Introduction
Martin Guitar is one of the most renowned acoustic guitar brands, with a history dating back to 1833. Based in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, they are known for their impressive hand-crafted instruments. The Martin D Jr-10 is part of their Junior series, which offers compact body sizes ideal for beginners, younger players, and those looking for a portable acoustic.
The D Jr-10 features a slimmed-down dreadnought body shape, making it a great choice for travel and easier playability. It produces a surprisingly full, rich tone despite its smaller size. This guitar is aimed at new players, those with smaller hands, children, and guitarists who need a comfortable, lightweight acoustic for life on the road. The top is solid Sitka spruce, while the back and sides are sapele.
Overall, the Martin D Jr-10 provides an accessible way for players of all ages and skill levels to enjoy the coveted Martin tone and experience in a more compact, affordable package. This Junior series model punches above its weight, offering clear articulation and warm, balanced sound from a small-bodied guitar.
Construction and Materials
The Martin D Jr-10 features a solid Sitka spruce top, which gives it a crisp, balanced tone and allows the guitar to project well. Sitka spruce is a popular choice for acoustic guitar tops thanks to its resonant properties. The back and sides are made from sapele, which provides warmth and sweetness to complement the top.
The fingerboard and bridge are crafted from Richlite, an eco-friendly composite material that has a smooth feel similar to ebony. Richlite is durable, consistent, and easy to work with. The guitar has a simple satin finish, which allows the natural resonance of the tonewoods to shine through. The satin sheen gives it an understated, vintage-inspired aesthetic.
Overall, the materials used in the D Jr-10 are high-quality and designed to maximize the guitar’s acoustic potential in a compact, travel-friendly instrument. The spruce and sapele pairing delivers excellent sound, while the Richlite appointments add sustain and feel without breaking the bank. The satin finish ties everything together in an organic, road-ready package.
Body Shape and Dimensions
The Martin D Jr-10 features a compact dreadnought body style, which is smaller in size compared to a standard full-size dreadnought acoustic guitar. However, despite its petite proportions, the D Jr-10 still delivers impressively loud and rich tones.
Specifically, the body has a total length of 18.75 inches, with a width of 14.75 inches and a depth of 4.5 inches. The slim neck has a nut width of 1.69 inches, and the scale length is 23 inches.
Overall, the smaller body size results in a lightweight guitar that is easy to handle and highly portable. The total weight is approximately 3.7 pounds, making the D Jr-10 comfortable to play for extended periods and ideal for travel without excessive bulk.
The scaled-down dimensions are perfect for smaller players, including children and teens. However, the playability and sound still impress even full-sized adults. The compact Martin dreadnought Junior design allows for big dreadnought tones in a size that works for everyone.
Sound & Tone Quality
The Martin D Jr-10 delivers a surprisingly big, balanced tone that defies its compact size. Many travel or "junior" sized acoustics can sound boxy or thin, but the D Jr-10 produces a rich, full-bodied sound you’d expect from a much larger guitar.
The solid Sitka spruce top and sapele back and sides give the D Jr-10 a balanced tonal response across the frequency range. It has crisp, articulate highs and tight low end, without sounding overly bright or boomy. The mids are clear and focused, allowing both fingerpicking and strumming styles to shine through.
Chords ring out with authority on the D Jr-10. It has enough punch and volume to hold its own when jamming with others. Single note runs have definition without getting lost. The balanced tone works nicely for a wide range of playing styles from rock and pop to folk and country.
Here’s a quick video demonstrating the surprisingly big sound from the compact Martin D Jr-10:
[YouTube Video]
Despite its smaller size, the D Jr-10 outperforms many full-size dreadnoughts when it comes to balanced, quality tone. The solid wood construction and Martin’s expert craftsmanship really make this little guitar sing.
Playability & Comfort
The Martin D Jr-10 features a slim, comfortable neck profile that makes it very easy to play, especially for beginners or guitarists with smaller hands. The neck has a modern low oval shape that feels great. It’s slim without feeling overly narrow, providing a nice rounded contour that naturally fits the hand.
Many travel-sized or 3/4 scale guitars can have necks that are overly slim, making chord shapes feel cramped. But Martin struck a perfect balance with the D Jr-10’s neck dimensions. It’s effortless to wrap your thumb around for fretting and chording. Those with smaller hands will find the narrower string spacing very accessible as well.
The fretwork from the Martin factory is impeccable, with smoothly finished medium jumbo frets. The action is set up exceptionally well right out of the box. Chords ring out clearly from the first fret all the way up the neck. The guitar has a comfortable playing action whether you’re strumming open chords or soloing high up on the fretboard.
Overall the D Jr-10 feels fantastic to play. The neck profile provides hours of fatigue-free practice, ideal for new players. And the slimmer dimensions reduce hand strain, allowing for comfortable extended playing during practice or travel. It’s an extremely playable instrument that excels for fingerstyle techniques as well.
Other Martin Junior Models
The Martin D Jr-10 dreadnought is part of Martin’s line of Junior Series acoustic guitars, which also includes the 000 Jr-10 with a 000 body style and 00L Jr-10 with a 00 body style. These two other models differ from the D Jr-10 in their body shape and dimensions, which affects their tone and sound projection.
