Calling Martin experts: pre-reimagined OM21 question

[upsidedown]

Had a Martin OM21, (built circa 2000) for a while, but sold it - to a friend. As the years have passed, I've had the opportunity to play it many times, and to regret ever selling it in the first place. Neither he nor any of the guitar playing members of his family have any interest in selling it back to me.

My sometimes blind, always circuitous journey to find the "right one" has resulted in some disasters, several near misses and a fair bit of frustration. The more I play my former Martin, the more I realize the neck shape and string spacing on it are good fits for me.

In trying to replace it, I don't want to assume anything, so the question for you Martin experts would be, was there much (if any) variation in specs and/or neck shape on the OM21 BEFORE its reimagined version was imagined? Or would I be fairly safe in counting on continuity?

[warfrat73]

There were couple of changes. I'm not 100% sure on this, but my understanding/recollection is that it was about 2004 or 2005 they replaced the rosewood fingerboard and bridge with ebony. And around 2012 or so they reduced the string spacing at the bridge from 2 1/4" to 2 3/16". I think the neck profile was the Modified Low oval until about 2016 or 2017 when it would have switched to the new PA taper?

The tuners changed a couple of times too.

There were definitely some small tweaks... worth looking into the details to confirm.

[dnf777]

Im no Martin expert, but not aware of variance issues in the 21 at that time, or any other. Ive had two later models that felt the same. Due to unfortunate circumstances, I can compare the necks because I still have the neck (only) from the first one. (And some IRW scraps for patches). Dont ask.

If neck profile is very important to you, definitely play first, because (the experts can correct me if Im wrong here) I dont think they were CNC -ing necks then, so there was more hand-shaping than just fine finishing. The string spacing can be fine tuned by a luthier with a new nut/saddle if need be.

[penname]

Prior to 2012 the OM-21 had the rosewood fretboard, 2-1/4” bridge spacing and low profile neck. In 2012 Martin changed it to ebony fretboard, 2-3/16” bridge spacing, and modified low oval/performing artist taper. In 2018 Martin “reimagined” the OM-21 and went to 2-5/32” spacing at the bridge with the same neck. I read that the bridge spacing was reduced due to complaints about the E strings being too close to the edge but have never seen official confirmation from Martin.

I bought my 2012 OM-21 right after they came out and the earlier versions were still around in the stores. I played both and bought the newer 2012 specification version. And have since played the newest 2018 specification model. Of the three I still prefer my 2012. But if I had a time machine I would go back and pay the extra money on a 2010’ish OM-21 Special that I let slip away.

[Wade Hampton]

I bought an OM-21 new at Matanuska Music in Wasilla, Alaska (my first new Martin ever) in 2001 or 2002, somewhere in there. It was a great-sounding guitar with the 1 3/4” nut I prefer, but the neck was really thin, practically to the point of flatness. After I would play for an hour or more my left hand would start aching so badly that I’d have to stop playing for the rest of the night; by that point I couldn’t get relief by playing a guitar with a more comfortable neck profile or another instrument like mandolin or mountain dulcimer. At that point I was done playing and would have to go take a couple of ibuprofen, then go do something else entirely.

Which sucked. I kept thinking that I’d grow more accustomed to it and then everything would be fine, but - nope - it never got any better for me.

Joe McNamara, the Martin sales rep for my region and a friend of mine told me a couple of years later Martin changed the neck profile on the OM-21 to address that problem (apparently I wasn’t the only person affected that way,) but by that point I had moved on to other guitars.

The modern neck profile that Martin is putting on its guitars these days is far more comfortable for me: both of the Martins I currently own have it, and I couldn’t be happier.


Wade Hampton Miller

[upsidedown]

Thanks for the replies. Some helpful information there.

Warfrat, I agree; looking at various OM21s for sale online, there are differences in specs, and as you pointed out, in fretboard material. I wonder sometimes though about the accuracy of sellers' specs, many no doubt cut and paste. But it's easy enough to ask for a measurement - easier than asking for a description of the neck carve!

Dnf, sounds like you had an accident you're trying to forget! So I'll let it go.

Penname; were the OM21 Special's specs and neck carve any different from the standard?

Wade. I sold mine in the first place, principally because I couldn't bond with the thin neck carve, combined with the accessive shoulder to it. But, is the reimagined neck any thicker? Somewhere around .80" at the first fret if online specs are accurate. I borrowed the guitar back, and w/o benifit of calipers, I eyeball measured the depth to be right around that number. Not sure I could manage the narrow 2 1/8" fingerboard at the 12th, combined with the 2 5/32" spacing at the saddle on the new ones.

I recently bought an OM18-style Kopp from a forum member. The neck shape is among the most comfortable I've ever played, but the spacing is just a bit too much for me. I suppose that with time I'll get used to the nearly infinitesimal stretch of the fingers it takes to get a clean note, but as I mentioned in the original post, the spacing is just right/no fumbling required. The question I have to answer for myself is; am I more apt to bond with a less than comfortable neck with perfect spacing, or a perfectly comfortable neck with slightly too much spacing. One for the ages!

FYI:
Martin string spacing @
1 17/32" nut,
1 57/64" 12th fret,
2 17/64" saddle.

Kopp string spacing @
1 17.5/32" nut,
1 60/64" 12th fret,
2 22/64" saddle.

[penname]

The OM-21 Special had a 2-5/16” bridge string spacing. Neck profile was the same low profile as the pre-2012 neck. I’ve only ever played one example of the OM-21 Special but the sound and playability of that one was amazing. Picture below. It had a custom amber tone top that really liked.

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by upsidedown

Thanks for the replies. Some helpful information there.

Wade. I sold mine in the first place, principally because I couldn't bond with the thin neck carve, combined with the accessive shoulder to it. But, is the reimagined neck any thicker?

Honestly, I don't know for certain. I'm not certain whether I've played any of the reimagined ones. However I have played a relatively recent OM-21, made since mine was, that felt more comfortable to play.

That's about all I can tell you. As I mentioned, Jomack told me that the neck profile on the OM-21 was being redesigned - apparently I wasn't the only person whose left hand reacted badly to the neck profile my OM-21 had.

But Joe told me that well before Martin started formally "reimagining" their guitar designs, so I don't know where along that continuum the various OM-21 neck profiles might be.

Sorry I can't be any more specific.


whm

[upsidedown]

For those of you who have been holding your breath until you finally heard what I've concluded by borrowing my old OM21 back, and testing its neck against my other guitars...you finally have your answer!

Wade, I'm (still) with you; the narrow neck carve in the the first position is uncomfortable for me. But up past the 5th fret, where I like to play jazzy or swing chords, it's just about perfect. The string spacing is not too wide or narrow. It's just perfect.

Can't have everything - or can you? I'm going to try to find out.

[Stevien]

Originally Posted by penname

The OM-21 Special had a 2-5/16” bridge string spacing. Neck profile was the same low profile as the pre-2012 neck. I’ve only ever played one example of the OM-21 Special but the sound and playability of that one was amazing. Picture below. It had a custom amber tone top that really liked.

Beautiful OM-21 Special! I've never seen one that amber before. All the ones I've seen were the "pumpkin yellow" over-done vintage toner.
Steve