As the name implies, the Little Martin is the smallest guitar from the Martin brand. Although small in size, the Little Martin offers quality and versatility as well as a big sound. It features a koa high-pressure laminate (HPL) top, back, sides and headstock as well as parts made of sustainable wood.
Features of the Martin LXK2 Little Martin Koa Pattern HPL Top with Padded Gigbag
- Construction. The Little Martin LXK2 acoustic guitar is a compact instrument made with Hawaiian Koa-grained high pressure laminate top, back, sides and headstock as its pattern to look like real koa wood. For the neck, natural birch laminate was used. Because this guitar is laminated, it has its advantages like durability compared to other guitars.
The Martin LXK2 does not utilize much for strong wood, which is showcased by the laminates which are only wood-designed. The neck is made of stratabond which has about 35 portions of wood joined together.
The blending of woods compliments the small built of this guitar and enhances the sound quality while keeping it down at a reasonable price.
- Body and neck. Aside from the koa top laminate, the Little Martin features a low oval neck made of stratabond, a fingerboard with 20 frets but no position inlays and a bridge made from solid East Indian Rosewood or Morado. It has a scale length of 23” and it also has a patented neck mortise with small Gotoh nickel-plated tuners.
The body size has a modified 0-14 fret and is big enough to be played comfortably against the knee. It has a natural satin finish with no binding.
- Sound Quality. The Martin LXK2 is low on bass and produces a warm tone. The bass is rich with a complemented treble supplement. Even with its small size, you will still get clear sounding tones. Overall, this Little Martin has a sort of mellow and woodsy kind of tone when played.
- Portability. Since this is a sort of a travel guitar, the Little Martin is compact and lightweight but still provides great playability that will surely entertain you and those around you. It also includes a padded gig bag suitable for a hassle-free traveling with your Little Martin. The gig bag is sturdy and the whole set can fit easily inside the plane’s overhead bins as well as car trunks.
Pros
- The guitar is compact and lightweight, very easy to carry around plus the gig bag keeps it from getting scratched and from other damages that may occur when travelling.
- Because its built as a 3/4 scale guitar, the Little Martin LXK2 is also easy for children and small adults to use when learning how to play the guitar.
- According to people who reviewed this product, the Little Martin has a decent balance of tone and sounds better compared to other similar small-sized guitars.
- Because the guitar is of laminate build, not only does it look sleek and nice with a koa pattern, it also prevents dents and scratches.
Cons
- The guitar does not allow electronics on board which is a deal-breaker for some people who reviewed this product.
Verdict
The Martin LXK2 Little Martin Koa Pattern HPL Top with Padded Gigbag is a good acoustic guitar to buy if into traveling around with a good-sounding guitar with you. This is a great guitar to start with if to be used by children due to its small size. This is also good for hobbyists and for casual playing. However, if you are into more serious guitar stuff, at its price range, it would be better to consider a full-sized guitar.
Product Comparison
| Product | Martin LXK2 Little Martin Koa Pattern HPL Top with Padded Gigbag | Epiphone DR-100 (Dreadnought), Ebony | Oscar Schmidt OG2SM Acoustic Guitar – Spalted Maple |
| Price | $329.00 | $109.00 | $199.47 |
| Amazon Rating | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Dimension | 18 x 7 x 39 inches | 42 x 18.5 x 5.5 inches | 46 x 18 x 7 inches |
| Weight | 2 pounds | 8 pounds | 9.6 pounds |
| Warranty | Limited Lifetime Warranty | Not specified | Limited Lifetime Warranty |
| Features | – Hawaiian koa-grained high-pressure laminate (HPL) top, back, sides and headstock – features a low oval neck made of stratabond, a fingerboard with 20 frets but no position inlays and a bridge made from solid East Indian Rosewood or Morado – scale length of 23” with small Gotoh nickel-plated tuners – body size has a modified 0-14 fret – sturdy gig bag included in the package | – mahogany dreadnought body including back and sides – select spruce top – rosewood fingerboard with 20 frets marked by standard perloid dot inlays with matching carved rosewood bridge – 25.5-inch scale and 1.69-inch nut – Epiphone Sloped Dovewing Headstock with die-cast chrome tuners – SlimTaper neck | – Dreadnought style with Spalted Maple top, laminated – mahogany tonewood including body, neck and sides – fingerboard and bridge are made of rosewood – has chrome die-cast tuners with adjustable truss rod and a truss wrench included |
| Overall | BEST |
Overall Best: Epiphone DR-100 (Dreadnought), Ebony
For starters, this guitar is a good purchase, it’s affordable, has good reviews and has a decent sound. If you are on a budget or just want a guitar for casual playing, among the three, the Epiphone DR-100 will give the best value for your money.
