As a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, this site may earn from qualifying purchases.
We may also earn commissions on purchases from other retail websites.

Martin DRS2 Road Series – Another C. F. Martin's Champion

4.8 out of 5 stars

Introduction

A high-end Martin can easily cost you several thousands of dollars – and who wouldn’t want one of those models?! But not all of us can afford something so high-end. Enter, the Martin Road Series, which is a collection that still offers the high quality the iconic brand is known for, but at a more wallet-friendly price. The DRS2 is a key part of this series and proves one of the most popular acoustic guitars under $1000. This calls for a closer look…

Body & Neck

Starting with aesthetics, there’s nothing too extraordinary about the DRS2. Martin seems to stick with the ethos of only adding something if it needs to be there. So, apart from a pickguard and simple dot inlays, there’s no further decoration. Yet, the DRS2 shows off a simple and timeless dreadnought design which would look great in any collection. Plus, although the DRS2 is one of the brand’s more affordable models coming from Martin’s Mexican facility, it shows off superb craftsmanship.

Unlike the HPLs you may find on some other Martins, the sides and back of the DRS2 are crafted from solid sapele, while the top is made from X-braced solid Sitka spruce, all finished with a silky-smooth satin. Joined at the 14th fret, the neck is made of hardwood and features a very comfortable hand-rubbed finish. While Martin uses traditional woods for the body and neck, we see the appearance of the brand’s eco-friendly Richlite on the 20-fret fretboard, which is a great ebony substitute – dark, tough and slick.

DRS2_h_1

Hardware

The DRS2 is an electro-acoustic so it features something under the hood – Fishman’s Sonitone system with soundhole-mounted controls for volume and tone. This stealthy system doesn’t affect the clean design of this acoustic at all. At the Martin-branded headstock, in a 3+3 configuration, you’ll find a set of Martin’s own sealed chrome tuners, which do a great job of precision tuning and then holding it in place.

There’s also a Richlite bridge, a compensated Tusq saddle, a White Corian nut, and a set of Martin’s SP strings. Finally, the DRS2 comes complete with a protective Martin hardshell case, which is a great addition even at this sub-$100 price tag.

Sound

What can we say about the tone? It’s clear, beautiful and full of Martin character – rich and warm but well-balanced thanks to the combination of the spruce and sapele. With the generous dreadnought shape, solid woods and bracing pattern, it projects very well indeed. Plugged in, the Fishman system offers quite a natural replication of the acoustic tone and proves a worthy companion for performances, even with limited onboard controls.

Conclusion

Even for a sub-$1000 guitar, the DRS2 just feels like very good value. It doesn’t offer the drop-dead gorgeous detailing or the vintage-inspired designs of some of its peers, but the DRS2 gives guitarists a high-quality all-solid-wood guitar that should last a lifetime.

For more info about the Martin DRS2 Road Series , click here.
For more Premium acoustic guitars for less then 1000$, click here.


Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marc says

    Quoting the text: “The body features a solid Sitka spruce top which strikingly resembles mahogany wood…”
    The sitka top on the DRS2 does not look like mahogany. You have a DRS1 in your lead photo, which does have a mahogany top. Your writer has confused the two guitars.
    I have the DRS2 and I think it is a great guitar, and a real bargain. It has a deep, woody tone that I associate with better Martin guitars. The neck’s slim profile makes it the easiest guitar that I have found to play. Highly recommended.

  2. Kevin P Moore says

    I just ordered that guitar from.Pittsburgh Guitars yesterday and it will take a week or less to have it dropped by. I had a Martin year ago and it was simple then. Now with all the new models I was lost and started to become more informed. The price and real wood was it. I don’t need a $5,000 guitar to sit in my studio’. That guitar has me covered ‘

Speak Your Mind

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *