Your Best 00 for Strumming?

[Jeff56]

I have a Martin Kenny Sultan 00-18 that does everything well. I think the key to a smaller body guitar being a good strummer is an adi top. I can really dig into this guitar if I want and it won't break up.

[Kh1967]

Originally Posted by Jeff56

I have a Martin Kenny Sultan 00-18 that does everything well. I think the key to a smaller body guitar being a good strummer is an adi top. I can really dig into this guitar if I want and it won't break up.

The Kenny Sultan is a great guitar and I agree, it seems to do everything well. However, all Adi tops are not created equal.

While I love Adi as much as the next person, an old fashioned sitka top, braced properly and in the right builders hands, can be a great strumming guitar. Someone also mentioned Engelmann and same holds true, here - right hands, right bracing and magic can happen. In other words, hard and fast rules may not apply.

Play a bunch and you will find one that speaks to you...and equally as important, it is a really fun journey. :-)

[Dwight]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

I'm sorry OP, but I don't think that an "00" IS for "strumming" - things like j45s or maybe, if you want a smaller body - an LG2 might be what meets your need.

Whlst the OM was built as a rhythm guitar, most find it works best as a fingerstyle instrument and a high quality example like your SCGC OM maybe has too much string balance and separation for you. You are hearing each string clearly as they intend rather than the dull warm, dry thrum that a Gibson style might provide.

...and that's the same reason my Martin 00-28 is my best 00 strummer, A J-45 is fine too!

[SFCRetired]

After thinking about this while an S6 Seagull is not an om, it is a smaller body than a traditional dread, and it's as close to an all rounder as I have personally come in contact with. It does everything good, not great, but definitely good.

The older ones, before 2012 IIRC, are also short scale. 24.9.
If you like the sound of a Taylor I think they can be a good all rounder as well. I'm thinking like a 214. But for an OM to be a good sounding strummer, it better have a deeper body than a traditional OM. YMMV

[lt20dbl]

Originally Posted by Greg Rappleye

You, sir, have my dream guitar.

Congratulations!



Greg Rappleye

Thanks! I hope your dream comes true real soon.

[Gibsonstrummer]

Gibson L-130 and they are cheap too if you can find one

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by M19

This Martin 00-18, Engelmann top takes some serious strumming. Mine does too.

Sorry, but Steve Howe's original 00-18 - the one pictured - was a 1953. Which means it was likely Sitka as it was anything.

His Sig model may have Englemann - and is probably a very nice guitar - but that is not what he was playing in the heyday of Yes.

TW

[flagstaffcharli]

Pretty much Martin.

I own a CEO-7 and a 00C-16DBRE, and I can strum these to my heart's content. The 00-18 like Steve Howe plays (post before mine) would make a great choice.

[MikeD]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

Sorry, but Steve Howe's original 00-18 - the one pictured - was a 1953. Which means it was likely Sitka as it was anything.

His Sig model may have Englemann - and is probably a very nice guitar - but that is not what he was playing in the heyday of Yes.

TW

In 1953, Martin built many "mystery" topped guitars, out of either Englemann or Adirondack (or even possibly German spruce), so it is actually quite plausible that his guitar may have had an Englemann top. Sitka was used almost exclusively after 1945, but in 1953 (and some believe in 1957 I think?) there were other woods used by Martin, which were not recorded by guitar by rather just in shop notes I believe.

[opencee]

Originally Posted by flagstaffcharli

I own a.....00C-16DBRE

How do you like that one?

opencee

.

[Mycroft]

Originally Posted by MikeD

In 1953, Martin built many "mystery" topped guitars, out of either Englemann or Adirondack (or even possibly German spruce), so it is actually quite plausible that his guitar may have had an Englemann top. Sitka was used almost exclusively after 1945, but in 1953 (and some believe in 1957 I think?) there were other woods used by Martin, which were not recorded by guitar by rather just in shop notes I believe.

Yes, I know. My 1957 00-18 was built at a time when some were topped with Adirondack, and there was a guy over on UMGF who claimed to have notes on what tops were used for that year, and said by serial number than mine was one of them. Could be. All that I know for sure is that it is Spruce and sounds great.

My point is that Howe's guitar is probably Sitka. The OP is looking for a good 00-sized guitar for flatpicking, and a good Sitka-topped 00-18 would probably give him that.

However that is probably too prosaic for a lot of people...

TW

[MikeD]

My favorite strumming 00's are...

2015 12 fret Circa 00 cutaway (German spruce/German maple)


1938 00-21S. It's a Brazilian rosewood 14 fret 00, like an OM/000, only smaller. Only a dozen or so were made between 1935-1938, but I do know that Martin makes a modern version of this guitar that should be quite nice as well.

[Dwight]

Originally Posted by MikeD

My favorite strumming 00's are...

1938 00-21S. It's a Brazilian rosewood 14 fret 00, like an OM/000, only smaller. Only a dozen or so were made between 1935-1938, but I do know that Martin makes a modern version of this guitar that should be quite nice as well.

My 00-28 is also 14 fret, It's a custom run for MFG.

Mike, your 00-21S is very nice!!!!

[dhcod]

Medium strings are working well on H13 but there's really a penalty in terms of playability. My hands are sore! I'm sure that'll go away soon.

[M19]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

Sorry, but Steve Howe's original 00-18 - the one pictured - was a 1953. Which means it was likely Sitka as it was anything.

His Sig model may have Englemann - and is probably a very nice guitar - but that is not what he was playing in the heyday of Yes.

TW

From the Martin Website:

In appreciation of Steve Howe's loyalty to Martin instruments and his significant contribution to the advancement of guitar music, C. F. Martin & Co. is proud to announce the 00-18SH Steve Howe Signature Edition.

Designed with features drawn from Steve Howe's 00-18, and embellished with characteristics selected from standard, vintage and Golden Era guitars, the 00-18SH edition will be limited to a maximum of 250 instruments.

The soundboard of the 00-18SH is carefully crafted of Engelmann Spruce, common to many Martin instruments built in 1953. The top bracing is 1/4" width and delicately hand scalloped to achieve optimum tone. The back, sides and neck are of solid genuine mahogany.

The rosette is inlaid in the old style with thin black inner and outer rings. The body is trimmed with tortoise colored bindings and inlaid with traditional Style 18 black/white/black/white/black. A tortoise colored pickguard, beveled and polished to achieve an under-the-finish appearance, adorns the soundboard.

An unbound genuine ebony fingerboard is inlaid with vintage style 18 abalone position dots. Steve Howe's signature is delicately inlaid between the 18th and 20th frets. The bridge, also sculpted from genuine ebony, is fitted with a vintage long or "through" saddle of genuine bone. The headstock is squared and tapered in the old style with a genuine bone nut. Nickel-plated replicas of the original Kluson "oil-hole" tuners complete the authenticity of the neck.

The soundboard is tinted with golden "vintage toner," and the lacquered body is polished to a high gloss. The interior label will be individually numbered in sequence and personally signed by Steve Howe and Martin CEO C. F. Martin IV.

A charitable contribution of $66.38 (on export sales) or $73.75 (on US sales) for each 00-18SH sold will be donated to the Save the Children Federation, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to making lasting, positive change in the lives of disadvantaged children in the United States and throughout the world.

Was Steve's Engelmann or Sitka...who knows. Maybe Martin doesn't even know. I know it's a great strummer and fingerstyle guitar. When I tune to DADDAD and play Leslie West's "To My Friend" it is asesome.