MusicRadar

This Martin may use less traditional materials, but its workmanship remains exceptional.

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• Review

Founded over 175 years ago, CF Martin is arguably the most prestigious and recognised name in the world of acoustic guitars.

For the most part, however, its enviable reputation has been built on the success of its dry acoustics, that is, without any onboard electronics.

Recent years have seen the Nazareth-based, family-owned company turn its attention to the ever-growing electro-acoustic sector of the market. Industry figures indicate that electro-acoustics sales made up 37 per cent of the acoustic guitar market in 2010, up from 31 per cent in 2005.

In partnership with long-time supplier Fishman, Martin launched the all-new Performing Artist Series at NAMM 2010. The new range quickly became Martin's fastest-growing product line and has received rave reviews from all quarters - including us.

"The Martin Performing Artist OMCPA4 is perhaps Martin's best-loved and most versatile guitar body shape, the OM."

The combination of high- quality craftsmanship and the best in modern amplification proved a major success on the high street for the company.

Priced at £1,359, the Martin Performing Artist OMCPA4 is one of the most affordable Performing Artist Series guitars yet. It's an all-solid dreadnought with Venetian cutaways.

It comes loaded with Martin's new treated SP Lifespan strings and included in the price is a black TKL hard case.

To assist in reducing costs in pursuit of a lower, more attainable price, Martin has used less expensive woods, while seeking to maintain the high performance characteristics of the earlier models.

In place of mahogany, the satin-finished back and sides is constructed from African sapele, a wood very similar in appearance and tone to mahogany and long used by Taylor.

Various synthetics are employed, too: a bone-substitute, white Corian, for the nut and saddle; an ebony-substitute, black Richlite, for the fingerboard and bridge material; and black Boltaron for the binding. Simple dot inlays serve as fretboard markers.

The onboard Fishman electronics system is a simplified version of that found on the PA3 guitars. The F1 Analog system is stripped back to the basic necessities of a gig.

The two push 'n' twist rotaries from earlier models remain, though it lacks the clever sound imaging, compression and automatic anti-feedback technology. All that remains is an onboard tuner (which mutes the output when engaged), tone and basic phase control.

Many found the full-fat Fishman system aboard the PA3 guitars a little too fiddly and fussy; the F1 is a clean-cut alternative.

It features a book-matched, polished gloss, Sitka spruce soundboard, showing a tight pronounced grain. Underneath, it makes use of Martin's hybrid A-Frame scalloped bracing.