Even though they’re considered mid-sized today, when Martin first introduced its 000 body in the early 1900s, the guitars were the largest the company had built. Originally a 12-fret design, the 000 body style was modified in the 1930s to accommodate a 14-fret neck, and the result, a short-scale guitar with great playing comfort and a balanced, but typically powerful sound, has been one of the most enduring instruments in Martin’s catalog. The company currently has 000 models in every segment of its line, including the entry-level X series. We recently had a chance to check out the affordable 000-X2E, and in this video, I demo the guitar in the Peghead Nation studio.

Like all X-series Martins (check out the D-X2E we recently demoed!), the 000-X2E has back and sides made of a material called High Pressure Laminate (HPL). A composite material that fuses a special paper with resin using extremely high pressure, HPL is incredibly durable and highly impervious to changes in temperature and humidity. The material can also be a blank canvas for a “photo finish,” and for the 000-X2E, Martin chose a gorgeous image of Brazilian rosewood. The guitar’s top is solid Sitka spruce and has traditional X-bracing. With its simple appointments, style-28 position markers in the fingerboard, a single-ring abalone-pattern rosette, and a standard teardrop pickguard, the guitar looks like a classic Martin. The company has also included its E1 electronics in the guitar. With an active undersaddle pickup, unobtrusive controls in the bass side of the soundhole, and a chromatic tuner in the treble side, this is a basic, yet capable choice. 

The 000-X2E has a remarkable amount of classic 000-vibe despite its unusual materials and low cost. The guitar’s High Performance Taper neck, short scale, and great setup make it super easy to play and, like all 000s, it’s comfortable to hold. Of course, a guitar that costs less than $700 will be held to a different standard than a high-end 000, but I found it remarkable how much of the clarity, focus, and tonal balance we’ve come to expect from 000-size guitars was delivered by the 000-X2E. Without a doubt, players who are on a budget but are looking for traditional tonality and appearance would do well to add the 000-X2E to their list of instruments to check out. 

The 000-X2E is a cool guitar that respects Martin’s heritage in sound, feel, and looks. The fact that it does so at a rock-bottom price is great news for anyone looking for a high-value guitar.

SPECS:14-fret 000 body. Solid spruce top with X-bracing. High Pressure Laminate back and sides. Select hardwood neck, fretboard, and bridge. 24.9-inch scale. 1¾-inch nut width. 2⁵/₃₂-inch string spacing at the saddle. Satin-chrome enclosed tuning machines. Martin E-1 electronics. Made in Mexico. $699. Martinguitar.com

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