Our Honest Thoughts on Martin's New Inception GPCE Maple!

[@CarlosCandidoMusic]

Insomnia is the 00-15SM, because you want to sit down with it for 20 minutes before bed, and before you know it, it’s 3am and you’ve written 2 songs.

[@kotla671]

This for real?

[@bob_dod]

This is true. I’m not in the SM club but do have the 00-15. I can only imagine how well that guitar sounds in person. I’ve never had the chance to play one.

[@CameraLaw]

Perfect. The 000-15SM is hard to put down.

[@johnwashburn3793]

Brilliant! But for me the CEO 7 has that affect on me.

[@wheninroamful]

I think you're missing an 0, yeah? The 000-15SM you mean?

[@michaellaverty1844]

I watched several mixed reviews on this guitar. I still haven’t made up my mind on this one. I know a lot of builders are edging toward sustainability. Which I think is a good thing and I’m all for it. 4K is kind of rich I must say.

[@SamVecchio]

Agreed. Not a “let’s get these into people’s hands” pricing structure. Hard pass

[@codyscott8687]

Chris reminds me of a man I grew up going to church with. He’d go from very serious topic of conversation, to out of nowhere with a hilarious comment that nobody saw coming. And the best part: He was hearing his own joke at the same time as everyone else 🤣

[@joeldowdy404]

Looks like Martin making a Taylor shaped Guitar. In the past Taylor has made Martin shaped guitars as well :)

[@gair1944]

You guys produce the absolute BEST Guitar channel! Thank you! I enjoy your insight, humor and skills. Great playing as always. This was also the best recorded demo of the Martin GPCE Inception that I've heard as well. Bravo. Ultimately, this model is not checking my sonic boxes but it is smooth and warm for sure. Certainly musical. It will appeal to many I'm sure.

[@Dy1pickel]

Why spend the money for this when you can spend a little more and get a modern deluxe 00, 000, or OM ?

[@fred4664]

Sounds beautiful especially with Cooper playing it.

[@BaktaBak3]

Cooper makes any guitar sound good ! 😅

[@BaktaBak3]

However.....this guitar doesn't "do it for me". Just sound "ok " to my ears and certainly not $4k worth......but that's just me.

[@benambler1393]

Is it just me or would anyone else have mistaken this for a Taylor if you didn't see the headstock. V-Bracing...skeleton bracing, Satin finish, cut away, flamed maple ala AD-27 Flametop. They still know they are Martin though when they priced it. The sound to me is even a bit more Taylor than Martin. I am sure they will find an audience though that really likes it.

[@kevisp77]

Looks and sounds like a Taylor!!

[@budpaddock9503]

It would be interesting to hear a Taylor 614 and this Martin compared.

[@johnn2326]

I always enjoy Cooper's demos. Does anyone out there know if he is playing original instrumentals or are these songs already written by some other artist?

[@donkevinbrown9906]

I would like to have an All Mahogany D35 or an all Sycamore D35.

[@terrymattingly6843]

If they champion American tonewoods, why kill the great OME Cherry? Why not return to sycamore?

[@edmiller4149]

Sounds pretty awesome.

[@dalecoffing8655]

What a bunch of metaphors! Great show. Now.....can you make a 614CE sound like that?

[@kylenewberry8598]

Would love to see this with Cherry, like the old Sustainable series.

[@tomroberts8231]

my walden has cut out braces and has a richness with cedar/Rosewood

[@DeanDocs]

That was my first thought, Walden already does skeleton bracing. I really thought it was going to be something new.

[@kevisp77]

First, let me say that I am a Martin guy and own more than any normal person should. Although Martin makes great guitars, and I'm sure the fit and finish and longevity are top notch, I'm not impressed with this new take on guitars. It looks and sounds a lot like a Taylor. If I'm spending that amount of money for a Martin guitar, I'm heading to one of their tried and true classics like the dreads or the 000/OM versions. As far as the pickup is concerned, you can put the same thing in a 1960's Harmony and make it sound just as nice. Great job for Martin using advanced laser technology and sustainable woods, but this is something you'll find at garage sales in a few years for a couple hundred bucks.

[@kady275]

I have watched a lot of your reviews and I’ve never seen both of you guys work so hard to try to convince yourselves that a guitar is worth selling. As a Martin collector for well over 50 years, I’m afraid that this guitar is what happens when accountants run guitar companies. I never thought this would happen to Martin. You’re using decent microphones, and I listened to this over a very expensive pair of studio monitors. It just doesn’t sound like a Martin Guitar!

