On the road again
Let's play twenty questions. Think of a famous guitar with a first name. Got one? Okay, let's go.
Is it Eric Clapton's Blackie? Is it B.B. King's Lucille? Is it Eddie Van Halen's Frankenstrat? Is it Kirk Hammett's Greeny? Man, really? None of those? Let's think outside the box. Is it a Gibson? A Fender? Really? Still no? ...is it a Martin?
Willie Nelson's Trigger. Seven questions. New record.
Willie Nelson's Trigger is among the world's most famous guitars. A modified Martin N-20 classical first purchased in 1969, Trigger has been around the world and back with Willie. From its signature etchings to the hole punched in the thin, Sitka spruce top originally intended for nylon strings and fingerpicking rather than Nelson's steel-string, flat pick combo, Trigger's an icon of not only country music but guitars in general. A real Martin that's seen the road, as it were.
Today we're talking about some similar road-ready Martins. Won't you join us?
This is the Martin Road Series.
Head Out on the Highway
Introducing the Martin Guitar Road Series
Let's back it up for a minute. Maybe not all the way back, seeing as Martin Guitar is inching up on two centuries as a company, we don't have to go back that far. For a good handful of years though, Martin's Road Series of guitars has produced great, solid wood acoustic guitars meant for the stage, the studio, and the paths in between them. The series acts as a bridge for players to step up with authentic materials and playing experiences once they're solidly on the road with acoustic guitars and are ready to keep that track rolling.
This Year's Model2026 has brought about some really cool developments in the Road Series with new models and new design approaches to choose from. The series altogether offers a great look into Martin's past and future as they hit individual models with unique, classic designs and fresh, new spins, alike, to really pull through for the series overall. Pick up any Martin Road Series acoustic guitar and you're sure to find one thing at the very least to keep you playing and another to drive you to give the Road Series sitting next to it a try. All of this to say, the Martin Road Series (with its current, refreshed 2026 lineup and otherwise) is certainly worth giving a spin. Let's talk about some of these models.
Two Roads Diverged
Martin Guitar Road Series Acoustic Guitars Body Shapes and Materials
With the Martin Road Series, you get two paths – both unique, but equally worth the trip. In the 2026 Road Series, we're treated to a fresh lineup of "Retro" and "Modern" models. In either direction, you get great Martin materials, tones, and playability with the Retro models featuring more reverent, vintage-inspired looks and sounds and the Modern models break from the usual with more current, performance-ready design specs. Let's talk about some of the stand-out models and what they bring to the table with their woods.
Martin Road Series 000-10E Retro
Let's start out with something familiar. Martin's classic, concert-style 000 acoustic hits the ground running in the Road Series. As part of the "Retro" track, the 000-10E Retro brings out some iconic Martin specs for an authentic musical experience. For one, its combination of spruce and sapele produces a great baseline tone alongside its scalloped spruce braces. For another, its looks are tastefully inched into a vintage-inspired complexion with Martin's Aging Toner top color. Martin's Aging Toner can be found across a good couple models in the Road Series Retro track, capturing that classy, gently worn-in look right out of the case.
Martin Road Series D-10E Retro Sapele
The concerts aren't the only body style getting the spotlight in the Road Series, rest assured, and we've only just started. For you dark, woody, sapele fans, the iconic Martin dreadnought also gets a vintage-style refresh in the Road Series with the D-10E Retro Sapele. The deep, tropical, mahogany-reminiscent sapele gets the stage plenty in the Road Series with models like the D-10E Retro as it makes up the entirety of the body. Scalloped spruce braces also land with this dreadnought for enhanced projection in that generational dreadnought way.
Martin Road Series SC-10E Modern Sapele
As we move into the Modern track, we start to see some of the ways Martin expands the Road Series in new ways. The SC-10E Modern Sapele is one such opportunity. Martin's lesser-seen S-13 Fret Cutaway body appears in the Modern track of the Road Series with an all-sapele assembly with treble-side scalloped spruce braces to account for its offset-shaped body.
All Gas, No BrakesPart of what Martin sets off after in the Modern track of the refreshed Road Series is playability. Each model in the Modern lineup of the Road Series is fit with a body cutaway to allow easier access to higher frets. More about this in a second, but for now, just know the Modern Road Series models are nicely fashioned for players interested in doing faster, more dynamic playing across the entire scale.
Martin Road Series DC-10E Modern Black
For one more example, let's talk another dreadnought. The DC-10E Modern is a more traditional dreadnought acoustic with the Moderns' cutaway and scalloped spruce braces. Decked in a dark, satin finish, this is certainly a worthy pick for all you "Man in Black" figures out there ready to make a statement with your Martin audibly and visually.
The Road Warrior
Martin Guitar Road Series Acoustic Guitars Playability and Tones
As we move on from the strict designs of these Road Series entries, let's talk about some of the unifying features that tie these models together concisely for great playing and sonic experiences no matter where you turn.
- Martin Performing Artist Necks – With every refreshed Road Series model*, Martin brings on a Performing Artist profile neck with a High Performance taper. Whether choosing the Modern or Retro model track, the Road Series is unified with a smooth, sleek, slim neck made for easy exploration of the full scale length. Really, with the Road Series, you can go fast and you can go anywhere.
- Ebony Modern Belly Bridges – Alongside the consistently speedy necks, the Road Series lines up with ebony bridges in Martin's Modern Belly shape. These bridges are fit with TUSQ saddles for a solid connection from string to body and sturdy intonation. These bridges match with nickel tuning machines across the series – some satin finished, some not – for quick stringing and headache-less tuning.
All of these pieces together add up to a consistent and concise series of guitars where each model performs reliably, but also has its own unique quirks and features worth checking out. The Martin Road Series summons a pretty unified sound that performs with great sonic projection and tonal complexity to translate Martin sounds old and new. However you like your Martins, retro, modern, or otherwise, you're sure to find a musical match with the refreshed 2026 Road Series.
Save for the SC-10E Modern Sapele
Martin Guitar Road Series Acoustic Guitars Further Features
There are a few more considerations worth shouting out as we round up this road show. For one, each Martin Road Series entry is fitted with Martin E1 electronics. Each Martin Road Series model* is electronically outfitted to translate its tones to the stage or studio. For another, each Martin Road Series features either a sleek gloss or soft satin body finish for great opportunities to look and feel either and get a scope of Martin's finish jobs to see which one you might prefer with other Martins. Every Road Series guitar travels with an included Martin softshell case for easy transport from stage to stage.
As denoted by the "E" in its model name
Martin Guitar Road Series Acoustic Guitars Final Thoughts
With Martin's refreshed Road Series, we're really quite spoiled for options when it comes to exciting ways to join in the Martin road show for the first time or give its tank some more gas. Great tonewood construction, classic Martin tonality, and fresh spins to see at essentially every turn make the Road Series a lineup of acoustics definitely worth checking out wherever you're at in your Martin journey. Whether you're a wandering traveler or the headlining act, Martin has something in store for you with their 2026 Road Series models. It won't be long until you can't wait to get on the road again.
