BluesKing777 Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 (edited) Long story short...back in 1998 I played the first 000 Martin I had ever tried - brand new in the shop Martin 000-28EC (Clapton) and it was sensational...before that, all any shop sold here was the dread and other dreads! But The EC was very expensive here, out of the question at the time....some time later I bought a Martin 000C-15E all mahogany but it had the 1 11/16" nut while I wanted the OMC-15E with 1 3/4" nut, which was ..nowhere. I traded the 000 years back but have kept an eye out for an OMC-15E, but the years have gone past..... I got a fever when CJB started buying 30s/50s Martin 00-17s/0-17s and dragged my 1944 Martin 0-17 out but it too has the 1 11/16" nut so I always play with a capo to get more fingerpicking room across the strings. CITES makes it tricky to get a real vintage 00-17 (1935-37 have 1 3/4" nuts and bigger necks). Looking, looking, looking...and a new Martin 0MC-15ME arrives on the list of a shop fairly close to me. (like their 000-15M but with a cutaway and Fishman VT Enhance pickup). I agonized for a minute then jumped in the car to go see! Traffic was abysmal, had a rain storm, endless traffic lights and arrived at the shop to find no OMC-15ME on their Martin wall. Hmm. Asked a guy carrying boxes and he studied the Martin wall then offered to go look out the back. Came back with the wrong guitar (000-15M with also 1 11/16" nut). Hmmm. Went off again and came back with a freshly delivered Martin OMC-15ME still wrapped in plastic in the delivery box. Tried it, took it. Love! Here is an old photo of me playing the earlier model 000c-15e: BluesKing777. Edited June 24, 2021 by BluesKing777 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raul Rehlmann Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 Not enough to feed your ego with the vanity performance clips Post non Gibson clips here also fool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted June 24, 2021 Author Share Posted June 24, 2021 2 hours ago, Raul Rehlmann said: Not enough to feed your ego with the vanity performance clips Post non Gibson clips here also fool Well, I am not the moron who opened a thread with the heading including: "Warning: Martin Content" approved years ago by the moderators... Have a great day sucking your thumb. BluesKing777. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 Love my hog Martin 00015SM for it's warmth and depth. We lesser hacks anxiously await your next vain finger picking flush of Soundcloud self-indulgence. Live long and prosper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted June 24, 2021 Author Share Posted June 24, 2021 40 minutes ago, jedzep said: Love my hog Martin 00015SM for it's warmth and depth. We lesser hacks anxiously await your next vain finger picking flush of Soundcloud self-indulgence. Live long and prosper. You have kept the 000-15sm quiet, JZ! How long have you owned that one - my guess is it is CJB’s fault with his vintage 0-17/00-17 explorations.... They had yours at a shop here for about 5 seconds - they are hot! Great stuff for the money, eh? But I am fulfilling an old promise to get the OM 15........ BluesKing777. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 (edited) You know me, you had me at Martin Content. Love the 15 Series. Congrats. Once again we get some guy trying to enforce rules that don't exist. Edited June 24, 2021 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratherbwalkn Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 Looks like a nice guitar, Ive never play one, but enjoy and play it a lot!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhanners623 Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 (edited) Looks like a fine guitar. I keep looking at a 00-15M but can’t quite bring myself to pull the trigger. Hard to justify another guitar right now. And Raul.... Chill, bro. Really no need for that kind of talk here. Edited June 24, 2021 by dhanners623 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 I love the Martin 15 series too. I have a 1998 00-15 congrats on a nice guitar. Enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted June 24, 2021 Author Share Posted June 24, 2021 (edited) Thanks! My older one, 000c-15e, bought around 2002? in the gig photo, was all ‘genuine mahogany’ but obviously, they would have used the really nice mahogany for higher end models......so I guess it would have been the same for my old 1944 0-17..... While I was playing my 000c-15e in 2002+, they started to use Sapele for the 15 series, a bit striped in appearance. Since then all kinds of mahoganies have been used, including Sipo - an African mahogany. I read somewhere, no idea if it is true, that the current 15 series are using Sipo for the back and sides and some kind of real mahogany for just the tops, probably plantation grown? So there is a history I have gleaned. But the 15 series was updated to the M series, with thinner tops, finish, bracing, pickups, tuners. My older 000c was heavy, tuners were heavy....it took a real long while to break in the top with my bare finger fingerstyle! The new one above is the same cutaway shape, but lighter - the top is opening up a bit after a week! The nut is 1 3/4” and neck is the MLO. The pickup on the older one was a barn door clacker - the reason I first started investigating Aura preamps. But the new pickup is more modern Fishman VT Enhance NT1, ha ha. Undersaddle with another piezo under on the bridgeplate......for my style, it goes on full to get the percussive bits that miss from undersaddles. I can also turn all that off, just use the undersaddle and run a lead to my Tonedexter file. Still experimenting.... PS, the 000-15M, 00-15M etc, don’t get pickups. They have 1 11/16” nut.......I wanted the 00-15M but wanted the wider nut. Some places order custom model 15 series with wider nut and string spacing (LA Guitar Sales and others). BluesKing777. Edited June 24, 2021 by BluesKing777 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 (edited) I’ve been eyeballing these for while. They come in 12, & 14 fret models.. They’re starting to pop up used now. https://reverb.com/item/32621827-martin-0-15-custom-2018 Edited June 24, 2021 by Paul14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJB Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 (edited) YES!!!!! I knew you'd cave eventually. 