I wanted to find a good quality guitar to do a review on. One that was for a beginner and inexpensive. Lets face it when starting out you don’t want to buy a 3000 dollar guitar. What if you change your mind? I found the Jasmine Guitar at a economical price. And it sounded good, but Are Jasmine Guitars Good Quality?
After owning the Jasmine I believe that Jasmine guitars are good guitars. And that a Jasmine guitar is Excellent for beginners. I can tell you why Jasmine guitar is worthy. What you are going to read is a complete soup to nuts comparison of Jasmine S35 VS Martin Custom X series.
As you know Martin holds high standards in the industry. Your not going to believe how Jasmine stacked up to the heavy weight champion.
Are Jasmine Guitars Any Good?
Like I said I bought the Jasmine S35 to do a review on it. I wasn’t sure if this was going to be the best beginner guitar or not. But I did my do diligence and really investigated before my purchase. I even checked Amazon’s reviews. Just to see what buyers liked and didn’t like about this guitar.
It was so inexpensive, that I bought it. My review was about 2 years ago. And boy was I shocked. The sounds that this guitar makes is unbelievable for the price. So I did a review. And I used the guitar. Which you can see it on my YouTube Channel. But let me get to the point. And that is to show you the characteristics of the Jasmine VS Martin.
Jasmine S35 Acoustic Guitar Body Elements
- Spruce Top
- Rosewood Fretboard
- Laminated Nato Back and Sides
- Satin Finish
- Chrome covered tuning Machines
- X Bracing
The Jasmine is a dreadnought guitar. Which is a full size body guitar. The oldest and most used style of guitar. For it’s deep resonance and warm tones. Martin was the first company to develop the Dreadnought guitar back in 1965. The Dreadnought guitar was named after a Battleship. Source
Is the Jasmine Any Good? My Experience with the Jasmine S35
Let me explain what makes a guitar sound the way it does. Plain and simple the wood. When it comes to acoustic guitars the wood is what makes the tone. And of course the strings. And the way the guitarist plays the guitar of course. But first is the wood.
Jasmine uses Spruce on the top of the guitar. Which is found on more high end guitars. The top is where the sound vibration resonates. With the combination of the Spruce and the dreadnought body. That is a winning combination. When put together you can’t help but get a great outcome.
The Jasmine has such a big sound. When you play it, it fills the room, And that’s without any kind of amplification. The guitar is a beast! The Tone of the Jasmine S35 is deep, rich, and warm. Those are just of a few adjectives. That describe how great it really sounds. Wait until you get yours. You will be shocked to see; That the Tonal Quality doesn’t match the price.
This Jasmine guitar has a satin finish. Which gives a smooth finished look to it. No high gloss, and it looks nice with the rosewood fretboard. Which is easy to play. The fretboard also helps with the warmth it displays.
Jasmine Neck is built for Comfort & Easy Play
One thing I noticed when playing the Jasmine. Is the width of the guitar neck. When you first start playing guitar. Things are difficult anyway. And there is a lot to learn. But if you get a guitar that has a thick neck. One that is wide to begin with. Then things just got even harder for you. Before you even start learning to play.
But not with the Jasmine it is actually very easy to play. The reason is the neck is built slimmer. So it is comfortable in your hand. Which makes it a lot easier to play.
The Tuning pegs are covered Chrome. Which are aesthetically pleasing. But more than that can they do the job? There job when working properly keep the strings in tune. The Tuners on the Jasmine do just that. Your not sitting there. And after every 3rd strum, having to fiddle with re-tuning the guitar. They stay in tune for hours of playing fun.
The Jasmine guitar is very light. Which also helps with fatigue. If you were going to be holding the guitar standing for any period time. All in all the Jasmine is a good quality guitar. But so is Martin, so let’s compare the Martin X Series guitar. Which by the way. I also own and play regularly. And can also be seen on my YouTube Channel where I teach guitar.
Compared to Martin Are Jasmine Guitars Good Quality?
Yes, I have the Martin X series that’s why I’m able to tell you first hand. The good the bad and the ugly. I want to convey to you what the guitars have. That makes them a Jasmine and Martin. And in a way so that you can make an informed decision. When considering if Jasmine is any good.
A quick side note: I got the chance to go to the C.F. Martin Co. and it was so cool. And they have old, old guitars. Also a lot of famous guitars. Like from Elvis and lots more. Plus if you call ahead and set it up. You can see where and how their guitars are made. So if you ever get the opportunity; take it. They are in Nazareth Pennsylvania and its awesome.
Now let’s look at the Martin X Series guitar. It too is a dreadnought guitar. As I said before just like the Jasmine S35 it has that big sound. The body style has everything to do with the sound. That’s what makes the dreadnought guitar the most popular guitar.
Since an acoustic guitar doesn’t have any pickups. The vibration of the strings goes through the wood. And out the sound whole of an acoustic guitar. Thus the big body guitar has a louder sound than a thinner guitar. Or even a smaller guitar like a parlor series guitar. Again the type of wood gives you the tone.
