Martin D Jr E StreetLegend Burst Review: Martin Executes Total Refresh of Their Junior Series

Martin’s just launched a total refresh of their Junior Series, featuring solid tonewoods and premium appointments at affordable prices and in compact sizes. 

Martin Guitars are known for setting the benchmark in acoustic guitar quality. For nearly 200 years, some of the world’s finest acoustic guitars have come out of their legendary Nazareth, PA factory. 

And so it goes that the name Martin is associated with top-of-the-line flattops. Premium tonewoods, hand-assembled in the USA—these things do not come cheap, people!

But that doesn’t mean the only Martin guitars out there are out of reach for us mere mortals. Indeed, Martin makes guitars at a broad range of attainable price points, that don’t skimp on the details that made Martin a household name.

In fact, Martin has just totally refreshed their Junior Series—a line of acoustic guitars at the sub-$1000 price point that nonetheless feature solid tonewoods, premium hardware and electronics, and other details and qualities that make them radiate that unmistakable Martin essence—especially, namely, that they’re a joy to play and they sound freaking great (and, it has to be said, that new Martin smell!).

Today I’ll be zooming in on one such guitar from the Martin Junior Series, the Dreadnought Junior StreetLegend Burst. Featuring Sapele back and sides, a spruce top, nickel tuners and Martin’s E1 electronics, the Dreadnought Junior is just like the Dreadnoughts that made Martin famous—but, as the name suggests, a mini version.

In this review, I’ll walk you through the guitar’s features and appointments, outlining standout qualities and giving my honest impressions about what could be better. I’ll go in-depth on the guitar’s design and playability, and you’ll walk away feeling like you’ve played it yourself (and maybe, just maybe, ready to get your hands on one for real)!

Quick Overview

Let’s begin with a quick look at this guitar’s specs:

• Body Style: Dreadnought Jr, 14 Fret
• Top: Spruce
• Bracing: Scalloped X
• Back and Sides: Sapele
• Scale Length: 24.9”
• Neck: Select Hardwood
• Fingerboard: FSC Richlite
• Total Frets: 20 
• Finish: Satin
• Electronics: Martin E1
• Made in Mexico

Build & Design

So, a bit about the body style. Dreadnought, as you likely know, is Martin’s signature body style. It’s an iconic design that, really, is what most people picture in their mind when they hear the word “guitar.” The Junior Dreadnought is pretty much what it sounds like: a Dreadnought shape, but, well, smaller.

A major selling point of the Junior Series is that they are compact and lightweight, perfect for travel, gigging, or just slinging around the house. With the Junior Dreadnought, you get the benefit of this compact size, but with the iconic aesthetics of a Dreadnought. 

You get 14 playable frets, on a super-slim satin-finish Performing Artist neck. Meanwhile, its 24.9” scale length matches that of Martin’s 00 and 000 body styles. So while it’s a smaller scale than you would encounter on a classic Dreadnought, it’s still considered full-scale.

This neck is just crazy playable, with beveled frets for enhanced ergonomics (meaning: feels good). It’ll fit in anyone’s hand, even people with smaller hands. If the Junior name doesn’t explicitly imply that this line is for kids, well, I’ll say it—it’s great for kids.

The satin-finish spruce top features simulated aging “inspired by historic models from the Martin Museum.” While I’m really not typically a fan of faux relic jobs, it adds a bit of visual flavor that definitely makes it eye-catching, and again can be a really cool feature for kids and younger folks who want a vintage look without shouldering the responsibility of caring for a real vintage instrument.

Finally, I have to mention what I think is the real star of the show here. And that’s Martin’s signature scalloped X-bracing design. While you can’t see this part of the guitar, it’s most of what you’re hearing. 

What is scalloped X-bracing, you ask? A quick rundown: the braces (which are configured in an X pattern, internally under the guitar’s top) are scalloped—in other words, portions of the braces are sort of "scooped out," if you will. This allows the guitar’s top—in this case, solid spruce—to vibrate more freely, resulting in a louder, more resonant sound. In short, scalloped bracing pretty much = the Martin sound.

Sound & Playability

And, I mean, the sound here is what really stands out, if you ask me. It’s really, really striking, uncanny even, how identifiable the sound of a Martin guitar is. Even this Junior Dreadnought, from Martin’s budget line, has that same iconic bright, rich tone, where the notes just seem to fly off the top of the guitar. That’s why Martins in particular are favored for Bluegrass—the tone just cuts through.

To recap: solid spruce top + scalloped X-bracing = the iconic sound of Martin acoustic guitars. And that’s exactly what you get with the Junior StreetLegend Burst.

Strummed first position and barre chords are boomy and resonant—none of that tinny, thin sound I typically associate with smaller budget-range guitars. And flatpicked licks, forget about it. That’s what these guitars are made for! Honestly, the sound is comparable to a full-size Dreadnought. Big points awarded to Martin’s engineering here.

Another thing that I found pretty unbelievable was that the guitar was… perfectly… in tune, right out of the box. I mean, come on. I have guitars that go out of tune just hanging on my wall for a couple hours, let alone being shipped across the country in a box. So, more points awarded on behalf of this guitar’s tuning stability (thanks to Martin’s premium hardware). If you hate tuning in between every song, then you’ll like this guitar.

I typically favor big, fat, necks, but I think this is more of an aesthetic preference than a playing one. Picking out tunes on the Junior Dreadnought’s Performing Artist profile neck is a dream—you can seriously shred on this thing (that is, if you can shred at all). Or just, you know, comfortably grab on to your chord shapes and go to town. Whatever your thing is. 

The thin neck and playable action makes it so people of all hand sizes can play with ease. Plus, the edges of the fretboard and frets are beveled (sanded down) for super comfortable playing action, all over the neck. And there are no bum frets to speak of on the model I got. It came perfectly set up right out of the box. And good quality control is not a given for guitars at this price point!

Special Features and Electronics

Finally, there are a few nifty features that I thought were worth mentioning. First and foremost, there’s a built-in tuner inside the soundhole, where only you can see it. While it did take me a little while to figure out how to actually use the tuner (there’s a button on the opposite side of the soundhole), using it is super easy and it works great. Of course, I barely needed it, because as I mentioned, this guitar’s tuning stability is superb.

The Junior Dreadnought StreetLegend is equipped with Martin’s E-1 electronics and pickup system, which you can learn more about here. It’s got volume and tone knobs, as well as a phase reverse switch which can help cut feedback, and finally, that tuner switch I mentioned. When the tuner is engaged, all output is muted. Nifty!

The pickup that comes with the E-1 system sounds clear and neutral when the guitar is plugged in, which is typically what you want with an acoustic guitar. Of course, messing with the tone knob will alter the sound to suit your preference. 

Do note that the E-1 system takes a 9-volt alkaline or lithium battery. The battery can be accessed in a panel right beside the input jack.

A Look at the Rest of the Junior Series

Meanwhile, the re-launched Junior Series is definitely something to write home about as well. The whole series features a new 24.9 full scale length, which, in my opinion really makes the difference between what feels like a real guitar and what doesn't.

Solid tonewoods like Spruce and Sapele appear throughout, as with the StreetLegend. And they all feature Martin's E-1 electronics system. So, as with the StreetLegend, playability, tone, and versatility are the name of the game here. All for a way-below-your-typical-Martin price.

Check out Martin's fun Companion Finder game to find the perfect match for you!

The Verdict

I usually meet budget guitars with a healthy dose of skepticism. While I staunchly believe that it’s the player, not the instrument, that makes the sound, I also value my money, and value my readers’ money as well.

But it goes without saying that Martin Guitars have a different standing in my mind. I’ve played tons of Martins from all over the price spectrum, and they’re all mighty fine guitars. 

That’s no different with the Dreadnought Junior StreetLegend. It plays and sounds unmistakably like a Martin, despite not coming from the Nazareth Factory, and that really just goes to show how much care Martin puts into their instruments. Budget instruments from other brands are often licensed out to totally different manufacturers, so you’re really getting that guitar in name only. 

As I’ve established, not so with Martin—the Dreadnought Junior StreetLegend proves it. This is every inch a real Martin. Play one for yourself, and you’ll see what I mean.