[@viper2148]

And, this is the conversations at work... just imagine after about two units of (enter preferred party amplifier here).

[@entemen]

Martin is a great company but they've been behind other makers with use of other tonewoods and style/build innovation. Good to see them wake up and try new things. Bringing up socks in the hole, this guitar, though it's beautiful, lacks ring and yes brightness that Maple should produce. Maple is tough to deal with so Martin needs to do more work.

[@BaktaBak3]

Could pass for a Taylor guitar if you didn't look at the headstock. 🎸🎸🎸

[@oracleboix]

is it priced reasonably tho?

[@SamVecchio]

Absolutely not! 😂

[@johnwashburn3793]

My late and random thoughts: a new bracing structure, new tone woods and new strings? How can we know why it sounds like I need to buy one?

[@bxsoup]

I love my money more than I like guitars . $3,999 OUCH . Very nice though ! I love a maple acoustic . Changing up the bracing to offer a challenge to the Taylor line of C and V class bracing. I see you Martin , I sees you . . . For now I’ll keep plucking my 000-10E all Sapele wood axe . 🙃

[@randolf711]

I tried those new strings and I had to get them off ASAP. I really tried to leave them on past 5 days to break them in but it made my guitar sound so awful I just couldn't take it anymore.

[@SamVecchio]

I thought this demo sounded exactly like the guitar was “filled with socks” dull and thumpy to my ears.

[@Pickaxe1964]

Can you please demo the new Taylor 217e Grand Pacific

[@markmelville6670]

It looks really nice, especially the back. I might make one. However, the sound just doesn't come across great on the demo. Missing something, I think.

[@slpc30]

I love martin guitars but WOW what a price for a maple and walnut back guitar

[@kotla671]

Can you better describe what you mean when you say this guitar sound is “dark”??? Thanks!

[@BaktaBak3]

Anyone else think this guitar is overpriced ? 🎸🎸🎸

[@SamVecchio]

Everyone apparently lol😂

[@mitchellnathanson2739]

Hey Martin, can you please build me a guitar with cheaper materials but charge me more for it than the ones you build with materials that are more difficult to source? Thanks so much!

[@SamVecchio]

💯 accurate. These will be “on sale” soon

[@demolitionwilliams7419]

A little known guitar by Crossroads ( I have the Crossroads CD-500) has holes throughout all their bracing and it sounds absolutely fantastic. It makes it lighter but keeps structural integrity. I am surprised bigger companies haven't tried this until now

[@charlottesimonin2551]

Ok, makes me think of House of the Rising Sun. Old time 1960 folk tunes in the way it was played.

[@artrogers3985]

Does it cost extra for the sock stuffing? Sorry. Having a bad day. 🎸

[@matthewbleeker4580]

I wish i had the money for this guitar

[@WoodworkerDan]

Yes! I have felt for quite some time that Martin needed a GPC guitar with a low oval neck profile made of American tone woods.

[@rickstrandberg6398]

Euro spruce, but outstanding guitar

[@yunowot]

The Martin Insomnia is the expensive one that I might have to ditch my relationship for. Is it worth it, hmmmm? 🤔🤔🤔

[@Thelionatays]

Idk. Making the braces look like a railroad trestle doesn’t do anything for the guitar. I wouldn’t mess with that. Also, they did a back like that for the D-35. It’s a cost cutting measure. Martin has a new CEO and I think his focus is growth. Instead of focusing on what they do best, I think they’re going for, “Let’s make something new looking so we can sell more.” Driftwood Guitars dida first impressions video and they weren’t impressed. This was a move by the guys in suits and not luthiers. I love Martin but bleh.

[@jackbandel]

You guys never addressed who this guitar is for? Who is the target audience? Gigging players who don’t mind bringing a 4K guitar to a gig?? Taylor players who want a Martin but have deep pockets? I just can’t figure out who tho guitar is intended for.

[@CameraLaw]

Tough room. Martin struggles to best its classics. Reminds me of Ford. If you crave a Mustang, it’ll be hard to convince you to buy a Taurus or Fusion. Same with the F150.

[@softsouthernknight]

That guitar does not sound that good. I will stay with my 1972 D-35.

[@pepmasters-999]

We were all wondering if you were going to stay with your 1972 D-35.

