Smaller-bodied acoustic for fingerpicking recommendations/poor man's 000-15SM?

Loobs · July 2020

Hi folks - keen to buy myself something like a poor-man's Martin 000-15(SM) - 12 or 14th fret join. I'm horrendously uneducated when it comes to acoustics - I'd not want to spend over £800/900. Very much like the mahogany look, and don't want a dreadnought. Would consider a parlour.

What can you recommend?

richman6100 · July 2020

If you're happy with a 12th fret join, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Auden Emily Rose. I prefer a 14th fret join, so I went for the Auden Marlow, albeit in cedar/rosewood after trying all the different wood combinations. You should be able to pick up a decent secondhand one within your budget. Personal preference I know, but I was interested in the Martin 000-15SM too, but despite the great reviews it gets, I wasn't blown away by it. I found the Audens sounded fuller and more articulate than the Martin, possibly due to a slightly deeper body. I looked at parlour models from several different brands before getting the Auden. It's now my most played acoustic. Hope this helps.

woody · July 2020

recording king ros16 is just ridiculously good for the money imho.

woody · July 2020

sorry I've just seen your budget.Ive also heard great things about auden.eastman and furch/ stonebridge are brilliant also.

earwighoney · July 2020

Loobs said:

Hi folks - keen to buy myself something like a poor-man's Martin 000-15(SM) - 12 or 14th fret join. I'm horrendously uneducated when it comes to acoustics - I'd not want to spend over £800/900. Very much like the mahogany look, and don't want a dreadnought. Would consider a parlour.

What can you recommend?

The Sigma 000M-15+ is the counterpart of the 14 fret Martin you mentioned, only has a solid top though, not solid back and sides.

For around half the budget, the Fender PM3 looks amazing value, all solid with a hard case

https://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_pm_3_triple_0_all_mahogany.htm

A little more than your budget at around £1k, but my choice would the Furch Blue OM-MM. The exchange rate isn't the best right now, if you hold on for a bit it might drop in price a little.

McSwaggerty · July 2020

Keep your eyes open for an Eastman E10P..... A Spruce /Mahogany 12 Fretter which is far more suited to fingerpicking than a 00015sm in my opinion.
Wider nut and great bridge string spacing which make it ideal for fingerstyle work.

Loobs · July 2020

Thanks so much for the recommendations. I'll look into these now.

Loobs · July 2020

earwighoney said:

Loobs said:

Hi folks - keen to buy myself something like a poor-man's Martin 000-15(SM) - 12 or 14th fret join. I'm horrendously uneducated when it comes to acoustics - I'd not want to spend over £800/900. Very much like the mahogany look, and don't want a dreadnought. Would consider a parlour.

What can you recommend?

The Sigma 000M-15+ is the counterpart of the 14 fret Martin you mentioned, only has a solid top though, not solid back and sides.

For around half the budget, the Fender PM3 looks amazing value, all solid with a hard case
https://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_pm_3_triple_0_all_mahogany.htm

A little more than your budget at around £1k, but my choice would the Furch Blue OM-MM. The exchange rate isn't the best right now, if you hold on for a bit it might drop in price a little.

Ah - no cutaways, thanks.

Loobs · July 2020

The Eastmans look superb - but the range is huge. Where to start? What nut widths should I be looking at?

Teyeplayer · July 2020

I believe Eastman did a mahogany version of the limited run of OMs a few years back if that is your thing.

The Auden Emily Rose is very good, it was designed with a nudge from the singer I work with, Kenneth J Nash (I believe it is named after his daughter), and is all over his various live and studio recordings.

Personally, I’ve owned a Martin 000-15 which was fantastic, though I was constantly unnerved by the lack of side bracing in Martin guitars (I saw a few live accidents that frankly upset me).

I’ve settled since for an Eastman E1 Om; mahogany back and sides, Sitka spruce top (both solid), nitro finish, ebony finger board -what’s not to like? https://flickr.com/photos/157224850@N02/sets/72157680052464898

McSwaggerty · July 2020

For me 1.75..(1'3/4")....minimum. I think the the E10P is 1'13/16"......However l think bridge string spacing is more important. (for fingerpicking.)
I would be looking for at least 2 ' 1/4"

Loobs · July 2020

Been impressed with what I've heard of the E10 00 so far.

