Whenever I happen to pick up and play around with a guitar that’s a ¾ size travel guitar, I always happen to expect it to not have the same type of sound that a full-sized guitar has. How can a smaller guitar produce the same sound that a full-body guitar does?
When I first picked up this Martin LXK2 Little Martin Acoustic, I was very surprised at the volume that this instrument produced; I have found that in a lot of the smaller guitars there is a brighter sound produced.
However, with this Little Martin, I was shocked when I heard a deep sound produced. The deep tone that I heard is not common to find in small guitars and that is why I have fallen in love with the Martin LXK2 Little Martin Acoustic Guitar.
A common problem that runs along many smaller-sized guitars is that these types of guitars are marketed towards beginners, as many beginners are afraid of spending too much money because they don’t know if they are going to stick with the instrument. Because of this, many guitars that are marketed towards beginners happen to be cheaply made.
However, Martin decided to stray from that path and make their smaller-sized guitars from better quality materials. This guitar is a ¾ size, which means that the Martin LXK2 Little Martin Acoustic has a smaller body and a scaled down neck.
Martin’s LXK2 Little Martin Acoustic Guitar sports an original dreadnought body with a high-pressure laminated top, sides, and back.
One of the biggest complaints that people have against the Little Martin LXK2 is that they use HPL (also known as High-Pressure Laminate) to construct the guitar.
In other words, HPL is also known to be plastic that’s designed to look like wood and that’s part of the reason why the pricing on this guitar is so cheap.
However, if you didn’t know this before playing one of the Little Martin guitars, you certainly wouldn’t have noticed, as it doesn’t show it in the way that it sounds. Besides, laminated guitars tend to be more durable in comparison to guitars that use real wood.
The bridge and the fretboard of the LXK2 Little Martin are both made from rosewood; the neck of this guitar is carved from stratabond.
Criteria
It is most definitely easy to become overwhelmed by the massive guitar market that’s available; there are a countless number of guitars available in every single style in the world.
In order to know how to evaluate a guitar’s quality to make sure that the guitar you’re looking at is the proper one for your needs, you need to understand what criteria is used to evaluate a guitar’s quality.
This review of the Martin LXK2 Little Martin Acoustic Guitar will look at the following criteria:
- The playability to the LXK2 Little Martin
- The materials that this guitar is made from
- Who the LXK2 Little Martin is the best guitar is best suited for
- The tone
- The value of the LXK2 Little Martin for your money
Would you recommend the Martin LXK2 Little Martin Acoustic Guitar?
Yes, I would! I love how inexpensive this acoustic is, especially since it’s a well-built piece that really knows how to take abuse.
Overall, if you are looking for a travel-friendly guitar that’s going to withstand a decent amount of abuse, this a guitar that will go great in your hands! Due to its laminated body and affordable price, the Martin LXK2 Little Martin Acoustic Guitar is perfect for young learners and klutzy teenagers.
The only downside about this guitar is that if you are looking for a guitar that’s great to travel with, but you have large hands, your relationship with this guitar isn’t going to work out too well. That’s the only real negative thing that I have to say about this guitar.
I do know some men that have big bodies who are around 6 foot 4, but have small hands, and love playing this guitar.
See how Little Martin compares to Baby Taylor.
Specifications of the Martin LXK2 Little Martin Performing Artist Guitar
While doing more research on the Martin LXK2 Little Martin, you may find that there are different guitars that are offered in the Little Martin lineup.
There are four different categories: LXM, LXK2, LX1, and the Ed Sheeran special. All of the guitars that are offered in this lineup are all the exact same size, all of them come with a padded gag bag, and they all come with a Modified X Bracing for the sound board. The only difference between each of the different guitars is the electronics and materials used.
You may also find when researching your guitar that the word ‘parlor’ and ‘travel’ guitar to replace each other. Don’t worry, though! This style of guitar is referred to as a ‘travel guitar’ or a ‘parlor guitar’ and it means the same exact thing.
Core features of the Martin LXK2 Little Martin:
- 23-inch scale length
- 1 11/16 inch nut width
- 20 frets
- Natural Stratabond neck
- East Indian Rosewood fingerboard
- Hawaiian Koa top high-pressure laminate
Who is the Martin LXK2 Little Martin Acoustic best suited for?
If you are looking to perform in front of an audience professionally, plan on completing professional recordings, or go on stage, I would suggest that you find a different guitar.
Also, if you are someone who has larger sized hands, I would also suggest to you to find a different guitar. However, if you are looking for a guitar for your child or teenager to use, want something you can play around the campfire, or if you just have small hands, this is a solution that is worth investing in.
The great thing about guitars that are meant for small hands is that if you happen to be a parent that has small hands, and your child wants to learn guitar, it’s an investment that will pay itself off twice!
Does the LXK2 Little Martin work as advertised?
Yes, it does! It’s a guitar that is perfect for traveling but still performs with a bold and dark tone. The build of the body does allow for a decent amount of abuse, but nothing too extreme. If you are a beginning guitarist that dreams about performing in front of small audiences, I would say that this guitar is appropriate to use.
However, I would not suggest you to purchase this if you are someone who tours and performs in front of incredibly large audiences. I personally believe that the harmonics, tone, and balance are some of the most amazing qualities of the Martin Little Martin LXK2 Acoustic, but they’re hardly ever talked about!
Martin also talks about how this guitar has been built to professional quality standards and I would also personally attest to that; the neck feels strong and secured on the body and the tuning stays for a long period of time.
Pros of the LXK2 Little Martin:
- Beautiful tones
- Produces the same volume as a full-sized guitar
- Has the option to be set up for a left-handed or right-handed playing
- Comes with a gig bag
- Many artists use the LXK2 Little Martin to travel around with
- Don’t have to trade sound for size
- Gained popularity because the LXK2 Little Martin is Ed Sheeran’s favorite guitar to perform with
Cons of the LXK2 Little Martin:
- While the guitar is equipped with a strap hook, the guitar itself does not come with a strap
- Expensive for guitarists who are just beginning
- Some of the materials used to make the guitar are not solid pieces of wood but are actually laminated
Other Alternative Guitars to Consider
Eastman E10P Parlor Acoustic
The Eastman E10P Parlor Acoustic Guitar is an instrument that’s know to have a sonic sound and amazing resonance. The high-quality materials that Eastman uses ensure that this guitar produces an amazing sound, even though the body is a bit smaller.
Taylor BT2 Baby Acoustic Guitar
The Taylor BT2 Baby Acoustic Guitar is also a small-sized guitar that’s easy to travel with, as it is a ¾ size of a regular full-sized acoustic guitar. Due to the small size of the neck and the body, the Taylor BT2 guitar is also a popular choice with younger learners. However, even though it is a smaller guitar, it does not lack on delivering tone, resonance, and powerful volume!
What’s your final take on the Martin LXK2 Little Martin Acoustic Guitar?
While the price may scare you away, it’s actually very beneficial to have a high-quality guitar when you’re just starting out; it’s much easier for you to stay motivated when the guitar itself sounds good. Some of the materials that have been used to make this guitar are laminate in comparison to real wood, the tone quality is still very high.
If you are a professional or a performer who is picky about the materials that are used to make your instruments, I would suggest that you look at a different guitar. The Martin LXK2 Little Martin is a short-scale acoustic guitar that’s perfect to learn how to play fingerpicking style on.
Many artists choose the LXK2 Little Martin to travel around with, because it fits so well in overhead bins on airplanes and the gig bag that the guitar comes in is very sturdy. Overall, as long as you don’t have huge hands, you’ll love this guitar!
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