MARTIN
GPCPA1 GRAND
PERFORMANCE
BY GAYLA DRAKE PAUL
If Martin never introduced another new guitar, their place as a gold standard in
studios and on stages everywhere would
remain forever assured. But for all their
heritage and iconic guitars that are already
practically perfect, Martin hasn’t stopped
innovating or building new guitars for new
niches and evolving players.
The Performing Artist series is one of the
most recent manifestations of that commitment. In this case, Martin is reaching out
to the sizable chunk of the contemporary
acoustic market that’s plugging in and turning up—not just for performance, but also
for recording at home and in the studio. The
GPCPA1 Grand Performance reviewed here
addresses those needs by including a Fishman
Aura imaging system, as well as enhanced-playability features like a slim-taper neck. But
for all its concessions to the needs of new-world singer-songwriters and pickers, the
GPCPA1 is a Martin through and through
and a joy to play in any situation.
A Feast for the eyes,
nose, and ears
The first thing you notice about the
Martin GPCPA1 is that it smells as good
as ambrosia on a warm summer night. It’s
beautiful to look at too, with a curvaceous Grand Performance body built
around East Indian rosewood back
and sides, and a solid Sitka top. The
“select hardwood” neck (in Martin’s
nomenclature) looks like mahogany or sapele and is shaped in the
Performing Artist profile, which
tapers gradually down its whole
length. The nut, saddle, and endpins
are Tusq, which always provides a certain oomph that’s a lot like you’d expect
from bone.
Ornamentation is subtle and lovely, with
simple arrow-and-square fretboard inlays,
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Sitka spruce top
