If you want more bang—in both quality and volume—for your buck, take a look at the Martin J40 as your next acoustic guitar purchase. Much like other guitars in Martin’s Standard Series, the Martin J40 combines quality features for both tone and aesthetics while keeping the price reasonable.
Martin’s First Jumbo Guitar
This week’s model is a bigger guitar than all of our previous Martin acoustic guitar reviews. In fact, while Martin is known for creating the first dreadnought size, the Martin J40 was Martin’s first design for a jumbo guitar as the next step in the great quest for more volume. However, pursuing this goal has not sacrificed this model’s balance. While other jumbo guitars are bass-heavy, but this guitar has a lot of bass that balanced with the upper register as well.
Classy, Not Pricey
The Martin J40 has the standard Indian rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck, Sitka spruce top, and standard bracing. These woods are given a raw presentation by using a natural stain over the whole guitar. Martin has kept the price of their J40 down by using classy and subtle aesthetic upgrades rather than over-the-top gaudiness. In addition to a bound neck and headstock, the Martin J40 features:
- Ebony fingerboard with 41 style inlays
- A Martin inlay on headstock
- A 45 style rosette inlay on body
My Verdict
The Martin J40 is a wonderful rhythm guitar because it supports a melody without the excessive boominess of a dreadnought. You also get a little more volume than the average dread. This acoustic guitar is also a surprisingly versatile instrument for a jumbo. In addition to the typical acoustic genres like folk or country, the Martin J40 can be used for 80s jazz or other non-traditional genres. Of course in addition to the sound, the Martin J40’s unique aesthetics make it a great choice for a musician who wants a little more punch to their look.