Has anyone played a Martin 00-18C or 00-28C?

[Carey]

If so, I'm interested in impressions of either of them. Thanks.

[jamf]

I am interested in these Martins (hoping one comes up for sale locally) and found a good amount of discussion over on UMGF. I remember the gist of it being that they sound very nice as a folk/jazz/bossa nova guitar, but if you are looking for a true classical guitar it won't have the sound you're after.

[Gitfiddlemann]

Hi Carey (and Jamf),
I own a very nice 18G model, but I've never actually played an 18C and 28C so can't add much detail to your question.
But years ago, Chris Crouch did a bunch of videos on these various Martin guitar models. As far as I know he is still a member here, but I haven't seen him in a while.
Chris is a wonderful player, and became kind of an authority on these, especially on their tonal attributes, and playability, which is what most people care about anyway.
He did a number of these comparisons, but this one here stands out in terms of including both those models you mentioned (18C and 28C).
Check it out:

[H165]

00-18G (similar to C) can be heard on the first few of Peter Paul & Mary's albums. Paul played it for a few years.

I've owned nine or ten older Martin nylons (18Cs, 28Gs, 28Cs). To me, they are folk music guitars which produce the sound I grew up with (listening to PPM and a couple of other "folk boom" groups). I prefer the 00-28Gs which, for my playing, seem a little better balanced than the Cs. I play them with a thumb pick, which tends to accentuate the bass.

[Carey]

Thanks for all the helpful replies, and Andre, thanks especially for the Chris C video- just what the doctor ordered, for now!

I have some experience with the G-series, having played a friend's 00-28G for several years (always wanted to try the 00-18G, but haven't so far) and recently became interested in the pre-'71 C-series, which seem quite interesting. I hope to find some pics of the bracing somewhere too, and if I do I'll post a link here.

[Carey]

So here's a really nice resource on Martin nylon-strings:

http://www.vintagemartin.com/classicals.html

[Gitfiddlemann]

Hi Carey,
Yes, I was familiar with that site from Robert Corwin. He's done quite a bit of historical photography chronicling all things Martin.
Bracing is not a topic I know a lot about. I'm glad resources like this are available.

[Carey]

That site is one impressive body of work, and my hat is off to Mr. Corwin.

I'm trying to correlate how a guitar feels and sounds with how it's made,
including the bracing pattern, though there's more to it than that for sure.
It was in large part my friend's 00-28G I mentioned that really put me on that (Quixotic?) quest.

[AfterViewer]

The two guitars you are interested in are shown and played and compared to the earlier Martin nylons that were not over produced and are very much soft spoken parlor guitars. The last two featured in the vid have a boldness to their output that makes them attain a classical nylon status. At least where they can sound pretty good, in a Martin sense for a nylon guitar.

[Carey]

Originally Posted by jamf

I am interested in these Martins (hoping one comes up for sale locally) and found a good amount of discussion over on UMGF. I remember the gist of it being that they sound very nice as a folk/jazz/bossa nova guitar, but if you are looking for a true classical guitar it won't have the sound you're after.

Thanks for this post. For my purposes, instruments that might be called "true classical guitars" have their shortcomings, too. I got to play a 00-28G for awhile that had some special qualities I hope to find or make in another guitar- a strength and beauty of sound in the lower register, and a singing headroom in the trebles in the higher positions; while adding some that were missing from it: color and flexibility in the trebles, and response to a gentler touch. I'm musing here..

[CCFingerstyle]

Originally Posted by Carey

If so, I'm interested in impressions of either of them. Thanks.

I just ran across this thread. Let me know if you have specific questions that have not already been answered and I will try to help if I can. I like all of the shorter scale (24.9") Martin nylons which were generally made prior to 1970. However, some of the 00-18Cs and 00-16Cs had the shorter scale into 1970 and 1971 production years. The scale changed to 26.44" in 1971 for the 00-18C with serial number 276325 and in 1970 for the 00-16C with serial number 268173.

To be fair, some people have said they like the longer scale instruments better...I am absolutely not one of those people. I created a video on buying these old Martins and if you check out the things I mentioned in the video, you will probably end up with a nice one. Prices have jumped up significantly in the past few years on these instruments. I guess more people are discovering them.

People contact me from time to time trying to buy or sell because of my videos. PM me what you are looking for if you'd like and if I run across one I'll let you know.

Chris

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiDJ6Ju2dzg

[Carey]

Chris, thank you for that additional information, and for making that fine
video on the different Martin nylon-strings (great playing!). I'll be watching
more of your videos as my ISP permits, and probably will have some questions.

[H165]

I hope to find some pics of the bracing somewhere too, and if I do I'll post a link here.

000-28C 188186

[Carey]

Thanks for providing those images, H165! It looks like the 000 is braced similarly to the 00, to my eyes, and both seem quite similar to the 00-28G.

[Practiceecitcar]

I would show you a photo of the 00-28G that I took some years ago, but I don't see how to insert it from my desktop (not a url). There was some slight variation in the smaller braces. Three fan braces. The back bracing also varied over the years, I think. A 1967 00-18C has 2 narrow/tall braces & 2 low/wide braces on the back.

Do a search at UMGF - 0028G braces site:umgf.com