Martin SC13e - the offset acoustic

goldtop

Came across this oddity in my sofa research for my next acoustic: https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/road-series/11SC13E-01.html

Offset waist and bolt-on, shim-able, slimline neck. Overall body volume is about the same as the Taylor GA.

Seems to be something of an experiment - there are only MIM versions with laminated back and sides only. There are no higher spec 16/18/28/etc models - maybe Martin is seeing how well the market accepts such a radical approach?

Has anyone tried one? It might be my imagination, but the YT reviews seem to be mostly "feint praise". 

guitarjack66

Looks a bit 'strange' to my eye. At those prices I am not the target audience though.

MSedg

Not a fan, though some must be - see the CS-SC-22 (the blinged out custom shop version for a mere 8-9k)…

goldtop

^ Oh, I missed that one. So at the moment, they do the MIM ones, and a very low volume run of super spendy US-made ones.

(From the time I've spent searching acoustic guitar forums, buyers do seem more conservative - maybe this is one example?)

Tannin

I think Paul Davids did a video about this model a year or two ago, but I couldn't find it in 5 minutes so I stopped looking. If this is the same one, Paul liked it. 

My own view: I haven't tried one, but $1600 USD for a laminated-back guitar? Who are they kidding. For that sort of money I can buy seriously good instruments from a range of other makers. 

DavidR

Haven't played one but when it came out in 2020, I thought it was a brave (and unusual) effort from the great Martin brand to explore the design of the acoustic a bit more. And maybe move it on a little. Or not.

Unlike other instruments like, say, the violin, the format of the guitar is not fixed. You can make one any size, from anything, in any shape. And, it has to be said in Martin's case, at any price! So, the fact that it was marketed in their mid-range should be another slap on the back for them. Although, does the fact that SC13e's have stayed in their mid-range mean they're not selling many? Not according to this review from April 2022. A guitar that "doen't fight back" according to them. That's nice! -

Martin SC-13E Special Burst Review | GuitarPlayer

Personally, I don't like electrics in acoustics. If they marketed an SC13 I might be tempted to seek one out for a go.

DavidR

goldtop

@Tannin ;Agreed on the apparently high price. Even the MIM Dreadnought Jr has all-solid woods for around £650. Sounds a little subdued in the YT video reviews, though.

@DavidR - thanks for the link. The ease of playing approach to neck shape might mean that acoustic-only players find the slinky playability too unusual.

misterpete

I have one and I love it, sounds great and plays like a dream. 

goldtop

misterpete said:

I have one and I love it, sounds great and plays like a dream. 

Cool. Do you have any other acoustics? Wondering how you think it compares for acoustic-only tone.

Just found a nicely recorded demo of the slightly lower-spec SC10e:

misterpete

Tone is such a personal thing “one man’s meat” etc I just like the sound of Martin guitars compared to the likes of say, Taylor. The neck has an ingenious bolt on system and the action is changed with a system of slot in shims. I am primarily an electric player and this neck has an action pretty close to my Telecaster. The other thing that sold it to me was the quality of the Fishman system, it is really natural with none of that nasally Piezo sound. 

goldtop

Thanks, Pete. It's a definite contender, with a used Taylor 312-ish as an alternative.

One thing: although the action is adjustable through the shim system, I found a few threads on acoustic guitar saying that hardly any luthier in the Ireland/UK/EU is authorised to do it. Seems that it's not a simple back-to-dealer job.