Two new X Series acoustic guitars are now available from C.F. Martin & Co, the OMXAE Black and DXAE Black.
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These black themed guitars were unveiled at last month’s Summer NAMM 2014 show, both featuring “Jett black” style finish for the headstock and the body.
Both guitars are very much identical in terms of materials used and finish, with the main difference just boiling down to the shape of the body. The OMXAE Black has a slimmer 000-14 Fret body shape, while the DXAE model follows traditional dreadnought shape.
Being part of Martin’s affordable X Series, these guitars feature more accessible and budget-friendly materials, most notable of which is the company’s HPL (High Pressure Laminate) wood for the top back and sides. The top is supported by solid Sitka spruce braces that follow their often imitated X-Series bracing pattern. It is also interesting to note that both guitars have traditional non-cutaway bodies, instead of the usual cutaway acoustic-electric combination.
The neck is crafted from black stratabond, while the black richlite material was used for the fingerboard, in keeping with the overall dark theme of the guitar. Even the nut is made of black corian to match the Jett Black textured finish of the headplate.
The scale length for both guitars is the same, measuring 25.4″. They both have necks that meet the body after the 14th fret and have a total of 20 frets. Nut width is 1.75″ while the fingerboard width at the 12th fret is 2.125″. The bridge is also made from black richlite, carved into Mod ’30s style. Only the chrome enclosed tuning machines, pad printed rosette and fret wires stray from the dark.
For plugging in, both the OMXAE and DXAE come equipped with Fishman Sonitone USB electronics. This modern acoustic-electric preamp and pickup system allow for direct recording via the USB port. Just connect it to your computer, run your favorite recording software and start recording without the need for a separate USB audio adapter.
Since they share many of the same features, it is not surprising that the two new X-Series guitars have the same list price of $699. For more information and other details, you can head over to Martin Guitar
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