I played a few Sigma guitars today

[countryblues75]

This morning I went to a local guitar shop, which has a good selection of Sigma (AMI) guitars, and tried a few.
The first one was the OMR-1ST (OM, solid spruce top, lam rosewood b/s, 1 3/4 inches nut width, bone nut & saddle, full gloss, satin neck), which sells for about 320 euros. Good fit and finish (the rosewood laminated back and sides were very nice looking, but the spruce top had some darker streaks on it) and nice playability (even though the neck might be "faster"). As for sound, the guitar has a good bass response and a clear "martinesque" tone, very pleasant for a guitar at this price point.
Then I played the LM-SG00 (Gibson L-00 style, solid spruce top, lam mahogany b/s, short scale, 1 3/4 nut width, bone nut & saddle), which sells for about 600 euros. This one had a very beautiful sunburst and Grover open geared tuners, plus a Fishman Sonitone. This guitar seemed to have more midrange, but the good bass response was still there.
Last but not least, i tried a 000R-45VS (000 body style, 12 frets, slotted headstock), wich sells for about 800 euros. This one had the warmest and deepest tone of the three (I love twelve frets guitars), but there was way too much abalone on it!
Finally, and in conclusion, those guitars are well built/finished instruments with a distinctive voice, but, if I was asked to choose one, I would go with the cheaper OMR-1ST, which in, in my opinion, is the best value of the three (it's not easy to find a good OM with 1 3/4 nut, great for fingerpicking, for 300 euros).
At a higher price level, on the contrary, I think the competition is more tough: this same morning i played a Seagull SWS Mini Jumbo, for instance, that was a better overall guitar than the two pricier Sigma (despite having a completely different tone).

[lowrider]

I found this AMI Sigma OMR-21;



used but virtually perfect (it still with the plastic on the pick-guard) at GC on Long Island about six weeks ago. Don't know how it got to NY, but it was at a really good price and the sound, feel and look made me put a deposit one it and wait out the two week waiting period since it was just traded in. I got them to give me new D'Addario phos/bronze strings with it. They were interresting; first they were too squawkey but mellowed nicely and got better every day until they went dead. Now I have D'Addario Nickel Bronze and they are just what I wanted for this guitar, but I still want to try DR Sunbeams on it, could be the perfect strings for this one.

Very happy with my cheap,(legitimate) Martin copy guitar.

[Analoga1p]

I know this is an old thread but low rider bought my guitar. Foolishly, I sold it but as he said it’s a great guitar. After almost year later or so I bought another omr-21 which by the way they are discontinued. I got a kindred one same thing

Originally Posted by lowrider

I found this AMI Sigma OMR-21;



used but virtually perfect (it still with the plastic on the pick-guard) at GC on Long Island about six weeks ago. Don't know how it got to NY, but it was at a really good price and the sound, feel and look made me put a deposit one it and wait out the two week waiting period since it was just traded in. I got them to give me new D'Addario phos/bronze strings with it. They were interresting; first they were too squawkey but mellowed nicely and got better every day until they went dead. Now I have D'Addario Nickel Bronze and they are just what I wanted for this guitar, but I still want to try DR Sunbeams on it, could be the perfect strings for this one.

Very happy with my cheap,(legitimate) Martin copy guitar.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by Analoga1p

I know this is an old thread but low rider bought my guitar. Foolishly, I sold it but as he said it’s a great guitar. After almost year later or so I bought another omr-21 which by the way they are discontinued. I got a kindred one same thing

Very nice; I believe Sigma is now marketed in the US under the Kindred moniker. In Europe Sigma is still Sigma, for whatever reason.

[Analoga1p]

Kindred is no longer. AMI now markets their guitars in the US as AMI. I’m not impressed because they are using Micarta fingerboards. If you find a kindred/sigma they are excellent. With the right strings these are certainly Martinesque.

Originally Posted by AndrewG

Very nice; I believe Sigma is now marketed in the US under the Kindred moniker. In Europe Sigma is still Sigma, for whatever reason.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by Analoga1p

Kindred is no longer. AMI now markets their guitars in the US as AMI. I’m not impressed because they are using Micarta fingerboards. If you find a kindred/sigma they are excellent. With the right strings these are certainly Martinesque.

Hmm, I have no problem with Micarta or Richlite. I had a CEO-4R (not a cheap guitar), with both bridge and fretboard of Micarta. Felt good, sounded good and looked exactly like ebony. I honestly don't understand the antipathy, but each to their own I guess.

[lowrider]

Originally Posted by Analoga1p

I know this is an old thread but low rider bought my guitar. Foolishly, I sold it but as he said it’s a great guitar. After almost year later or so I bought another omr-21 which by the way they are discontinued. I got a kindred one same thing

Only on AGF!

Like you said, it's a wonderful guitar but it needs the right strings. For me, that's D'Addario Nicol Bronze or DR Sunbeams. With some others, it's just too much. With Martin Retro's my ears were bleeding!

I must have stopped into GC right after you because I had to wait the full 14-day waiting time. To me, it has more Martin tone than any other Martin copy. It looked like you never played it. Not even a fingerprint on it. Original strings? Plastic still on the pick-guard.

It's a wonderful guitar. Where did you get it? How did it end up on Long Island?

[Analoga1p]

Hello there,

yes I agree a nice set of strings will really make this guitar sound great, Initially it was installed phosphor bronze d'addario strings, I just changed to SP MS3100, the bass sounds a little more refined than with the d'addario.

You probably did get it not too long after I did a trade in, did you get the case as well? I really didn't play it much because I got an OM-28 (well that guitar is gone too, I really play more electric ended up getting made to measure les paul but i'm trying to sell).

I purchased that sigma in Canada, some town in Ontario forgot the name of the shop. Last week I got the kindred from a place in PA, and a nice case on amazon warehouse deals too, came in the same day so i was happy....it fits my needs to playing acoustic. It came in with a nice setup from those guys but in the near future i'll bring it to the American guitar museum...

Originally Posted by lowrider

Only on AGF!

Like you said, it's a wonderful guitar but it needs the right strings. For me, that's D'Addario Nicol Bronze or DR Sunbeams. With some others, it's just too much. With Martin Retro's my ears were bleeding!

I must have stopped into GC right after you because I had to wait the full 14-day waiting time. To me, it has more Martin tone than any other Martin copy. It looked like you never played it. Not even a fingerprint on it. Original strings? Plastic still on the pick-guard.

It's a wonderful guitar. Where did you get it? How did it end up on Long Island?

[lowrider]

I have to tell you how impressed I am with you Sigma. I've had it for about 16 months and it's the most Martin-like tone that I've ever heard for another guitar. About 3 months ago, I got a Martin custom shop OM-18. Now, this guitar is mind-boggling! I bring it to my jam group just to listen to the good players playing it. This is the guitar that I will leave for my grandson in my will. So you would think that I'd sell off the copy, right? No way, the Sigma is too good. The only time I know it's not as good as the real thing is when I play them back.