Overlooked and Fantastic! Martin Guitars GPC-X2e Review
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- The Martin GPC-X2e is a guitar that often gets overlooked but is truly fantastic. We go over its features and playability, giving you a thorough review so you can decide if this guitar is right for you. Cooper goes over the great value that this guitar offers and asks why the Martin GPC-X2e is a hidden gem in the world of guitars.
SHOP GUITARS: bit.ly/3jKZjx1
CHECK OUT OUR PODCAST, the Fretboard Confessional!
Listen on Spotify: open.spotify.c...
Listen on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple...
Listen on Audible: www.audible.co...
Shop Guitars - www.alamomusic...
Guitar Buyers Guide → bit.ly/2kssXsR
Interested in a different guitar? Talk to an expert here → bit.ly/findmygu...
__________________________________________________________________
RUclips: Pianos and Keyboards - bit.ly/YTpianos
♪ Contact us: www.alamomusic...
♩ Call toll-free: (844)251-1922
♬ Connect:
Instagram → / alamomusic
After watching this video, I decided to purchase one of these. The one I purchased has the sapele top, and I received it today and I have to say I am very, very impressed! The feel of the neck, the fret board is very smooth and easy to navigate, is light weight, looks beautiful and the sound is great! My Fender CD60 has been my go to the past few years for an acoustic and is really good, but this Martin is absolutely amazing! I would highly recommend this model!! Thank you so much for this video, as it sold me on this model and I am extremely pleased!
The undervalued feature of this type of HPL guitar and others like it is just how durable it is. I have a DC-XE black, and this thing has been everywhere, in all types of climates, and outdoors in not so ideal weather and it sounds as good as it ever did, without having to worry about babying it. No, it doesn’t sound like angels playing it like the 000-18, but to me, it’s the true traveller’s guitar.
I have a $600 Martin OMC-X1E, purchased specifically for outdoors and travel. It may not sound like heaven but the guitar receives some favorable compliments. My local luthier was impressed with the full sound this OM puts out, saying "Martin doesn't make junk." It has excellent sustain for a 'plastic' guitar. "Jett" is nearly indestructible. For any new player who wants to begin with a Martin, an 'X Series' is worth considering. Seasoned players can't go wrong with an X for practice and travel. It doesn't sound like a solid wood beauty would but isn't meant to be one.
Just to know. I bought this guitar a year ago and I had compered it to Taylor 114 for a long time at the store. Martin won the comparison by far . Taylor 114 had something faulty in its intonation (maybe I just try the wrong one) and the sound was weaker too. I own a Taylor 314 now which I love but in a different way.I still enjoy playing this Martin and it didn’t remain in its case for more than a day. P.S. HPL is not a bad material at all , It sounds good ,resonant, it mirrors the Sitka top well (it’s certainly better than some layered woods)
I own a beautiful Taylor Academy 10e, it’s all made of wood and sounds very well.
@@akio2730I was going to buy that Taylor but my Taylor 22e Sapele in one year have a little end broken . So I am looking if some guitar but layered now . Tha academy sound GREAT .
Dang! No arguin' about it. Sounds good. Impressive Martin. This sounds better than my memory of playing a X a few years ago. Keep in mind I've see Cooper make a broom sound good.
I walked into a large stairwell of a VA hospital, and I heard an acoustic and knew right away it was a Martin guitar, and found the player strumming an X series, how do they do that?
HPL is high pressure laminate, using sawdust under pressure with some resin. Think countertop type material.
I played my dad’s guitars for my first 6 months of being a guitarist, then I almost bought one of these as my first. Taylor 214 ended up winning out in the end tho, I just fell in love with it.
I bought this guitar 2 years ago and have thoroughly enjoyed playing it nearly everyday since. It sounds beautiful especially through an amp, has great feel, stays in tune, and is just an overall wonderful guitar at a very reasonable price. I also have a Taylor 214 CE deluxe and another X series Martin and the GPC is the one I play the most. Great little guitar for sure.
Good review, Cooper.
I'm getting back into guitar after being away from it for a very long time. The guitar I had before would cost at least $1200 today, but I wanted something a mid-range, not a cheapo, but also didn't feel like a high-end guitar just now. I found one of these used but looking like new, for $450, and I really love it. I may get something higher-end down the line but for now, it's a very satisfying guitar to play.
Hey, I bought this guitar last year!!!!! It’s amazing in every way, sounds better (to me) than a lot of high end guitars.
A video of different types of laminate/layered wood would be awesome.
I have a Little Martin I picked up at the factory for a mere 299.00 it's a great little short scale for traveling. I'm just a hobby player but it came out to me perfectly set up. I don't need a 3000 dollar guitar to perform for myself. I have a couple Tak G series, a Jasmine Classical and an Ibanez classical. I love this little HPL Martin...