The 000 Jr-10 has a narrower waist than the dreadnought and shorter lower bout (bottom curve). It produces a balanced tone favored for fingerstyle playing. The shape allows comfortable playing while seated. The 00L Jr-10 is even more compact with a smaller lower bout. It has a focused and intimate sound perfect for vocals and light strumming.
The dreadnought body of the D Jr-10 gives it the most volume and bass response out of the Junior models. The wider waist and lower bout allow for loud strumming and a rich low end. The 000 Jr-10 has enhanced midrange due to its shape. And the 00L Jr-10 has the brightest trebles of the three.
While all the Junior models are designed for travel and smaller players, the differences in body shapes make each one suitable for particular needs. The D Jr-10 works well for guitarists who want bigger dreadnought sound in a smaller package. The 000 Jr-10 suits fingerstyle players. And the 00L Jr-10 is ideal for singing with guitar accompaniment.
Electric Version: The Martin DJr-10E
For players who need amplification, Martin offers an acoustic-electric version of the Dreadnought Junior called the DJr-10E. This model comes equipped with Fishman Sonitone electronics, giving you a built-in pickup and preamp system.
The Fishman Sonitone is a simple yet quality system that accurately reproduces the D Jr-10’s natural acoustic tone when plugged into an amplifier or PA system. It utilizes an undersaddle piezo pickup that captures the guitar’s vibrations and tone from the saddle. This helps produce a balanced, clear amplified sound.
The preamp gives you volume control as well as a tone control knob for shaping your EQ. It’s an intuitive and easy-to-use system that provides all the necessary controls for amplifying your guitar in live settings or in the studio.
Choosing the DJr-10E makes the most sense if you plan to perform live, record in the studio, or just want the flexibility of an acoustic-electric. The electronics don’t interfere with the guitar’s inherent tone, so you still get that authentic Martin sound. The added ability to plug in is ideal for amplifying your sound to fill larger rooms and venues.
The DJr-10E carries a slightly higher price than the standard D Jr-10. But for gigging musicians who need amplification, the electric model is likely worth the extra investment. It takes the travel-friendly Dreadnought Junior and makes it stage- and studio-ready.
Pricing & Value
The Martin D Jr-10 has a current street price of around $599. This positions it as an affordable, entry-level Martin acoustic guitar, while still carrying the prestigious Martin brand name.
Included with the purchase of the D Jr-10 is a padded gig bag, providing protection for storage and transportation. The included gig bag makes this model a great value for traveling musicians.
Compared to other compact travel-sized acoustics, the Martin D Jr-10 represents an excellent value. Models from other major brands like Taylor and Gibson can cost hundreds more for a comparable small-bodied acoustic. The all-solid wood construction and hand-built quality of the D Jr-10 makes it very competitively priced.
While not the cheapest option, the lifetime warranty and long-lasting build quality mean the D Jr-10 will go the distance as a beginner’s first real acoustic or as a lifelong travel companion. Considering the beautiful tone and ease of play, this Martin dreadnought junior is well worth the investment for serious acoustic guitarists looking for a smaller instrument.
Pros and Cons
List of Pros
- Compact, travel-friendly size
- Impressive volume and tone for a small-bodied acoustic
- Quality materials like solid Sitka spruce top
- Great playability and comfortable neck
- Satin finish is attractive and road-worthy
- Comes with a padded gig bag for protection
- More affordable than full-size Martins
- Suits beginners, small hands, and travel needs
List of Cons
- Not as deep, booming bass as larger dreadnoughts
- Electronics only available on upgraded model
- May lack projection for jamming with others
- Not ideal for aggressive strumming/picking
- Low action may cause fret buzz with hard playing
- Sapele back/sides not as resonant as rosewood
Ideal User
The Martin Dreadnought Junior is best suited for beginner and intermediate players, especially those with smaller hands who want a comfortable, playable neck. It’s also great for travel and practice, delivering impressive Martin tone in a compact, gig bag-friendly package. While not ideal for heavy strumming, its balanced sound suits fingerstyle and most genres well. The affordable price makes it a great choice as a first real acoustic guitar.
Conclusion
The Martin D Jr-10 is an excellent option for players looking for a high-quality compact acoustic guitar. Its smaller dreadnought body delivers impressively big sound and balanced tone that belies its diminutive size. The playability is also fantastic thanks to the comfortable neck and easy action.
While it doesn’t have the extreme bass response of a jumbo acoustic, the D Jr-10’s focused low-end and crisp trebles excel for both fingerpicking and strumming. The lightweight build makes it a great choice for travel or practice sessions.
For those seeking a great all-around acoustic that’s easy to play and transport, the Martin D Jr-10 is easy to recommend. It provides incredible value at around $600, including a protective gig bag. Players of all levels will appreciate this little Martin dreadnought.
Where to Buy: The Martin D Jr-10 can be purchased from most major acoustic guitar retailers, including Sweetwater, Guitar Center, and Musician’s Friend.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars