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Controversial New Martin Guitar


BluesKing777

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It is not my kind of guitar at all, but I was interested to hear what others thought.

 

 

I can imagine driving back from a gig or a friend's down that lonely country road late at night and the only others around are...you guessed it, the cops with nothing to do! And they want a quick look at everything and when they see that guitar, they go: 'Whatzat?'........etc.

 

Nope, not in this lifetime for me!

 

 

BluesKing777.

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After seeing the number of ads I've received on-line from Martin on a daily basis I have to say that they have a very aggressive marketing dept.There doesn't seem to be any sector of the purchasing demographic that they haven't focused on. Got to give them full marks for inventiveness and tenacity but their sense of aesthetics makes me scratch my head.

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It's the perfect guitar to have lolling, caseless, in the cargo area of a mid-70s Volvo station wagon fitted with the "please-arrest-me-I-do-drugs" Grateful Dead dancing bears window decals.

 

Hey, wait a minute. I used to resemble that remark. But I had a case for my guitar.

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Hmmm.... 420.... I'm with Nick (back then) and have also accumulated a guitar case (these days).... Perhaps a D-76, also a bit controversial when originally released, would be a good companion for the D-420 in someone's collection😇

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Story on the television last night - a key Dallas Cowboy player has been suspended for over a year. His offense was testing positive for cannabis apparently the 6th or 7th time. He was more interested in getting high than his football career. A multi-million$ contract - he's played in only 2 games due to previous suspensions which led up to this more severe one. I'm guessing his parents are disappointed to see him throw away all his talent and hard work. "Up in smoke"!

So, to me, making a statement like this on a guitar is what I would expect from some teenager in his garage who bought a First Act at Walmart and wants to impress his girlfriend.

And, while I realize Martin produces lots of models that are 'stylized' - I think some, including this one, are purely marketing tools. This message is not of the caliber of the "This Machine Kills Facists" message on Woody Guthrie's guitar. It is intended to attract customers who might be considering a Takamine, and get them thinking "Martin must be a more cooler company. I should score of their axes."

I would be very, very disappointed if Bozeman ever decided to come out with something like this.

Somehow, I don't see a Che Guevara logo on a $30K Gibson Baldwin piano.

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Well, I wouldn't buy it, but I wouldn't buy their other "art" guitars either. It's not what I look for in an instrument. That said, obviously somebody buys these cowboy guitars and Louvin Bros guitars and the like, so I have to assume the Martin marketers know what they're doing. I guess they're like baseball cards or something--celebrating American cultural icons. Weed is an important topic these days in legal, economic and political circles. It is legal in a few places, and apparently this artwork is a serious creation. So, why not make it a guitar. It makes more sense to me than a $150,000 watch-themed waste of good wood that no one will play. The only thing I don't get is the numeric designation. What is 420 all about?

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Story on the television last night - a key Dallas Cowboy player has been suspended for over a year. His offense was testing positive for cannabis apparently the 6th or 7th time. He was more interested in getting high than his football career. A multi-million$ contract - he's played in only 2 games due to previous suspensions which led up to this more severe one. I'm guessing his parents are disappointed to see him throw away all his talent and hard work. "Up in smoke"!

So, to me, making a statement like this on a guitar is what I would expect from some teenager in his garage who bought a First Act at Walmart and wants to impress his girlfriend.

And, while I realize Martin produces lots of models that are 'stylized' - I think some, including this one, are purely marketing tools. This message is not of the caliber of the "This Machine Kills Facists" message on Woody Guthrie's guitar. It is intended to attract customers who might be considering a Takamine, and get them thinking "Martin must be a more cooler company. I should score of their axes."

I would be very, very disappointed if Bozeman ever decided to come out with something like this.

Somehow, I don't see a Che Guevara logo on a $30K Gibson Baldwin piano.

Interesting train of thought, and not unlike what I've been wondering in terms of the choice to issue the guitar at the price point it occupies. It would have made more sense to me if it came from a series that already offers a variety of graphic embellishments for lots less money. $3000 seems an awfully steep price for a 'novelty' guitar. Now, if playing the thing induces a state of euphoria, all might be understood and forgiven😋

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