Truth be told, I have been eyeing this guitar since I first saw Laurent's build photos, where he built both a style 42 and style 45 side by side. Laurent deviated from his normal build style, which he does from time to time, to build a replica of a 1929 Martin OM-42. He doesn't do a perfect facsimile from a construction standpoint, as he does make some adjustments (bolt on neck, for example) that help modernize the guitar. The tonal goal, however, is to achieve that Golden Era Martin sound.
I've always been curious about Laurent's take on this sound. He's made a handful of these guitars in his career, but I've never had a chance to play one. There are so many builders attempting to either nail that old sound or at least do an interpretation of that sound, it can get a little tedious to think about playing yet another Martin OM adaptation. That being said, any time Laurent undertakes a project, I get interested because he, well, doesn't mess around.
For the style 42, he used top grade red spruce and Brazilian rosewood. There's a little "character" in the top that I really like. The shell work is incredibly detailed and impressive, but it was the woods and construction that drew me in.
Body Style: Martin OM, mostly style 42
Top: Adirondack spruce
Back and Sides: Brazilian rosewood
Nut: 1 3/4"
Saddle: 2 3/8"
Neck: Honduran mahogany with carbon fiber rods (no adjustable rod)
Fretboard: Ebony
Bridge: Pyramid, ebony
Finish: Nitrocellulose (not his usual oil varnish)
Case: Hoffee
My only hesitation in getting this guitar was the possibility of duplicating my Circa OM, which has a red spruce top and Madagascar rosewood back and sides. However, John has been adapting that old Martin sound and using a taller X brace. The result is a guitar that emphasizes the mids more, along with volume and projection. John isn't building 1929 Martin OM clones, per se. He's adapted those old Martin paradigms into his own thing (an "evolved traditionalist" to steal a phrase from Bob Berger).
Laurent wanted to use the true vintage formula for sound, to the best of his ability, and I felt like there would be a lot of room for differentiation so I took a chance (though you're never really taking a chance with Laurent's work).
This OM is a complete masterpiece. I have a played a number of 1930 OMs. They vary quite a bit, tonally. But Laurent's is the closest I've ever heard anyone come to achieving that sound. I would, in fact, say that he's absolutely nailed it. There's one 1930 OM at Schoenberg now (maybe it's still there) that has a particular deep bass. It's that guitar I'm thinking about.
I should emphasizing that nailing the sound of a vintage instrument isn't of particular importance to me. A good guitar is a good guitar, regardless of how close it may come to the vintage guitar it intends to copy. I've never really been very interested in totally duplicating the old Martin sound, though I do like it.
This guitar is explosively loud. Sound wants to reach right out off the soundboard and slap the listener hard across the face. Who's your daddy? This OM is your daddy! The tone is very rich and reverby and, while it is punchy, it really just envelops the player in sound. Mids are slightly scooped and the bass is cavernous with a huge soundscape. Trebles are sweet and authoritative, just like they should be. Where the Circa OM is more mids-focused and punchy, this OM has more overall breadth in its sound and tends to envelop rather than punch. It is a dream of a guitar, truly.
It captures that Golden Era ideal of a very light build that is extremely responsive, very loud, very resonant, has tons of headroom, and blooms with complexity. It is a firing breathing tone dragon. I cannot imagine someone building a more inspired version of a 1929 Martin. Different perhaps, but not better. This guitar shoots right to the top of the list of the best of the best of the best.
I love my other Brondels just as much, though they are different. But I do hope Laurent will continue to produce some more Martin inspired guitars. This one, by every conceivable measure, is a masterpiece.
I'll skip over the fit and finish comments. It's a Brondel.
