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Martin Road Series SC-13E Modern Acoustic-electric Guitar - Natural

Acoustic-electric Guitar with Spruce Top, Koa Back and Sides, Select Hardwood Neck, and Ebony Fingerboard - Natural
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Item ID: SC13EMRN
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Martin Road Series SC-13E Modern Acoustic-electric Guitar - Natural
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Martin Road Series SC-13E Modern Acoustic-electric Guitar - Natural
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Price:$1,799 and 99 cents
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A High-performance Martin Purpose-built for the Modern Musician

The Martin Road Series SC-13E Modern provides you with both cutting-edge acoustic-electric performance and the deep, powerful sound that’s served as Martin’s sonic signature for more than two centuries. This comprehensively modernized acoustic-electric begins with a solid spruce top and innovative Tone Tension scalloped X-bracing, singing with a clear and responsive voice that tackles styles of all sorts with impeccable string-to-string balance. Meanwhile, the offset S-shaped body is composed of beautiful koa fine veneer to impart a pleasing blend of smooth highs and punchy midrange focus. What makes this Modern series guitar so modern? Thoroughly 21st-century playability all around, including a speedy Low Profile Velocity neck shape and Martin’s Sure Align neck system — the latter of which provides easy access to the upper frets and allows you to precisely dial in your action with Martin’s proprietary elevation plates. You also get lightweight skeletonized Ratio tuning machines and the road-proven LR Baggs Element pickup system for plug-and-play acoustic-electric tones. Effortlessly playable and ready to hit the stage, the Martin Road Series SC-13E Modern is the perfect Martin for the modern performing musician.

Removes the limitations of the conventional cutaway acoustic

Playing the Road Series SC-13E Modern is a unique yet comfortably familiar experience. Its offset S-shaped body fits you like a glove while providing balanced output and effective feedback rejection. Next, the Low Profile Velocity neck shape allows for helical hand rotation to ensure that every hand position feels relaxed and natural. Best of all, Martin’s heel-less Sure Align neck system gives you unfettered access to the entire fretboard, and it also allows you to precisely dial in your action, much like you would on an electric guitar. No matter what you’re playing — cowboy chords, jazz shapes, or rapid-fire leads — the SC-13E Modern makes it feel effortless.

An acoustic guitar through and through

While certainly among the most forward-thinking of Martin’s 6-string creations, the SC-13E Modern draws extensively from the company’s 180-year history of building legendary acoustic instruments. Its solid spruce top yields a direct sound and a broad dynamic range, while its fine-tuned body with Tone Tension X-bracing produces impressive levels of volume and projection. A set of koa fine veneer back and sides rounds out the SC-13E’s sonic foundation with a crisp and midrange-focused punch, keeping all six strings in perfect balance with each other. From solo strumming to fierce flatpicking runs to mellowed-out fingerstyle, the SC-13E does it all with a clear and modern tone that’s undeniably Martin to the core.

Amazing sound onstage

The SC-13E Modern comes with LR Baggs's popular Element acoustic pickup system, a favorite among acoustic guitarists at Sweetwater. This system features a low-profile under-saddle transducer that enhances the coupling between the pickup and the guitar for a robust, lively, and natural acoustic sound with excellent dynamics and delicate high end. Combined with an onboard preamplifier and an unobtrusive volume control that's mounted just inside the soundhole, the Element gives your SC-13E Modern the amplification you need, with zero compromises for tone or convenience.

Martin Road Series SC-13E Modern Features:

  • A high-performance acoustic-electric for players after a Martin with a more modern feel
  • Solid spruce top with Tone Tension scalloped X-bracing grants a responsive sound with a clear, punchy voice
  • Offset S-style body with koa fine veneer back and sides performs with smooth highs, a rich midrange, and impeccable balance
  • Select hardwood neck in a seriously speedy Low Profile Velocity shape
  • Ebony fingerboard studded with eye-catching ziricote inlays
  • LR Baggs Element pickup system gives you stage-ready acoustic-electric tones with minimal fuss
  • Lightweight skeletonized Ratio tuning machines offer pitch-perfect stability with a smooth action
  • Sure Align neck system offers exceptional upper-fret access while allowing for action adjustments with Martin’s elevation plates

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Tech Specs

  • String Type: Steel
  • Number of Strings: 6
  • Left-/Right-handed: Right-handed
  • Body Shape: Offset
  • Back & Sides Wood: Koa Fine Veneer
  • Top Wood: Spruce
  • Top Finish: Gloss
  • Color: Natural
  • Body Bracing: Tone Tension X-Bracing
  • Neck Wood: Select Hardwood
  • Neck Finish: Satin
  • Neck Shape: Low Profile Velocity
  • Radius: 16"
  • Fingerboard Material: Ebony
  • Fingerboard Inlay: Rings
  • Number of Frets: 20
  • Scale Length: 25.4"
  • Scale Length Type: Standard-scale
  • Nut Width: 1.75"
  • Nut Material: White Corian
  • Saddle Material: White Tusq
  • Tuning Machines: Ratio Nickel Open Gear
  • Electronics: LR Baggs Element
  • Strings: Martin MA535T, .011-.052
  • Case/Gig Bag: Softshell Case
  • Manufacturer Part Number: 11SC13EMOD

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Reviews

My First Martin Guitar
I like this guitar a lot. (I consider myself an "open chord strummer... somewhere between a beginner and intermediate player. I started taking lessons again at almost age 70... after a 5 year break.). I had to switch to a set of Martin light strings as I was getting fret buzz.. Other than that, the guitar is an absolute joy to play. I am disabled and barre chords are unachievable for me... however, it is so nice to handle for the ability I am able to play. This is the lightest of the guitars I own (4) and is definitely the lightest and sounds the "brightest"....even compared to my Taylor. Thank you to Bart Amburn for helping me along with my selection. I Love the folks at Sweetwater.
Music background: 7 years on and off playing guitar