After playing the F-40 Traditional for nearly a week and a half, I felt inspired to switch over to the DCE3 for a few days after reading about Sandy scoring one. It’s quickly become one of my favs and is a great rock n roll machine. The DCE3, being an arch back, led me to the D-4. I only played it for day before putting it away. I’m sorry, but I’m just not a fan of Guild mahogany arch back guitars and I guess I never will be (the D-4’s days are numbered). And the back story brings me to the guitar on today’s play list – the Martin D-15SM. This is one of my most favorite acoustic guitars and it was a good way to get away from the D-4. 
The D-15SM is a 12-fret all-mahogany guitar. Like the Guild D-15, it’s very basic and does not have body binding. The SM is actually an upgraded version of the original D-15S from the late 1990s and 2000s. The SM body is genuine Honduran mahogany and rosewood board and bridge while some S-models were sapele or sipo with a katalox board and bridge. It has a center seam reinforcing strip on the back (the original did not), a simple 2-ring maple rosette in place of the S-version’s decal rosette (yuck!), vintage style fretboard markers and headstock decal, and much better tuners. It has understated elegance.
It has my preferred 1 3/4” nut width so it fits like a glove. It has all the power, punch and volume you’d expect from a dreadnaught, but the mahogany top keeps the Martin “boom” under control thanks to the quicker decay rate. For me, this guitar is what the D-4/D-15/D-25 is for many LTGers. It’s a basic model that delivers. This one will remain on the guitar stand for another day or two.
The D-15SM is a 12-fret all-mahogany guitar. Like the Guild D-15, it’s very basic and does not have body binding. The SM is actually an upgraded version of the original D-15S from the late 1990s and 2000s. The SM body is genuine Honduran mahogany and rosewood board and bridge while some S-models were sapele or sipo with a katalox board and bridge. It has a center seam reinforcing strip on the back (the original did not), a simple 2-ring maple rosette in place of the S-version’s decal rosette (yuck!), vintage style fretboard markers and headstock decal, and much better tuners. It has understated elegance.
It has my preferred 1 3/4” nut width so it fits like a glove. It has all the power, punch and volume you’d expect from a dreadnaught, but the mahogany top keeps the Martin “boom” under control thanks to the quicker decay rate. For me, this guitar is what the D-4/D-15/D-25 is for many LTGers. It’s a basic model that delivers. This one will remain on the guitar stand for another day or two.
