Martin 000-12E Road Series Koa Fine Veneer Auditorium Acoustic-Electric Guitar Natural

I've owned a Martin Special Dreadnought Cutaway 11E Road Series for a while and wanted to get a smaller guitar for fingerstyle. Originally, I bought a Martin Special 000-X1AE, which sounded good, but not as nice as my dread--so I ordered the 000-12E Road Series Koa. Right out of the box, this baby impressed me! The gloss really brings out the koa. I love the pearloid patterned rosette and the black appointments. This is a very unique-looking Martin. Flawless finish, wonderfully playable neck, just perfect all around. I was concerned the tone from the koa veneer might be too bright or thin like the HPL sides and back on the X Series, but my fears were unwarranted. The 000-12E sounds full, resonate, and balanced. Gorgeous tone. And you can feel the guitar vibrate against your body like a solid wood guitar. This 000-12E delivers much more low end than I'd expect while remaining perfectly balanced. I can really dig into the strings with my fingers or pick without the sound getting muddy. And since the mids and highs really shine as well, it's been perfect for fingerstyle jazz. I know steel string isn't an obvious choice for jazz, but I think this guitar really pulls it off. I'd still favor my dread if I was going to hit the strings like they owe me money. Nothing beats a dread for rocking hard, but for everything else, I go straight to this beauty. This baby feels great, is fun to play, stays in tune, and just sounds awesome. Thank you, Martin!

I purchased this guitar used on reverb for little over half the msrp for an "excellent" condition instrument. It felt like a huge risk for my first guitar, but I wanted a quality instrument and knew I could stretch my budget further and do better by the environment if I bought used. Two months in, I couldn't be more pleased. My guitar teacher instantly wanted to play it when I brought it to my first lesson and his face lit up upon hearing the first few chords. More recently when I asked him to demo something on it he eagerly took it and said he loves this guitar. When I brought it to a local jam with a number of experienced guitarists, several were surprised to learn the back and sides are veneer. One eagerly asked to give it a play before I packed up for the night and said "definitely a Martin, this a phenomenal guitar." To me, the aesthetic of the guitar can't be beat. Everyone gushes over the Koa and it's truly beautiful. I love the built in tuner and the hidden away electronics that don't detract from the look of the guitar. It has a warm, rich tone that I could listen to all day. Incredibly happy I found a great one used, but I'd pay full price for it over again if I had to!

Overall this is a quite good guitar. Although I also own a higher end Taylor Koa acoustic, I frequently gravitate to this one to play day to day. The day I bought it at Guitar Center I played every other Koa guitar in the similar price range and settled on this one based on its playability and quality of sound compared to its price point. I don't know exactly what grade of Koa veneers Martin uses on it, but it sounds as good or better than my significantly more expensive Taylor Koa through my church's house sound system where I play. In particular it has a rich bottom end sound. Also the built in tuner is a nice touch. Again, overall it's a very good guitar for anyone desiring a Koa instrument at a very reasonable price point.

This is a less expensive Martin than others I've had so I wasn't real sure about this one, but it's a pleasant surprise. It plays like a Martin, it's good looking, and the black head stock and tuning knobs are a nice touch. I have no regrets about this purchase.

99% of the tone of an all-solid guitar with the added durability and aesthetics of layered Koa. Should it be priced the same as the 000-13e? Debatable. Should it be judged as a "layered", "plywood" or "HPL" guitar? I don't think so. Essentially, Martin sandwiched two fine Koa veneers (not a cheap wood by any means) over a solid African mahogany core. How fine is the veneer? No idea. Does it affect the tone? Minimally. My guess is they're covering an aesthetically imperfect but otherwise perfectly fine piece of mahogany. My Koa B/S look great but I've seen others that are truly spectacular. If sustainability matters to you - this guitar hits the mark. The black tuners and headstock, black Richlite fretboard, and black pickguard contrasted against the mother-of-pearl rosette and fretboard inlays is just on another level. It's super comfortable to play, it sounds fantastic (again, a 1% difference in tone compared to the 000-13e IMO), it has added durability, and the solid spruce top will sound even better over time. I personally love the look and feel of the Richlite fretboard. The built-in tuner is super convenient. The electronics are tucked away and don't impact the look of the guitar at all. Do I wish it came with a hard case? Sure. The gig bag is great quality though. Unless you're bringing it on a plane or moving, the gig bag is more than enough protection. I originally wanted to sell it for a 000-13e (which was out of stock everywhere I went) but every time I get an offer, I can't seem to let it go. I do think it should be $100-$200 less than the 000-13e but still well worth the price, especially if you really want the Koa look. It's a keeper for me.

I love to use his guitar to practice and play I put on the music and I play along. I've never seen one with the tone and volume control on the inside of the guitar or one that had a tuner to you help me with keeping the strings in tune. It stays tuned and it has a beautifully rich sound.