Martin with low oval neck shape

[dyna]

I prefer Martins with either full or low profile neck shapes.

I can tolerate the MLO neck on my 00-15m but its skinny profile in the first three frets gets tiring.
Luckily I more often than not play this guitar capoed...

I am now on the hunt for a 00-18. Did they ever come with low profile?

And concerning v-shape, I have read about a "slight v" variant but never seen any.
Do they exist outside custom shop?

I once had a 00-28vs. The v was very sharp, pointy - hurt my hand.
Martin calls this their "modified v"
Is it the same "v" on the discontinued 00-18v?

It´s all so personal, but I guess a "slight v" would be nicer for me.
Which models carry this shape?
I cannot find any clear info from Martin concerning this.

Sorry about all these questions but since I live in rural part of Sweden
I´m forced to buy online.
Would appreciate any help from you Martin afficionados
Thanks! / Lars

[6L6]

The UMGF ran a little survey a few years ago and it turned out that about 80% of the respondents favored the current MLO neck.

Count me in the 20% who will never buy another Martin guitar that has that neck.

I've owned a couple Martins with the MLO neck, but like the OP, it soon tended to hurt my left hand (especially when I came over the top to fret an "F" chord). Clearly, I'm no fan of the re-imagined guitars with that neck.

YMMV.

[tomcstokes59]

Check with Mark at Guitar Hotline (Reno's Music). Their site shows several models with modified V necks. From talking to him it seems to be a softer V not overly prominent. Maybe along the lines of a CEO 7 or 000-28EC.

https://www.guitarhotline.com/martin/

Edit - Lars - sorry I just read that your are in Sweden. I do not believe US dealers can sell overseas.

[sinistral]

There was a discussion about the 00-18 (or was it the 0-18?) recently, but it’s hard to search the archives for numbers. Here is a pretty good summary of the history of the 00-18 by TSP when the model was reintroduced in the Standard Series:

New Grand Concert Size Martin, the 00-18 Enters the Standard Series

If you are looking for 1-3/4” nut width and scalloped braces (i.e., pre-war specs), then I think your choices are limited to either the 00-18V or the Standard Series model, or a very expensive original. Not sure that there was anything in-between. If you pose the question on the UMGF, you are likely to get a definitive answer from Buck or others.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by dyna

I prefer Martins with either full or low profile neck shapes.

I can tolerate the MLO neck on my 00-15m but its skinny profile in the first three frets gets tiring.
Luckily I more often than not play this guitar capoed...

I am now on the hunt for a 00-18. Did they ever come with low profile?

And concerning v-shape, I have read about a "slight v" variant but never seen any.
Do they exist outside custom shop?

I once had a 00-28vs. The v was very sharp, pointy - hurt my hand.
Martin calls this their "modified v"
Is it the same "v" on the discontinued 00-18v?

It´s all so personal, but I guess a "slight v" would be nicer for me.
Which models carry this shape?
I cannot find any clear info from Martin concerning this.

Sorry about all these questions but since I live in rural part of Sweden
I´m forced to buy online.
Would appreciate any help from you Martin afficionados
Thanks! / Lars

You can search for 00-18V that would be used now but many are wonderful. The only thing I did not like about mine was coloring it with that poseur/relic stuff I dislike. If not married to a particular brand, you can also find a lot of wonderful stuff in the 14 and 12 fret 00 style.

Something I found being less brand specific is small builders who have higher percentage of amazing guitars plus not having to deal with the fake/relic look some Martins have or had.

The used 00-18V I had needed a setup more than my attempts with the nut and truss rod did but it was enough wonderful and good value that I suggest searching them out.

[waterlooz]

Originally Posted by 6L6

The UMGF ran a little survey a few years ago and it turned out that about 80% of the respondents favored the current MLO neck.

Count me in the 20% who will never buy another Martin guitar that has that neck.

I've owned a couple Martins with the MLO neck, but like the OP, it soon tended to hurt my left hand (especially when I came over the top to fret an "F" chord). Clearly, I'm no fan of the re-imagined guitars with that neck.

YMMV.

Does the MLO neck make your fretting hand cramp? Is it how it rounds up to the fretboard?

