After playing a half dozen Martins from 1930 to 1937, I know the magic inside those boxes, from the OM 18, 28, 45 to the OOO 18, each one was wonderful, with the guitars from 1930 having the most Mojo.
I prefer a lighter build. When I was first going down the custom road, I contacted Sobell. He let me know he built thicker and heavier than what I was looking for. A friend bought a Brazilian Sobell that he picked up from Simpson in New Orleans. When I played it, I couldn’t get what I wanted out of it. When my friend played it, it sang like a choir of angels. It was all about the projection.
The old Martins put my ears in the middle of that choir. The 1930 OM 28 Jim Baggett handed me three years ago was simply amazing. It had a deep and wide sonic landscape, with far more of everything I want from a guitar than my Merrill OM 28 of Brazilian and Adirondack. As they say, “ Close, but no cigar.” I had the $38,000 he was asking, but my house was getting AC and a new deck. Prudence prevailed.
I am in love with the sound of Sobell, NK Forster, and now I am smitten by the possibilities presented by Taran.
|