Martin Guitars GPCE Inception Maple

Inception!

There's no need to hire a team of trained thieves to enter your brain and plant the idea that this guitar is amazing because all it takes is one strum to realize that 'ol Chris Nolan has nothing on this particular Inception! The GPCE Inception Maple is a showcase for both Martin's commitment and innovation in the field of sustainability and some cutting-edge new building techniques, and the result is an absolute workhorse for the discerning modern player. Let's dive deeper and see what makes the Inception Maple such a dreamy instrument!

A Winning Formula

The most exciting part of the Inception Maple is what's under the hood. Martin's master luthiers have "skeletonized" the scalloped braces with hexagonal honeycombs, which makes the guitar more resonant and responsive. They've also dug subtle sonic channels into the guitar to promote greater energy transfer. Both of these new design techniques help give the Inception Maple an uncommonly powerful, dynamic voice.

Of course, the main ingredients in any sonic cocktail are the tonewoods, and the folks at Martin have hit upon a dynamite new recipe in the Inception Maple. As the name implies, it has maple back and sides...mostly! The three-piece back has a wedge of black walnut in the middle, which imparts a bit of extra warmth, woodiness, and depth to the bright, clear, articulate tone of maple. Of course, the top is the main ingredient, and using European spruce was a marvelous choice. While Sitka spruce (its more common cousin), has a fairly even blend of fundamental and overtones, European spruce leans more toward the overtones both in presence and complexity. So, the Inception Maple sounds richer and warmer and has more sustain than your typical maple-bodied acoustic, presenting a fresh, exciting take on a classic tone.

A Guitar That Does it All in Style

In the context of a Grand Performance body, these premium sustainable tonewoods really shine. The attack is snappy and percussive, giving way to a sculpted resonance laden with chiming bell-like overtones above punchy mids and focused lows. It's as if the sound has been produced by a recording engineer right there in the room--studio wizardry in real time! As a strummer, its sunny, sweet, jangly tone is delightful, and lead lines cut through a mix like Darth Vader's lightsaber. Another side of its personality comes out when you drop the pick and play fingerstyle, as its evenness, string separation, and crystalline fidelity allow you to express a wide range of subtle sonic nuances. In other words, it's capable of being quite delicate and expressive, but it's also a blast to play loud open chords on! Frankly, it's hard to think of a musical context the GPCE Inception Maple wouldn't excel.

All of these sweet-sounding woods are from sustainable sources, and many are native to America. So, it's a treat for the ears, and it’s good for the planet, too. Also, it looks cooler than Marvin Gaye drinking an iced coffee in a blizzard! The satin amber fade sunburst highlights the woods' beauty, and the three-piece back is quite striking. Add in some gold tuners, black walnut binding, and maple arrow fingerboard inlays, and a picture of an absolute stunner emerges. It's also ready to hit the stage thanks to its premium LR Baggs Anthem pickup.

Guitars like the GPCE Inception Maple used to exist only in dreams, but Martin's innovative design techniques and use of sustainable woods have made it a reality. It boldly goes where no Martin has gone, and we're sure it will help you pursue your musical dreams.

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