Martin 000-16GT or OM-16GT

[Cookstar]

I'm trying to decide between two Martins: the 000-16GT and the OM-16GT. I have searched 000s and OMs on this board. I have read that OMs traditionally have a shorter scale length and wider necks but both of these guitars have the same 25.4" scale length. The only major differences between these two guitars are the nut and neck width and string spacing. (There is a slight difference in the pickguard design which I'm not concerned about.)

 

Martin 000-16GT

nut width: 1 11/16"

neck width @ 12th fret: 2 1/8"

bridge string spacing: 2 1/8"

 

Martin OM-16GT

nut width: 1 3/4"

neck width @ 12th fret: 2 1/4"

bridge string spacing: 2 1/4"

 

I'm leaning towards the 000 because I've got fairly skinny fingers so I don't think the string spacing will be an impediment. However, I don't think the OM will be uncomfortably wide for me either. I plan to do both fingerpicking and flatpicking, but with more emphasis on fingerpicking.

 

I'm going to try to get out to some of the local guitar shops and test these guitars or similar guitars, but I would like to hear what some more experienced guitarists think, also.

[JasmineTea]

If you can go to the shop and spend a lot of time with both, like, go every day, that would help you decide.

 

Pretty sure both of those have Micarta f/board and bridge, some people are phobic of the stuff, I like it.

 

One thing you can do to a 1-11/16 guitar to make more room is, have a "good" luthier make a new nut that will spread the strings out wider. I did this to my Martin dread and it worked out nicely.

 

If you play intracate stuff higher up the neck, the OM would be better, imo.

[hockeygabor]

well you may have difficulty finding these guitars in stock as they appear to be fairly rare.

I have the OM16GT-it's a decent Martin.If it were not for the spruce top which I prefer for appearance, I think I would go for a D15S Martin...

[riffmeister]

For fingerpicking, I'd go with the one with the wider string spacing at the bridge.

[jorgenkjellgren]

I have a OM16GT and I

[kwakatak]

The neck width is only part of the equation. You also have to take the neck profile into consideration. A wider fretboard on a shallower neck might actually be more comfortable for your hands than a narrower fretboard with a deeper neck. The only thing you can do is let your own finers decide.

 

At least, that was my impression when shopping around for a better fingerstyle guitar. I was using a dread with a 1.6875" (1 & 11/16") wide nut with a modified oval neck profile and it was just too bulky to get the right angle for my fat little fingers to press down perpendicular to the fretboard and I was always getting inadvertant contact with adjacent strings. Shopping around, I eventually found the Larriv

[Freeman Keller]

Neil has a good point about shape, but both of these are "modified low oval" and Martin actually has a page on their site that shows the cross sections of all their neck shapes.

 

The general feeling is that a wider fretboard is better (or at least prefered) by finger style players - the feeling is that it is easier to get your fat fingers between the string. I think I prefer 1-3/4 but frankly I have guitars with everything from 1-11/16 to 1-7/8 (2 if you count the classical) and I play them equally poorly. You should be able to compensate just fine for the 1/16 inch, but you may prefer one when you play it.

 

Both these are 14 fret long scale, altho other models, particularly of triple oughts might be different. UMGF has this to say about OM vs 000's

 

http://p082.ezboard.com/ftheunofficialmartinguitarforumfrm19.showMessage?topicID=19.topic

 

Frankly, you have two wonderful guitars here and I think you will be very happy with either of them. Good luck with the choice.