GEAR REVIEW
C. F. MARTIN 00L-16E ACOUSTIC-ELECTRIC BLUE DENIM GUITAR | Eric Dahl
• Sloped Shoulder 00 Body Shape
• Scalloped X-Bracing
• Solid Spruce Top
• Gloss Finish Top
• Blue Denim Finish Color Top
• Solid Mahogany Back and Sides
• Modified Low Oval Satin Neck
• Baggs Element VTC Electronics
• Open Gear Nickel Tuners
• 1955 Style 18 Fretboard Inlays
• 16” Radius Neck
KEY FEATURES
• 20 frets / 24.9” Scale Length / 1.75” Nut width
• Martin Softshell Case
The Martin Guitar 16 series launch event was held in Nashville, TN at the Martin show room this past September. I have attended a number of these kinds of events, but I don’ t believe anyone expected the overflow turnout of people that showed up for this one. With good reason, since many of us in the media and musicians had heard the buzz about new improvements and changes to this 16 Series line. For review Worship Musician received the Martin 00L-16E in Blue Denim finish. Martin is also offering this model in 1935 Sunburst and Black Smoke finishes. Other updated models include the DSS-16E, J-16E, GPC 16E and the Grand J-16E 12-string.
Our Blue Denim 00L-16E sloped shouldered guitar is quite eye catching. This Martin guitar is built around the 00- 14-Fret body and features a solid Spruce top with Blue Denim finish under gloss. The back and sides are solid Mahogany, and the neck is a modified low oval shape with high-performance taper. The bridge and neck are both constructed of Ebony, and the neck has a satin finish. Fingerboard inlays are 1955 Style 18 with mother of pearl inlays. The machine heads are nickel open gear with butterbean knobs.
The scale length is 24.9” and the fingerboard width at the nut is 1¾”. The grained ivoroid pickguard accents the Blue Denim finish nicely. The onboard electronics are Baggs Element VTC with inside sound hole volume and tone controls and easy battery access at the bottom of the guitar. When all the guitars were on display I played the J-16E 12-string( which has a thinner body depth), a Cream J16E and a Cherry Cola DSS-16E. But the Blue Denim Martin 00L-16E got the most attention and everyone wanted to play it. As most of you know Martin, in the past, has generally stayed with natural finish or sunburst tops unless it was a specific signature model. As younger musicians are requesting more visual options it made sense that Martin would offer more variations in color on these new 16 series instruments. And they are still finished in a tasteful and classic Martin style.
Played acoustically the 00L-16E has a tight bass sound with pronounced treble and mids. Thanks to the body shape and bracing the bass notes aren’ t muddy at all. The 00L-16E lends itself nicely to fingerpicking also thanks to the 2 5 / 32” string spacing and the highperformance neck. I went from classical rock to classical guitar songs seamlessly. Plugged into an amplifier the Baggs Element VTC system boosts the bass notes and levels out the mids and treble frequencies more. The sound was full and lush plugged in although you might need a feedback exterminator in your sound hole at louder volumes at church or in a praise team situation. I did not experience any feedback issues at a louder volume in my studio.
46 October 2026 Subscribe for Free...