Martin 000-12E Koa Review

Couldn’t ask for more

I purchased a Martin 000-12E recently. I am not a professional musician but just play casually and have played guitar for about 20 years. The guitar itself is beautiful. The gloss finish on the body is very nice and the satin finish on the neck makes it very smooth playing up and down the neck. The Koa veneer looks amazing. The black tuners are a nice touch and stand out compared… read more to the typical chrome. As far as the tone, I have zero complaints. It sounds great unplugged and plugged into an amp. Regarding playability, I feel that it's incredibly smooth and easy to play. I went to a local store and played this along with a few Taylor 214ce models. All were very nice but I kept coming back to this Martin. I just preferred the sound and feel of it. The built in tuner is also great to have. If you're in the market for a higher end guitar without breaking the bank, this is definitely worth considering. I always recommend playing a guitar for yourself before buying, but reviews can be a helpful guide. For the price, it would have been nice to get a hard case (the Taylors I was looking at both came with a hard case and we're similarly priced). But the soft case from Martin is really nice and should offer good protection. I have no issues with the fact that it's a Koa veneer because the center is solid mahogany. In this price range it's hard to find a solid wood guitar (one with the nicer tone woods like rosewood, etc). I also do not mind the rich lite fretboard but some people are more particular. All the big name guitar makers use rich lite to some extent.

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Really Good

I A/B tested this with a Taylor AD22e. They were very similar in ergonomics and playability. The Taylor was one of the most playable acoustics I've ever put my hands on. The Martin was very close behind. So both were absolutely great to play, but the Martin sounded significantly better. They were both new out of the box, so it couldn't have been the strings. Both were great… read more guitars, but I was really impressed by the Martin.

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An awesome guitar that doubles as a piece of art

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.… read more Does it affect the tone? Minimally. My guess is they're covering an aesthetically imperfect but otherwise perfectly fine piece of mahogany that would otherwise go to waste. 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. 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.

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Awesome tone, great pickup

Been playing this thing for a few weeks and really liked it. Love the warm, bright tones. Pretty rich too. This is my first Martin and I'm super pleased with it. The Fishman pickup is awesome too, great amount of control with the tone knob. The hidden tuner is a great feature as well. The neck is a tiny bit wider than I had anticipated, so it's taking some getting used to. I play… read more with the thumb too, so it's a bit of a curve. All in all, fantastic, well-made guitar!

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