Martin OMC4PA - anyone else delighted with theirs?

[ewalling]

I came by the OMC4PA a few months ago when I traded in my classical for it at Guitar Center. When I tried it out, I immediately fell for its tone and feel. I realize that this is essentially supposed to be a "performing" guitar and it has the pickup to prove it, but for me it was the acoustic sound that did the trick. In fact, I would still have bought the guitar if it hadn't had any electronics. This is on the cheaper end of the Martin line - it has a Richlite fretboard and bridge to cut costs, and it is quite a Plain Jane to look at. Had I seen this guitar online, I'm sure I'd have passed it by, and the experience of buying it has really brought home to me the importance of "play before you pay". I also own a 000-18GE (MFG custom 12-fretter), and although the GE has the edge, this OMC definitely holds it own with it, despite costing much less. Maybe it's the quality of the spruce on this particular instrument (It almost looks like cedar) or something else that gives the guitar its sparkle. Then again, maybe Martin has simply scored a winner with this model. Has anyone else had a similarly positive experience with it.

[mas music]

 I was happy to criticize Martin for coping Taylor with it's performance artist series. After playing a couple at the local guitar center I had to admit I was really impressed. It's a fine guitar at that price point in fact I preferred the cheaper 4 series over it's pricier rosewood counterparts. It's a lighter brighter sounding kind of Martin.

[ewalling]

Yes, I was certainly pleasantly surprised enough to buy one. What's more, the sound continues to delight me whenever I pick the guitar up, which isn't always the case. I think there could be a pattern here in that that this is not the first low-end Martin spruce-sapele guitar that has impressed me. A year or two ago, the company brought out another very economical all-solid spruce-sapele combo in the OMC-1 (I think that's what it was). It had a stratabond neck - I do remember that. Anyway, that one also sounded remarkably good, and I came very close to buying it. So, it could be that with certain builders, the spruce-sapele thing really works for me. Come to think of it, out of all the Taylors I've owned - a GC3, a GC8, and a GA8 - the GC3 stands out as my preferred one.