Conference napalm::guitar

    I bought one about 5 years ago.  I've been more than happy with
    it.  If you play it side by side with a nice Martin there is no
    comparison but it's still a nice guitar.  The model I bought was
    $189 when I bought it.  It now sells for $275.  They are designed
    and engineered by Martin but they are made by Sigma (to Martin's
    specifications).  I had heard that Martin does a qc inspect of each
    one made.  Can't verify that thought.
    
    Unless they've gone downhill in the last few years, I'd buy another
    if I was in the market for one.
    
    Good luck
    
    Dave 

    I've had my Sigma for almost 13 years now.  It's the smaller bodied
    copy of a Martin 000 series.  It has a nice warm tone although,
    as Dave Rivers said in .1, the sound really doesn't compare with
    the real Martin.  It's a solid guitar - it plays every bit as well
    as when I first bought it.
    As for the wide price range through the Sigma line, that could be
    due to the materials/construction of the different models.  It could
    be that the higher priced models are made with a solid spruce top.
    These guitars will still have the laminated (plywood) sides and
    back, but should sound noticably better.
    
    Go with your gut feel.  If it's a pleasure to play - good action
    and the neck "feels good" in your hand, and you're happy with the
    sound, then you're ready to dicker with the salesman...
    
    Jim_who_loves_his_plywood_copy_of_a_Martin

dir/title="sigma" 1.0-*.*
will tell you past Sigma notes - check out notes 228 and 598.

I have one of the low end models that I got over 10 years ago
and I'm real satisfied with it.

    	I have a DM-12-4 that I bought used several years ago and
    for the money, Sigmas are fine guitars. I have also heard that
    Martin inspects the Sigmas for QC. My model is a 12 string and 
    both the action and the tone of the guitar is quite good considering
    the price I paid. ($150.00) The DM-12-4 sold for about 275.00 new
    three years ago.
    
    DonH

    Just to drop a note of interest.
    
    Sigma is also a company known for 35mm (camera) optics.  And they make
    fair to good lenses, by no means, show stopping lenses.  (Infact,
    some of the real cheap ones are out-and-out dogs.) Not that there
    is a big connection between these two items, but I'd bet that the
    fair to good quality would also be present in the guitars.  On that
    piece of knowledge, my advice would be to go with the feel, but
    be wary of the lower priced ones, and DO check the neck, the bridge
    (especially the bridge) check the back top binding where the top
    of the guitar meets the side, and also check the spot where the neck 
    and the body join (the heel)...  
    
    Something that looks shakey around these areas when new, will
    undoubtedly be a problem in the not so distance future.
    
    I wonder if the names SIGM, YAMAHA, SUZUKI are nothing more than large 
    conglomerate (sp?)  names, and they rent out skilled labor, and stick 
    their logos on the finished product... 
    
    
    Kinda like Sears !?!?
    
    

    I believe Yamaha is owned by the Japanese conglomerate Nippon
    Gakki.
    
    Edd

    There was an interesting article a few years back in Guitar Player
    about the Japanese guitars. IBANEZ is a real guitar company, but a
    great many of the other brands are 'shoped' out to other
    manufacturers, in particular, furniture manufacturers. They also
    mentioned that different models, that have the same brand name, may
    come from a different manuafacturer. When you think about this, it
    makes sense, since those companies tend to be very knowledgeable about
    woods & proper building techniques. The bad side is that they may or
    may not know diddly about music or the instruments. While the effect
    may be minimized on a solid body guitar, it could be a major problem
    on an acoustic flat top or arched top (How many good Japanese Arch
    tops have you ever played?? - I've never played one that I liked).

    Fortunately for flat top acoustics, they can be mass produced & as long
    as tolerances are fairly consistant, they get a pretty good low to
    midrange product (I'd play as many of the same model as I could, while
    in the store & pick the one that felt & sounded best). I don't think
    that it works that way with the arch top guitars. I've never tried to
    make one, but a person that I know (Micheal Gurian) told me that you
    have to play with the top in order to get it right, once the initial
    carving has been done.

							Jens

    Re:.5
    
     Sigma is a  brand name used by Martin on their Japanese-made guitars.
    I do not believe there is any relationship between them and the
    maker of Sigma lenses.
    
    Danny W

    Well, as I said earlier, I've played quite a few across the range.
    They all seem to be put together OK, and play and sound good for
    the price - after all, it's mainly for home use, I'm down to about
    8-10 gigs per year - and I liked them as much as say a Takamine
    that cost quite a bit more (the Tak was a 307S, I may still be tempted)
                                                    
    Also, one or two people in here say they age quite well - but then
    they're talking about older and possibly better produced guitars,
    maybe the newer ones are different 8^}
    
    Pinned to a notice board in the store was a review of a couple of
    the Sigs - the DM4, I think, which is quite near the bottom of the
    range, and which I played (very nice for the price), also the 18,
    which I didn't play, as it was the only one in the range they didn't
    have in stock. This one is about three down from the top of the
    range. The reviewer was favourable about both models, and about
    the range in general, so I think on the day it's going to be down
    to three things - the feel, the sound, and the amount of cash I've
    got on me at the time!
    
    Thanks for all advice and recommendations.......
  
    Bob