Martin om28 vs 00028

[5544]

Forgive me if this has been repeated.
I have finally decided to spend the money to get a Martin om guitar. I have no guitars to try being left handed but can buy a new om28 from a reputable store and a used (apparently as new) one year old 00028 fro considerably less. Money is not the deciding factor but obviously imparts an influence.
I have watched many of the YouTube videos but what I really want to know is, “ can you actually feel a difference in the neck ie closer frets on the 00028, or is the difference in this point so small that I can ignore it
Also they state the 00028 is a little less clear, but I cannot hear that through the sound bite.
Some practical experience would really help preventing me waste a great deal of money
Many thanks

[Bchlax44]

I have a Martin 000-15sm. It is my only short scale guitar (I think). I don’t notice any difference playing up and down the neck compared to my 14-fret and/or full scale guitars. Given the lack of cutaway, I’m not playing much past the 12th fret on it, so that may make a difference for you if you’re intending to play leads up the neck.

[blindboyjimi]

The 000-15SM is long scale (OM). https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars.../000-15SM.html. Any Martin guitar below the 18 series does not follow the traditional nomenclature.

You will absolutely not feel the difference in fretting. You will (should) feel a difference in tension. You will hear a difference as they are braced differently. The short scale is generally a slower, rounder, warmer tone and the longer scale imparts a more punchy, projecting tone, with more snap. I know word descriptions of tone are not easy, but that’s how I’d describe it. Half of my guitars are short vs long. They are nice to go back n forth. I don’t perform on stage and as primarily a blues player, I prefer short scale. Long scale does give more variations in tone and that percussive power is a bit addictive so that’s why they are both made.

Finally look at the nut width, saddle spacing, and neck shape as well as those will influence the feel more than the scale difference. Best of luck.

[Rosewood99]

I would disagree about the fretting. I can definitely tell a difference between the short scale and standard scale.

[Rogerblair]

I own an OM28. I love the guitar. The scale length doesn’t bother me, and my all time favorite guitar is a J45, which is short scale.

I’d say flip a coin. Both will be great.

Rb

[blindboyjimi]

Originally Posted by Rosewood99

I would disagree about the fretting. I can definitely tell a difference between the short scale and standard scale.

Yes, YMMV. Some folks are very sensitive. But if you play up the neck, you are constantly changing effective scale and nut width.

I routinely go back n forth between guitars that are 24.5”, 24.75”, 24.9”, and 25.4” with nut widths from 1 11/16, 1 23/32”, 1 3/4”, 1 13/16, 1 7/8” and 2.05” with saddles from 2 1/4”, 2 5/16” and 2 3/8”, and necks from sharp Vs to round. The only thing that bothers me is a thin neck, so I may be more flexible than some.

Just keep in mind that the difference between 24.9” and 25.4” is 0.5” over the entire scale or 0.25” over 12 frets or 0.020” between each fret. So yes, maybe you’ll feel it, but if you can play the same song on a guitar and then capo it at the first fret, you’ll be experiencing a much bigger change in scale and “essential” 2nd fret (nut) width. Let alone switching to the 5th fret. Playing capo’d at the 5th fret is like going to a 2” nut and a 15” scale. Once you put it out of your mind, most people’s brains just do it automatically or take 3-4 minutes to adapt. The good thing about the AGF is that if you ask 100 people you’ll get 140 answers so just go with the gestalt.

Finally, I should’ve mentioned, but from a sponsor dealer here and ask for a 72hr approval just in case you don’t like the feel or tone. I don’t think you can go wrong. It’s not really vanilla vs chocolate; it’s French vanilla vs vanilla bean.

[Silly Moustache]

Hi, I think the real difference between the short scale - 24.9" and the standard scale -25.4" is the tension difference : higher tension = slightly more projection (i.e. a little bit!!) and lower tension means a little less fretting pressure.

If one of these aspects is important, then that should inform your decision.

[5544]

Thanks for the replies. The replies do suggest it’s a personal thing in the feel. I play a wide variety of styles , well a little blues and jazz, and a fair bit of contemporary popular guitar pieces, some strumming but mainly a mixture of strumming and singer style. .
I can appreciate the suggestion of tone difference but for me it’s just whether the fretting spaces are noticeable. If I were to save £1k and get the 00028 that would be great, but if there is a definite difference in playability then it would be counter productive if I didn’t get on with it.

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by 5544

Thanks for the replies. The replies do suggest it’s a personal thing in the feel. I play a wide variety of styles , well a little blues and jazz, and a fair bit of contemporary popular guitar pieces, some strumming but mainly a mixture of strumming and singer style. .
I can appreciate the suggestion of tone difference but for me it’s just whether the fretting spaces are noticeable. If I were to save £1k and get the 00028 that would be great, but if there is a definite difference in playability then it would be counter productive if I didn’t get on with it.

If there’s a difference in playability, most folks would probably say the shorter scale of the 000 is easier to play then the longer scale of the OM. The tradeoff is the slightly greater volume / projection from the longer scale (all other things being equal, which they never are). I don’t think anyone would say a longer scale has “better playability” than a shorter scale (until it gets really short and it may get kind of crowded at the upper frets). So, if you’re not concerned with the difference in sound, go for the 000.

-Ray

[JC.]

If in doubt, get the used one. That way you can change your mind down the line for less of a hit.

[5544]

Thank you all for all your help

[5544]

Well after all of that, I ended up buying the 00018. heard it and loved it.
I surprise myself sometimes.

[Bchlax44]

Originally Posted by blindboyjimi

The 000-15SM is long scale (OM). https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars.../000-15SM.html. Any Martin guitar below the 18 series does not follow the traditional nomenclature.

well....i'm quite glad I didn't feel any difference then...

[rampix]

5544, what do you think of the scale length difference now?

[Coler]

Originally Posted by Rosewood99

I would disagree about the fretting. I can definitely tell a difference between the short scale and standard scale.

Same, definitely a noticeable difference between long and short scale. There is less of a stretch between the frets no question about it.