Martin 000-18GE vs CEO-7 - Page 2

se7ent7 · #16 03-10-2014, 11:52 PM

Thank you guys for the stellar input, much appreciated!

The Gibson LG-2 American Eagle and Americana is also in my scope, went to the only shop in the country that had one, and heard they just sold the LG-2 AE on Friday :-/ Go figure. Only getting another in April

CoolerKing · #17 03-11-2014, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bald melon

The brand new re-designed Martin 00-18 w/ 1/34" neck, 1/4" bracing and 2 3/16" string spacing at the bridges looks like a great option to me!.....and it lists for $100.00 less than the CEO7.

http://www.martinguitar.com/new/item/3524-000-18.html

Gary

Since this just came out about 36 hours ago, it is a bit of a game changer in terms of price and features. The D18 is so popular, 1 3/4 neck and ebony, open back tuners etc. I'd buy one if I didn't just get a custom OM18 from MFG. I predict these will be VERY popular. And I suspect they will be a little easier to get than the CEO7, instead of a trickle out of Naz I bet there will be quite a few on the market soon.

se7ent7 · #18 03-11-2014, 01:53 AM

Oooooh, yummy! thanks for that! 2 3/16 is a bit too narrow for me though, it's a pity they didn't make it 2 5/16 or 2 3/8. I guess they want you to buy vintage reissues if you want that though.

I have an old 1959 00-28G which I want to convert at Martin to a steel string with Adirondack top one day. It would be cool to have a mahogany backed one like that too. Oh dreams dreams

se7ent7 · #19 03-11-2014, 02:03 AM

OH NO wait matthewpartrick - that is actually very BAD news, since it seems this new spec 000-18 is replcaing or bumping out the 000-18GE !

see this thread: http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=332913

Also it seems the OM-28V is done

This is a sad day

Gallery · #20 11-19-2014, 03:26 PM

I'm having the same dilemma!!!

Today I played a CEO-7 and a 000-18e Retro back to back. Despite the fact that I've be dreaming about a 000-18GE for the past few months I think I liked the sound of the CEO-7 better.

The CEO-7
Had more low end
Has a smaller body more comfortable hold
Has a 1/8" wider neck at the 12th fret which feels a bit awkward
Projected it's sound more

The 000-18e
Has a more comfortable neck
Has THE Martin tone I've been wanting
Has more headroom for flat picking
Sings rather than projects

I'm so confused now. I really thought I wanted the 000-18, but the CEO-7 was incredible.

I suppose the plus side is that the CEO-7 had eliminated the Gibson LG-2 Americana from the running. The CEO-7 had everything the LG-2 had plus some.

kiva238 · #21 11-19-2014, 04:45 PM

This appears to be an older posting, but my opinion is still the same.

Grab the 000-18ge now while they are available and reasonably priced.
If you can find a used one, all the better. Not a Retro, not a CEO-7 and not the new 000-18.

Hurry! You'll have plenty of time to thank me later. . . .

JP McD · #22 11-19-2014, 06:34 PM

Since my original comment in this thread I've traded the LG-2 and gotten hold of a CEO-7. As Gallery mentioned above, it definitely knocks the LG-2 out of the running. It's just a fantastic guitar.

Now that I have both the 000-18GE and the CEO-7 I'm glad that I can hold on to both of them. They are both wonderful instruments, and are similar in some respects, but have some very different qualities.

If forced, I'd pick the CEO, though the 000 has a richer more melodious voice. The CEO just speaks a little more distinctly and feels a bit more comfortable in my hands. You can't go wrong either way.

jpd · #23 11-19-2014, 07:01 PM

Right there with you on the LG-2 ...the CEO-7 is a different animal>but WHAT an animal!

Gallery · #24 11-19-2014, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP McD

If forced, I'd pick the CEO, though the 000 has a richer more melodious voice. The CEO just speaks a little more distinctly and feels a bit more comfortable in my hands. You can't go wrong either way.

Anything else you can add on comparison of the CEO-7 and 000-18ge?

I'm really really torn here. I was all set on ordering a custom 000-18ge ambertone (which I can't try before I buy), but now I'm finding that the CEO-7 might actually be what I want.

I've only had the opportunity to play 000-18 and 000-18e. Right now I kinda like the CEO-7 better, but I'm thinking the GE bracing and Adi top will take the 000-18 over the edge and kill the CEO.

But at the same time I'm thinking that the 000-18ge is already discontinued and I would be ordering a custom ambertone anyway so I could always custom order one next year and grab the CEO now while they are still making them...

My only acoustic right now is a Taylor 810 and I'm kinda over the whole taylor sound and dread size thing, but it really is a nice guitar. Part of me thinks the 000-18ge will replace the 810 for 90% of what play and I can sell it to buy both the 18 and CEO...

Uhg. decisions.

brencat · #25 11-19-2014, 07:55 PM

The CEO-7 is awesome. The two I've played were better, to me, than any of the five 000-18GE I've tried in the past 3 years. The CEO-7 has a brighter, more airy sound to it and I generally prefer that tone over the darker sounding 000-18GE.

