Your experience with Martin 00-18

[salsarev]

I searched and found a couple of threads about the 00-18 but would like more information/opinions/experiences. I'm considering another small body guitar since the only small body I have is a Martin D Jr. I've owned numerous Taylor GC's but I think I want something different - I just don't know what.

I know, I know - "Play before you buy"; easier said than done where I live. Those of you who have experience with the 00-18, what are the pros and cons in your opinion? Thanks in advance for your comments.

[DanR]

I have a 00-18 and I'm quite fond of it. It has the fingerpicking voice that I want to hear from such a guitar. To my ear, it's not much of a strummer. My 000-18 is a tad more of a strummer but I definitely prefer the 00-18 for fingerpicking.

[TeleBluesMan]

Very comfortable to play. Nice balanced sound. A bigger voice than you might imagine, given the smaller body size. I really like mine.

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by DanR

To my ear, it's not much of a strummer. My 000-18 is a tad more of a strummer but I definitely prefer the 00-18 for fingerpicking.

Agreed. I'm a strummer, and every time I've auditioned a 00 Martin, whether it's 00-18 or 00-15, I've found them lacking in comparison to the corresponding 000.

A shame. I want to fall in love with a smaller guitar, but it's just not happening in the tone department.

[Dave Anthony]

I have a OO-28 that I really like. I played 3 OO-18's in the same room and they didn't seem to project as much. This may be a personal preference for rosewood vs. mahogany, balanced harmonics over a more fundamental tone. I also have a a OOO-MMV which sounds similar to the OO-28 but with more bass and volume, a "bigger" sound.

[buddyhu]

Played an older (1960’s) 00-18 at a local shop. Loved the tone! But the older ones had a 1 and 11/16ths nut...which I don’t much like.

00’s tend to project very well.

I think of 00’s as a fingerpicking guitar, maybe a good choice for some flat picking lots of melodies and fills mixed with some casual strums. If you are a full on strummer, I’d think a 000 would be a better choice. YMMV.

[LakewoodM32Fan]

As others have said, by the general laws of physics a 00 won't move as much air as a 000/OM body, all other things being equal...which, as we know in guitar world, is never the case. You can have a not-very-resonant 000 completely outshone by a very resonant 00.

As others have said, what is your playstyle? If you're strumming/rhythm, the 00 may not serve you well. If you're more into fingerstyle, you may very much like it.

I am primarily a strummer but I want to learn fingerstyle, hence why I bought my 00 cocobolo. I'll say this, Martin did a fantastic job on it, the top is resonant and it can just about keep pace with my 000 and OM. Yes at the hardest strumming the compression factor of a 00 body kicks in and it can't attain the higher db levels of the bigger bodies, but I'm rarely ever strumming that hard, and if I do, that's what the TD-R is for.

The cocobolo back adds this extra low end articulation that isn't on any of my other guitars, but you're looking at a 00-18 which is a mahogany back, so it will be more mids-focused than mine.

[KevinH]

I've had my 00-18V for over a year now and really like it. I use it for finger picking. Very comfortable to play. Nice balanced sound. Highly recommended. I recall reading somewhere that the 00-18 and 18V had different string spacings. You might be sure the 00-18 has what you want.

[Mycroft]

I have a 1957 00-18, and have played many others. Probability my favorite Martin model. Or maybe a 00-21. From the pre-war era until recently 00-18s had 1 11/16" nut, which is a problem for a lot of people. On mine it is actually in between 1 11/16" and 1 3/4." There was variation in the necks. It also have a shallow V, which I really like.

Great fingerpicker; good separation string to string. Projective. Certainly not as loud as a bigger guitar. They do fine when strumming and chording so long as you play it on it's terms, which is without too aggressive an attack. If you try and play it the same way that you would something like a Dread, expect to be disappointed. Play it the way that it wants to be played, though...

Lovely couch guitar.

[Richgj3]

I had a OO18H Geoff Muldaur for a while. Incredibly loud. I took to an acoustic jam one night and somebody thought I had an amp hidden. Wide nut because of the model. I’d have another OO18 someday. Not as my only guitar, but in the mix.

Rich

[kkstpattisday]

I owned a 2017 00-18. I was the second owner. I do not intend to Pooh Pooh the bell like quality of the Martin. It sounds harmonically majestic. It lacks a base response if that is what you are after in a small body guitar. I also let it go because I could not deal with the boltaron binding failing at both sides of the waist for such an expensive model. Be wary of the newer model craftsmanship 00-18s. As for my recommendation I found everything I wanted from a Gibson lg2 American eagle. It is a couch guitar with base and you can plug it in! Haven’t looked back. The lg2 has a muddier less chimey sound but sounds like a porch player and you can strum the crap out of it and fingerpick the thing. You could also save yourself a handful of cash by going lg2 ae rather than a Martin 00-18. Both are wonderful instruments and this was my personal experience with the 2 models. I find the lg2 also works really well as backup to my voice. Couldn’t recommend it more and good luck.

[The Bard Rocks]

I bought my first new guitar a '69 Martin 0018 and happily kept it 10 years - until I played a very special herringbone Dread, and after that, nothing else would do. (Although I looked for months to find one like I'd played, I never did find another like the first.)

Good for fingerstyle, though a bit on the quiet side, which you'd expect from a smaller body.

[salsarev]

I really appreciate all the responses! Good info here.

[gmruegg]

I have the earlier model of this guitar, the 00-18 Vintage (or V for short). Has the 1 3/4 nut and somewhat chunky V shaped neck. Very balanced and a great fingerstyle guitar. Great couch guitar and would be great for recording. I don't play gigs but with a pickup would be good for that as well. My only complaint with my guitar is that it isn't very loud, so don't expect the bass or volume of a D-18. I've played a couple of the new version 00-18 and they seem slightly higher volume to me. Hope this helps.

[Mr. Jelly]

If you take a hog dread and turn down the bass and lower the bass strings volume a touch. Then sweeten the e and B strings. That's about what a 00-18 sounds like. At least to me.