The Tone can be bright, warm or a deeper darker tone. And it all depends on the wood. Let’s see what the Martin X Series is made of.
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Comparing the Martin X Series Guitar to the Quality’s of the Jasmine
- Sitka Spruce Top
- HPL Mahogany Back & Sides
- Laminate birch neck
- X Bracing
- (HPL) is a composite material made from paper and resin. that is pressed under extremely high pressure.
- finish is a protective clear coating
The Martin guitar is very heavy this is due to the (HPL) A composite material made from paper and resin. that is pressed under extremely high pressure. Which is called high pressure laminate. (HPL). This allows for a more cost effective guitar. That still sounds great.
The top, sides and back are all made of the compressed paper and resin. The end result the finish is a clear coat. Durable and more scratch resistant.
Even though this guitar has the Martin Logo. And Nazareth PA. emblem on the sticker in the sound whole. Then right next to that it says: Made in Mexico. Some of these choice guitars are made in the factory in PA.
Martin claims that this creation of bonding is sturdier, and more scratch resistant. Which I have to admit. I am very careful and don’t want to test the scratch resistance on my guitars. Source
The Martin X looks like a solid wood guitar. That is until you pick it up and it is noticeably heavy. Which may or may not be an issue for someone. This guitar has a big sound like you would expect from the dreadnought body. It has more of an even tone to it. Meaning not as much bass as some other dreadnoughts. But it still sounds sweet, warm, and very clear.
This particular Martin X series comes with the Fishman pickup. If your looking for a guitar to plug into an amp. Then your all set.
Jasmine VS Martin X Comparison Chart
| Features | Jasmine | Martin X Series |
| Body Style | Dreadnought | Dreadnought |
| Top | Sitka Spruce Top | (HPL) |
| Back & Sides | Agathis Back and Sides | (HPL) |
| Finish | Natural Finish | Clear Coat |
| Bracing Pattern | X Bracing | X Bracing |
| Neck | Slim Neck | Burch Laminate |
| Fretboard | Rosewood Fretboard | FSC Cert. Richlite |
| Tuners | Chrome Plated Tuners | Chrome Tuners small button |
| Scale legnth | 25.5 | 25.4 |
The Martin has a great sound. It plays like how you would expect a Martin guitar to sound. It is more affordable than some of the solid wood Martins. Because of the modern technology. With this construction, one can afford a Martin guitar. The guitar I play most often is the Martin X. But as you can see the Jasmine is right neck and neck with the Martin.
Martin X VS Jasmin S35 the Best Economical & Budget Friendly Guitars
Pro’s And Cons of the Jasmine
Really the only thing I could find wrong with the Jasmine was the strings. I never had an issue with the strings. But after digging into the many of 1000 reviews. The most common issue were the strings. The guitarists writing the reviews simply replaced the strings. And that took care of the string issue.
What I did was buy an extra set of strings. But the guitar was good right out of the box. The best thing about the Jasmine is they are so economical. That your not worried about taking it out and about. I like to camp and I love relaxing and playing my guitar while i’m there. I would never consider taking an expensive guitar out to the woods. But like I said no worries with the Jasmine.
One more thing. The sound of the Jasmine. If you like a deep rich sounding guitar. Then you will love the Jasmine S35.
The Martin I play most often and it cost a little bit more. So I won’t be taking it camping. although according to Martin Co. its built tough. I like the way the Martin Sounds it has some resonance. But it is more of a balanced sounding guitar. The thing I really don’t like. Well there are two if I am totally honest. But it’s not bad.
The first being the weight of the Martin X series. It’s heavy, but for someone who plays a Les Paul or a heavy guitar. This may not be an issue. And the second thing is: After playing for a while your fingers tire. When I say a while more than 2 hours.
Jasmine Cutaway Guitar
If you are more into a Cutaway style guitar. No worries Jasmine has you covered. The Jasmine S34C, C for Cutaway. This guitar is made out of the same quality woods as the S35. See the price of the 3 different guitars on Amazon.
Related Questions
Whats the Best Jasmine Guitar
The best Jasmine Guitar for the price is the Jasmine S35. It is one of the Best cheap guitars on the market. It has great sound and still maintains an affordable price. And the best thing is it is easy to play. The thin neck makes for hours of fun. Take a look at the Jasmine S35 reviews & Current price on Amazon.
Take a Look at the Jasmine S35 Black Finish Guitar
Just when you thought Jasmine couldn’t get any better. With great sounding wood. And Big Rich tones. Easy to play with a thin neck. That fits comfortably in your hand. Now it comes in black. See the current price on Amazon.
Just when you didn’t think Jasmine could get any better. With great sounding wood. And Great Rich tones. Easy to play with a thin neck. That fits comfortable in your hand. Now it comes in black. See the current price on Amazon.
