An Acoustic That Thinks Like an Electric
If you've ever found yourself wishing your acoustic could keep up with your electric playing style, Martin heard you. The SC-13E isn't about small tweaks or modest improvements—it's a completely reimagined acoustic-electric guitar designed from the ground up to remove the limitations that have frustrated players for decades. With its asymmetrical S-shaped body, heel-less Sure Align neck system, and genuine full-fretboard access, this guitar gives you something acoustic players rarely get: the freedom to play anywhere on the neck without compromise. It's built for the stage, optimized for comfort, and yes, it still sounds like a Martin when you unplug it.
Introduced at NAMM 2020, the SC-13E quickly became one of the most talked-about guitars at the show—and for good reason. Martin spent four years and more than 30 prototypes developing this design, rethinking everything from the body shape to the neck joint to the bridge. The result is a guitar that feels more like an electric in your hands while delivering the direct, punchy acoustic tone Martin is known for. Whether you're playing cowboy chords in first position or running leads up at the 17th fret, the SC-13E makes it feel natural.
This guitar suits players who split time between electric and acoustic, performing musicians who need a stage-ready instrument that won't fight them during long sets, and anyone who's ever felt limited by traditional acoustic design. If you've been waiting for an acoustic that actually accommodates modern playing styles, this is it.
Revolutionary Playability and Access
The SC-13E's most striking feature is its patented Sure Align neck system, which eliminates the traditional heel entirely. Instead of a glued dovetail joint, Martin uses a dovetail-shaped hardware system inside the neck pocket that clamps down with aluminum and bolts. This gives you unfettered access to all 20 frets—you can comfortably reach notes that would require hand contortions on a conventional acoustic. The system also allows authorized techs to adjust neck angle and intonation with precision, much like you would on an electric guitar.
The Low Profile Velocity neck shape is another game-changer. It's carved with a progressive taper and an asymmetrical profile—rounder and fuller on the bass side in the lower positions, then shifting as you move up the neck to accommodate helical hand rotation. The result is a neck that feels electric-fast but retains enough acoustic character to keep you grounded. At 1.75 inches at the nut and 2.125 inches at the 12th fret, it's roomy without being cumbersome. The ebony fingerboard has a 16-inch radius, and the neck joins the body at the 13th fret—a Martin first—blending the tone of a long-scale instrument with the playability of a short-scale.
The offset S-shaped body isn't just a visual statement. Its asymmetrical design fits your body like a glove whether you're sitting or standing, and the deep cutaway flows seamlessly into the heel-less neck for maximum upper-fret access. The sloped ebony bridge has been redesigned with softened edges and a smaller footprint, making it a natural base for palm-muting and other electric-guitar techniques. Even the action comes factory-set low, optimized for the .011-gauge strings it ships with—light enough to make bends and barré chords easy, but with enough tension to avoid buzz.
Stage-Ready Tone and Electronics
The SC-13E was designed from the ground up to be plugged in, and its asymmetrical body shape provides balanced output with effective feedback rejection even at high stage volumes. But don't mistake it for a thin-sounding hybrid—this is still a Martin. The solid Sitka spruce top yields the direct, punchy sound and broad dynamic range the tonewood is known for, while the Tone Tension scalloped X-bracing (scalloped on the treble side only, with non-scalloped tone bars) produces impressive volume and projection. The koa fine veneer back and sides add a pleasing blend of smooth highs and midrange-focused punch, keeping all six strings in perfect balance with each other.
The onboard Fishman MX-T electronics make the SC-13E a world-class performer on stage. This system features an under-saddle Sonicore piezo transducer paired with the MX preamp, delivering stellar amplified acoustic tone with no compromises. Inside the soundhole, you'll find two rotary controls for volume and tone, plus a phase switch for feedback management. There's also a built-in LED tuner with an auto-mute function, allowing you to tune in silence with a clear line-of-sight view. While some players have noted the tuner can be a bit sluggish to register pitch, the convenience of having it onboard during performances is hard to beat.
Acoustically, the SC-13E delivers a clear and modern tone that's undeniably Martin to the core. It excels at everything from solo strumming to fierce flatpicking runs to fingerstyle, with a tonal spectrum and dynamics closer to a short-scale 00 than a long-scale OM. It's not as meaty in the low end as Martin's higher-end models, but at this price point and with this level of playability, it's a trade most players are happy to make.
Product Features:
- Solid Sitka spruce top with Tone Tension scalloped X-bracing for volume, projection, and balanced tone
- Koa fine veneer back and sides with gloss finish for midrange focus and visual appeal
- Patented Sure Align neck system with heel-less design for full 20-fret access and adjustable neck angle
- Low Profile Velocity neck shape with asymmetrical taper for electric-like comfort and speed
- 25.4-inch scale length, 1.75-inch nut width, ebony fingerboard with 16-inch radius
- Neck joins body at 13th fret, blending long-scale tone with short-scale playability
- Fishman MX-T electronics with under-saddle pickup, soundhole-mounted volume/tone/phase controls, and built-in LED tuner with auto-mute
- Asymmetrical S-shaped body designed for balanced output and effective feedback rejection on stage
- Sloped ebony bridge with compensated white Tusq saddle and redesigned ergonomic profile
- Nickel open-gear tuners with butterbean knobs, white Corian nut, celestial blue dot inlays at 12th fret
Brand: Martin
Model: SC-13E
SKU: 11SC13E-01
Condition: New
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