Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueBowman
Tom, if I may pile on, how would you compare the E10 00 to the 000-15SM? I know the Martin is your preference at the moment. I can't play either before purchase, so I'd love to get your thoughts. I'm a big fan of 12-fretters. I just returned a 000-15M (14-fret version). It sounded great in the bass and mids, but I couldn't get on with the trebles (a little thin to my ears). My guess is the 12-fret 000-15SM "rounds" those trebles out a bit. I also have been looking the E10 00, just hard to find one to play.
Would love to get your honest thoughts. Appreciate it!
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Again as with my other post these two guitars are somewhat different. But I think they're closer in features than the E10 and the 00-18. I used to own a 000-15M but you're right the trebles can be somewhat thin on a all mahogany guitar to my ears also. I traded it in for a 00-15M and for some reason I just couldn't bond with it so I traded it in for the 000-15SM 2 years ago and have very happy with the tone and ease of play. All 15 series are very lightly built and I think it helps with the ease of playing.
Also I think the E10 00 is more one dimensional guitar as I only fingerpick with it. I don't mean that in a bad way but I wouldn't have the E10 as my only guitar. Now the Martin SM model I feel you could build or add a guitar or two around it as is definitely to me is an all around guitar. It comes with wider string spacing than the 000-15M and the limited strumming I do it handles that very well also. But to me the SM shines when it comes to fingerpicking the tone is dry, warm and the mids shine thru with just a little more bass to my ears than the 00, 000-15's. The 12 fret setups puts the bridge in right spot of the lower body and the upper bout is stretched to meet the neck which creates more space in the upper reaches.
The E10 00 is a keeper along with the 00-18 and the 000-15SM. Been starting to look for a 00-18VS to complete my collection. Sorry about straying away but those VS models are something else but much more expensive. That means my E20 OMSB will be sent to the pastures. Gotta love small body mahogany guitars!
Hope this helps, you really can't go wrong with either model.