[mcduffnw]

I would suggest the Martin OOOO-M series guitar style, either a 0000-18 or 0000-28 M series, either Sitka or Red Spruce depending on whether you like Mahogany or Rosewood color to the timbre of the tone.

I don't know if Martin currently offers it other than custom shop, but a 0000-42, especially a slot headstock, would be my ultimate choice. I am a fingerpicker/fingerstyle player, and basic rhythm strumming. I play and sing John Denver, Gordon Lightfoot, Jim Croce, Don McLean, Don Williams...that kinda stuff...especially John Denver...huge JD fan. I do some basic fingerstyle instrumental stuff as well, along the style lines of Ed Gerhard, my fave. So that is where I am coming from as far as what I like in a guitar.

With the OOOOM series Martin bodies, you get the overall big, open and round resonant tone and timbre, and power and bass response of a dread, but with a wee bit more firmness, focus, and dynamic response...IMO...and a much more comfortable body to hold sitting.

I think they are gorgeous looking too!

I like the rounder, deeper, and more open resonant tone and timbre of a bigger body...AND...really love having the extra bass power when I want it. The problem, for me, with the OM/OOO and smaller body sizes is that you can run into issues of boxy or tight tone, and lack of bass power and response, and while the boxy timbre issue sometimes resolves itself as the guitar breaks in over time, the lack of bass response does not, and there is nothing you can do to gain bass response if you don't have it from the get/go. To me, the OOOO body size is the perfect melding of body and tone shapes.


duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher