OM Strummers Anyone?

[SMixon]

If I don't ask I'll never know, but having never really paid alot of attention to OM's what are the -00 and -000 designations that Martin and some others use? Do they have more body depth etc.....

By the way thanks for all the info, you guys are awesome!

[BenF]

Martin's numbering system has been 0,00,000 and 0000 to describe the increasing size of their guitars.  0 is around parlour size, 000 is close to OM size, and the 0000 is also called the M, and is a jumbo sized instrument.  Larrivee also make 0, 00 and 000 models.  My understanding is that the 000 model was traditionally a 12 fret design, and the OM a 14 fret design, but Martin muddied the waters by making both in 12 and 14 fret designs.  Larrivee have the OM in their standard series, and the OM-50/60 traditional (14 fret) and the 000-50/60 traditional being a slot head 12 fret model of similar body size.

I don't know what the difference is between an 0 and a parlour - maybe someone else can enlighten us.  Accross various manufacturers, most of these guitars are made in numeroud body depths.   My assumption is that the numbers/letters dictate generally the shape and size of the top/back of the guitar.

Hiope this helps

Ben

[iDavid]

My OM strums well and can handle a pretty heavy hand. It doesn't have the volume to keep up in a guitar circle.

I recently got the F-III MT and it blows the doors off the OM.  I cannot get it to break-up and it is surprising loud, I have not played it with friend and I am not sure if it would handle it or not.  Both are great for solo playing and singing.  I have a CA dread that is the loudest guitar I have ever heard.

[Dotneck]

My OM strums well and can handle a pretty heavy hand. It doesn't have the volume to keep up in a guitar circle.

I agree. I strum my OM all the time...but its a light touch with a pick in a solo situation. When I'm going out to play with a group (like a church sing-a-long) I grab the AJ. That way I don't have to listen to all the bad singers!

I recently got the F-III MT and it blows the doors off the OM.  I cannot get it to break-up and it is surprising loud, I have not played it with friend and I am not sure if it would handle it or not.  Both are great for solo playing and singing. 

My OM (FI) and the FIII are pretty close in volume....although my OM is hog/spruce and my FIII is all-hog.

[GA-ME]

You can strum any guitar with strings.

[SMixon]

Cool, so what do you guys think about an OM in a band situation when it's plugged in to a Sound System? The reason I ask all these questions is because I play Keys mostly these days but always keep a good Guitar around and right now I have a Martin Dread and we all know that it's loud, but I really like the ergonomics of the OM and the look of the OM's, Mostly if I play guitar it's In my house practicing or live plugged in with a great system and great sound man.  So I am curious as to what your opinions are with an OM Plugged in strummed in a band setting?

Thanks again! Mix

[bluesman67]

It's fine if you don't try to overpower it, no soundman will stop you from overpowering an OM.  If you find one, let me know. 

[roscoesmusic]

if you want the BIG sound get a big guitar. however the large sound hole om's have a pretty big sound.
roscoe
eureka springs
ar.

[Dotneck]

Cool, so what do you guys think about an OM in a band situation when it's plugged in to a Sound System?

The sound system will make the guitar sound louder....

[unclrob]

Your plugging it in so in my eye's it doesn't matter.If your not load enough tune up the volumn.

[WillieCoyote]

yup, I strum, flatpick, and fingerstyle (bare fingers).

I think they are great for strumming - especially rw. They will not have the same bass characteristics as a dread, but in some circumstances that can be an advantage - like recording, playing live into a microphone, playing w/ other dreads.

They can have a good deal of bass actually, it is just different from that of dreads.

[dermot]

Cool, so what do you guys think about an OM in a band situation when it's plugged in to a Sound System?  I really like the ergonomics of the OM and the look of the OM's, Mostly if I play guitar it's In my house practicing or live plugged in with a great system and great sound man. 

think you and Rob answered your questions... you like the size & looks of the OM i would say "go for it".

d.

[TokyoNeko]

I think we have to get one thing straight.

"Strummable OM" != "OM with volume of Dreadnought"

A guitar doesn't have to have the "boom" of a dread to be "strummable," depending on the style of music you play.

[leftycajun]

My OM09 w/k&K pwm sounds great through everything I've played it through.  I play P&W every sunday with a full band through a very nice system (PWM to a Dtar Solstice to the PA) with a great sound man.  I pretty much strum exclusively. I also played through a pretty cheap system at my little boy's church camp last weekend and it sounded great through that.  It even sounded pretty good when I played it unplugged during a worship service at the camp.  It sounded plenty loud during the dry run (empty room), but I forgot to take into account the effect of a room full of campers soaking up all those soundwaves.  I plugged in after that mistake. One thing I keep noticing is that no matter where I play it, or what I play it through it really just sounds like my guitar, only louder.  I guess that's the goal, after all.  It's a very balanced sound that works well in a band setting, and stands up equally well solo.  I was afraid I'd miss the bass response and clarity of my old dred, but from the first chord I knew it was still there.  Its not as boomy as the dred, but the clarity and definition are still there.  Hope that helps.

[SMixon]

Thanks lefty, and again thanks to you all.  This is what a Forum is all about.  Great input from everyone and farily unbiased.  I may be making my way back to am OM sooner than I thought!

[AtlasHeating]

I strum every guitar I have including electric guitars. I strum the OM. Last week I used it to lead worship for 30 people (un plugged).
On Sunday Evening I played with the band and had the guitar plugged in. It sounded mighty fine.
Here is a video on the OM 03R being strummed by me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs_0bDnbh_E

[Broadus]

The OM-03R was a decent-enough strummer, though it lacked the volume and the bass of the L-03R that it replaced.

However, my Eastman OM (AC710S) is closer in volume, with a really nice low end, to the L-03R. Guys tell me that a Martin OM-21 is a really good strummer/fingerstyle guitar, so I want to check that model out soon.

Bill

[dgrose]

... How do you guys feel about OM's strummed when they are EQ'd through a sound system with a band?

If you have a UST pickup and you're going through a PA with EQ, it doesn't matter what acoustic body-size you're using. You can make a dread sound like a banjo or a parlor sound like a dread. Severe EQ (and other processing) can accomplish *almost* anything. The thing is, most guitarists that love the tone of their instruments want the sound faithfully reproduced. Godin makes a semi-solid guitar, the A6, which has a cedar top and a UST. I have one. When properly EQ'ed it sounds like an acoustic (not a remarkable one, to my ears), but nonetheless, quite good.


dg

[mannish]

Scott (AtlasHeating)

I enjoyed your D Major Suite very much.  That is some great playing. 

Dan

[AtlasHeating]

Thank you.
I had fun recording it.
I used a Zoom H-2 Recording unit (mic only) via usb to my Mac computer.
I used the built in camera to capture the video. I could watch myself as it was recording.