window shopping for a small body acoustic

[aussieguitarnut]

today i hit denmark st just to have a look at some guitars and get a feel for whats out there. i already have a cole clark fl2ac (fantastic big sounding dreadnought) and a liberty L100 (resonator). i've been hankering for a small body something or other - a parlour or 000 or just something small and comfy and good for picking and blues. i'm no expert so just throwing this our for any feedback and opinions. in my travels today i bumped into:

 

larrivee p-05: lovely little parlour. much louder than i expected. really punchy sound for such a small guitar. nice to pick up and play. i found it felt a bit tight to play - is that how most parlours feel? i'd like to spend some more time with one. i'd like to check out some other larrivee models too but they aren't so easy to come across here in london.

 

martin 000-15s: love the slotted headstock and plain vibe. played nice enough. nice mellow sound. didn't scream 'buy me buy me' but cool in its own way.

 

k-yairi G1F and rag 65: i was super impressed by the finish on these guitars. they look absolutely stunning - knock out. for the money its quite unbelievable. i didn't find either of them that easy to play but i suspect the shop needs to sort the setups on them. it was hard for me to get a gauge on the sound too cause they felt so uninspiring. worth another look though - i don't think they were done justice by the shop.

 

martin 00028-ec: this was the last one i picked up and it was the one i felt that if i had the money in my wallet i would have just chucked it on the counter and been done with it. i guess understandable considering its worth a lot more than the others. in any case it played like a dream - just totally effortless and had such a beautifully balanced sound. i think i need one or at least a guitar very similar.

 

so yeah - thats all a bit of a waffle but its my first delve into small body world wanted to share my first impressions. i guess i learnt that a 000 style is closest to what i'd want feel and sound wise but keen to hear anyones thoughts. budget wise i was thinking of around the martin 00015 price range new but on todays evidence i would prefer to save up and get a 00028. i'd rather wait and have a real keeper.

 

any thoughts?

 

cheers

kris

[kwakatak]

If the Martin spoke to you, they've got a ton of models out there that cost a lot less than the incessantly sought-after yet notoriously high-priced 000-28EC. If you're able, try out a OM/000-16 variant (such as the 000-16RGT, OMC-16E, etc.) or the OM-21. IMO these models make more financial sense than the high-falootin signature models featuring Eric Clapton, John Mayer, et al on the lable inside the soundhole.

 

As for Larrivees, if you ever get the chance try one of their OM models. I don't know what one would go for over there, but a few of us own the OM-03R which is their entry-level, satin-finished model that's light on the ornamentation but not on tone or quality. It's got a solid sitka spruce top, solid rosewood back & sides and single piece mahogany neck with handfit dovetail joint and all told, it costs less than the Martin 000-15S or 000-16. I discovered the Larrivee before I tried any Martin OM and truth be told but I don't have any GAS for another rosewood OM. YMMV though.

[knowspicker]

I recently got a Larrivee OM-03 SP with Sapele Top and it's in your price range. If you can find a Larrivee OM-03 SP, R or any other I would definitely recommend having them on your list of guitars to try. I was looking at an OM-03 R but the Sapele top just did it for me. You can usually find the Larrivee 03 series cheaper than a Martin 000-15S

[Freeman Keller]

I'll add to Neil's comments that I personally think one of Martin's very best bang for the buck smaller bodied guitars it the OM-21. Basially a 28 with plainer details, which significantly reduces the price. There are some pretty good comparisons of the various Martin 000 and OM models at UMGF in their FAQ. Even tho it didn't scream to you, I would love to have an 000-15S for playing the blues.

[scottgd]

If you liked the 000-28EC, you liked the V neck. You won't find that on many others but they are out there.

 

My wife bought me one 2 years ago and it just keeps getting better.

 

How much are they asking for those in the UK? I got it for $2,750

[mole2]

If you liked the 000-15S enough to use it for a bit while you save for the 000-28 then pick one up used and play it while you save. You'll always get back what you paid for it used. That's the great thing about used Martins...you won't lose much if at all. You'll get the pleasure of playing the 000-15S till you finally get what you really want.

 

 

[aussieguitarnut]

hey everyone - thankyou so much for the brilliant info.

 

will definitely add those other martin models to my list of tryouts. the 00016 looks really cool. i'll find a martin dealer and settle in for a few hours : ) i'll also keep an eye out for an om21 to try as freeman keller suggests. there's an om16-gt on ebay over here for a reasonable price. just need to try a few out and see if i get the same vibe as i did on on 00028ec. if i can get close enough cheaper i'd be very happy. the thing with the 00028ec though was that it just played like butter - it was superb. but even second hand over here they go for double what some of these other guitars we're talking about are.

