Martin 00-28 has very balanced sound - what other guitars do ?

[jaymarsch]

Originally Posted by gretsch4me

Balanced tone = Martin M-36.

I owned a Martin M-38 and found that it favored the trebles. My two Kramer’s have balanced tone as do my Wingert’s but I find them different beasts tone and balance-wise. Hard to put words to.

Best,
Jayne

[zombywoof]

Every guitar has a balanced voice. They just tend to lean this way or that. So I, as example, do not like brighter voiced guitars so shy away from them

[min7b5]

I think the 00-28 is kinda the high water mark for things like balance, response, and projection. Of course there are others, but the 00 is clearly a bench mark in my opinion. I think of it as a classical guitar with piano strings. Classical builders are often more forward thinking than streelstring builders, experimenting with alternative materials, features, bracing patterns, etc, all in the names of projections and balance, but it's very rare that they drift too far at all from that body size and shape. You don't see many fourteen-fret classical guitars, or cutaways, paddleheads, etc. They got all that figured out in the 19th century.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by jaymarsch

I owned a Martin M-38 and found that it favored the trebles.

My guess is that Chris Martin himself thought the very same when he added an extra 3/4" to the body depth and created the J-14 fret.

[Augfive]

Collings OM1A Julian lage = Balanced
Bourgeois oo "Coupe" -12 fret- very balanced and over all incredible I might add :-)

[Fresh1985]

I have a 00-28vs, and It is the most balanced guitar I have played. Im not sure if its a result of the 12 fret design but it has a wonderful warm low end, punchy mids and beautifully sweet trebles.

Like all my guitars Ive had to learn how to get the best out of it, but boy what a tone.

I would love to compare it to the 14fret version.

[BluesBelly]

Originally Posted by jaymarsch

I owned a Martin M-38 and found that it favored the trebles. My two Kramer’s have balanced tone as do my Wingert’s but I find them different beasts tone and balance-wise. Hard to put words to.

Best,
Jayne

In 2018 Martin introduced a “REIMAGINED” M-36 including forward shifted scalloped bracing and a wider neck with 1-3/4” nut.
This is the M-36 that I have and the sound qualities are improved over the previous version of the M-36 and fancier M-38.

Blues

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by wguitar

...what other guitars (different brands and models) would have a very balanced sound ?

Guilds, in general.

[wguitar]

OP here -- From my experience with my OO-28 (and IMHO) I think the terms "sweet spot" and "high mark" referenced in different posts are good descriptors for this guitar. Great responses folks!

[L20A]

Originally Posted by DCCougar

Guilds, in general.

My Guild D-55 is the most balanced sounding guitar that I have ever owned.

[Joe Beamish]

Originally Posted by zombywoof

Every guitar has a balanced voice. They just tend to lean this way or that. So I, as example, do not like brighter voiced guitars so shy away from them

Balance does seem purely subjective.

[Jaden]

Originally Posted by wguitar

Hi,

I love the wonderfully balanced sound of my Martin 00-28 and was wondering if Martin 000's would have the same balance ? Also, what other guitars (different brands and models) would have a very balanced sound ?

THANKS!

Completely different tonality from the 00-28 is the Martin 000-15m which strikes a nice & even midrange balance from bass to treble. For my purposes with a heavy thumb (fingerpicking) I can easily find a 000 bass heavy, but this 14 fret to the body all mahogany/ sipo works for me (entirely subjective).

[Silly Moustache]

Essentially all Martin 12 fretters are "balanced" whereas all 14 fretters tend to be bass biased.

[Guitarplayer_PR]

Originally Posted by wguitar

Hi,

I love the wonderfully balanced sound of my Martin 00-28 and was wondering if Martin 000's would have the same balance ? Also, what other guitars (different brands and models) would have a very balanced sound ?

THANKS!

Balanced can mean different things to different guitarists. As for me, balanced is a guitar that its lows, highs and mids are not "hidden" or overshadowed. And definitely that guitar is my Ovation Ultra 2178, both unplugged and plugged.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Essentially all Martin 12 fretters are "balanced" whereas all 14 fretters tend to be bass biased.

.. or all Martin 14 fretters are well balanced and all 12 fretters are treble biased.