I recently played a Martin D-10E (road series) and I loved the way it played and felt. Not having that extra few hundred $$ for that series of Martin I wonder if this X series plays as easily, or could be. I'm told the Road Series gets Plek'd from the factory, not sure if this X Series (X2) does or not. How much does a good set up really affect playability?
Anyone have any opinion on that?
I'm older and re-learning guitar so ease of playability is a priority to me.
I own both Collings and Bourgeois guitars and had them fine-tuned set up after purchase to my desires. Action height at the 12 th fret is usually the main need ,but on cheaper models the nut slots may need some adjustment. esp. if you use a thicker or thinner string than it was shipped with. Dialing in the action at 12th and first fret is very is important for playability. Another primary issue is the neck profile - that cannot be adjusted, but Martin makes several profiles which are all different. Good luck in your search.
This Martin is very playable. I put Elixir strings on mine
@@rzh3443 Thanks very much. Good to know.
Thanks for the info. Did you put same size on or smaller?
@@mikeb792 Hi again. Generally , I use light gauge because they are easier on my fingers! I went up one size on my fender electric so I had to slightly widen the nut slots. Otherwise they would bind as you tune it. It’s all really fine tuning if the instrument is competently made. The Bourgeois was set with higher action at factory because bluegrass players like that . On that one I had to lower the saddle.
Great review, I think it's as good as there is for my budget combined with size, tone, playbility, and look. Thank you.
Les Paul in 1901? He wasn't born until June 1915. I get what you mean: my 1st Montgomery Ward Airline dreadnought was $75 in 1968 when minimum eage was $1.25/hrs unless you were agricultural or under 18, then $0.35/hrs ip from $0.25 in 1965.
How is this guitar compared to the x series dreadnought for comfort to hold and playability? I have the ooo version of this guitar and it was perfect out of the box for set up. It's very easy to play also. I'd like a sound with more bass though. On the video it sounded like the gpc can give me that. I'm an old guy, fixed income and all that blather. Wanted a Martin and the x series makes that doable. Thanks for this review video.
ANY of the Martin X series sound great (IMO). Probably a "kitchen counter top" type material but who cares if it sounds good. Great travel guitar , your main "stage guitar" and/or a second backup stage guitar in addition to whatever else you play. We've owned them for backup stage guitars and traveling when we don't want to bring higher end instruments.
At 12:37 you said "I remember when I bought my first Les Paul, it was $12 back in 1901". Wow! You're looking good for your age! 😅 thanks for the great review!
One thing to keep in mind as you think about HPL, any engineer will tell you in designing speakers plywood and particle board are the go to for building sound enclosures. You can control the material for a better "overall" performance seldom do modern speaker manufacturers build solid wood speaker boxes they sound inferior.
I had one of these with the Sapele top and I quite enjoyed it. It was my first Martin. I've since upgraded to one of their US made dreads but the GPC is a fun guitar and it definitely has that Martin sound. The only real letdown was the pickup.
Thanks Cooper. Perfect guitar for the Texas beaches!
First guitar in 1901? My mans a vampire.
What, a grand auditorium/performance and no fingerpicking in the demo? Overall, not particularly impressed, but thanks for the review.
Sounds like a Martin. Sounds way better than the price you pay. Great playing as usual Cooper.
That sounds superb, really alive and responsive. I have a 000-M in laminate and am not a snob for solid back/sides when they sound that good.
I cringe every time someone says you don't have to worry about humidifying an HPL guitar. Sure, the formica back and sides will be just fine. I guarantee you, a solid spruce top will dry out and crack if you let it. I destroyed a guitar doing just that. Martin will not honor most warranties on cracked tops. They will tell you it's your own fault, and it probably is. My sound hole humidifiers cost $8.99 at GC. I spend a whopping 5 minutes every 3 days in dry conditions re-wetting the sponges. C'mon man! Take care of your gear.
I can hear the difference of this HPL vs layered or solid wood, and I'm not impressed. I'd rather save and buy a road series if I really want a Martin, for instance, the GPC-11E is a much better value IMHO, and it does sound great.
Could you please do an updated review on the Martin D28 Moder Dlx, or a review on the Taylor PS12ce Honduran Rosewood (those are beautiful guitars), lastly could you do a comparison of the Taylor 214ce dlx vs Taylor 314ce and see if the price jump is worth it.
I really enjoy your content, please keep it up!
I would love to see a comparion of a martin 000-10e (or similar) compared to a guild om-120.
HPL is paper and resin pressed together. so, basically, they took wood to its component parts and pressed them back togeter.
Resin and wood laminated under heat and pressure, yes you guys should do a piece on this………
I had one of these briefly as I wanted an acoustic guitar in my collection. After playing a GS mini in mahogany I sold it and bought the mini. It felt much nicer to play and sounded better to my ear. I remember not liking the feel of the richlite fingerboard.
Bought one of these for a family member. Sounds great, sounds great plugged in. Just a great sub-1K Martin
Unfortunately the only selling point of this guitar at this price is the headstock name. Would you pay $749 for this hearing it / playing it without seeing the headstock? A $200 Yamaha outplays this. Really a shame that consumers will fall for this. The real value is this guitar would be closer to the $300 range. Just my 2 cents. Sorry Martin…
Excellent comment, though I'm not sure I agree. However, my mind is open to learn. Please give me an example of a $200 Yamaha that "outplays" this Martin and is a readily available option for people to purchase. It so happens that I'm in the market to buy a guitar like this soon. I'd love to take a few of your recommendations to the Guitar store to try for myself.
@@mikeb792 Yamaha FG800 for example. My comment is more so directed for people to use their ears to buy a guitar and not just go for the headstock. My conversion on price may be off since I’m in Canada, but I think you get the idea.
Thank you! My thoughts exactly.
@@CoreyMcCormick I understand your comment exactly, using your ears, as you put it and I agree. I've not heard or the Yamaha FG800 in person, only on YT videos. Nowhere in any video I've heard that Yamaha being played does it even come close to sounding (to my ears) in the same realm as a Martin X Series. While some will buy the Martin purely because of it's name, there is simply no getting around the fact that the Martin has a tone that any people are willing to pay for. Having sampled some entry/intermediate level Taylor's, Martin's, etc ($500-$1K) one thing I know is that even a cheaper Martin still sounds like a Martin, the same goes for Taylor, etc.. My point is that no matter how cheap you got it or what you do to it, that Yamaha will never ever sound like a Martin. (Even with scalloped bracing)
As I said, I've not played or heard that Yamaha in person so I'll check it out this week on my next trip to GC. I'll bring the $350.00 (not $200 like you implied) US needed to buy it. If I'm pleasantly surprised I just MIGHT buy it.
But you also have to consider that the Martin X2E comes with a very good gig-bag, the Yamaha comes with nothing. Also, Martin's are VERY playable right out of the box from the factory, so no need for a setup. Not the same with Yamaha's as I understand.
So, I'll need to bring $550 to buy that $200 Yamaha you told me about. And at the end of the day... It will STILL only be a Yamaha that misses the boat when it comes to tone and playability.
Sounds great! Nice guitar for playing outdoors in cold or hot humid weather
Sounds similar to a carbon fiber guitar to me
How does the GPC size differ from a 000
TBH I don't see the need to have a bag or case for every guitar, since I never take them all with me anyway.
If you lived in a place with a climate like where I live (Ontario, Canada) you might have a different opinion. Our winters are extremely cold with dry humidity. Even though I have a humidifier on my furnace I have seen the humidity get down to 30% in my house. In the winter I keep my guitars in their case with Humidipak humidity control pouches. This keeps the humidity in the case between 45% and 50%, which ensures the guitars do not suffer any humidity damage.
@@scouser2230 I guess I didn't account for all that. I live in US Midwest, so it's never really crazy dry or crazy humid. We complain about the humidity in the summer, but it's nothing like Florida or Louisiana levels of wet. I also don't have any custom shops or stuff that is highly valuable. All my stuff is factory made.
Less talking and more playing please
HPL is Formica! It is made of paper and phenolic resin.
Great guitars. Not so sure about the pickup that comes in it though.
I am between this martin and the 000cjr 10e. Which would you prefer?
Totally epic stash dude!
I really enjoy your reviews because you do a great job demoing the guitars- but if you are doing a video on an HPL guitar, you should be prepared to spell out exactly what HPL consists of and what it's drawbacks are. My understanding is that it's basically wood pulp- which is what paper is made of- and natural resins- that are pressed at 2000 lbs per square inch pressure. While they are fairly impervious to climate and moisture, they can shatter into pieces if you bang one in just the wrong spot (so not overly kid-friendly ). They are not overly repairable at that point. I picked one up in a store and liked it and thought it sounded fine, but not for that price. If you want the martin name and a guitar that doesn't require climate control and aren't a guitar gearhead about tone, you'll enjoy this guitar. There are numerous all wood guitars from name brands available for that price- or laminates for less.
Nice review! Thanks.
Can you do a comparison between Martin GPC 11e and Cort Gold A6 Bocote. Both are all solid guitars which I intend to buy one of these.
Would appreciate a comparison video to help solve my difficulty.