[@jed1166]

It sounds really good… it just doesn’t sound like your old Dreadnought. Which really isn’t that surprising, since it is smaller body, with a cutaway, and it SUPPOSED to sound different than a D-35. Personally, I don’t want all of my guitars to sound the same, as it would bore the crap out of my audience.

[@throwarockatme9290]

This is Martin’s midlife crisis guitar.

[@startreker8591]

Not impressive …I will just get the D18 modern de luxe instead…

[@zorglubmagnus455]

4k for a guitar that looks like it’s worth $400. Sorry but any other Martin looks better. What’s this new obsession with satin finishes? They’re ugly and cheap looking.

[@kevisp77]

And you'll have shiny spots where your arm rubs... I agree, the satin finish makes it look like something you'd buy from a flea market.

[@OldGrowthRedwood]

Nope, nice try.

[@stevebernard221]

Not my kind of Martin.

[@aaronlarsen7447]

It has no bass, no overtones, no openness, no shimmer. Any 15 series blows this away, for about 1,500 bucks. This thing is anemic and costs 4,000 dollars.

[@LuthierFlying]

Who says that a lighter brace is better seems like an arbitrary assumption to me.

[@ManchurianCounterweight]

Well. Hmm. Seems Martin has managed to make Martin sound like a Gibson. I am with the person who commented and said looks like Martin solved a problem that did not exist. That does not sound like a Martin, I am sorry.

[@User51813]

Looks like more of a Taylor copy 😁

[@markstephens2709]

A nice mellow sounding Martin. Ok. So I didn’t hear you guys mention if you think this is a good value for 4k$$. How can you justify that price tag, versus just buying something else out of the customer shop if you’re a Martin fan? Who is this guitar for?

[@BaktaBak3]

Taylor players ??????🎸🎸🎸🎸

[@roymeyer6837]

Sounds great from what I can tell from the video. But for a brand-new Martin model I feel like demoing it alongside a more familiar Martin for reference (something similar or same size in mahogany, rosewood, etc.) would be very helpful.

[@RandyBelinda]

It feels like these guys are struggling to love this guitar. That walnut wedge is butt ugly. The tone is meh. The bracing scheme is stolen from other builders (Kevin Ryan comes to mind) who do it much better. The strings do the guitar no favors. All in all, back to the drawing board Martin!

[@BaktaBak3]

...........and on top of that............still a bigger guitar than I'd like............no new 00 size guitars by Martin for us who like that size.🎸🎸🎸🎸

[@twinrock54]

I like the ideas incorporated in this guitar, but the sound is yuck.

[@texhaines9957]

What neck profile. How LOUD is it? I don't have any Martin GPs. Thanks Chris and Cooper

[@lukesteverything627]

You say 'Made of American tonewoods' but the website states European Spruce. Are all the woods grown in the USA? In any event I'm not sure about this guitar. More fragile for minimal weight saving. Nice review though.

[@jeffberdin]

Comparison to AD27e Flametop coming? 🤔

[@markcafebrown2883]

I just ordered last night the Martin GPC X2E

[@cliftongardner4367]

I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt due to the different mic setup, but A/B’d against the GPCX2E demo, I think you made the right choice. I’m astounded how much worse this $4K guitar recorded than the $800 GPCX2E…

[@markreams3192]

Drummers are the sound guy’s nemesis!😂. I very much like the sound of that guitar. It’s warm and mellow. It’s good to see Martin doing innovative stuff as opposed to artificially aging guitars to make them look vintage (just a marketing hype). $3999.00 !? Too much. Get a Taylor AD12E and take a trip to Hawaii with the left over cash!

[@everythingbobbywolfe]

🤔🧐... I don't get it. Didn't sound as good as my 2019 gpce walnut. Got mine Jan 2019, first shipment from Chicago music exchange for a fantastic $1800 shipped (i get a permanent 20% discount). I just can't justify double the price. I'll stick with mine, but good for them trying something new-ish.

[@BaktaBak3]

I do appreciate Martin coming up with bracing to make the tone woods work, however, (to my ears) does not sound like a Martin guitar. 🎸🎸🎸

[@kevisp77]

It's amazing to see what technology can do (insert Austin Powers "laser beam" fingers) but I totally agree. If I wanted something that looks like a Taylor, I'd buy a Taylor. Martin already has the market on quality guitars that can be handed down for generations.

[@shaneroberts9466]

I'm not a Martin person but that looks good, sounds good. And I'm happy for Martin to see them thinking outside the box in ways that I feel they have avoided. That price tag on the other hand seems questionable, but maybe they are starting here and will incorporate same innovation into more affordable models.

