martin glory

markcrawford · #1 03-06-2015, 01:21 PM

I have been playing a little 00-18v and considering picking it up. There is a thread over on the martin forum about the necks etc...Check it out for more comparisons http://theunofficialmartinguitarforu...e000GE-content The 000-18GE has a shallower neck profile. Most people on these forums look at that neck as large and I do not. The necks on the D-GE-s are thicker than these necks. I like the thicker neck on the 0018v better for my hand but I have adjusted to the 000GE. Anyway, I was reading on line (what...never) and there seems to be a lot of question about shorter scale guitars and dropped tunings. Here are two vids I did. Both in DADGAD. The 000 has lights on it (pure nickels). That guitar likes lights and sounds powerful with them. I would never put mediums on it. Through my experimenting with strings on the 00, I have found that it seems to like mediums. Now they both have very low action but that is the way I like it. The mediums on the 00 play as easily as the lights on the 000 because of the thicker neck profile. My quandary is that I am trying to figure out if I want to keep the 00-18v. I would like to keep them both, and might, but if I keep this little guitar around with this slightly thicker neck, I suspect it will get a bunch of the playing time....anyway here are the vids mentioned above.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgi_...ature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5V3...ature=youtu.be

brencat · #2 03-06-2015, 02:34 PM

Hi Mark. I'm not a member of UMGF, but I saw your thread comparing the 00-18v and the 000-18GE and love your playing! Personally I like the necks on both of those guitars and like you say, there absolutely is a difference to me. The GE neck on the 000-18GE is the same neck profile as on the D-28 Marquis...more rounded and less pointy but with more shoulders. The 00-18v is more of a soft-v, and certainly less pointy than the necks on the 000-28EC or the discontinued OM-28v.

Regarding the UMGF video you did, I felt the 00-18v was the better all-arounder while the 000-18GE shined for flatpicking (ie your Whiskey Before Breakfast clip) but left me wanting for everything else. Again, this is just my personal opinion, as I've played at least 5 or 6 000-18GEs and have never been wowed enough to consider taking one home.

I'll check the ones you've linked above when I get home later.

Kh1967 · #3 03-06-2015, 04:01 PM

Really enjoyed the video. Thanks for posting. Personally, I am a big fan of both these guitars :-)

llew · #4 03-06-2015, 04:08 PM

Enjoyed both videos...very nice playing!

markcrawford · #5 03-06-2015, 04:19 PM

Yea, the 00 is very bright and almost a little brittle in the high end. I say that in relative comparison to the 000-18GE. They are completely different. The GE has lots of power...lots. I am still blown away bu the headroom it has. It is the thickest guitar I have owned strung with light strings. In person there is a huge difference between them. But they are both really good. If the neck on the 00 was on the GE I would buy two. The GE has more to give than the 00 but the 00 is really more of that small guitar sound. The trebles on the GE are fatter and rounder even with lights against mediums...but the trebles on the 00 are pretty even in relation to the other strings.

It says something when I can play the 00 as easy or easier with mediums than I can play the GE with lights. That is the difference in the neck profile. The GE is newer and probably has not really opened up all it will...but it is open plenty.

Funny thing, they amplify just like they sound. The little guitar is really cool for open D. It rings nicely for finger stuff too. Highs get in there. The GE has a deeper sound and jsut more ffffuuump if you know what I mean.

llew · #6 03-06-2015, 04:33 PM

When amplified are you using a mic or pickup. If using a pickup what make in each guitar?
Thanks!

rmyAddison · #7 03-06-2015, 04:44 PM

Hey Mark,

So you prefer the neck on the 00 but the GE has more "oomph." I had one of the sought after first year 000-18GEs (specs were changed after) for years, just a wonderful guitar. I used 13's down 1/2 step and it could cry and it could growl.

My GE left because of a guitar I think you would love, an OM-18 Authentic, and they have "chunky" necks, are light as a feather, and set standards for responsiveness. If you mixed the 00 and the GE and added mojo you would have the 18A.

I'm a fan, posted on most/all of your threads, lifetime player, serious Martin fan (owned 42/45's, custom shops, a boatload of standards), and the OM-18A is far from the most expensive, but it's the best.

You're a fine player, I think an OM-18A sounds like what would fit you perfectly, worth an audition...............

darylcrisp · #8 03-06-2015, 04:55 PM

great playing!

to my ears i preferred the 000 in your hands, more clarity, sounded more responsive and sweeter. the 0018V sounded a little bassy to me(i used to own one, nice guitars).

thanks for putting the links up
d

TheIntermediate · #9 03-06-2015, 05:46 PM

Mark -

That's wonderful, thanks for sharing. Really enjoyed that. If it's a contest, the 000 sounds better to my ear. More rounded, fuller sounding, maybe a little less compressed. Both sounded great though.

riverrummed · #10 03-06-2015, 05:56 PM

I found that I liked the 000 better. It just had more depth to my ear. I don't know what else you have in your arsenal but they sound so similarly Martin (duh) that I'd look into something else in a smaller guitar if I was just wanting a smaller box. But that's just me.

teleamp · #11 03-06-2015, 06:13 PM

The 00-18V neck is a handful for sure, but what glorious tones come from the box.

markcrawford · #12 03-06-2015, 08:03 PM

They don't sound to similar to me. The 00 sounds more delicate. I think the 18A is a great gutar. I played one at Gruhns. I think that is standard scale and I am addicted to small scales. It is not really a comparison. There The 000 (this particular one) is a very good example and it is loud and throaty for sure. But that 00 has a top end that is really neat with bare fingers. The 00 is a bit more responsive to a lighter touch too but that is to be expected. It is not a better or worse, jsut a comparison to really see how they differ. The comfort of the 00 (neck included) is **** hard to beat. And it sustains for days...that is a really neat feature that it took me a while to figure out. It sustains longer than I am used to or count on. I am used to the 000 and hitting it hard to get loud and backing off. You are right in that the 00 is more compressed meaning that it gives not a huge dynamic range...but it gives what it gives very easily. And outstanding with bare fingers. And I think 5/16 is as far spread as I would want. I like it...and the 1/4 that the 00 has is just enough.

markcrawford · #13 03-07-2015, 01:49 AM

I use K&K minis in my guitars. Thanks for the comments. I like comparing guitars like this. I wish more people would do it.

#14 03-07-2015, 02:11 AM

Really nice comparison! I particularly like the 00. Interesting that you like medium strings on that one, makes me want to try mediums on my 00-ish guitar (but I have to check with the builder first to make sure it won't implode

)

markcrawford · #15 03-07-2015, 10:40 AM

I have lights on it now with a different saddle and it is pretty clowse to my ear. The mediums play so easy with the other saddle (lower action) but I like the tension of lights for a couple things I do. If I keep the guitar, I will probably put mediums on it with the lower saddle.