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#1
05-30-2019, 11:40 PM
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Collings Om42A vs Martin Om42
Hey Friends,
I am looking for a balanced, airy, open sounding high end OM that is not to bassy and easy to strum. I do that 80%. I am Near a trade against One of that guitars. Whats your opinion? Greetz Pat 
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#2
05-31-2019, 01:02 AM
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Go for the Collings. Its leagues above the Martin, I feel.
__________________
The past: Yamaha AC3R (2016) Rose, Eastman AC822ce-FF (2018) The present:Taylor 614-ce (2018) Clara, Washburn Dread (2012) The future:Furch Rainbow GC-CR (2020)Renata?
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#3
05-31-2019, 04:54 AM
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I should start by saying I am a Collings girl. I am very fond of their builds and tone.
However, in this case, I would choose the OM-42. When you find the one that speaks to you, they are magical. Best in your search!
__________________
Hope. Love. Music. Collings|Bourgeois
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#4
05-31-2019, 05:32 AM
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I am impressed with Collings as very well built instrument, but I've never found one that spoke to me in an intimate way. Some guitars sound so sweet to my ear they virtually beg to be played. Collings always sound a bit standoffish to me.
So I would, of course, recommend the Martin. But I think that recommendation is useless to you. I have not played the particular guitars you're considering and you may be way more likely to fall in love with a Collings than I would. I think recommendations are a fine way to thin the heard, but when you're down to just two you really want to play them both and see which one floats your boat.
__________________
Keith Martin 000-42 Marquis Taylor Classical Alvarez 12 String Gibson ES345s Fender P-Bass Gibson tenor banjo
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#5
05-31-2019, 06:47 AM
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Hi Pat
Of the two, I think the Martin will give you much more of the tone you are after. The OM-42's that I have played over the years have ALL been really wonderful guitars, and were just terrific strummers...as well as fingerpickers! Plus to my ears, the Martin tone as a whole is just generally warmer and sweeter than the Collings tone. To me, the Collings tone tends to sound a wee bit clinical or overly precise...or as one of the posters just before me said..."standoff...ish" duff Be A Player...Not A Polisher
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#6
05-31-2019, 07:31 AM
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Thx everybody
I already have Martin D42 and wishi Could have that sound in an OM. Got bad props with my shoulder and have to Trade my D against an OM. Dont wanna loose my too much of that sound i love...... Greetz
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#7
05-31-2019, 08:40 AM
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Yes, I agree with the OM42 recommendations, as tonewise, the Collings I have played don't have that warmth I love.
Regardless of which you end up getting, please post pics! scott
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#8
05-31-2019, 09:21 AM
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I’ve had both and prefer the clarity & complexity of Collings OMs, but only you will be able to determine which suits your ear and playing style best. I will say your goal of “looking for a balanced, airy, open sounding high end OM that is not to bassy ...” sounds more like a Collings too me. Both choices could be good one. Good luck.
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#9
05-31-2019, 09:46 AM
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Quote:
It is not what Martin do, which is not bad, but the bass bias is the "martin sound". I have a friend who has a Collings OM3. whilst not my style of guitar, it is truly the most wonderful flat top I have EVER heard, and he uses very light strings.
__________________
Silly Moustache, Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer. I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom!
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#10
05-31-2019, 10:33 AM
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I have played a Martin OM-42 for 15 years and it is my most-played guitar overall and the one I perform with when finger-picking. The Martin OM's are very balanced guitars and do not have a heavy bass in my experience (as the dreads do) and are great finger style or finger picking instruments, and they are loud enough to deliver when flatpicked. I play with metal fingerpicks.
It is an extraordinary guitar, but to be fair, I never cared for Collings guitars nor understood the appeal, so that would have to count as a bias. Martin developed the OM guitar and it is copied by many. The OM-42 is next to the top of their OM line (the OM-45 being the top). I was able to choose this guitar out of a field of 8 other OM-42's at the factory and that gave me the opportunity to hear this model's sound over multiple guitars. They all sounded very good, even given the natural variance of any factory produced instrument. Of course I chose the one that appealed to me the most.
__________________
2003 Martin OM-42, K&K's 1932 National Style O, K&K's 1930 National Style 1 tricone Square-neck 1951 Rickenbacker Panda lap steel 2014 Gibson Roy Smeck Stage Deluxe Ltd, Custom Shop, K&K's 1957 Kay K-27 X-braced jumbo, K&K's 1967 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins Nashville 2014 Gold Tone WL-250, Whyte Lade banjo 2024 Mahogany Weissenborn, Jack Stepick Ear Trumpet Labs Edwina Tonedexter
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#11
05-31-2019, 10:40 AM
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https://diamondguitars.nl/product/co...rosewood-2014/
https://diamondguitars.nl/product/ma...imangined-new/
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#12
05-31-2019, 10:41 AM
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So i choose the Martin
Coming next saturday.....
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#13
05-31-2019, 10:58 AM
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Quote:
__________________
Hope. Love. Music. Collings|Bourgeois
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#14
05-31-2019, 11:03 AM
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Quote:
Last edited by El Cheapo; 05-31-2019 at 11:10 AM.
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#15
05-31-2019, 11:15 AM
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Quote:
I would NEVER select a Collings for primarily strumming duty. They are awesome flatpickers and good fingerstyle instruments. But they are waaaaay too cutting and articulate for strumming, and I base my opinion on having owned two Collings OMs and a dread, and playing dozens of others. The best strummers are warm, dark, and bass biased guitars. In other words, Martin to a “T”, and everything a Collings isn’t. Enjoy your new guitar 
__________________
Merrill | Martin | Collings | Gibson For Sale: 2023 Collings D2H 1 3/4 Nut, Adi Bracing, NTB -- $4100 shipped
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