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Do I really need a nice OM?

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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11413
    Jimbro66 said:

    I go along with that. When I bought my rosewood Atkin OM at Alistair's workshop I also tried a mahogany model. They sounded quite different and I kept going from one to the other unsure which I preferred. Both played beautifully. I decided on the rosewood. Maybe a mahogany OM might justify the OP's purchase but I'm personally still not convinced. However, he placed a WTB thread very soon after this one so seems to be seeking moral support for a decision already taken ;)
    Ha! I've made the decision that I will be making a decision when it feels right to make a decision. I'm actually quite torn about it because I've come to the realization that I don't *need* another guitar, but I certainly *want* another guitar. It's just a matter of finding the right one, and the choices around seem to be quite good at the price range I'm looking at.

    I'm also certain now that I do not want a very small Parlour or 12 fret type instrument, but the appeal of a different sounding instrument is still there. Surely a spruce/rosewood OM will be a different animal than a cedar/hog dread.

    I've put the dread in DADGAD and now I'm thinking of justifying it by having one guitar in each tuning ;) sounds legit no?

    One of playing style, shit recording and track, on the Boss RC loopstation with built in drummer in box.


    Isn't that the default position for most on this forum?
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  • Jimbro66Jimbro66 Frets: 2418
    Jimbro66 said:

    I go along with that. When I bought my rosewood Atkin OM at Alistair's workshop I also tried a mahogany model. They sounded quite different and I kept going from one to the other unsure which I preferred. Both played beautifully. I decided on the rosewood. Maybe a mahogany OM might justify the OP's purchase but I'm personally still not convinced. However, he placed a WTB thread very soon after this one so seems to be seeking moral support for a decision already taken ;)
    Ha! I've made the decision that I will be making a decision when it feels right to make a decision. I'm actually quite torn about it because I've come to the realization that I don't *need* another guitar, but I certainly *want* another guitar. It's just a matter of finding the right one, and the choices around seem to be quite good at the price range I'm looking at.

    I'm also certain now that I do not want a very small Parlour or 12 fret type instrument, but the appeal of a different sounding instrument is still there. Surely a spruce/rosewood OM will be a different animal than a cedar/hog dread.

    I've put the dread in DADGAD and now I'm thinking of justifying it by having one guitar in each tuning ;) sounds legit no?

    One of playing style, shit recording and track, on the Boss RC loopstation with built in drummer in box.


    That's a nice warm sound from your dread. Cedar is a little unusual anyway for a dread so either a rosewood or mahogany OM with spruce is going to sound different. GAS is a terrible affliction which defies any logic :D The only cure is to become penniless.
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  • to complicate things. I use a Martin GPCPA...some of the dred sound and less of the huge body size.
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  • AliGorieAliGorie Frets: 308
    oops got the player wrong -
    BigLicks67
    I'd be interested to know where your actually picking (on the string plane) on both the guitars in the clip - flatpickers almost always apply the plectrum to the strings just behind the s/hole or even nearer the bridge (except for 'vamping' chords) - thats where they get the sound they like that goes so well with bluegrass / ensemble playing.
    It certainly sounds in that area - thing is OM's like to be played OVER the s/hole  area - u get a rounder tone.
    Just an observation.
    omg - I haven't used the word 'vamping' for decades - is it still relevant / in use ?




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  • @BigLicks67 they both sound great! 
    Merci.
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  • AliGorie said:
    oops got the player wrong -
    BigLicks67
    I'd be interested to know where your actually picking (on the string plane) on both the guitars in the clip - flatpickers almost always apply the plectrum to the strings just behind the s/hole or even nearer the bridge (except for 'vamping' chords) - thats where they get the sound they like that goes so well with bluegrass / ensemble playing.
    It certainly sounds in that area - thing is OM's like to be played OVER the s/hole  area - u get a rounder tone.
    Just an observation.
    omg - I haven't used the word 'vamping' for decades - is it still relevant / in use ?




