Advice on Martin Custom Shop Guitar for Maximum Overtones

[BenSherman]

I'm considering ordering a custom shop Martin. I'm want a guitar that will produce the maximum overtones, taking into account each customizable option. I like a lush, complex, three-dimensional sound with natural chorus (similar to the tone one might expect from a Goodall or Lowden), rather than a direct, fundamental tone.

Which options would you recommend from the Custom Shop to best achieve this?

Very interested in your opinions regarding body shape, tonewoods, bracing, etc...

I should also say that I play a variety of styles (strumming, picking and fingerstyle) and I have quite a soft attack, so I'd be looking at something that is also both versatile and responsive.

Thanks!

[TuckerRE]

For pure sound, I don't think anything beats their 'standard' dreadnaught with a mahogany body. In Martin's parlance this would be a D-18S. (This centers the bridge more into the sweet-spot while making the neck as stiff as possible since they don't do multi-piece necks.)

I would see if they could find you some mahogany with some pattern in it to make it visually more stunning.

For sure make the bracing scalloped. Adi top over Sitka, if you wanna spend the money, then hot hide glue if you wanna go the full bore!

I am a wide-neck fan and more into finger picking than strumming (or I go for a 12-string..same config..for a D12-20 model)!

Good luck with the build and let us know what you settle on!

[Rip VanWinkle]

Ben, I'm not quite sure I completely understand what YOU mean by overtones. But let me share my latest experience with you. When I was in Nazareth PA last November to pick up my Custom Shop 0000-28H, I had prearranged some time with the Custom Shop folks with the idea of designing my "last" guitar....(more likely my latest guitar LOL) I knew I wanted a guitar based on a D-35 for responsiveness. What I learned first hand from Scott, Jimmie and Mike was; if you want custom wood, they prefer Guatemalan rosewood. Definitely rear shifted bracing in a Dread too. But if you can't pay up for everything...absolutely you want total hide glue construction. So what we designed, with later help from Ted at LA Guitar Sales, is a turbo charged howitzer of a guitar! Hand shaved to 105" VTS Adirondack top, scalloped adi bracing, rear shifted, hide glue construction with a large sound hole. A few really nice cosmetics....flamed maple binding and a custom three piece head stock overlay and vintage style tuners with a 1 3/4 " nut. The sound of this guitar is truly amazing, lush, full with great note to note separation. And super responsive. If you want another opinion....I'm just a happy owner....call Ted. He's heard it and played it. He could compare the sound to Lowden and Santa Cruz guitars as well.

[NewPicker]

Ben -

I'd check the specs on the CSOM13. The Hig Altitude Alpine spruce top, and Madagascar Rosewood back and sides, combined with some really unique hybrid bracing made for a ruler responsive, modern tone with some great overtones. Perhaps those overtones could be dialed up with some Custom Shop changes

[runamuck]

Originally Posted by BenSherman

I'm considering ordering a custom shop Martin. I'm want a guitar that will produce the maximum overtones, taking into account each customizable option. I like a lush, complex, three-dimensional sound with natural chorus (similar to the tone one might expect from a Goodall or Lowden), rather than a direct, fundamental tone.

Which options would you recommend from the Custom Shop to best achieve this?

Very interested in your opinions regarding body shape, tonewoods, bracing, etc...

I should also say that I play a variety of styles (strumming, picking and fingerstyle) and I have quite a soft attack, so I'd be looking at something that is also both versatile and responsive.

Thanks!

My advice is not to order a custom but to go and play lots of guitars until you find the one that meets your expectations. Martins are fairly consistent but there can be some significant differences sometimes when comparing even the same model made in the same year.

[SiliconValleySJ]

Originally Posted by BenSherman

I like a lush, complex, three-dimensional sound with natural chorus (similar to the tone one might expect from a Goodall or Lowden), rather than a direct, fundamental tone.

Not to be a wet blanket, but why not then buy a Goodall or a Lowden? Seems like you're trying to fit a square peg (Martin) into a round hole (modern fingerstyle tone).

[justonwo]

If you are looking for that much overtone content, I would look at Goodall. Martins are usually a bit on the dry side.