 

i am very interested to try out an larry om-3. my mate has an om-1 but its a lefty so i can't play it. it sounds nice but he seems to struggle with it - possible just needs an action job. the om-3's seem to go for similar money over here to the martins we've been speaking about - around

[flip333]

DonK had reported the Johnson JO-27 was a dead ringer for the 000-28EC. The JO-27 is no longer made with that name but is now being made as the Recording King RO-227 with a different headstock inlay.

 

Hopefully the quality control is high. There are still JO-27's around for cheap. There was even a Johnson "Petulama" which is a relabeled version with mahogany B/S 's for very cheap. There are some reported

quality questions with that guitar.

 

I'm still looking for that $200-500 guitar that sounds as good as a $3000 guitar. (hasn't happened yet)....

[Andrewrg]

I bought a 000-15S a few months ago and it quickly became my favourite; plain, unassuming but hugely toneful. I also owned a couple of the others you mentioned, the 000-28EC (which I really, really disliked. A lot!) and the OM-21 which was very nice although mine had wolf tones on all the G's and had, sadly, to go.

Bear in mind that the 000-28EC feels 'easier' to play because the scale length is shorter than the others you mention-not sure about the small Larrivee.

 

__________

 

Gibson SJ200

Gibson Advanced Jumbo

Martin 000-15S

Samick Ukulele

[aussieguitarnut]

 

Bear in mind that the 000-28EC feels 'easier' to play because the scale length is shorter than the others you mention-not sure about the small Larrivee.

 

 

its handy to know that. it felt like the strings were really slack like it was tuned down a half step but i don't think it was. it was just so loosey goosey and easy to throw some licks down. i didn't know whether it was to do with the scale length or what.

[goldear]

Speaking of small guitars, what model guitar is the person in this link playing?

 

 

[Pascal]

 

k-yairi G1F and rag 65: i was super impressed by the finish on these guitars. they look absolutely stunning - knock out. for the money its quite unbelievable. i didn't find either of them that easy to play but i suspect the shop needs to sort the setups on them. it was hard for me to get a gauge on the sound too cause they felt so uninspiring. worth another look though - i don't think they were done justice by the shop.

 

 

Yes, I know it's not easy, but don't dismiss them just becaused you plyed two with a poor setup. I recently played a few K. Yairis myself (and ended up buying an YF-20 New Yorker), all were great players, and mine is as easy to play as it gets.

[Stackabones]

 

Speaking of small guitars, what model guitar is the person in this link playing? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=037uSAIahho

 

 

[YOUTUBE]037uSAIahho[/YOUTUBE]

 

That looks similar to the Yamaha Guitalele ... but I haven't seen one with that dark wood -- cedar, perhaps? Maybe it's a custom git? Nice sound.

 

I'm gonna post this in its own thread so that ChiyoDad can check it out. He's got some solid info on these!

[Pascal]

That looks similar to the Yamaha Guitalele ... but I haven't seen one with that dark wood -- cedar, perhaps? Maybe it's a custom git? Nice sound. I'm gonna post this in its own thread so that ChiyoDad can check it out. He's got some solid info on these!

 

It actually looks very similar to a K. Yairi model, the RAG65:

 

But I guess the Yairi is a just a copy of an earlier 'classic' guitar that might be the one played here.

[Pascal]

Here's a vintage Martin parlor:

 

http://bp0.blogger.com/_HTpcwx1BDqE/Rvl2nFIlJiI/AAAAAAAAAHo/e1L_tgUkWJg/s1600-h/03a8_3.JPG

[kamzan18]

if you want a small body. get the FS720S yamaha. Remember its not the same as the FG720S...its a smaller body version of it :-) GOOD LUCK!

[shan]

It actually looks very similar to a K. Yairi model, the RAG65: But I guess the Yairi is a just a copy of an earlier 'classic' guitar that might be the one played here.

 

 

It is indeed a k.Yairi he is playing. I own a K.Yairi G1-F and have sympathy with Aussieguitarnut for having tried poorly set up ones (I also have done the same and was less than inspired) but if it's set up well you really are gonna have a hard time finding anything close to it for the money they are simply stunning. The G1-F is based on Gibsons L-00 blues king. I was seriously grinning when I walked out the shop with mine, although it cost me

[Queequeg]

I know what you mean about the Larrivee parlors being really tight when they're new.They either open up rapidly or else I just get very used to them. I have a couple of their parlors. I'm working on a new tune the last few days; an old hornpipe that's kind of quick and snappy. I just wasn't making the progress I thought I should be on it, so I pulled one of the parlors out and bang, the tune just kind of unfolded before my ears. Hornpipes, it seems were meant to be played on parlors.

[warriorpoet]

The Marton OM-18v is divine. See if you can find one.

[oldnewbie]

I don't know if the model numbers are the same in Europe, but I have a Yairi FYM95 and it is friggin' awesome (it's an OM body). I know in the US the Yairi's are sold by Alvarez but I think elsewhere in the world the K. Yairi's are sold under their own brand name.