and sides. All variations have a satin finish.
- Bridge/pins: Select hardwood bridge with white plastic bridge pins.
- Tuning Machines: Satin chrome closed gear
- Electronics: Martin E1 pickup and preamp system with a built-in chromatic tuner and volume, tone, and phase controls
- Weight: 4.6lbs / 2.1kg
- Case: Includes Martin soft-shell case
- Left-handed options: Available
- Contact: Martin Guitar
Build quality
Build quality rating: ★★★★½
If anyone knows anything about building great quality guitars, it’s Martin. So, even in its lower budget ranges, you’re going to expect exceptional craftsmanship.
Rather than Nazareth, PA, the D-X2E comes from Martin’s Navojoa factory in Mexico, which has been producing guitars for over 30 years now.
With perfectly smooth edges, tidy joints and no visual imperfections to be seen, first impressions are very pleasing.
In keeping with Martin tradition, the top has scalloped X-bracing, and you’re getting a nice slab of solid spruce here. Conversely, the HPL back and sides do have an artificial feel, but that’s to be expected and there’s no doubt they’ve been produced with market leading knowhow.
Aesthetically, efforts have clearly been concentrated on the Brazilian rosewood patterning. Elsewhere, this is a bit of a plain Jane
Aesthetically, efforts have clearly been concentrated on the Brazilian rosewood patterning. Elsewhere, this is a bit of a plain Jane.
While the spruce top has a lovely grain pattern, the hand-rubbed satin finish does little to help the natural details pop. With a thin abalone pattern rosette, standard teardrop pickguard and no decorative binding or purfling, the overall effect is a little bare, but some will appreciate a more minimalist approach.
The soft satin theme continues into hardware, with satin chrome strap buttons and tuning machines – a look you don’t see on many Martin instruments. Operationally, I’ve felt smoother machine heads, but this is a very minor complaint.
Playability
Playability rating: ★★★★½
For a large guitar, you don’t have to wrestle to get comfortable with the D-X2E
“The X Series is made to play,” says Martin. Frankly, it’d be weird if it wasn’t. But it does feel like there have been some concerted efforts to make the experience easier and more enjoyable than ever, particularly for those in the early stages of their playing career.
For a large guitar, you don’t have to wrestle to get comfortable with the D-X2E. Its body design features rounded edges where the top and back meet the sides, meaning that you’re not going to get jabbed in the ribs, armpit or inside the elbow by any pointy corners when you sit down to strum – as can happen with other dreadnoughts.
The Performing Artist neck profile, High-Performance Taper, hand-rubbed finish and a very respectable factory set-up all combine to make for zippy travel around the neck. There’s ample spacing between the strings for fingerpicking and nailing clean chord changes. The spacing here is "refined" (read: increased) on this Remastered model.
Having volume and tone controls concealed within the soundhole is a familiar sight on X Series electro models so the E1 preamp doesn't visually interrupt the guitar's curves, but reaching inside the guitar to make adjustments may still take a bit of getting used to for some players.
The built-in chromatic guitar tuner, also concealed in the soundhole, is bright, responsive and intuitive as could be. It’ll even turn itself off after 90 seconds of inactivity – great news if you're prone to burning through 9V batteries like there’s no tomorrow.
Sounds
Sounds rating: ★★★★☆
Martin dreadnoughts are quite probably the most used acoustic guitars in the history of music, so you’re likely to have a good idea of what to expect from any instrument of theirs with a ‘D’ in the name.
From the first strike of a big open E chord, the D-X2E proudly measures up when it comes to volume and projection expectations. It has an impressive amount of resonance, too. Strummed hard and held, it feels as if a single chord might just keep ringing into tomorrow. You can thank the solid spruce top for that.
The overall tone is warm, booming and bassy. While it won’t be the most nuanced choice for delicate fingerpicking styles, you’ll have zero trouble being heard if you’re dishing out the cowboy chords with one of these things, even without amplification.
Plugged in – in this instance through a Marshall AS50D acoustic guitar amp – this guitar sounds like an amplified version of itself, which is a good thing and not always a given with budget or intermediate level electronics.
Significantly, the D-X2E now features Martin’s own E1 acoustic guitar pickup and preamp system. Past X Series guitars have been fitted with Fishman MX/Sonitone systems, which – although perfectly fine – are not renowned for being enormously inspiring. Fishman has also dominated the pickups at the affordable end of the electro-acoustic guitar market for quite some time, making the E1 a welcome point of difference,
Where the MX only had Volume and Tone controls, the E1 also features a Phase switch – a thoughtful addition for anyone who has ever found themselves battling to regain control over feedback in a tricky live situation.
Verdict
Overall, the D-X2E is an impressive instrument. Beyond the fancy HPL patterning, Martin has upped its game in areas that really matter – like playability, comfort and amplified sound.
The nagging question for some will be: Can you hear that the back and sides aren’t made of real wood? Well, yes and no. To be honest, the answer to this question will vary from person to person, depending on their experience and frame of reference.
In a straight shootout with a D-28, anyone with ears is likely to be able to pinpoint some key differences in complexity and character. But this is missing the point
Sure, in a straight shootout with a D-28, anyone with ears is likely to be able to pinpoint some key differences in complexity and character. But this is missing the point by some distance.
Does the D-X2E sound good? Yes. Will it get the job done? Absolutely.
It’s also worth noting that Martin makes an even more affordable X Series dread – the D-1XE – which has an HPL top as well as HPL back and sides. The D-X2E is going to feel more lively and responsive than this, so for only £/$100 more, I think it’s an investment worth making.
MusicRadar verdict: It’s tough to find serious fault with the D-X2E. Although a bit more personality wouldn’t go amiss, it's comfy to play, built to last and sounds suitably massive. While it might not be the vintage D-28 of your dreams, this is a Martin you can be proud of.
Test | Results | Score |
|---|---|---|
Build quality | The usual Martin reliable build standards, if you don't mind HPL's visual traits. | ★★★★½ |
Playability | The increased string spacing over the previous iteration is appreciated. | ★★★★½ |
Sounds | Excellent resonance and an impressive electro performance. | ★★★★☆ |
Overall | A strong dreadnought option if you're looking to step up without the serious outlay of Martin's solid wood models. | ★★★★½ |
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