Martin 000 dilemma

[hairpuller]

One other consideration is if the 15 you fell in love with is still available. At my local store I played a few different 15 series, and they were nowhere near equals. You may want to bring your 18 to the store and compare. Give it some time though, as it takes months to really get to know a guitar and bond with it.

scott

[Jaden]

If you return the 18 you might well and deeply regret it - it’s capable of a lot of versatility and a good guitar to grow old with. It’s a Great Martin!

The 000-15m (some may chime in about the SM 12 fret version) has the nicest, fastest playability of any acoustic guitar I’ve owned, hands down. I love, love the M, and it has gorgeous tone once played in too. The Best Value Martin!

I’m sorry I haven’t made your choice any easier.

[raysachs]

You did not buy "too much" guitar, but it's possible you didn't buy the RIGHT guitar. Both of those are really really fine instruments. But as you noted, they're pretty different. The jump from an all hog guitar to one with just hog back and sides is a pretty big tonal difference. The next jump from mahogany back and sides to rosewood, like an 000-28 makes it brighter and more defined and gives you more overtones as well. But I think it's a bigger leap from the 15 to the 18 than it is from the 18 to the 28.

I recently went shopping for an 00 or 000. I played everything I could find and my two favorites came down to the 00-18v and the 000-15SM, the 12-fret sibling of the 000-15M you're looking at. I REALLY liked them both, but at the end of the day, that all-mahogany sound feels like home to me, so I went for the 15 instead of the 18. But I still think about the 18 and maybe someday eventually I'll get one of those too.

Tonal preferences are real, and they can change over time - I used to play a D-28 and LOVED it, now rosewood just sounds too bright and complicated to me. My tastes are different. You have a great guitar. If you'd bought the 000-15 you'd also have a great guitar. Only you know which one you prefer. BTW, the 15 isn't priced lower because it's a lesser guitar, it's just the total lack of bling and the very very simple appearance. I personally love the plain brown wrapper look, but for a lot of folks, they're not very appealing.

-Ray

[Arthur Slowhand]

I'd keep the 18, without hesitation. I played a 15 recently and bought a used Martin OM instead - I thought the 15 was superb, but a little one-dimensional... just a bit too dry. If you want growl, try some different strings on the 18 and dig in a bit - the growl might be there waiting to reveal itself.

[kilgoret78]

This thread is cathartic. Each comment feels like a thought that has circled around my head over the past month. Both guitars are great. They are different.
The 15 has an amazing, mellow, quiet tone. Perfect for playing at night in the den. However the 18 adds sparkle and elegance. No bad choice. Just a tough one to make.

By the way- buying both is not an option- cost and my wife will kill me 🙂.

[SpruceTop]

In my opinion, the Martin 000-18 is heirloom quality with a superb, dynamic tone, and I think you've made a good decision to buy it.

[Guitar MD]

Don’t let buyer’s remorse set in. If both guitars were the same price, which one would you prefer in terms of sound / playability?

Avoid feeling unworthy of the 000-18 simply because of its cost or the fact that you like playing on the couch for your own enjoyment. Nothing wrong with treating yourself to a fine guitar (clearly you were able to afford it). Like someone said, play the heck out of it. I’m confident that it only will improve with age as it plays in.

Don’t worry, no one will expect you to play like the artists you listed; you’ll just share the same discerning taste in acoustic guitars as they had.

You can’t go wrong.

If action / string height is an issue relative to the -15, you might take the -18 to a tech and see if it can be changed more to your liking. Many Martins can be a bit high out of the box causing buyers to sell them later when an easy fix is within reach.

[kilgoret78]

Sorry if my comment about set up on the 18 was misleading. Both guitars feel and play great. I was referring only to the neck shape and nut width of the 15. It felt similar to my American Special Telecaster (without the jumbo frets).

[Peepaw]

I would not think twice about that choice.
I would keep the 18.

[hermithollow]

Over the long run the spruce topped guitar will be the better choice. Mahogany topped guitars have a "sound". Spruce topped guitars have many "sounds".
Eventually you may want to pick up a used mahogany topped guitar. They usually have lower resale value than Spruce.

What you are experiencing is GAS-induced buyer's remorse. It's a common affliction. Just enjoy the 18. It's an excellent guitar.

[Guitar MD]

Ahhh, ok.

Physical differences between 000-18 and 000-15M in nut width, neck taper (000-18 has Performing Artist taper that may feel good, if you play up the neck), and string spacing at the bridge. Some players are more sensitive to these parameters than others, depending on playing style, hand size. If both guitars play great, you may be fine with 1 3/4” nut.

As an example, though I play acoustics ranging from 1 5/8” to 1 3/4” nut width, I find that, although I prefer 1 11/16” nut width, I’m more sensitive to the neck profile involved in terms of playability.

Your Tele is likely 1 5/8” nut, so, yes, the -15M will feel closer to that at 1st fret.

Closest apples-to-apples comparison for around the same price might be 000-15M vs 000-15 Special (if you come across one).

[Cool555]

I left out the third option earlier.

Option 3: Just be happy with your 000-18 and try to put the tone of the 000-15 out of your mind. LOL!

About 6 months back, I asked for opinions here comparing the 000-15 & the 000-18. A poll was created and 000-18 won with about 80% of the votes. Below is the link if you’re interested to read it. The 000-18 gets a lot of love here in AGF. Enjoy and bond with your guitar!

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=546671

[DownUpDave]

Yup pure GAS, pure and simple. Keep the 000-18 then in a year or two buy the 000-15m. I have one that I absolutely love. Every time I play an 000-18 and think I should buy one I play my 000-15 and I am glad I own it. They are both great, strawberry or chocolate pick your flavour of ice cream

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by Guitar MD

Don’t let buyer’s remorse set in. If both guitars were the same price, which one would you prefer in terms of sound / playability?

Avoid feeling unworthy of the 000-18 simply because of its cost or the fact that you like playing on the couch for your own enjoyment. Nothing wrong with treating yourself to a fine guitar (clearly you were able to afford it). Like someone said, play the heck out of it. I’m confident that it only will improve with age as it plays in.

Don’t worry, no one will expect you to play like the artists you listed; you’ll just share the same discerning taste in acoustic guitars as they had.

You can’t go wrong.

If action / string height is an issue relative to the -15, you might take the -18 to a tech and see if it can be changed more to your liking. Many Martins can be a bit high out of the box causing buyers to sell them later when an easy fix is within reach.

Totally agree. While my preference in this particular comparison would be for the 15, there's almost no such thing as "too much guitar". I was only a little over a year into playing a terrible $60 pawnshop acoustic 40 years ago when I decided to get a better guitar. I had a set budget, walked into my favorite shop, and played everything they had up to that price point. And I've never had a clearer or more immediate impression / choice in my life. I walked out with an 11 year old D-28 that played and sounded so good I couldn't even believe that I could own such a thing. But it was only $400 and I was prepared to spend $500, so I bought it.

If anything was ever "too much guitar", that was for me at that point. But it wasn't at all - it just inspired me to want to play it all the time. Just strumming an open D chord and listening to it ring out brought me so much more pleasure on that guitar than I'd ever experienced before. So I got better because of just how much I loved the sound and feel of that guitar. I'll never be particularly good, but I'm good enough to appreciate a nice guitar and if it makes me wanna play more, it's not too much guitar.

I think a $20,000 hand-built might be "too much guitar" for me - I think the difference between a $3000 guitar and a $20,000 guitar would probably be lost on me. But I'm all in favor of spending as much as you can comfortably afford on a guitar that really inspires you and you love playing.