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A simple, understated appearance that harks back to bygone days

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The first all-mahogany guitar was Martin's 2-17, introduced in the early 1920s. Possibly borne out of the Hawaiian music and ukulele explosion that hit America in the interwar period – Martin ukes were mostly all-mahogany – this small-bodied instrument became a trendsetter for the burgeoning acoustic blues scene. Later that same decade, arch rival Gibson jumped on the bandwagon with its own mahogany-top effort, the L-0.

Blues players loved these instruments with their bright but sweet trebles and a midrange that cuts through loud vocals. They were also cheap – $25 at the time.

The Style 15 came into being in 1940, but various American companies continued to make all-mahogany instruments up until the '60s, when availability of spruce (which had been a problem post-WWII) was no longer an issue.

"This 000-15 displays nothing but clarity and articulation across its entire tonal spectrum."

As a result the popularity of these 'austerity' instruments waned to the point where the big firms no longer bothered with them, although a couple of notable exceptions were Guild's D-25 and the cool-looking, bolt-on-necked Fender Newporter.

When Taylor successfully debuted the 412-M in 1996 it suggested that the time was perhaps right for this intriguing style of acoustic to return. Martin launched the strictly budget D-15 in 1997, followed by the 000-15 and others.

For 2010, Martin has added the dreadnought sized D-15M and its smaller bodied sibling, the 000-15M – the M suffix indicates a number of spec changes over the existing 15 Series guitars that result in a small price increase.

Both instruments feature Martin's bolt-assisted mortise and tenon joint, first seen on the D-1. Not only helping to keep costs down, this 'glued and screwed' assembly has also proved structurally stable and tonally more than up to the job.

Featuring the no-frills look and satin finish of the existing 15 Series these are darker stained over genuine mahogany (including the neck) instead of sapele – a close relative that possesses very similar qualities.

When it comes to acoustic guitar design and construction, there's something to be said for the plain and purposeful approach. An acoustic guitar's worth is all too often measured by the quantity of molluscs who sacrificed their lives to decorate it or the length of fancy materials that bind every conceivable body, neck or headstock; or indeed the sheen emanating from the precious plating of its metal ware.

What you get here instead are the barest essentials for good, workable, pro-standard, six-stringed musical instruments.

Solid timbers are used throughout the 000-15M's construction. Where Martin could have skimped with laminated sides, back or neck, it has remained faithful to the ethos of quality not frills. So here we see no bindings, yet the subtle lines where the top and back join the rims and where the East Indian rosewood peghead veneer meets the headstock, leave a tasteful impression of such things.