Differences: OM-28 vs. 000-28

[Psfam]

Originally Posted by MrDB

Jon at My Favorite Guitars always orders some 000-28H custom orders. You'd have to double check the specs but IIRC it's got the OM bracing in a 000 body.

That is what I had. The bracing is scalloped, yes, but 5/16" rather that 1/4" like the OM I think.

H is for herringbone.

Thus, the 000-28H differs from the standard in having the scalloped bracing and herringbone trim.

Wildwood Music in Coshocton, Ohio has a couple custom OM-28H 14 fret and also a 12 fret. There are some other differences such as Adirondack tops. several examples here:

http://www.wildwoodmusic.com/martin-...&wppa-album=36


You can't go wrong with a standard OM-28 though. It's a wonderful guitar.

[fongie]

Todds correct.........there is no such thing as a OM-28H. There is a 000-28H or a Custom built 000-28H.

The 000-28H has the same specs as the EC without the blings.

[drive-south]

I have an OM28. I like rosewood with the long scale. With a short scale I prefer mahogany. A 00018 is on my radar and will be my next Martin.

[Nyghthawk]

Originally Posted by mercy

It seems there is no OM-18 in their catalogue.

Maury's Music has several models of these. Natural, Ambertone and Authentic 1933 with VTS.

Martin has made several versions of the OM-18 in the modern era, but does not make a Standard Series version. That's why it doesn't show up in their catalogue. Several dealers order Custom Shop OM's in Style 18, but they are not marked as such, nor does Martin count them as OM-18's in their production totals.

The 000-28 is very much like the 000-28EC, except with a 1 11/16" neck.

[JNowlin]

I started a similar thread awhile back but didn't get a lot of clarification. I think you have to play both quite a bit to get a feel of each. The OM/000 is my favorite body style currently. The generalizations that I've heard are:

OM size - Pros - more snap, more projection, more responsive; Cons - harder to play, harder to do bends.

000 size - Pros - easier to play and bend, sweeter tone; Cons - less projection, less headroom, a less responsive, softer sound.

I think the style of play surely has a lot to do with which one is best for you. A bluegrasser that wants this size would want an OM for the projection. A blues player like Clapton would want a 000 in order to do the blues bends. Questions in my mind are does rosewood possibly fit better with an OM rather than a 000. Maybe the properties of Mahogany would work better on an 000. I'm taking possession of a custom 00028 Brazilian next week and hopefully this will enlighten me a bit. Of course my Martin OM28A and the custom (not Martin) 00028 Brazilian will be vastly different for many other reasons than scale length.

[Arthur Blake]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

https://www.premierguitar.com/articl...length-matters

I found a couple of interesting points in that article.

1) "24.9" tends to be the standard scale-length for 12-fret guitars, meaning those with necks that join the body at the 12th fret, rather than the 14th."

2) "(25.4 is) our most popular scale length, and I think that’s due in part to flatpickers liking the headroom and fingerstyle players loving the endless sustain. -- in the article they call it long scale, but I've also seen it referred to as "standard."

[drive-south]

Originally Posted by Arthur Blake

I found a couple of interesting points in that article.

1) "24.9" tends to be the standard scale-length for 12-fret guitars, meaning those with necks that join the body at the 12th fret, rather than the 14th."

2) "(25.4 is) our most popular scale length, and I think that’s due in part to flatpickers liking the headroom and fingerstyle players loving the endless sustain. -- in the article they call it long scale, but I've also seen it referred to as "standard."

And yet the 00028VS is long scale.

All traditional Martin 12 fret 000's and D's are long scale.

[blindboyjimi]

I have (3)000 and (3)OMs in Mahogany and Rosewood. I really can't feel much of any difference in string tension, bends, playability, or ability to reach chords etc. Even a 1/16" in nut or saddle spacing is way more noticeable. To me, it is simply tonal. OMs have power, snap, punch and 000s are warmer and rounder. I do find OMs louder. My favorite Mahogany is the 000-18 and favorite Rosewood is a OM-42.

[Tico]

I'm very grateful for everyone's input!
I've played guitar for ever, bought 8 wonderful guitars without too much difficulty but this choice seems the most difficult.
Plus, if I do buy this guitar it'll likely be my last so I want to get it right.

[guitargabor]

Over the years I have gravitated to Martin short scale models of 00 and 000 sizes.

The short scale seems easier to play particularly up the neck with the fretting hand.

The only downside I have found is with alternate tunings wherein the 6th string is tuned down a whole step.

wish my 12 string were short scale too...

I'm finding that as I age and shrink physically the 00 size is the most comfortable and is also somewhat lighter in weight...

Have fun in weighing all the options

[Jeff Scott]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

Wildwood has it listed as an OM. I'm confused.

IIRC, Martin has changed the spec and designation (OM-000) over the decades so your confusion is not surprising. I have a custom Martin that I call a 000/OM-18 as it has a 25.4" scale length, 1 11/16" nut and 2 1/8" string spacing at the saddle (I believe this would be a mix of 000 and OM specs, going by the original intent of Martin's back in the day). It has lots of vintage era features on it, plus some cool additions like the Stauffer Pyramid bridge, and Waverly tuning keys.

[zmf]

This thread got me interested in the Wildwood Music customs, and I noticed this:

"Additionally, our Wildwood Custom Shop Martin Grand Performance models are made, one-at-a-time, with features from the 1930s!! This includes full, traditional dovetail joins, Golden Era-styled braces that are hand scalloped, and arranged on the tap-tuned tops! The gifted Custom Shop builders decide upon where the bracing placement of each individual guitar will produce the best sound from the premium top wood that is chosen."

I wasn't aware that the Martin Custom shop gave this much attention to individual guitars, particularly the tap-tuning and bracing. Is this unusual, or available in all custom guitars?