😄 That looks like a beauty. Can't wait to hear it! Edited June 24, 2021 by CJB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 Hey, I have no problems with mentioning Martins and Gibsons in the same breath. When you want to grab a little gusto both will get the job done. I remember being sorely tempted to buy one of the Ditson 111 RIs which came out 12 or so years back. The price tag though meant it was to remain an unrequited love. It still does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuestionMark Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 (edited) Looks like a nice US made guitar. Martin makes some fine instruments. I just bought a Martin 00L X2E, their slope shouldered 00 made in their Mexico plant with a number of eco friendly substitutes, but with a solid sitka top. Quite a quality , well playing instrument for the money. (Though I have played guitar for 59 years, I really can’t tell it has a laminated hardwood fretboard.) Enjoy the new OMC 15ME! QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff ps. I have no problem mentioning Martins and Gibsons in the same breath. If it wasn’t for Martin Guitars being the pioneer of acoustic guitars, we wouldn’t have Gibson acoustics as an alternative version. Edited June 24, 2021 by QuestionMark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul14 Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 18 minutes ago, QuestionMark said: Looks like a nice US made guitar. Martin makes some fine instruments. I just bought a Martin 00L X2E, their slope shouldered 00 made in their Mexico plant with a number of eco friendly substitutes, but with a solid sitka top. Quite a quality , well playing instrument for the money. (Though I have played guitar for 58 years, I really can’t tell it has a synthetic fretboard.) Enjoy the new OMC 15ME! QM aka “ Jazzman” Jeff ps. I have no problem mentioning Martins and Gibsons in the same breath. If it wasn’t for Martin Guitars being the pioneer of acoustic guitars, we wouldn’t have Gibson acoustics as an alternative version. I have a Dreadnaught JR 2 that I like. Seems these Mexico martins can be hit, or miss. Mine works fine. Got it a few yrs ago, for $135. & it included a Martin hard shell case. Can’t complain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
golfski Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 Is that the 'Streatmaster'? I looked at this guitar when I settled on a D-18, I loved the sound of the all mahogany of this guitar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 (edited) 9 minutes ago, golfski said: Is that the 'Streatmaster'? I looked at this guitar when I settled on a D-18, I loved the sound of the all mahogany of this guitar! I can tell you it is not a Streetmaster. Those look like poo, IMHO. I've seen them in person and they look even worse than online. That red-ish one is terrible and the brown ones are not much better. Here is what an SM looks like. https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/martin-special-omc-15me-streetmaster-style-acoustic-electric-guitar/l47598000001000?rNtt=Martin 15 Series OMC-15ME streetmaster&index=1 Edited June 24, 2021 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
golfski Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 28 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: I can tell you it is not a Streetmaster. Those look like poo, IMHO. I've seen them in person and they look even worse than online. That red-ish one is terrible and the brown ones are not much better. Here is what an SM looks like. https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/martin-special-omc-15me-streetmaster-style-acoustic-electric-guitar/l47598000001000?rNtt=Martin 15 Series OMC-15ME streetmaster&index=1 haha, like your description of the looks. Is it just about looks or the sound for you on the SM? I do remember the SM had no pick guard which was why I didn't like it - but I swear I looked at one that wasn't RED like the one you linked to, it looked just like this one above but no pick guard - maybe a little darker... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 (edited) 2 minutes ago, golfski said: haha, like your description of the looks. Is it just about looks or the sound for you on the SM? I do remember the SM had no pick guard which was why I didn't like it - but I swear I looked at one that wasn't RED like the one you linked to, it looked just like this one above but no pick guard - maybe a little darker... Looks. I'm sure it sounds good. Its and American made Martin I have owned 3 D-15M's and love them. That one you can probably get in poo brown too Edited June 24, 2021 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 50 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: I can tell you it is not a Streetmaster. Those look like poo, IMHO. I've seen them in person and they look even worse than online. That red-ish one is terrible and the brown ones are not much better. The other guitar player in my wife's band plays a Streetmaster. Sorry but I am not a fan of the looks of that guitar. Either is my wife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 (edited) 1 minute ago, zombywoof said: The other guitar player in my wife's band plays a Streetmaster. Sorry but I am not a fan of the looks of that guitar. Either is my wife. I saw a red on in GC last year and wanted to smack CFM IV for okaying that atrocity. Edited June 24, 2021 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 Congrats on the 15 Series. I love the line... especially the D15 and the 00-15. Your choice is especially suited to your play style too... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boyd Posted June 24, 2021 Share Posted June 24, 2021 Have had a D-15M since 2011, it's a nice guitar but I prefer my Gibsons, so the Martin spends most of its time in a case in the closet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluesKing777 Posted June 24, 2021 Author Share Posted June 24, 2021 I wanted the 1 3/4" nut mainly and the cutaway was not high on the list, but.........now I have it, I have been making tentative steps playing up to the 17th fret!!!! Yep, the dusty end is said to be near the 12th fret, so the 17th fret must be pure filth. (played a D shape up 12 frets, then 14th, 15th, 17th!!! - lookout, scary.) 😁 I bought an X years ago, first Martin, solid top/printed back!!! and a barn door pickup being the main reasons at the time, next reason was to leave it in the car a lot when going to jazz guitar lessons. The teacher was a jazzer with a jazzbox and must have wondered wtf is this fancy pants with a Martin - he thought it was a real biz end Martin! The solid top had quite a nice sound and poor fellow was shocked when I told him it was a rosewood print on the back! BluesKing777. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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