Swap
Swap
Martin LXK2 Little Martin
Martin LX1R Little Martin
VS
Playability
82
Sound
78
Build
58
Value
83
Score
73
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoAmazon logoMusician's Friend logo
Playability
82
Sound
83
Build
72
Value
84
Score
79
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoAmazon logoMusician's Friend logo
Add more to comparison

Martin LXK2 Little Martin vs LX1R Little Martin

Reasons to Get
Martin LXK2 Little Martin over LX1R Little Martin

Reasons to Get
Martin LX1R Little Martin over LXK2 Little Martin

Pickups Brand
Fishman vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Top Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Value Score
84 vs 83
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Martin LXK2 Little Martin vs LX1R Little Martin

Body Wood
HPL vs Spruce
Different Body Wood

Shared Features
Martin LXK2 Little Martin vs LX1R Little Martin

Back Material
HPL
Same Back Material
Sides Material
HPL
Same Sides Material
Saddle Material
Ivory Tusq
Same Saddle Material
Bridge Material
FSC Certified Richlite
Same Bridge Material
Neck Wood
Birch
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
1.688'' (42.9mm)
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
23'' (584.2mm)
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

  • High-Quality Nut

Common Weaknesses

  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • 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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

These are affiliate links. We may earn a fee if you purchase after clicking. These prices are prone to error. Make sure you're buying the right product after clicking on a link from our site. We are not liable if you buy the wrong product after following these links. As an Amazon Associate site we earn from qualifying purchases.

Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Martin LX1R Little Martin is probably the better product overall with its final score of 79 compared to the Martin LXK2 Little Martin's 73 score, although not by a lot.

The Martin LX1R Little Martin wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Martin LXK2 Little Martin has the upper hand when it comes to.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 5 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 LXK2 Little Martin
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Martin LX1R Little Martin
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Martin LXK2 Little Martin Overview

  • From Martin's 2014 Little Martin series
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 23"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • HPL top
  • HPL back
  • HPL sides
  • Natural Birch Laminate neck
  • FSC Certified Richlite fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • FSC Certified Richlite bridge
  • Acoustic Modified Low Oval Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Chrome Enclosed Gear tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Martin LX1R Little Martin Overview

  • From Martin's 2014 Little Martin series
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 23"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Spruce top
  • HPL back
  • HPL sides
  • Rust Birch Laminate neck
  • FSC Certified Richlite fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Sonitone (Preamp/Active)
  • FSC Certified Richlite bridge
  • Acoustic Modified Low Oval Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Chrome Enclosed Gear tuners
  • Weight between 3.6lbs (1.6kgs) and 3.7lbs (1.7kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

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

Birch wood pattern used for guitar building
Birch
Richlite wood pattern used for guitar building
Richlite
HPL wood pattern used for guitar building
HPL

Birch wood is a hardwood with a light color and a fine, even grain. It has good dimensional stability and is resistant to warping. It's used as a cheaper replacement for maple. The tone produced by birch wood is typically described as being warm, clear, and resonant.

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.

HPL is a high-pressure laminate made from multiple layers of paper or fabric that are impregnated with resin and then fused together under high pressure and heat.

Woods Used in the Martin LX1R Little Martin

Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce

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.

Winner: Tie.

Electronics

The Martin LX1R Little Martin comes with a preamp that allows you to connect it to an amp, unlike its competitor. This allows it to have more versatility and sound quality if you want to record with it or play live.

Winner:Martin LX1R Little Martin.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Martin LXK2 Little Martin
Sustain 60
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 78
Martin LX1R Little Martin
Sustain 75
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 83

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 LXK2 Little Martin compares to the Martin LX1R Little Martin.

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 LXK2 Little Martin
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Electronics
  • Low-Quality Material Saddle
  • Laminated Top Wood
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • Laminated Back Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Martin LX1R Little Martin
  • 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 LXK2 Little Martin
Quality of materials 43
Features 65
Quality Control 65
Build Quality 58
Martin LX1R Little Martin
Quality of materials 60
Features 85
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 72

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 LXK2 Little Martin 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 42.9mm (1.688'').

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 LXK2 Little Martin and Martin LX1R Little Martin'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 23".

This is a slightly shorter scale than the more common short scale of 24.75". It's a good choice for beginners that want to get an easier-to-play guitar without it being much different than a normal scale guitar.

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 LXK2 Little Martin 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 LXK2 Little Martin and the Martin LX1R Little Martin 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 LXK2 Little Martin 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 LXK2 Little Martin and the Martin LX1R Little Martin 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.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

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

Martin LXK2 Little Martin:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Martin LX1R Little Martin:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Martin LXK2 Little Martin and Martin LX1R Little Martin 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 LXK2 Little Martin
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 82
Martin LX1R Little Martin
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 82

Specs Side-by-Side

Martin LXK2 Little Martin vs LX1R Little Martin
General Martin LXK2 Little Martin LX1R Little Martin
Brand: Martin Martin
Year: 2014 2014
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Mexico Mexico
Series: Little Martin Little Martin
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: Yes Yes
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: HPL Solid Spruce
Sides Material: HPL HPL
Back Material: HPL HPL
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: Natural Birch Laminate Rust Birch Laminate
Decoration: White Plastic Diamonds and Squares Long Pattern
Scale Size: 23" 23"
Shape: Acoustic Modified Low Oval Acoustic Modified Low Oval
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 16" 16"
Nut: Corian Corian
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fishman Sonitone (Preamp / Active)