Martin CEO-9 Review

Mango Sweet

Bought this from Sweetwater last fall. I love the sounds it can make, rich and very full bodied. The neck took a while to get used to but I find it very comfortable to play after adjusting to the width and thickness. For a small guitar the sound is very rich and nuanced. It is a true Martin in all the best possible ways. Highly recommend.

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Best guitar I've ever owned - great for recording and live performance

I absolutely love my CEO-9. I've had mine since August, 2019 and it is a fantastic guitar and my #1. It is very resonant, with lots of sustain and overtones and has a robust sound for a 00 body. It's warmer/darker in tone rather than bright and reminds me a tad of mahogany. I love the neck, it's a full-on carved dovetail, very solid and the whole guitar vibrates--top to bottom;… read more front to back. Having lived the Taylor experience with two guitars that needed the wood shivs put in several times because the bolt-on neck needed a reset every two years, I won't go back. Solid carved dovetail for me, thanks. I really like the modified V neck also--solid support in the cup of the hand as well as good anchor point for thumb when needed. Has virtually eliminated the fatigue and aches and pains in my left thumb. Anyway, all in all a superb, pro-level instrument that records great and is a joy to play live. If you're looking for a quality, upscale guitar, you should check this out, I highly recommend it.

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Beautiful guitar for collection!

I'll break this into 2 sections. Looks and sound/tone. Looks: It's flawless and the mango wood is so detailed. I'll admit I bought this primarily based on looks as I didn't have an opportunity to play it first and it doesn't disappoint. The only grip is the tuners. The first batch of these featured Schaller grandtuners in vintage copper, but those have since been discontinued.… read more Martin now puts vintage butterbean tuners on these and it kind of makes it look cheaper. They are still great tuners and don't impact the playability, but the copper tuners really brought the whole look together. Sound/Tone: It's darker and duller sounding, but not in a bad way. I have many other guitars (spruce, rosewood, mahogany,etc) and this one doesn't sound as bright or clear, but it sounds warmer in a way. This must be the mango since it's an uncommon wood to use in a guitar. This also features a modified V neck shape which I've never played. It takes a bit to get used to. It's not uncomfortable by any means, its just very different than any other neck I've played. Overall this is a gorgeous guitar to add to any collection. Just be aware of the V neck and that this won't sustain or sound as bright as typical wood pairings on other guitars. Also, as everyone knows, the Sweetwater experience of buying this guitar was top notch. Always feel taken care of during the process, especially important when dropping this much money on an instrument.

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Love this little beauty

looks great, sounds great, is great!! I love attention to detail and the semi quarky anesthetics on this guitar. Beautiful inlay, body binding and the strip going down the back center of the body is really cool looking. Absolutely love the modified soft V neck, so comfortable and feels right. The open gear tuners look nice, feel ok. Think I prefer Gotoh tho honestly. The tone is… read more balanced and sounds amazing played soft or strummed hard. Small gripes - Didn't care for the bridge pins honestly, they chip easily when string changing.. i changed the strings out to ernie balls of course - the most highly polished string on the market, and that made everything perfect!! .12 phosphorous bronze strings sound the best IMO. 92/8 strings will give you those complex overtones that a dreadnought body generally provides. Didn't like they didn't put the strap knob in the back/side of the guitar either. I'm too afraid to do it myself as I'm scared to crack the wood. Wish martin would have done that instead of leave it in the case. I just leave it out and go strapless, I'm not risking cracking the side. Your guitar will have a piece of tape on the inside, thats to alert you to any moisture issues. All in all, the figured mango is beautiful, gloss is perfect - got lucky on my guitar. It looks and feels perfect for me. The tone is a martin, exactly as you expect, very balanced, focused midrange. Not boomy bass or extra chimey highs but it stands out for a 00 body!! I will now purchase the CEO 7 to compliment my CEO 9.

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