[DrJamie]

If you really know what you want to hear in your next guitar, a custom build which you will be committed to, could be a major gamble. As above, I would consider the search part of the fun. I would also carefully consider Adirondack before ordering. Sitka takes less energy to make it vibrate, and can sound fabulous when new. My opinion is that Adi is great for a player who can drive the sound board with a strong attack. Is that your style? Maybe a 12 string??

[JoeCharter]

Originally Posted by runamuck

My advice is not to order a custom but to go and play lots of guitars until you find the one that meets your expectations. Martins are fairly consistent but there can be some significant differences sometimes when comparing even the same model made in the same year.

+1

Some will say get this type of bracing or that type of spruce (don't even get me started on the type of glue) but IMHO and IME it's all personal anecdotes with very little validity when dealing with a custom build.

One thing's for sure -- mahogany is out if you're looking for overtones. Not a good suggestion at all.

If I understand your reference to "overtones" correctly, definitely go out and play a few and buy the one that you like.

I've played too many Martins that were similar on paper but completely different in the real world.

[TomB'sox]

Unless you a dead set on a Martin, I am a big fan of a small shop or single luthier build where you can tell them exactly what you are looking for and they will go over wood options etc. that they think will achieve those sound goals and you get to pick out everything. I believe they will hit it out of the park for you in a very very high percentage of the builds. You hear stories where people are disappointed in their builds, but getting to know some of those unmentioned people leads me to believe the problems often lie more with the customer than the build.

Plus it is a heck of a lot of fun to watch your choices and your builds come together.

[CE Sobel]

Hello,

Generally European and adirondack spruces will have a higher overtone component than Sitka, as will brilliant Rosewoods like Brazilian, Madagascan, Honduran, etc. That being said, every piece of wood is different, which is why you can't necessarily make 100% true statements about different species and their effect on tone.

The overall design of the guitar and how the builder builds are together equally important as the woods used for how the guitar will sound. Since you know what you want, ie lots of overtones, you should look for a builder who has that kind of sound (rich as opposed to dry) and then ask them which woods in the context of their own design and shop will produce maximum overtones.

Cheers,

Chris

[nitram]

Originally Posted by BenSherman

I'm considering ordering a custom shop Martin. I'm want a guitar that will produce the maximum overtones, taking into account each customizable option. I like a lush, complex, three-dimensional sound with natural chorus (similar to the tone one might expect from a Goodall or Lowden), rather than a direct, fundamental tone.

Which options would you recommend from the Custom Shop to best achieve this?

Very interested in your opinions regarding body shape, tonewoods, bracing, etc...

I should also say that I play a variety of styles (strumming, picking and fingerstyle) and I have quite a soft attack, so I'd be looking at something that is also both versatile and responsive.

Thanks!

A computer?

[Uncle Dude]

I'd recommend a Madagascar rosewood guitar with a red spruce top, with scalloped braces (forward shifted).

A 12 fret 000 or a D size. I've had two guitars with those general specs (one was forward braced) and I sold them because they were heavy in the overtone department.

Good luck!

[Johnny_Boy]

Agreed with what ExpoTom says.

If you want a guitar that has "...maximum overtones,... I like a lush, complex, three-dimensional sound with natural chorus", Martin is not the first guitar I would recommend.

Only Martin guitars that meet that description are the real pre-war dreadnoughts (and not the recent copies of the pre-war. They do not have the high end sparkle).

I do like Lowdens and Goodall, which seems to be good hybrid between traditional Martin/Gibson fundamental sounds with modern Olson/Ryan/Traugott rich overtone sonds.

[DHart]

Those who say mahogany isn't for overtones haven't figured in "the build".

I'd say if you crave intense overtones, that's all well and good, but be careful what you wish for. Excessive overtones are not at all desirable, in my view.

Fundamentals with moderate overtones sound a lot better to me.

And, yes, I have an all-solid-mahogany OO-size guitar that has, depending on the metallic composition of the strings, as much, or more, overtones than I desire.

My thoughts are this: tread carefully into the "heavy" overtone world... it may bring more than you might actually desire.