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Martin GPC-11E
Martin GPC-13E
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Playability
73
Sound
86
Build
77
Value
79
Score
79
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Playability
73
Sound
84
Build
74
Value
77
Score
77
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
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Martin GPC-11E vs GPC-13E Specs Comparison
Martin GPC-11E GPC-13E
General
Brand: Martin Martin
Year: 2019 2020
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Mexico Mexico
Series: Road Road
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: Yes No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Spruce Solid Spruce
Sides Material: Sapele Ziricote
Back Material: Sapele Ziricote
Bridge: FSC Certified Richlite FSC Certified Richlite
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Chrome Enclosed Gear Chrome Enclosed Gear
Fretboard: FSC Certified Richlite FSC Certified Richlite
Neck Material: Select Hardwood Select Hardwood
Decoration: Mother-of-Pearl Pattern MOP Pattern Dots- 28 Style Pattern Mother of Pearl Pattern Style 28
Scale Size: 25.4" 25.4"
Shape: Acoustic Performing Artist Acoustic Performing Artist
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 16" 16"
Nut: Corian Corian
Nut Width: 44.5mm (1.75'') 44.5mm (1.75'')
Electronics
Pickups: Fishman MX-T (Preamp / Active) Fishman MX-T (Preamp / Active)
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Chrome Chrome

Reasons to Get
Martin GPC-11E over GPC-13E

Sides Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Back Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Avg. Weight
4.625lbs (2.1kgs) vs 4.9lbs (2.2kgs)
Tends to be lighter
Value Score
79 vs 77
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Martin GPC-13E over GPC-11E

Release Year
2020 vs 2019
From a more recent year

Other Key Differences
Martin GPC-11E vs GPC-13E

Back Material
Sapele vs Ziricote
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Sapele vs Ziricote
Different Sides Material

Shared Features
Martin GPC-11E vs GPC-13E

Saddle Material
Ivory Tusq
Same Saddle Material
Bridge Material
FSC Certified Richlite
Same Bridge Material
Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Hardwood
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Richlite
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Nut Material
Corian
Same Nut Material
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Hollowbody
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
0
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Number of Frets
20
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.75'' (44.5mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
25.4'' (645.2mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Type of Frets
Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Solid Top Wood
  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Expensive Wood
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .

Martin GPC-11E:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Martin GPC-13E:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

Both meet 3 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Martin GPC-11E
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Martin GPC-13E
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

Sound Quality Comparison

The most important thing that will determine the tone of an acoustic guitar is the wood. Let's take a look at the differences between both .

Woods Used in Both

Hardwood wood pattern used for guitar building
Hardwood
Richlite wood pattern used for guitar building
Richlite
Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce

Hardwood is just a generic wood that can come from many species. This type of wood is used to build guitars because it provides a rich, warm sound. The wood also has good structural properties, making it durable and long-lasting.

It's very similar to Ebony, but it is much cheaper to make. The main reason is that it is made from resin-infused paper. It is very durable and soft, so it's often used for fretboards and tops.

Spruce has a light color with tight grain patterns. It's very stiff but relatively light. It's known for producing a well-rounded tone with a broad dynamic range. Find out more about Spruce.

Woods Used in the Martin GPC-11E

Sapele wood pattern used for guitar building
Sapele

It's similar to Mahogany in both color and tone. It can produce warm tones, and it's known for its beautiful figured grain patterns. Find out more about Sapele.

Woods Used in the Martin GPC-13E

Ziricote wood pattern used for guitar building
Ziricote

It's a rare and exotic wood native to Central America and the Caribbean with a unique appearance. It's commonly used for instruments as it produces a tone similar to Rosewood.

Winner: Tie.

Electronics

Both come with electronics that allow you connect them to an amplifier or interface for recording.

Winner:Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Martin GPC-11E
Sustain 90
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 86
Martin GPC-13E
Sustain 80
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 84

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Martin GPC-11E compares to the Martin GPC-13E.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in Mexico.

Mexico has been for a long time where Fender has built their semi-premium series. If you don't want to overpay for a wellp-built instrument, a guitar built in this country by a good brand always offers good value for the money.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

In this case, both have Corian nuts. It used to be the go-to nut for Gibson, but it's slowly being replaced by Graph Tech (Tusq). It's a synthetic material made to be similar to Bone, but it doesn't have the same self-lubricating properties, and it's less resistant.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. Both come with Chrome Enclosed Gear.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Martin GPC-11E
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • Low-Quality Material Saddle
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Martin GPC-13E
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • Low-Quality Material Saddle
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • Laminated Back Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Martin GPC-11E
Quality of materials 72
Features 85
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 77
Martin GPC-13E
Quality of materials 62
Features 85
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 74

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Martin GPC-11E Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 44.5mm (1.75'').

This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.

Scale Length

Martin GPC-11E and Martin GPC-13E's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 25.4".

This is considered a long scale, but slightly shorter than what's commonly found in acoustic guitars.

Since the distance between bridge and nut is relatively long, strings will feel stiff and more difficult to bend, but the tone will feel brighter. It will also be less likely to produce fret buzzing and rattling when strumming hard.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Martin GPC-11E Neck Profile
Both guitars have the same neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Martin GPC-11E and the Martin GPC-13E have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Martin GPC-11E Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the Martin GPC-11E and the Martin GPC-13E have the same fretboard radius of 16". This fretboard radius is really different from Stratocasters, but it's also a lot flatter than Les Paul fingerboards. It'll favor plating single notes over playing chords. This doesn't mean you can't use it for rhythm, but a more curved fretboard offers better playability for chords. Bending and sliding without losing sustain will also be more likely in a flat fretboard like this one.

Fret Size

Martin GPC-11E and Martin GPC-13E Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium fret size

Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.

Final Playability Scores

Martin GPC-11E
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Martin GPC-13E
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73