Hey fellas!

I'm looking into an acoustic guitar and I came across a brand that I didn't know and couldn't find much info about. Sigma Guitars.

This guitar is farelly cheap and from what I've read, it's made by Martin.

I wanted to ask if any of you has had any contact with one of these before, in particular, this model: http://www.musicstore.com/en_EN/EUR/Sig ... 022853-000

Thank you so much for your help!

The old ones were made by Martin and, if you can get hold one, they're very good indeed but Martin sold the Sigma name, designs, logo's, the lot, a little while ago and while I can't comment on the quality of the new ones, they are nothing to do with Martin.

Jerry

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Fender Classic 60's Strat
Fender Classic Player Thinline Tele Deluxe
Fender CIJ '71 Reissue Tele
Epiphone Wildkat
Guild GAD25
Taylor 214
Ovation CC44
Takamine EG523
Blackstar Amps
Fishman Loudbox Mini
Boss FX

Do you think it's too risky to buy a guitar online without playing it first?

I believe the first ones were distributed by Martin, not made by Martin. Martin doesn't make private label guitars for other companies. They were made and imported from Japan and were pretty inexpensive. They were pretty much copies as were the old Ibanez acoustics. From what I recall, they were half decent acoustics. I would not recommend buying an acoustic without playing it first. Acoustic guitars are subject to weather and storage conditions and if not properly cared for can be a huge headache. Many times it's not just a truss rod tweak to get the guitar playable.

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Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal

I think it depends on whether or not you know the dealer. I have a couple of dealers in the UK that I'd be happy to buy from online IF I knew the guitar I was buying. I wouldn't buy something I hadn't tried before online, you just don't know if you're going to get on with it.
I wouldn't buy from an individual online, regardless of whether or not I knew the guitar, without seeing and playing it first.

Jerry

_________________
Fender Classic 60's Strat
Fender Classic Player Thinline Tele Deluxe
Fender CIJ '71 Reissue Tele
Epiphone Wildkat
Guild GAD25
Taylor 214
Ovation CC44
Takamine EG523
Blackstar Amps
Fishman Loudbox Mini
Boss FX

The Sigma line started in 1970 was always owned and operated by Martin up until the line was discontinued in 2007.

Like Fender's Squier line production moved around and started in Japan. Sigmas were later made in Korea and finally in Taiwan. As Squiers are based on Fenders, the Sigma's were based on Martin's famous models but mass produced in Asia. Sigmas eventually shared the same model numbers but with different letter prefixes to their USA cousins.

Sigma quality was very good for the money. In fact some had solid wood tops, but most were laminate. It depended on the model and year of manufacture. The main selling point was that they were shipped to Martin USA and they did final inspection and final setup at Maritn. The USA setup was an advantage over other guitars in the same price class as Martin knows how to make a guitar play well.

The DR-7 was the top of the line Sigma, but the early Japanese DR-7's which have a paper label inside and a 4 digit serial are most desirable. Those are the ones I'd consider "better" quality not only because they have a solid spruce top but also because of the aged tonewood used in the early ones. The tonewood had been piling up in Japan for some time as the domestic market there was saturated after about 1965. All Sigmas are pretty good, but the early Japanese paper label ones are especially desirable and in fact collectible.

A well made guitar, made to exacting specs. I am always on the watch for the early DR-7's. They are super nice. I would be willing to buy one online or by mail but I'd want a return privilege.

This thread is a great example of how informative and positive this forum is when the trolls stay under the bridge. Wealth of knowledge available to us noooobies.

Looks like they may be making new ones again. A nice shop near me has just got some in at less than $400, about 1 / 4 way down this page -

http://mojomusic.ca/Current_Events/News_Blog.html

lots of pics on this page of other gear, you probably won't mind scrolling down.

I agree with 44james. A big number of things I've learned in my short guitar life I read in this forum. Thanks guys!

Regarding Sigma, from what you say, it seems like they have pretty good quality. The bad part is that they don't sell them here in Portugal, so I'd have to buy online from Germany.
As you said, buying without trying is not very reliable so I guess Sigma will be left for the future. I'll most likely try different ones in the closest music store in my price range (Up to 200 or 250€) and see what I like the most.

Sigma guitars were actually pretty decent. Way back you could buy them at the Martin Guitar factory store. Just know what you're looking at and be careful. Martin distributed a few different brands over the years including Stinger guitars. Personally, I'd look at a Martin X Series if you're on a tight budget. I just tried out a Martin X Series 12 string that was amazing for the money. They're built in Mexico but sound really nice.

There were lots of companies from Japan, that were trying to emulate Martin guitars. Ibanez made a decent copy of a Martin D-28. I've had one for over 35 years and still play it.

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Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal

63 Supro is right. The Japanese Yamaha's of the late 60's were pretty good. I had an FG-75 and it was a nice playing instrument.

My very first guitar was a made in Japan, 1972 "Sigma by Martin" nylon string. I still have it; well, actually, my little sister does now. My Dad picked it up in college, then passed it on to me when I started playing, then I passed it to my brother who took it to Spain for a semester, then he passed it on to my sis. It's a laminated guitar, but throw some good heavy nylon strings on there and it plays great and has a pretty good tone. I even used it for a couple gigs where we were playing brazilian jazz and I didn't feel like having my good classical banged into by clumsy trombonists! Haha. Pretty decent for a cheap guitar.