Martin OO-28 Style Guitars

[Treenewt]

I once fell in love with an OM-28 Marquis and tried to find a substitute. I never found one that came close. I’ve played a few 00-28, and they’ve always impressed me. Just very special tone. I’d hold out and save up. I don’t know that a substitute is available quite honestly.

[leew3]

As others have noted, if you want a guitar that sounds like a Martin....get one. That said, I also agree that Larrivee makes some killer small bodies that are worth checking out. They sound like a Larrivee, which is great, but if you want a guitar that sounds like a Martin...but I repeat myself.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Ozarkpicker

Eastmans sound good...but my questions with the product has always been resale value, long-term quality, and factory support.

Resale value is relative to the original cost. I bought a year old used Eastman OM for $850 and sold it a year later for $750. New it was around $1000 on the street.
As a comparison, many D18's that were purchased for well over $2000 sell for $1500-1700 in excellent condition. Granted, there are way more of them out there, but that's still a pretty big hit. I don't see where Eastman is any worse dollar for dollar.
I have seen many Eastmans actually surpass other guitars at a higher resale percentage.
Eastman has been building guitars for over twenty years and I've heard very little about catastrophic failures or anything even close. Factory support as is good as the dealers and the main Eastman dealers are excellent companies.

[madhat]

Originally Posted by AgentKooper

Also, Eastman doesn’t make a non-slope 14-fret 00, as far as I know. Neither does Blueridge, Recording King, Guild, Alvarez or any other I could think of.

this.

madhat.

[wguitar]

OP here ... THANKS for the great input ! Presently play an '89 Taylor 810 Rosewood dreadnought and '16 Larrivee OM-40 walnut. Love both guitars and thinking about one last quality one that is a smaller body size yet. The Martin OO-28 I played in store was truly something special ! I am primarily a strummer and would appreciate hearing from folks who mostly strum their OO-28. Also, what would anyone think a nice used Martin OO-28 might go for ? THANKS ALL !

[jpd]

Originally Posted by wguitar

OP here ... THANKS for the great input ! Presently play an '89 Taylor 810 Rosewood dreadnought and '16 Larrivee OM-40 walnut. Love both guitars and thinking about one last quality one that is a smaller body size yet. The Martin OO-28 I played in store was truly something special ! I am primarily a strummer and would appreciate hearing from folks who mostly strum their OO-28. Also, what would anyone think a nice used Martin OO-28 might go for ? THANKS ALL !

Do you use a pick or hybrid finger strum? I do the hybrid and find the 00-28 very smooth and clear. I don't know how a pick would work. A used 00-28 will have a variety of pricing because the 14 fret was introduced in 2017. Have a great time trying a bunch of 'em!

[wguitar]

I use a pick -- usually a Dunlop Nylon .60 or .73

[M Hayden]

Originally Posted by AgentKooper

Also, Eastman doesn’t make a non-slope 14-fret 00, as far as I know. Neither does Blueridge, Recording King, Guild, Alvarez or any other I could think of.

Exactly. They’re a bit of a rara avis and tend to be quite expensive when built as customs. But they are a great design, esp where built with long scale - what Bruce Sexauer calls a “double-O M”, or 00M.

[ChuckS]

Originally Posted by AgentKooper

Also, Eastman doesn’t make a non-slope 14-fret 00, as far as I know. Neither does Blueridge, Recording King, Guild, Alvarez or any other I could think of.

Originally Posted by M Hayden

Exactly. They’re a bit of a rara avis and tend to be quite expensive when built as customs. But they are a great design, esp where built with long scale - what Bruce Sexauer calls a “double-O M”, or 00M.

I agree that the 14 fret 00 (in the Martin style 14 fret body) are hard to find, especially in a long scale. I've been looking around for a mahogany/red spruce 14 fret 00 long scale and the only 'production' guitar I've found is the Tim O'Brien signature model (only 100 were made). The only other option I've found is to commission a guitar through a luthier.

If you want a rosewood/sitka guitar Charlie Hoffman's 14 fret 00's are great; they are a very thin body. You'd have to look for a used one, and there aren't that many.

If you're a bit flexible on the body/neck, Leo Posch makes a 00 (sloped shoulder 12 fret body) and often builds them with a 13 fret neck join. I've bought a used one in EIR/Adi, with a long scale, and tonally I'd say it is pretty close to the Martin 14 fret 00. These are luthier built guitars and are available used occasionally.

[Shaneh]

It is more akin to the 00-18 with the mahogany body but it sounds great and very similar to the 00-18 and the deluxe is all solid wood. Got mine for $450 I would say it is very competitive to the Martin and same size

[backdoc]

Originally Posted by MrDB

If you want a nice 00 guitar at less than Martin prices Eastman would be the first place I advise you to look.

While I am a big Eastman fan and I would take my E20OM over a 000-28 any day of the week, their 00 body guitars are more like a Gibson 00 than a Martin 00. I have the Eastman E20ooSS and I love it, but it is not really much like a Martin. The OM/000 bodies are quite a bit similar to the Martin 000's, but the same is not the case with the smaller ones. Great guitars, but pretty different feeling and tone from the Martin 00-28.

[AgentKooper]

Originally Posted by Shaneh

It is more akin to the 00-18 with the mahogany body but it sounds great and very similar to the 00-18 and the deluxe is all solid wood. Got mine for $450 I would say it is very competitive to the Martin and same size

What guitar is the “it” you are referring to?

[Shaneh]

Originally Posted by AgentKooper

What guitar is the “it” you are referring to?

As list in my title Alvarez delta 00 deluxe

[Dwight]

How about a used Martin 00-28?

[wguitar]

OP here -- I'm now actively looking for a used Martin 00-28 // If anyone has one to offer please PM me.

THANKS!