    I've slept since then : > but it was probably a little further forward than that, ie over the back edge of the sound hole and slightly more forward on the OM than the Dread. Hope that clears it up for you.
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  • AliGorieAliGorie Frets: 308
    edited February 2018
    with all this talk bout 000's and OM's heres a couple of clips (from the web) of 'well made' guitars i.e. bracing and bridge in the right place - and the type of think this model excels at -

    https://soundcloud.com/user-677296198/sr-1

    https://soundcloud.com/user-677296198/ms-1






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  • AliGorie said:
    with all this talk bout 000's and OM's heres a couple of clips (from the web) of 'well made' guitars i.e. bracing and bridge in the right place - and the type of think this model excels at -


    I quite preferred the SR, much fuller lower end. are they both 000s or OMs?

    Thanks for posting @AliGorie ;

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  • AG - What's the tune to SR1 sounds familiar, but can't place it.
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  • AliGorieAliGorie Frets: 308
    The Sr - s a modern ‘interpretation’ of an 000 12 fret by John Slobod of Circa Guitars. It is spruce and maple b/sides ! which I have every reason to believe is a recreation of the ’30’s bracing / bridge / soundboard positioning and dimensions with a bit of JS’s flair thrown in. But I’ve never heard a MAPLE guitar sound so good !.
    Ms- is an original 1931 Martin 000 (12 fret), spruce and Mahogany b/sides, the mother of 000’s and OM’s. so all the bracing positioning and dimensions are - as originally evolved.
    the recording of the SR is good and I think the recording of the MS is done just with a video camera Mic - so it’s a little ‘thin’, still an impressively ‘modern’ sounding guitar.
    One last thing - you hear a lot about 12 fretters  having the bridge ‘In the right place’ - in the middle of the lower bout which gave a ‘better’ sound - this is a misconception, it’s because the old guitars were built to the old bridge / bracing pattern position that gave them ‘THAT sound - it was obvious the bridge was lower down but when the myth was being created they didn’t know about more subtle differences inside these guitars - so they just attributed it to the obvious.

    bl67 heres a  good trad/ modern version -

    Down by the Sally Gardens by Mick O'Brien

    Now ya know, have another listen to see why the original 000 and later OM  models where deemed the fingerpickers dream guitar, and not for strummers.
    If I was in the market for a solo fingerkicking guitar - 't would be a deep body'd 000 12 fr with cutaway.


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  • CHRISB50CHRISB50 Frets: 4287
    AliGorie said:
    But I’ve never heard a MAPLE guitar sound so good !.


    Check this one out.


    I can't help about the shape I'm in, I can't sing I ain't pretty and my legs are thin

    But don't ask me what I think of you, I might not give the answer that you want me to

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  • AliGorieAliGorie Frets: 308
    ouch that were sore = metal to metal clanking on an 'on steroids' double X braced - some mistakenly call it 'latticed' in a random sequence - like a simple 'arpeggiator '  would generate. Where's the music ? - score that out for a piano 'n you wouldn't listen too it - chewing gum music - I know, I know - oh but LOOK at what he's doing technically -
    But I take yer point - there is potential in humble ol' maple.


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  • Hi guys, hope I can be of assistance, that's my Circa (and me!) on the above clips. I played many high end OMs for years but they always felt like something of an 'in between' guitar - great for fingerstyle, okay for strumming and flatpicking. My preference these days is for a dreadnought when you need the low end weight and a 000 for when you need the tightness and clarity that model of guitar brings. My two main acoustic guitars at present are the Circa 000 and and 1959 Martin 00018 - I'm currently on the hunt for the right dread but wouldn't go for another OM. Of course it's all based in preference but if I were limited to just two guitars that's what I'd choose. Great discussion and as everyone else has said the wood choices can make a huge difference - maple can be a bright, zingy nightmare but John Slobod knows where to get the good stuff (German, the same as used for violins on my particular guitar). All the best! Stuart
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  • AliGorieAliGorie Frets: 308
    a Dread is it Stu, NOT modified I hope =).
    A very fine sounding Dread I heard was by Nigel Forster.
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  • CHRISB50CHRISB50 Frets: 4287
    edited February 2018
    AliGorie said:
    ouch that were sore = metal to metal clanking on an 'on steroids' double X braced - some mistakenly call it 'latticed' in a random sequence - like a simple 'arpeggiator '  would generate. Where's the music ? - score that out for a piano 'n you wouldn't listen too it - chewing gum music - I know, I know - oh but LOOK at what he's doing technically -
    But I take yer point - there is potential in humble ol' maple.