Being one with arthritis, I enjoy reading on this topic. I currently have two MLO necks. My 000-15 is definitely different than my 000-18 yet both have the MLO. The 18 is more D like than the 15 and it's for sure noticeable. I have decided to enjoy the variety and not dwell on it. I brought my 18 to my luthier to see about having a little sanded off to match the 15 but alas, the 18's fret depth was nearly the same. It was how the neck rounded up towards the fretboard that I was noticing. Now, I just play 'em and try not to care whatsoever. : )

[dyna]

Originally Posted by waterlooz

Does the MLO neck make your fretting hand cramp? Is it how it rounds up to the fretboard?
Now, I just play 'em and try not to care whatsoever. : )

Yeah, I do the same and I can live with it.
I just feel I have to "pinch" the MLO neck more and in an uncomfortable way.
I tried a friends 00-18 and its MLO felt the same as my 00-15
but there can of course be slight variations.

Martins "modified v" seems very sharp and pronounced?
I think I would like a softer V.
I love the v-shape om my old Kalamazoo KG-11
and that neck is FAT. Go figure.
Guess I have to be careful checking out the return policy
when I´m eventually buying online...

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by waterlooz

Does the MLO neck make your fretting hand cramp? Is it how it rounds up to the fretboard?

Being one with arthritis, I enjoy reading on this topic. I currently have two MLO necks. My 000-15 is definitely different than my 000-18 yet both have the MLO. The 18 is more D like than the 15 and it's for sure noticeable. I have decided to enjoy the variety and not dwell on it. I brought my 18 to my luthier to see about having a little sanded off to match the 15 but alas, the 18's fret depth was nearly the same. It was how the neck rounded up towards the fretboard that I was noticing. Now, I just play 'em and try not to care whatsoever. : )

The current 000-15M is a bit of a hybrid between the pre-reimagined and reimagined necks on 14-fret guitars in the Standard Series. The pre-reimagined necks had 1-11/16” nuts, 2-1/8” string spacing and a “Low Profile” shape. The taper of the Low Profile neck was already fairly narrow because of the 2-1/8” string spacing. The reimagined necks have wider nuts (1-3/4”) but because the standard taper for a 1-3/4” nut would result in a wider string spacing at the bridge (at least 2-1/4”), Martin came up with the “Performing Artist” or “High Performance” taper, which kept the string spacing at the bridge closer to the pre-reimagined spec (2-5/32”, or just 1/32” wider). The Modified Low Oval profile has slightly different shoulder depths than the Low Oval, but the same center depths.

The 15 Series smushes the two together (for 14-fret gutars). You have a 1-11/16” nut and 2-1/8” string spacing at the bridge, but a MLO profile. Because the nut is narrower, the taper is standard. Of the three necks—pre-reimagined Standard Series, reimagined Standard Series and (14-fret) 15 Series—I find that at the 15 Series feels the slimmest.

[dyna]

Originally Posted by sinistral

The current 000-15M is a bit of a hybrid between the pre-reimagined and reimagined necks on 14-fret guitars in the Standard Series. The pre-reimagined necks had 1-11/16” nuts, 2-1/8” string spacing and a “Low Profile” shape. The taper of the Low Profile neck was already fairly narrow because of the 2-1/8” string spacing. The reimagined necks have wider nuts (1-3/4”) but because the standard taper for a 1-3/4” nut would result in a wider string spacing at the bridge (at least 2-1/4”), Martin came up with the “Performing Artist” or “High Performance” taper, which kept the string spacing at the bridge closer to the pre-reimagined spec (2-5/32”, or just 1/32” wider). The Modified Low Oval profile has slightly different shoulder depths than the Low Oval, but the same center depths.

The 15 Series smushes the two together (for 14-fret gutars). You have a 1-11/16” nut and 2-1/8” string spacing at the bridge, but a MLO profile. Because the nut is narrower, the taper is standard. Of the three necks—pre-reimagined Standard Series, reimagined Standard Series and (14-fret) 15 Series—I find that at the 15 Series feels the slimmest.

Interesting!
This leads me to believe I would like my 00-15M even more with a little more "shoulder" to the profile.
And since I do nothing but fingerpick more stringspace at the bridge too...
My Kalamazoo is 2 23/64 which I really like.
Anyhoo, I´m willing to adapt since I love the sound of my humble 00-15M

[Brushwood]

The Martin 00-18H Geoff Muldaur signature has a low c neck profile and sounds great. It’s no longer produced as it was a limited run, but occasionally can be found used. I owned one, but it came down to either the 00-18H or my Martin 000-18 Norman Blake and I decided to keep the 000. Someday I may try and buy it back because it was a very special guitar. Here’re two screenshots (not the one I had)…one of the guitar and one of the specs.
IMG_1657.jpgIMG_1656.jpg