The X Files

You don’t need to look far to find good-looking, great-playing and great-sounding acoustics in the affordable end of the market. Brands such as Sigma, Takamine, Guild, Crafter, Tanglewood, Fender, Gretsch, Simon & Patrick, Yamaha and indeed Martin have all impressed with well-made instruments that offer a rewarding playing experience. The company’s own budget range, the X Series, has been around for a while now. Launched in 1998 with the goal of making more environmentally friendly instruments from composites like the resin-based faux ebony Richlite, and high-pressure laminate (HPL) bodies and necks – at a fraction of the cost of the company’s premium lines – it was a runaway success.

But while the X Series did fulfil its intentions, the instruments looked spartan and some would say lacking in charm; the sound was okay