    LOL. Ok. 

    I can't help about the shape I'm in, I can't sing I ain't pretty and my legs are thin

    But don't ask me what I think of you, I might not give the answer that you want me to

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  • Moe_ZambeekMoe_Zambeek Frets: 3419
    edited February 2018
    CHRISB50 said:
    AliGorie said:
    But I’ve never heard a MAPLE guitar sound so good !.


    Check this one out.


    I’m not a fan of the percussive approach (though I wish I had a tenth of his talent!) but that guitar does sound good in the more traditional sections of the piece, albeit there is a lot of treble spank in it. 

    Horses for courses innit, I don’t suppose a D35 would be ideal for that technical approach.


    of the other two clips, I liked the woodiness of the M version. And again, i wish I could play like that!
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  • AliGorieAliGorie Frets: 308
    Moe - not a D35 but a D28 on which Micheal Hedges superbly expressed his musicality applying, ‘precaution’ playing among a wide and balanced technical array   - to serve his music, NOT the ‘music’ serving and being limited by the technique, the term 'finger gymnastics' comes to mind.
    Hedges reminded me of this quote - and ‘Got It’,
    Master Piper George Moss “One must be prepared to do what the music requires of you“.

    back to OP, what about these 12 fret Lowdens (with cutaway)?.
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  • AliGorie said:
    Moe - not a D35 but a D28 on which Micheal Hedges superbly expressed his musicality applying, ‘precaution’ playing among a wide and balanced technical array   - to serve his music, NOT the ‘music’ serving and being limited by the technique, the term 'finger gymnastics' comes to mind.
    Hedges reminded me of this quote - and ‘Got It’,
    Master Piper George Moss “One must be prepared to do what the music requires of you“.

    back to OP, what about these 12 fret Lowdens (with cutaway)?.
    12 fret Lowdens gorgeous @AliGorie but much more than I can afford ATM. 

    Thank you everyone who chimed in. Turns out I DO need a nice OM, and to satisfy that need there's something special incoming.....




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  • AliGorieAliGorie Frets: 308
    looks tasty DB
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  • RJTRJT Frets: 1
    Hi DanishBacon.
    First of all I have to declare a vested interest - I want to sell some high end Rosewood/Stka OMs!!
    (Collings OM2H, Martin 000-28EC, as well as a Maple Taylor 614ce 2002 Limited Edition).
    However, to answer your questions, well I suppose nobody really needs a nice OM, but they are rather yummy.
    Personally I find Dreadnoughts visually unattractive (although I realise this shouldn't matter). However I have tried a few out over the years, and I can't say that I've found them to be generally less defined than an OM. They are just different, but then all guitars are.
    They do tend to be louder, with more bass, but I don't find Rosewood OMs lacking bass in any way. The Dreadnought may be better in a purely acoustic club, (or busking).
    I do find the OM body size much more comfortable to play (and cuter). Also I've found that Dreadnoughts seem to have a 1 11/16 inch (42.9 mm) nut width, whereas all my OMs are 1 3/4 inch (44.5 mm), which I much prefer.
    You really need to try some OMs out (do you have a decent acoustic guitar shop anywhere near?) and see what floats your boat.
    In addition to my guitars mentioned above, I have a Fylde Orsino, and two Santa Cruz OM "Pre-war" OMs. They all sound quite different - even the two SCs!! If I went for a different body size now, it would be smaller.
    (I seem to have written more that I intended, but I can write more if you'd like ...),
    Cheers
    Bob

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