Dreadnought vs. OM

[preecher]

Thanks for all the responses! The information really helps.

[bufflehead]

My 000 is more fun to play, but it's more fun to listen to my dread.

[brencat]

Originally Posted by Mr Bojangles

Easier to get your arm around the body, less bass response.

This is it in a nutshell. I've tried to like OMs and have had close to 10 and every one of them got sold, including an off the leash awesome Martin 000-18 Authentic. I just am hopelessly addicted to that massive wall of sound being primarily a flatpicker and strummer.

The only non-dread I have left is a Bourgeois Aged Tone JOMT and that will probably get sold shortly too.

Like I said... hopeless dread addict.

[BoneDigger]

I own both. When I flat pick or strum I use my dreads, when I finger pick I use one of my OMs or OOOs. I don't find either one particularly more comfortable than the other.

[whvick]

I have a Taylor 414 grand auditorium and a deeper Orpheum OM / auditorium size. I like both of those. I am giving my Martin D-15 to my son who will do mostly strumming. I mostly fingerpick.
I may try a 12 fret slope shoulder some day.
Right now the deeper body Orpheum is loud enough.
Basically I feel dreads are more for strumming and auditorium size can do both finger picking and strumming.
Good luck deciding.

[L20A]

There a lot of choices when it comes to guitars that are smaller than a Dreadnought in size.

With back, neck, shoulder and thumb problems, I decided to try a smaller size guitar to see it would be more comfortable for me to play.
The answer was that a smaller guitar did help a little with some pain relief but not a lot and the longer that I played, the less the smaller bodied guitar helped.

Having been a Dred player for over 40 years, it was hard to sacrifice the big bold sound of a Dred, for a smaller voice.

My answer so far was to go with a Grand Auditorium size guitar.
These guitars are a bit smaller than a Dred but larger than an OM.

I still play my Dreds the most but there are times that the GA feels good on my old bones.

There will be a day when I will go smaller but not yet.

[Malcolm Kindnes]

Like most of us here, I have several guitars in various body sizes but if I could only have one, for versatility and comfort I would choose an OM.

[Mr. Jelly]

The thing to be aware of coming from a dread, as you are, is that with less bass your chords will sound different playing an OM.

[Goodallboy]

OM’s just don’t satisfy my guitar requirements. That said, neither do most dreds, they’re too bass heavy (as a rule, not in every case) and not as balanced as I like.

Grand Auditoriums and Grand Concerts are by far the best of both worlds, IMO.

[Lwilliams]

I rotate between a J-200, D-41 and 000-42. I find that the comfort of the 000 has me grabbing it more often and the other two.

When it comes to hard flatpicking, the 000 is not the best guitar for that. But, you know that before you get one. At the same time, for a guitar to sing with, the a 000/OM can't be beat.

If you want the volume and better bass, but a smaller body, the Martin 000/OM Modern Deluxe is worth you time to try. Those little guitar are LOUD and have a lot of bass. I have the 000-28MD. The volume can keep up with my dreads. The bass is close.

[justonwo]

In my experience, dreadnoughts have a deep, cavernous sound and typically less midrange than an OM. An OM usually has a much more direct and focused sound, with a snappier response and more present midrange. OMs are also significantly more comfortable for me to play. An OM will never have the deep, breathy girth of a dreadnought, though some can have something similar going on in the bass.

[Rev Roy]

Generally, if you want power you’re gonna want a dread. If you want subtileness you’re gonna want an OM/000 (or the like). That’s why I have one of each. Folks who are disappointed in their dreads or OMs usually are expecting them to perform in ways they weren’t designed for. Once I figured that out I learned to love a great dread and a great OM for what they are...

[Rockysdad]

If you can get your hands on an Larrivee L body, try it, you might find that to be just the ticket.

[MidfieldGeneral]

I have a Martin om28 which I really love. I am looking for a dreadnought now because I sold my Eastman E20D which never liked at all and I can't say why.

I'm thinking of getting a Martin D28, I'm guessing it's overall sound won't be that different to an om28. What do you think?

[Bob from Brooklyn]

Originally Posted by MidfieldGeneral

I have a Martin om28 which I really love. I am looking for a dreadnought now because I sold my Eastman E20D which never liked at all and I can't say why.

I'm thinking of getting a Martin D28, I'm guessing it's overall sound won't be that different to an om28. What do you think?

For a little more variety I would look at a D18