I feel Martin are the best acoustic guitar manufacturer on the planet, and I've been pleased with the other models I've owned. I'm always searching for the muse, which is the reason I change guitars. My current D-41 is a beautiful masterpiece, and every Martin I've owned has been amazing in build quality, tone and playability

Any guitar from Martin in the 40 range is a big investment, but it is worth it. The sound of this guitar with fresh strings is unlike any guitar I have ever heard. And there is an added bonus, Martin cases smell like cherry. You'll come to love that smell and associate it with owning a very expensive finely made guitar. Go to as many guitar stores that sell them as possible and play them all, then make your choice.

When you buy one, be ready to take care of it. This is real wood and humidity and temperature have a big impact. Do not leave it out in the living room for weeks on end. It needs to be kept in the case and you need to add humidity control packs to the case during storage. The preferred humidity is around 40-45% and the preferred temp is around 70-75 degrees which isn't hard to maintain. It won't hurt it to leave it out for the day, but don't leave it on the stand for days on end or the wood might suffer if the humidity drops. Be prepared to buy a humidity monitor just to keep an eye on things.

All of the visual appointments on this guitar are beautiful, sure...but they don't mean a thing if it sounds like a shoebox with rubber bands stretched over it. Fortunately, that is not the case. The tone is classic Martin dreadnaught. Loud, percussive, and rich. It has a tighter bass response than any of the 28 or 35 series, but retains the same silky smooth highs and clear, super-present midrange. This guitar could easily keep up with a banjo and mandolin with no amplification.

In addition to sounding and looking fabulous, this guitar actually even smells good. When I open the case, I'm greeted by the fragrance of spruce and rosewood wafting up from the soundhole. I smell occasional wafts of it as I'm playing, and as I close my eyes, I know that I'm experiencing this instrument on every level possible. And what a wonderful experience it is.

There are few mass-produced guitars that can wow a person like the beautifully-appointed D-41. There is abalone all the way around the solid sitka spruce top, in the rosette around the sound hole, on each of the bridge pins, on the tail pin, on the hexagonal fret board inlays, and in the inlaid C.F. Martin logo (used in lieu of the traditional script logo). The ebony fretboard contrasts nicely to the abalone inlays and feels very supple to the touch. The natural finish and nitrocellulose lacquer clearcoat on the spruce top provide an extremely vibrant and loud soundboard. The East Indian rosewood back and sides are a dark and lovely color and grain and they darken the tone just enough to keep it from being overly bright in timbre. Overall, this is an instrument that you will find yourself simply admiring as if it were a work of art. In a way, it really is a work of art.