[@tokairic3925]

This guitar should definitely have been more 'affordable'. I think we are being 'had' by the brand.

[@benambler1393]

In my opinion, you are exactly the person that Martin is reaching out to. The traditional Martin customer/fan probably isn't going to go for this, but someone who likes a more modern style guitar might very well come into the fold.

[@nicolen.9642]

I heard Christopher Nolan...wait...? What? Gorgeous guitar! 🎶🎶🎶

[@michaelaiello9525]

Sounds lovely. I'd love a comparison to a Maple, Walnut martin w/o the fancy bracing and a comparison with other traditional woods guitars. Sustainable should mean price as well. Pricing over 4K is definitely one way to cut down on new guitar purchases. It's a lazer,..dudes; now that you have the program set up why are you charging so much extra. If this is really what is needed to get urban forest wood guitars to sound fantastic, you might need to sand down the rough edges of that price tag. I'll just pay less for a solid Mahogany with a rosewood board, or a Adi top and hog or maple or RW back and sides for the same price or dramatically less.

[@edwardbrock1194]

Radically New & Traditional ?? That doesn't make sense to me. Either it's Radically New OR it's Traditional. Those seem to be opposite in meaning. Just call it New because that's what it is.

[@tangoblue]

Ace playing, Cooper. Very ELP. 👌

[@yomommaahotoo264]

MARTIN might be a fan of sustainable tone woods (for the cost), but they just don't cut it tone wise IMO.

[@bradpdx2]

I'd like to hear this with better strings. The Luxe strings are simply awful.

[@judegriggs]

Amd how much does this guitar cost? $4K? No, it is NOT worth that kinda scratch. Don't be fooled.

[@FirstMM]

Quite clever of Martin to take a relatively cheap tonewood like Maple and turn it into a guitar that is the same price as an expensive tonewood like Rosewood.

[@jmsamborski]

A Taylor/Breedlove Martin…. Pass.

[@Abhijeet_1997]

Love from India 🇮🇳❤

[@yomommaahotoo264]

Walnut has no business on an acoustic guitar unless you like deadened sound.

[@smandez2023]

Mic drop 18:13 😂😂😂

[@stevesmith1493]

Sorry. That’s just not a Martin guitar. It has their name on it. 😊

[@DAC49]

Doesn’t sound very good at all. Shame

[@MatthewPeskay]

Has anyone actually bought one of these?

[@NathanieiCathy]

1913 Lilian Estate

[@everythingbobbywolfe]

I also want to say that you guys are what Andertons wanted to be. Great reviews, great playing, ACTUAL honest feedback (I'm looking at you, 'captain'), no theatrics or idiot rob Chapman and dreadlock toupees or hidden agendas and target marketing based on their investments and holdings (once again, looking at you 'captain')

[@stevesmith1493]

Where is it made?

[@jshu1625]

The AD-27 Flametop is all 1 wood type and v class bracing .....this guitar is 3 wood types and has bracing from outer space... I thought this sounded better.

[@johnwashburn3793]

My insomnia guitar is the CEO 7. When I find myself awake at 2:30 a.m., I often wonder who you don't carry thes beautiful instruments for everyone to enjoy, and then I go to my guitar room and play mine while I await the sunrise.

[@TommySG1]

I own a GPC 28E ( Spruce top, Rosewood back and sides, Ebony board & bridge ) and I can honestly say I think mine sounds way better to my ears. As mentioned , those strings maybe a huge factor as well, I’m using Stringjoys Brights on mine.

[@rogerd9150]

Love my Martin guitars, however, I have not heard a recording yet that would make me want to buy one ….. Maybe put some Elixir Nano-web 80/20 Lights? That’s what I use on my Martins and they are decidedly different with the Elixir strings vs the Martin strings they were shipped with.

[@ret264]

If I were in the market for a $4000 pumpkin spice orange acoustic guitar, I'd definitely buy this one... sounds great!

[@stephenkennedy7347]

How about lowering the mikes a little and raising the camera - won't makes much difference to the sound and can be compensated for. It's a bit distracting obstructing the view of the fretboard in particular.

[@Taylor314ce]

I love that guitar. It reminds me of my grand auditorium. Except fthe headstsock is super squarish...

