Simon Marty, 2025

One chord and you know this is not a shy guitar. The notes absolutely explode off the string on this 2025 Simon Marty, and they keep going long after you expect them to stop.

Simon Marty builds in Sydney, and his guitars are no stranger to the concert stage. Artists around the world, Irina Kulikova and Jeremy Jouve among them, have been performing and recording on them for years, and it is easy to see why. Marty holds degrees in mathematics and physics along with a doctorate in engineering, and those studies led him to the bracing system that defines his work. Look inside with a mirror and you see what he calls radial bracing, braces running around the top in a circle, several in one direction and several more crossing them. It is a design he has kept and quietly refined over decades, and it produces a voice unlike anything else being built today.

What makes this particular guitar rare is the whole package. Marty instruments are hard to find to begin with. Finding one with a 640 mm scale, a 51.5 mm nut width, a raised fingerboard, and a cedar top is rarer still. It is, quite simply, just about the most comfortable guitar we have played.

Specifications

Bridge: Lightweight Gilbert style

Tuners: Gilbert with snakewood buttons

Strings: D'Addario XTC45FF with normal tension nylon first string
https://ddar.io/guitar-collection

Sound & Character

The first impression is power. This guitar is loud in a way that is not totally dissimilar to the very lightest weight double tops, and yet there is no double top here at all, only that radial braced cedar. Where those extremely light, extremely loud instruments can run thin once the attack fades, this one does the opposite. Sustain is in no shortage, and the trail of overtones behind each note is sensational.

It is a very direct and clear guitar with tons of projection and volume, but it does not leave you high and dry the way some instruments with this much output can. The clarity is real, and it asks something of you in return. If you are not careful with your nails you will get a naily sound. Play with intention and detail and the guitar rewards you for it every time.

The upper register is where it separates itself. The clarity around the eleventh position on the fourth string is in a league of its own, and that kind of definition simply is not there on most guitars. Lower down, the palette opens wide. You can play very bright or go dark and warm at will. And if you are a player who uses the flesh of the fingers, you will love this instrument. The top is so responsive that a full, beautiful sound comes easily without much nail at all.

Playability

Comfort is the headline here. The 640 mm scale paired with a 51.5 mm nut width takes real effort out of the left hand, and the neck is a fairly thin C shape that feels fast and natural. The action is low, the frets are tall, and the raised fingerboard keeps the upper positions easy to reach. Not every Marty is built with a raised fingerboard, which is part of what makes this one worth seeking out.

At 2,190 g this is not an ultralight guitar, but it sits comfortably in the lap and feels planted and stable while you play. The integrated armrest is beautifully executed and takes the edge off the right arm entirely.

Construction & Design

Under the cedar top is Marty's radial bracing, sometimes described as whisker bracing: braces radiating around the soundboard rather than running as a fan or a lattice. Three or four run one way and several more cross them, and the whole system is the result of his engineering research rather than tradition. The back and sides are a very nice set of Indian rosewood, clean and unbroken with nothing running down the center strip, and the back carries a slight doming.

The rosette is the iconic Simon Marty motif, an almost teal center surrounded by alternating red and teal patterning. It is one of the most recognizable rosettes in modern guitar making and it is hard not to love. The label reads Simon Marty, Sydney, Australia, dated 2025.

The bridge follows the very lightweight design pioneered by John Gilbert, sleek and free of ornament with a clean, no frills saddle. The headstock carries Marty's distinctive shape, nothing flashy but instantly recognizable, and the Gilbert tuners with snakewood buttons are beautiful modern hardware. On a Torres copy they might feel out of place. On a guitar like this they look exactly right.

About the Luthier

Simon Marty has been building guitars since 1982, following an early fascination with the meeting point of music and engineering. Originally trained as an engineer, with a doctorate and a background in physics and mathematics, he brought a uniquely analytical perspective to guitar building. His early research explored advanced techniques such as laser holography and finite element analysis, work that ultimately led to the development of his now famous radial bracing system.

Over decades of refinement, Marty has created instruments that combine exceptional projection, balance, and tonal complexity. His guitars are played worldwide by leading artists including Irina Kulikova, Jeremy Jouve, José Antonio Escobar, and Slava Grigoryan. While his approach is highly technical, the instruments themselves are ultimately guided by a deep appreciation for the expressive potential of the classical guitar.

Excellent condition. Almost new, with small signs of use here and there.