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I know there's already plenty threads and reviews online comparing the Martin 000-15m to it's cheapo Sigma version, but the info on the newish 000RS1 is pretty scarce online...

Besides looking a bit stripy, I would assume the tonal differences shouldn't be huge...Right?

Anyway, I could buy a used one, ex cond, for about half the new price. OR...I could get a brand new Sigma 000-15m for considerably less.

It's just a shame there isn't a $120 cheaper version of the 000RS1 that doesn't have the -suppusedly meh- pickup.

Trying both guitars out would mean driving to two different stores, a zillion miles from me, and eachother. So I'd rather educate myself a bit first:)

My experience with martins is very limited, hard to come by around here, even at the store i work at part time (basically Taylor is the shit ??? )

anyway I own a Sigma and I've played at least two Martins. All of them are D-models, mind you. And my Sigma is about 20 years old and ALL mahogany. So hard to compare. However, i admit that the Martins were better. The build quality seemed good on all of them, but the wood just resonated much better on the Martins than on my Sigma.

Way to characterise my Sigma is... It's darker, has tons of sustain and surprisingly rich harmonics for a cheaper guitar. The weirdest thing about that guitar, however, is its dynamics. It sounds fine when you play softly, but really comes alive with more agressive playing. In this regard, the Martins were much more responsive to softer playing and better for fingerpicking and such, but there was not a massive difference in richness with change of dynamics i guess. Might be the huge amount of mahogany, might be that the wood on the Martins was bette... I can't really tell.

my ranty, chaotic experience with martins and sigmas

Thanks.

I know the chance of finding anyone here who's played both those particular acoustics isn't too big, so I appreciate all sort of input that might help me pull the trigger.

I guess what it basically boils down to for me: Which one is the best bang for the buck? I don't mind spending $150 extra on a used Martin, instead of saving a little and getting a brand new sigma, as long as I'm not only paying extra for the electronics, which I probably rarely, if at all, use:s

My personal experience with Martin is limited to a low end DX1. Not an awefull instrument at all, but after playing a bunch of other acoustics in the same price range (yamaha, cort, epiphone,...), it kinda seemed like I payed a little extra for the brand name. The same money could've bought me a guitar that feels somewhat more solid, and with an actual quality finish...

generally i'd go for a better used instrument than a less good new one

especially if the price gap is not that huge

yeah, the DX1 is not bad, but in that price range, you can do better with a Norman, Seagull or an Art Lutherie