Thanks
I didn’t understand anything about the difference between layering and laminating but you enunciated it very well. 😉🎸
Get on with it amigo!
i loved my Xseries Macassar and All Matte black not that great sound when unplugged but compared to other brand this is much better, the sustain is impressive! i upgrade the pick up system into lrbaggs and put bone bridge saddle and set the action.. its became heaven men! this is the ideal for gig guitar, not afraid to scratch or bump not unlike the expensive one heheh
Thank you. That did sound good. But, Cooper, you and Chris can make fishing line strung between a coupe of fence posts sound descent. Fan boy that I am, I bought an A10e but this guitar would have been among the competition. It’ has a mice voice.
The luthier who set up my Taylor is a big Martin fan but he says it the model has an X in it, run. He says they come unglued frequently.
Cooper makes anything sound good, but Seems like a bit on tinsel sounding on strings.
I like the sound of that guitar, it's kinda loud or has volume, & not a mellow sound.
12 string line is very stable no belly rise buy n forget
Great video. Nice vibrant colors.
It's formica
Who’s mica?
I dig you guys Cooper but man! If you're going to spend that kind of money why not get an all solid wood guitar like the Recording King RD-328 for just a little more than $749.00? The RD -328 has a solid Adirondack Spruce top with solid rosewood back and sides. The tone of that Martin to my ears is horrible but I'm a huge fan of real wood so know offense. I'd love to see you and Chris review Recording King guitars. They are a true bargain!
I purchased one of the last GPC28E’s Martin had made about 2 years ago in a Sunburst finish and it’s an incredible guitar. It’s loud and it has an outstanding low end to it. I’m so surprised Martin had stopped making them honestly. I suppose they just didn’t sell enough of them being a far higher dollar instrument.
PS ~ This one you just reviewed sounded really beautiful too honestly.
So the laminate is basically paper... so £800 for a paper guitar... Nope.
Thank you.
sounds incredible.
I just finished putting a solid sepele back on my 000x1ae and it is a canon, great sustain, volume, and sound.
How?
@@Tigerex966 Well, you need some skill with wood. But it's not to hard, watch some guitar building video's and look at the tooling they use. A clothes iron will get the old back off.
Fta
749 wow 😢😢😢😢
I don't recommend it
58229 Douglas Tunnel
Martins HPL is basically a version of the formica counter tops of the older days of America lol
Martin is going to run out of letter- number combinations!
Gpc means means grand performance cutaway.
X means the x series.
2 means solid top.
e means electric.
Just in case you maybe didn't know.
@@nickspitzley8539 Thanks, I didn't. My long term point is that Martin and Taylor are pursuing the Tide laundry detergent store model- keep creating new models to hog more music store space. A friend of mine owned a small guitar store. He threw Martin out because they wanted over half his store for their models and he sold several other brands he didn't want to lose.
I baught one today. I love it!
How the tuner works?
@@RiseFall123 hey, how are things. Mine stays in tune fine. D string was wondering for a week but I thought it was more to do with the string and some of the overtones. I played it hard on and off to break it in. Now that I've had it for a couple months, I've a bit more to say... its a guitar that plays nice at low volume. I mean, if I play it soft, it has some beautiful chime and harmonics. If I play it medium, with little dynamic, its not that impressive but its a good guitar to sing with because its not so loud. Its other gear is "hard!" If I beat the cords into it, it comes back to life with those same harmonics and character I find at low volume. All that said, its not the most dynamic guitar. Sure it has some nice tone though. But I expect that from a Martin 😎
@@michaelcallaghan8358 what do you think about the playability of the guitar? Comfort on frets I mean.
@@RiseFall123 Its fine. Not remarkable. I'm tempted some day to sand the kneck. When I picked it up first, I liked the overall tone. I'm going to put a heavier gauge on it. 10s on at the mo. Have you bought or still considering?
@@michaelcallaghan8358 I bought, I’m a beginner, was enchanted by the tone but still not sure about the comfort. Did you try it with an amp or audio interface?
I have this guitar and I love it. I have American Martins but I tend to play this more. It's comfortable, I'm not afraid to take it outside or play it with my toddler around, and it punches above it's weight with tone. The pickup is "meh" but I don't really ever use it. One thing I would mention - the neck is pretty darned slim. I appreciate that coming from electric guitars, but if you're used to, say, a chunky Guild neck, this is going to be quite a departure. To me it just adds to the overall comfort. I like Martin retro strings for this model - they mellow out the top end a bit.
I’ve had a sapele top version. Sounds awesome. Definite Martin tone, durable and looks great, no complaints at all.
Martin guitars are overrated, I'm not a Gibson fan either but Gibson is superior to a Martin that's for sure!