Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

[Cazarstan]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

I love my Martin OMC. smooth as butter in my hands and a nice balance of warmth and brightness. I have the PA4 (Solid spruce top and solid rosewood back&sides), which goes for ~1200 dollars, but the electronics need substantial EQ when plugged in(i.e. not quite plug' n' play). it sounds like your friend isn't too worried about that though.

 

[Inkstained]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

Bludave's summary is good.

I own a 000-28. It is short-scale. 24.9 inches compared to the "standard" 25.4 inches. That has good points and bad, arguably. Bending strings and fretting them are a bit easier, and fingering wide chords isn't as much of a stretch. The sound isn't quite as bright, which to me comes across as more "bluesy." I like bluesy, but that's in the ear of the beholder.

But, short-scale stretches the strings less, so it has less tension ... so down-tuning is trickier. The low E won't drive the top quite as hard when it's tuned down a whole step to D. Something to consider.

And the Standard Series 000-28 is straight-braced. The top braces (just under the top, in an X pattern) aren't shaved or scalloped.

Many players prefer scalloped because they think that feature is more "true to vintage" or louder, but I'm just the opposite. Compared to a Eric Clapton 000-28, I think the 000-28 sounds like it has its "game face on." It's ready for both finger-picking AND hard strumming, thanks to the straight braces, and shifts the emphasis away from the bass and lower mids to a brighter, more focused sound. Records better, in my view.

Tone is tough to put into words, obviously. But I think the straight braces allow the player to play perhaps a bit harder, go up a string gauge and stand up to strumming more.

Your mileage almost certainly will vary.

 

[Securb]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

Thanks for all of the advice I think she is pushing the purchase out to Christmas. You guy have given my quite the education on Martian, much appreciated.

 

[BrianS.]

Re: Martin Acoustic Guitars: A bit of shopping help needed

You guy have given my quite the education on Martian