Acoustic Blues Lab - Acoustic and Electric Recording Guitars

MODDED MARTIN 12s - A MONSTER & BEGINNER

Never say never also applies to guitars.
As stated below, neither of these Martin
12-strings were meant to be pro level guitars. Never intended to be more than what they are.
Mid level (the Martin DM12), and entry level (the Martin DM12.) Yet both surpassed most expectations. Especially the DM12. Which elevated itself up to a symphonic level. ________________________________________________________

2001 Martin DM12 - A Monster Modded Martin Road Series
12-String With a Rock and Roll Attitude

First and foremost, this Martin DM12 has a highly aggressive tone.
Further expanded by its fat frets, a tweaked compensated carbon fiber saddle, and a quality build. It's absolutely one of the loudest 12-strings
I have ever played. Which includes a brutal bottom end that somehow doesn't overload the mics.

The original Martin DM12 specifications.
The Martin DM12 (now discontinued) was a mid-level dreadnaught style 12-string. Featuring a solid spruce top, laminated mahogany back and sides, A-frame bracing, a solid mahogany neck, and an ebony bridge.
This DM12 was released in 2001, the first year of the series. In general, new acoustic guitar models tend to have better quality tops to help launch the series. Which may partially explain its strong tone. Another factor could be the projection qualities of its laminated sides and back.

I knew it had languished on the wall of Seattle's tiny folk music store.
And finally bought it after realizing why it didn't sell. It was not a folk instrument. It was an acoustic monster.

Listen to Modded 2001 Martin DM12 12-String on Bandcamp.
(Note: This is a long form improvised symphonic track - 25:01)

The Sinking of the Larsen B

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MARTIN 2000 D12X1 12-STRING - Modded and Tweaked, American-Made Quality Build, Possibly Factory Modded

A ridiculously modded introductory 12-string.
This instrument is a higher quality introductory 12-string. I bought it for personal amusement, after living enough of my rock and roll dream.
I had quit pro music years ago. This was supposed to be just for fun. Instead, it dragged me back into music.

OK, let's get practical. At the very least, it's a solid entry level or sturdy stage guitar. After holding on to it for way too long, it's for sale.

A guitar with a strangely lucky past.
It was released in early 2000. The first year of Martin's X Series. Made at the Martin Factory in Nazareth, PA. With a very early serial number. Note. In late 2004, Martin moved its X Series to its Mexican factory. There's an online consensus (rumor?) that the earlier American X instruments have a better tone. Which could be true. But probably because of access to higher quality spruce tops. Not because the Mexico factory isn't as good. They've made Mariachi guitars for countless years.

There's a certain mystery to this guitar.
It had already been upgraded with fat frets and Thomastik strings when
I bought it. Who would do that??? Spending serious money to mod a Martin X series guitar. Most players have never even heard of fat frets and Thomastik strings. I later added a compensated bone saddle. And an end-pin 1/4" jack (for an under saddle pick-up, which I immediately removed because it ruined the guitar's tone). Some have speculated it might have been a factory prototype. Or possibly a Martin Rep's demo instrument. But I tend to think it was modded to be a rugged low cost stage guitar, played into mics.

Regardless, it's the best sounding Martin X I've ever encountered.

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For more info on ABL instruments, please email Rod Guevara at:
elhotrod32@yahoo.com

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