[WordMan]

Originally Posted by M Sarad

Yes. I have a friend here who has been in the vintage market since 1980. He had not one , but two 1930 OM 45s. I played them both in his studio. The better sounding of the two may have been Stefan Grossman’s. It had the best neck, playability, and tone of any vintage Martin I ever had the pleasure and luck to play.

One day I was at Eric Schoenberg's Shop. He knew that the owner of the OM45s was a friend and former bandmate of mine. He pulled a guitar from an old case. It was an OM 45 Deluxe, one of the 14 made. Of course my friend had to have it and after selling the wonderful OM 45 I had played, he got the Deluxe, which I never got to see or play.

In 2016 I stopped at Mass Street Music in Lawrence, Kansas. The owner, Jim Baggett, was a close friend of my buddy with the 45s. Since there wasa connection, I was invited up to the Inner Sanctum to play an extraordinary 1930 OM 28. It hadthe widest Sonic soundscape if any Martin ever, eclipsing the 45s. At $38,000 due to cosmetic disarray, it was 50% less than one in perfect condition. But the Tone was exquisite. Playing it was like meeting the older woman with a few wrinkles but the magic most men dream of in guitars orthe fairer sex, Jim also had some early 30s OM 18s and-a ‘37 OOO 18 that was the little sister of the 28 at half the price.

I left that day feeling worn out with guitar crushes but keeping my credit cards intact. I could have walked out with any of those guitars, but I didn’t want to spend the next 5 years paying off two cards.

Wonderful - thanks for sharing!