[@gilh3947]

My guess is that Most musicians will look for 'that' sound...for ever more. Ask a violin player in the New York or Vienna philharmonic what he looks for in an instrument. So chances are that a guitarist will still be looking for a rosewood-spruce combination for decades to come. By the way, 4000 USD is not too much for a musical instrument that will last decades. Better to choose wisely once, then to want three knock offs built in low wage countries

[@RobR455]

Nice playing! 90% in the player’s fingers, 10% in the guitar.

[@andyf642]

Seems to me like Martin solved a problem that didn’t exist … or perhaps this guitar was dreamed up during a business meeting in the throws of COVID. The skeletal bracing is an interesting concept but then they almost double the size of the bracing by adding more wood above the skeleton … I don’t build guitars (but I do buy em and play em, and I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night😂) but I think they could have done this whole thing a little differently and they sure could’ve priced it more affordable. Great Demo, and thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.

[@tokairic3925]

I do build guitars and agree with what you've said. Other makers have 'lightened' the bracing long before Martin This doesn't seem to lighten the bracing as Martin have made it wider so is it an improvement? The guitar is made from more inexpensive wood than other Martins but it is more expensive even than the OM-28. It should definitely be cheaper - more the top end of the Road Series than Standard Series.

[@pepmasters-999]

"Drummers beware..." 😅

[@boulderdesigner]

Great review guys, lots of chuckles on this end😂

[@mariodriessen9740]

What a beautiful sound! ❤

[@CharlotteHoogenboom]

Would love to play this one!

[@Djamieson713]

I can't imagine a single person who would want a guitar like this. nice job Martin !

[@mariodriessen9740]

Aren’t you missing the word ‘not’?

[@wheninroamful]

Move on, and create your own guitar someone wants. Such an odd thing to say.... because folks are buying them. Should they just pump out D-28's and whatnot only....?

[@mariodriessen9740]

@@wheninroamful : I’m stunned, because I genuinely thought the OP made an error and wrote “would” instead of “wouldn’t”. A mistake that can easily be made because of autocorrection and/or autocompletion on smartphones nowadays. But after your comment I realized this man literally means what he wrote. Look, I don’t care. It won’t keep me awake. I remember when I started to play the acoustic guitar (I was late at the party) I wanted a bright sounding guitar with a lot of ‘string’ (the sound of fresh strings - a bit metallic sounding). Now, ten years later, I want the complete opposite. I want to hear the wood. I consider myself lucky enough to have both and then some more. But it’s hard for me to understand why you wouldn’t want to have a guitar that sounds so delicate and soft and warm. It’s the perfect instrument for gentle finger picking. The only reason why I won’t buy one is because I absolutely cannot afford another Martin in this price range. I already sold most of my old guitars and other gear I gathered in 43 years of playing and ‘collecting’ so I could buy a couple of the dream guitars I now own. So I can’t. But man, would I love to. How can you NOT like the sound of this guitar? Crazy how people can feel so different about sound. 😊

[@throwarockatme9290]

Martin are out of their minds offering this experiment with a $4k price tag. It doesn’t look or sound exceptional. It sounds fine (great playing as usual, Cooper). It looks somewhat drab. It really feels like a “Hello, fellow hip kids!” offering with a very high price of entry. I’m all in favor of them trying new things, but I really don’t think this is the right strategy. I’d go get an Eastman that sounds better and costs 1/4 of the price. Hard pass.

[@LuthierFlying]

Since the Taylor V-brace came out, more than 200 videos have been posted about it. Sustain, bass response, clarity, blah, blah, blah. All this is subjective, until you PUT ON A BLINDFOLD! So far, I don’t think anyone has done this.

[@demolitionwilliams7419]

I like the bracing on these, with the holes in them. That lightens them while keeping structural integrity. Little known brand Crossroads does this in their dreadnaughts and it sounds incredible

[@LegsON]

You don't know what you speak of, mate. Check out the HEIGHT of these perforated braces. They're almost twice the normal height. Therefore, their mass and rigidity is ~ the same as the solid ones. Such cuts would only matter if the braces had standard height.

[@markrobinson891]

If the skeletal bracing warms up maple it seems like it would make sense to utilize this design on other woods and body shapes. The 600 series maple guitars from Taylor just didn’t seem to work.

[@markrobinson891]

If the skeletal bracing warms up maple it seems like it would make sense to utilize this design on other woods and body shapes. The 600 series maple guitars from Taylor just didn’t seem to work.

[@demolitionwilliams7419]

@@LegsON the crossroads that I speak of has normal bracing with normal height

[@DeanDocs]

Walden guitars also do skeleton bracing