Seeking Guitar Recommendations

[Lori8454]

Hello, everyone. My son-in-law recommended I write to this forum and seek suggestions regarding a guitar purchase. Here's what I am looking for (and it might not exist):

1. a 24.9 inch scale
2. a low oval or modified low oval or C shape neck
3. a 1 11/16 inch nut width (I have small hands.)
4. ebony fret board
5. a balanced tone, with more of an emphasis on bass sounds

I love the sound of the Martin 000-42, but it is out of my price range.
Thank you for your recommendations.

[nootis]

Looks like retail on a Martin OOO-42 is around $5,800. There's a whole lot of guitars in the range leading up to that. Knowing your budget should yield some great suggestions.

[IndyHD28]

Since you’re in a Martin frame of mine, look at the Mahogany offerings in 00 and 000. Start with style 18 and if that is still too expensive, look at the 15 series. I have my eye on a custom 00-18 with Adirondack top, 1/4” scalloped bracing and the modern neck. Advertised at $2495 (list is $4018).

Welcome to the forum! If you can forgo the ebony fretboard, your options will expand. Is there a price range or ceiling that you're looking to stay within?

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by Willie Voltaire

Welcome to the forum! If you can forgo the ebony fretboard, your options will expand. Is there a price range or ceiling that you're looking to stay within?

I second the advice to expand upon your fretboard options. I have two guitars with ebony fretboards, and two with rosewood. I really don't detect a difference between the two, other than for looks. They play the same.

If you would consider a rosewood fingerboard, check out the Martin 000-15m. It matches all your other criterion, and it's a wonderful guitar for a relatively low price.

[Nyghthawk]

I can heartily recommend the Blueridge OM's. The BR-143 is mahogany back and sides. The BR-163 is rosewood. Wonderful tone, lengthy sustain, great projection. Martinesque but much less money.

[pjmacd]

Welcome to the AGF forum, Lori8454. As Willie V said, it would help us to know what kind of budget you're working within. Also, if you can give us a rough idea of where you live, members may be able to suggest some stores for you to visit to find your ideal guitar.

A couple of other makes to consider that have not yet been mentioned are Larrivee and Eastman.

[The Growler]

Welcome to the AGF! Lots of helpful people here. You came to the right place.

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by Lori8454

Hello, everyone. My son-in-law recommended I write to this forum and seek suggestions regarding a guitar purchase. Here's what I am looking for (and it might not exist):

1. a 24.9 inch scale
2. a low oval or modified low oval or C shape neck
3. a 1 11/16 inch nut width (I have small hands.)
4. ebony fret board
5. a balanced tone, with more of an emphasis on bass sounds

I love the sound of the Martin 000-42, but it is out of my price range.
Thank you for your recommendations.

Lori, the most reliable way to get as much bass response as possible in the 14 fret Triple O body size is to get rosewood back and sides and put a John Pearse armrest on the guitar.

Rosewood typically adds more bass than mahogany back and sides will. The John Pearse armrest gives you even more bass response by lifting your forearm off the top, letting it vibrate to its fullest extent.

If you currently have access to an acoustic guitar, try this simple experiment: strum a vigorous first position E chord. Then while the chord is still ringing, lift your forearm off the top.

On most guitars you will notice an increase in the bass and lower midrange, and a bit more volume, as well.

Full disclosure: I am a John Pearse strings and accessories artist endorser. But I had John Pearse armrests on all my flattop guitars for a good ten or twelve years before John decided to make me an official artist endorser. I use them because they work and do exactly what they’re supposed to do.

You mentioned that you like the sound of the 000-42. As it happens, I own a 000-42, and it’s my favorite guitar. With the Pearse armrest on it, it generates as much bass response as a PA system can handle, and sounds GREAT.

But all the abalone gingerbread around the top doesn’t have an impact on the tone. (Some folks insist that it does, but that’s mostly wishful thinking.). What DOES make a difference is the bracing pattern and the back and side wood.

The ideal guitar for you would be a used 000-28H. This was briefly in the Martin Standard Series product line. It’s got the same scalloped bracing as the 000-28EC, the Eric Clapton model, but with a slimmer neck profile.

Elderly Instruments has continued to carry this model, as has LA Guitar Sales.

The recently introduced “reimagined” Martin 000-28 has the same bracing and neck profile, but it’s got the 1 3/4” nut.

For what it’s worth, you might want to go test drive one of those new 000-28’s: you might just find that nut width more playable than you expect.

If not, look for a used 000-28H.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Teherie]

Everyone has an opinion, recommendation or a story based on experience or personal preference and here’s mine.

Check out the Martin Custom 000-21, spec sheet and sound clip at My Favorite Guitars (MFG). It checks off most of the boxes on your list except it has a 1 & 3/4 inch neck. It’s a solid, no frills model that is versatile and this model has a short scale.

He also has an OM 28 Custom with longer scale but my favorite is the Custom OM-35. I own a standard production model OM-35 purchased new in 2007 and Martin only made 621 (I think) in 4 years. I got one of the last ones off the line with a sunburst finish to match my first Martin, a 1976 D-35 with a shaded top.
The OM-35 has a low profile neck with a balanced tone with nice bass and scalloped bracing compared against the D-35 which is straight braced, 1 and 11/16 width “C” neck.

At the time I bought my OM-35, I had a choice between an OM-21, OM-21 Special, two OM-35s (natural or sunburst) and an OM-28 with a v-neck. I had also played a 42 series at another shop but it was a bit out of my price range. I found the OM-35 to be a nice alternative between the 21 and 42 series.

I have never bought a guitar from MFG but have also never heard of a single complaint from anyone on this forum or the Martin forum. They have ordered several runs of the OM-35 and the only major difference I can see from my spec sheet is Modified Low Oval versus the low profile. Everything I have read about Jon at MFG is that he is knowledgeable and has a well deserved reputation of being a fair dealer.

When I turned 60 three years ago, I treated myself to a Custom 12 fret, 000-18 with 3 piece mahogany back and sides, slotted headstock, short scale with herringbone rosette and tortoiseshell trim and binding. Kind of a hybrid between an HD-35/OM-35 and a 000-18 and truly one of a kind.

I hope this helps.

[ezra1]

If you are a Martin guy, buy a used one from a reputable dealer in the model you prefer.
There are many such Dealers on Reverb.

[rstaight]

Can't really add much. I have messed around with guitars that have fretboards made of Rosewood, Ebony, Richlite, Maple, and Laurel. Personally, I can't see much of a difference when playing.

I am in the market for a 6 string. I have played Fender, Breedlove, Martin, Taylor, and Takamine at this point. Still a few others I want to get my grubby mitts on.

At this point it will more then likely be Takamine. But it all comes down to personal preference.

[Nctom]

I have been reading these recommendations with interest. Basically, I don't consider the 000/OM to be "small" guitars. You might look at 00 and 0 Martins, either in mahogany or rosewood.

I recently bought a new 0-18 that, except for the 1 3/4" nut, matches all of your preferred criteria. It is balanced tonally, has more than adequate volume, and is elegantly simple in its appointments.

The rosewood 00's have slightly more bass response and sparkle, usually more decorative appointments, and unfortunately are considerly more expensive.

[bluesfreek]

Since we don't know the OP's budget I'd wait to see how much they're willing to spend before recommending anything.

[Shortfinger]

I'd take the $5,000 to a good luthier, and get the bespoke guitar I wanted.