If you are interested in acoustic guitars, Martin guitars are the best option for you to have. Martin guitars are a well-known brand that does not require an introduction of any kind. If you use one of these guitars, you won’t have to deal with nearly as many hassles or difficulties as you would if you used other acoustic guitars that are now on the market.
These guitars are the greatest. These guitars are made to meet excellence on all parameters, and as a result, you will be able to play them with relative ease for any musical style that you would like to perform. Not only does the performance of these guitars exceed expectations, but you also get to enjoy the appropriate level of durability on these as well.
Not only that, but the guitars also look great. The design of the guitar is quite great, and both the top and the back are made of solid wood. You also get to enjoy various color possibilities and finish choices on the guitar, which would make it the appropriate option for you to be having this one rather than going with another.
Despite this, the Martin HPL is one of the more reasonably priced guitars, and as such, it does come with a few issues that you might run into when playing it. Some of these issues are as follows, and you will need to be very careful with them:
Some Martin HPL Problems To Know About
If the guitar is out of tune, you will be unable to play it to meet your demands, and you must exercise extreme caution in this regard. Therefore, the first thing you need to fix on a guitar before playing it is the intonation. This is because if the guitar is not in tune, you can not play it according to any needs you might be having.
Because of this, you can’t afford to disregard the importance of intonation. Your primary concern will be maintaining the guitar in tune, and this is what you will need to be careful about. Tuning the guitar is not a problem, and any acoustic guitar tuner can be used to tune this guitar rather quickly.
It has been observed that a guitar stored for an extended period of time begins to lose its tune, despite the fact that the bridge does not have such problems, which is excellent news. In order to start playing the guitar and get the perfect tunes out of it when you pick the strings, you will first need to ensure that you are tuning it correctly.
Loosening the strings on the guitar before putting it away for longer periods may be the best thing to do to ensure that you will not have to deal with the guitar being out of tune while attempting to play it. The tuning can go off from either the fretboard or the top side of the instrument.
- Finish Getting Bad
Another typical issue you will have to deal with while using the HPL from Martin Guitars is that the finish can start to get terrible, and it will have stains that are difficult to remove. This is another problem that you will have to deal with.
That has something to do with the overall materials used on the guitar, and especially the type of wood used on the guitar is not the ideal thing you get to have for having an enjoyable experience with any greasy stains that can sometimes be found on the instrument.
Because of this, it is imperative that you give the instrument the best possible care and refrain from having any stains on it in the first place. It would be helpful for you to maintain a regular cleaning routine for the guitar and keep it covered when it is not used.
This would help you to ensure that you are not going to get any stains on it in the first place, which could cause you to have issues with the way your guitar looks in the long run.
- Strings Breaking
There is something that causes the issue, and if you are a player who likes to tune the guitar a bit too tightly, this one might not be the best choice for you to be having. Although the fretboard is pretty great, and you get the best possible comfort and tunes while playing the guitar, something will cause you to have the issue.
If the strings on your guitar are too tight, the instrument may break rather fast, and you will run into problems if you try to perform while using it. Therefore, if you are a guitarist who prefers to keep their strings slightly loose, this would be the perfect option for you to have, and you will be able to play it without worrying about anything.
- Durability Issues
In terms of durability, high-pressure laminate (HPL) is really inferior to solid wood. Because it is equally sensitive to variations in temperature and humidity, you are required to handle it in the same manner.
The most significant drawback is that, unlike solid wood, HPL cannot be reshaped or repaired in the event that it breaks and loses its original form. Fixing it will be more difficult.
The first issue is that, despite the fact that HPL is quite durable in one sense — you won’t be able to scratch it, nor will you be able to soak it, nor will you be able to do any of the other things that were described above – its level of hardness makes it relatively brittle.
When it is bonded to a kitchen counter, this is not so much of a problem; however, when it is formed into the shape of a guitar and dragged around the world by musicians, a good hit in the wrong area or the wrong direction can result in a pile of shattered HPL fragments.
In addition, shatter is an appropriate term. You will be left with shards of material that are uneven, jagged, and resemble a jigsaw puzzle made out of a guitar.
The only way to fix this issue is to practice proper guitar maintenance and to use extreme caution whenever you play an instrument. When you are carrying it around, you need to be careful not to hit it with anything.
- Sound Quality Gradually Goes Down
Contrary to solid woods, which actually have a sound quality that improves with age, laminates might actually have a sound quality that degrades over time. This takes decades to complete, but the process moves much more quickly in extremely dry or humid environments.
If the glue that is keeping the wood together becomes too dry or too damp, the guitar will vibrate differently, which will result in a muffled sound being produced by the instrument. A solid top on a well-built and well-played guitar produces a sound that is unrivaled in terms of its sweetness, resonance, and overall complexity.
In spite of how good a laminated top can sound, it can’t compete with the higher levels of guitar construction, particularly in the hands of an experienced guitarist who is able to play with a broad range of dynamics. In most cases, the resonance and sustain of a laminated top will be diminished.
In contrast, the difference between laminate and solid wood is far less noticeable and substantial when it comes to backs and sides.
The Bottom Line
Everyone loves quality and durability when it comes to choosing musical instruments. Martin EPL is one of the best modern-day guitars. You can enjoy playing it for months, and it has become the first choice of guitarists when choosing an acoustic guitar.
Above mentioned problems can also occur with your guitar and can be solved with the easy method described above. Make sure you completely understand the problem before jumping into solving it.