If you’re looking to purchase yourself a quality Martin guitar without having to pay the Martin price tag, the Martin DX1AE is an acoustic electric guitar you’re going to want to check out.
For just under $600, you can purchase yourself an instrument that will provide you with an amazing sound quality and high-quality sound projection. The tone that the Martin DX1AE delivers a loud and bright tone that has the ability to blend in with basically any music genre.
Especially considering the price tag, the materials that Martin used to comprise this guitar are absolutely beautiful and have incredible quality. The DX1AE has a dreadnought body, which helps to ensure that this guitar produces the maximum amount of volume that it can. It also has an A frame X-1 top acoustic guitar bracing with solid Sitka spruce top braces.
Also, the satin finish has been completed by hand, which really adds a nice touch of authenticity to the guitar.
The back and sides have a high-pressure laminate that has a textured finish, that really helps to balance out the sound of the instrument. The nut width of the DX1AE is 1 and 11/16 inches and is comprised of white Corian.
Why I Love the Martin DX1AE
Personally, I love the sound quality of the Martin DX1AE; it’s my favorite part of the entire guitar. The spruce top of the DX1AE is a bit thicker than most other guitars and having this extra thickness really allows the guitar to produce a loud and bass sound.
Martin also made sure to install quality tuners, which helps to ensure that the strings stay in tune for long periods of time, without having the need of constant re-tuning. The tuning pegs are chrome and are enclosed with small buttons.
There are some complaints about the overall build quality of this guitar, but in my personal experience, I have found that it withstands against a decent amount of abuse. By the decent amount of abuse, I mean that I accidentally hit my guitar against a music stand or against a wall.
I have heard a few of my friends talk about how they have dropped their guitar and how there was a lot of damage left on the instrument. Just make sure that you’re careful with your instrument, no matter what you buy!
DX1AE has twenty frets in total, with fourteen that are clear for use. The width of the fingerboard is 2 1/8th inches, which really helps to make playing to be comfortable; having this extra width also makes playing tricky maneuvers and progressions to be easier, since you have extra room to work with.
The bridge is made from Black Rich Lite, which is what the fretboard is also made from.
The bridge and end pins are white with black dots, but you also have an option to pick a tortoise color. As for the electronics placed in this acoustic electric, Martin installed Fishman electronics, which really helps to add a decent amount of versatility to the guitar, making it great to use for a variety of gigs.
The 6-string DX1AE acoustic-electric guitar features a dreadnought body designed to produce a powerful, rich sound that is perfect for live performance and in the studio. 
Core features of the Martin DX1AE
The Martin DX1AE is a part of the Martin X Series of Guitars; each and every guitar manufacturer has their own unique naming system for their guitars. Martin tends to name their guitars after their size and body style. Here is a breakdown of the DX1AE title:
D – Dreadnought body style
X- X series from Martin guitars; there are fifteen other models in the X series
1 – This basically means that this is a basic acoustic electric that doesn’t come with any frills and has a basic A-frame.
AE- Acoustic Electric
What are the best genres to play the Martin DX1AE with?
Since the sound that the DX1AE produces is bright, loud, and warm, there is no one specific genre that wouldn’t pair well with this guitar. There are an unlimited amount of genres that would pair really well with the DX1AE; however, I wouldn’t go and say that you play thrasher metal on this acoustic-electric (that would just sound silly).
Does the Martin work as advertised?
Yes, the Martin DX1AE does work as advertised. This is an affordable guitar that produces a professional sound and doesn’t require a lot of skill in order to make the instrument sound amazing.
Pros of the Martin DX1AE
- Very light weight
- Easy to transport
- Has a balanced sound
- Provides amazing resonance
- Produces large, clear sound
- Built to withstand abuse and doesn’t show a lot of signs of wear and tear
- Affordable
- High-quality sound
Cons of the Martin DX1AE
- The bottom strap is shallow, which sometimes makes playing uncomfortable
- I hated having to remove all of the strings in order just to access the battery of the guitar
Some other alternative acoustic-electric guitars to consider
Seagull S6 Original Acoustic Guitar
The Seagull S6 original acoustic guitar is a cheaper option compared to the Martin DX1AE but is only an acoustic guitar. However, while this only is an acoustic guitar, it produces a very similar bright and warm sound compared to the Martin DX1AE. This is slightly cheaper, mainly because it doesn’t have the Martin name attached to it.
Read also: How to Find the Best Seagull Acoustic Guitars.
Features: Solid cedar top Wild cherry back and sides Rosewood fingerboard and bridge Tusq nut and compensated saddle Semi-gloss lacquer finish. Winner of several awards, the S6 is perhaps the instrument that best represents the Seagull philosophy. 
Yamaha FG800 Solid Top Acoustic Guitar
If you’re looking to spend the least you possibly can, the Yamaha FG800 is an acoustic guitar you should look at. This is also an acoustic guitar, without any electronics attached to it. While this guitar does have a warm and bright sound, it does sometimes have some intonation problems, which is why this instrument is aimed towards beginners.
The nato back and sides also keeps the guitar lightweight and inexpensive while not sacrificing tone. Other features of the FG800 include a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, black and white body binding, die-cast tuners, and a tortoise pickguard.
Conclusion
For the price tag on this instrument, I would highly suggest that you purchase this guitar. You can have yourself a name brand instrument that comes with amazing craftsmanship and even better sound for under $600.
Not to mention that the Martin DX1AE stands up very well against humidity, temperature fluctuations, and changes in climate.
The 6-string DX1AE acoustic-electric guitar features a dreadnought body designed to produce a powerful, rich sound that is perfect for live performance and in the studio.
Overall, I would recommend this instrument to players of all levels; I highly recommend that beginning guitarists give this instrument a checkout, but I also believe that intermediate players and advanced musicians give the DX1AE a chance without passing judgment.
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John
Sunday 3rd of June 2018
This is my 10th Martin guitar, and for the money, the best of the bunch.