MARTIN 15 SERIES 000-15M STREET MASTER | REVIEW

Martin 15 Series 000-15M Street Master

MSRP: (UK) £1475 / (US) $1599

Martin Guitar has expanded their popular solid mahogany 15 Series with a respectful nod to the working musician—Nick Jennison takes a closer look at the 000-15M StreetMaster model. Built to the same specifications as the 000-15M, however, Martin has added a beautifully distressed satin finish. The Martin 000-15M StreetMaster is perfect for just about any setting gig—whether it be at the historic Ryman Theater or a day of busking in the big city. 

If you’re looking for a high-quality acoustic guitar with plenty of character and tone, Martin’s 2022 000-15M StreetMaster could be the one for you. This simple mahogany parlour produces an amazing full-bodied sound that compliments vocals perfectly. This guitar was made to be played!

The new StreetMaster 000-15M retains the same specs as the standard mahogany model, but has been finished in a gorgeous distressed satin finish. This guitar captures the vibe of an instrument that has been played and gigged with for many years, paying homage to the thousands of working musicians out there. Its old-school and worn aesthetic will inspire you to pick it up and play, but it will feel just a like a brand new guitar under the fingertips.

Superb Playability

A ‘low oval’ neck profile offers great comfort, letting you easily fret chords and churn out some Robert Johnson-style blues licks with ease. The parlour body shape gives you big sounds for strumming, as well as great note articulation and projection for flat-pickers. The worn satin lacquer has been applied to the body and neck, feeling incredibly smooth and fast, particularly on the neck. This also allows the wood to breathe compared to a gloss finish, meaning it'll resonate wonderfully when played and will only sound better with age.

Solid Construction

The back, sides and top are bookmatched genuine mahogany with Sitka Spruce X-bracing and a traditional maple bridge-plate. The 20-fret neck is also genuine mahogany, with a Katalox fingerboard that feels smooth and substantial to play. The traditional rosewood belly-bridge is fitted with a bone saddle, and the nut is fashioned from bone for a true vintage vibe. This robust and high-quality guitar will last for many years to come.

This is an interesting and very worthwhile idea: a realistically and authentically worn-looking Mahogany Martin! Whilst we would perhaps balk at the notion of a pre-distressed D-45, the 15 range really suits this type of treatment and this StreetMaster has a distinctly 'rock' vibe which we love here at Gi.

000 Body Size

The 000 size is otherwise known as the Auditorium size and sits between the 00 and the OM or orchestral size. It has a slightly narrow waist. It’s a size that suits most players because it’s smaller than a dreadnought but still projects and has a full tone. The solid Mahogany top, back and sides give a mildly darker, smoother tone which is still lively and expressive. 

The StreetMaster 000-15M also comes with a gigbag to take to your next show or busking session alike. Check one out for yourself when they hit stores later this month.

For more information, please visit:

martinguitar.com

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