As a point of reference though, I prefer the 00-18v -- at least the one I played at Umanov's this summer -- to either the 000-18GE or CEO-7.

llew · #26 11-19-2014, 08:15 PM

I have both. I'm in the process of selling the CEO-7. Not that I don't like it it's just that I'm overstocked and just don't need it. Someone will get a fine little 00 slope shoulder guitar. The 000-18GE is staying put...sorry Brendan...we disagree for once?

JP McD · #27 11-19-2014, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gallery

Anything else you can add on comparison of the CEO-7 and 000-18ge?

It's tough talking about tone, but I'll give it a shot.

The 000-18GE is more harmonically complex. The overtones are very tightly meshed. This guitar has the classic Martin piano-like quality. A good player can probably get a full orchestral sound out of this guitar. It's the richest sounding mahogany guitar I've ever played as far as that goes, ringing tones without the longer decay of rosewood.

While still very much a Martin, the CEO-7 is more "Gibson-ish". There is some extra darkness in the bass and fewer overtones, with a nice quick decay. It's probably that L styled body (this is a Gibson shape, no matter how many people call it a 00 -- the waist is tiny and the upper bout smaller than a 00).

The 000 holds up better to heavy strumming. It just gives and gives without choking -- I think this is the Adi top and the vintage bracing. Not so with the CEO which sounds great up until to point that you go too far (a point I'm learning to avoid after all these years). If you're going to an acoustic jam with a bunch of people and your dread is in the shop, take the 000-18GE, you'll be fine.

But there is something really great about the CEO-7. The voice is very clear, almost like a small dread -- not volume-wise, but in terms of articulation. Single notes speak up. It's a great acoustic blues guitar. And a great singer's guitar -- it supports the voice and tucks in right under the vocals.

Comfort-wise, I give the edge to the CEO. Both have full but comfortable necks, the CEO with a little less vintage heft. It settles in under your arm like it has always been there or something.

It's a tough choice, but I like your idea of picking up the CEO-7 now and getting the custom build later.

It's a nice problem to have!

Gallery · #28 11-19-2014, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP McD

It's tough talking about tone, but I'll give it a shot.

The 000-18GE is more harmonically complex. The overtones are very tightly meshed. This guitar has the classic Martin piano-like quality. A good player can probably get a full orchestral sound out of this guitar. It's the richest sounding mahogany guitar I've ever played as far as that goes, ringing tones without the longer decay of rosewood.

While still very much a Martin, the CEO-7 is more "Gibson-ish". There is some extra darkness in the bass and fewer overtones, with a nice quick decay. It's probably that L styled body (this is a Gibson shape, no matter how many people call it a 00 -- the waist is tiny and the upper bout smaller than a 00).

The 000 holds up better to heavy strumming. It just gives and gives without choking -- I think this is the Adi top and the vintage bracing. Not so with the CEO which sounds great up until to point that you go too far (a point I'm learning to avoid after all these years). If you're going to an acoustic jam with a bunch of people and your dread is in the shop, take the 000-18GE, you'll be fine.

But there is something really great about the CEO-7. The voice is very clear, almost like a small dread -- not volume-wise, but in terms of articulation. Single notes speak up. It's a great acoustic blues guitar. And a great singer's guitar -- it supports the voice and tucks in right under the vocals.

Comfort-wise, I give the edge to the CEO. Both have full but comfortable necks, the CEO with a little less vintage heft. It settles in under your arm like it has always been there or something.

It's a tough choice, but I like your idea of picking up the CEO-7 now and getting the custom build later.

It's a nice problem to have!

Thanks so much for putting all of that into words. It's pretty much exactly what I heard today while A/B-ing the 000-18e with the CEO-7. And it's exactly why I'm so torn. The CEO-7 is the guitar that I want, but the 000-18 is the guitar I need... If that makes any sense. The 000-18 sounded like it would cover all my bases while the CEO-7 is best at what I enjoy most.

BobbyBadd · #29 11-20-2014, 09:18 AM

I have both the 00018GE amber tone and acquired a CEO-7 in late July. Originally I thought nothing could compare to my 000, its that good, and I've played a lot of guitars in shops and friends that have some high end Collings, Norman Blake etc.

I wanted the smaller body with the same specs and love the sunburst as well. After 3 months, the CEO has broken in very nicely. Low end was initially pretty tight, due to the top, but now much more depth.

Both respond nicely to soft and hard playing.

Long term, as I get older, I think the CEO is the one, but wouldn't want to sell the other one either.

My suggestion; find a way to get both. Now or later. Good luck!

aintitthelife98 · #30 11-20-2014, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gallery

Thanks so much for putting all of that into words. It's pretty much exactly what I heard today while A/B-ing the 000-18e with the CEO-7. And it's exactly why I'm so torn. The CEO-7 is the guitar that I want, but the 000-18 is the guitar I need... If that makes any sense. The 000-18 sounded like it would cover all my bases while the CEO-7 is best at what I enjoy most.

Just a note, the 000-18e and the 000-18GE in my personal opinion are not in the same league as each other. I played both side to side and the 000-18GE was head and shoulders above it in my personal opinion. If I was picking between a 000-18e and the CEO-7 i'd go with the CEO-7 without a doubt.

I like some others here have both a 000-18GE and the CEO-7. I'd echo JP McD's comments about comparing them. They are both fantastic guitars. If I had to have just one, it would probably be the 000-18GE but thankfully I don't have to make that choice.