Loobs · July 2020

Teyeplayer said:

I believe Eastman did a mahogany version of the limited run of OMs a few years back if that is your thing.

The Auden Emily Rose is very good, it was designed with a nudge from the singer I work with, Kenneth J Nash (I believe it is named after his daughter), and is all over his various live and studio recordings.

Personally, I’ve owned a Martin 000-15 which was fantastic, though I was constantly unnerved by the lack of side bracing in Martin guitars (I saw a few live accidents that frankly upset me).

I’ve settled since for an Eastman E1 Om; mahogany back and sides, Sitka spruce top (both solid), nitro finish, ebony finger board -what’s not to like? https://flickr.com/photos/157224850@N02/sets/72157680052464898

That's v nice!

Teyeplayer · July 2020

Loobs said:

Teyeplayer said:

I believe Eastman did a mahogany version of the limited run of OMs a few years back if that is your thing.

The Auden Emily Rose is very good, it was designed with a nudge from the singer I work with, Kenneth J Nash (I believe it is named after his daughter), and is all over his various live and studio recordings.

Personally, I’ve owned a Martin 000-15 which was fantastic, though I was constantly unnerved by the lack of side bracing in Martin guitars (I saw a few live accidents that frankly upset me).

I’ve settled since for an Eastman E1 Om; mahogany back and sides, Sitka spruce top (both solid), nitro finish, ebony finger board -what’s not to like? https://flickr.com/photos/157224850@N02/sets/72157680052464898

That's v nice!

And not a bank breaker either, Peach have them for £499:
https://www.peachguitars.com/guitars/acoustic-guitars/6-string/eastman-e1-om-classic-finish.htm

malcolmkindness · July 2020

I have a Recording King ROS 616 all mahogany 000, which is terrific value for the money and very like the Martin 00015sm.

ICBM · July 2020

Guild OM-120.

(Not M-120, the OM is both slightly larger and a better spec.)

A friend of mine has one, it's superb. About £800 list, but you can find them for as low as £600.

Loobs · July 2020

Teyeplayer said:

Loobs said:

Teyeplayer said:

I believe Eastman did a mahogany version of the limited run of OMs a few years back if that is your thing.

The Auden Emily Rose is very good, it was designed with a nudge from the singer I work with, Kenneth J Nash (I believe it is named after his daughter), and is all over his various live and studio recordings.

Personally, I’ve owned a Martin 000-15 which was fantastic, though I was constantly unnerved by the lack of side bracing in Martin guitars (I saw a few live accidents that frankly upset me).

I’ve settled since for an Eastman E1 Om; mahogany back and sides, Sitka spruce top (both solid), nitro finish, ebony finger board -what’s not to like? https://flickr.com/photos/157224850@N02/sets/72157680052464898

That's v nice!

And not a bank breaker either, Peach have them for £499:
https://www.peachguitars.com/guitars/acoustic-guitars/6-string/eastman-e1-om-classic-finish.htm

Very very tempted by the natural version.

Loobs · July 2020

ICBM said:

Guild OM-120.

(Not M-120, the OM is both slightly larger and a better spec.)

A friend of mine has one, it's superb. About £800 list, but you can find them for as low as £600.

Cheers. The spec looks great for the money.

Loobs · July 2020

malcolmkindness said:

I have a Recording King ROS 616 all mahogany 000, which is terrific value for the money and very like the Martin 00015sm.

It seems they've either changed the name of this model or don't make it anymore. Which is it closest to from their current range?

https://www.recordingking.com/browse-by-shape

ICBM · July 2020

Loobs said:

The spec looks great for the money.

It is made in China... which might explain that.

Loobs · July 2020

As are Eastman

earwighoney · July 2020

Loobs said:

Been impressed with what I've heard of the E10 00 so far.

I have that very guitar.

I own guitars by Eastman, Furch, Recording King and Guild. I'd say all the build qualities for those guitars are all great for their respective price points.

I'm fairly sure the same factory makes Sigma Guitars as the one who makes Recording King, I've played a few Sigma's and the quality is about the same, in how if you look inside the box there are a few untidy bits of work here and there but they sound and play well, I really like the shape of the neck for my RK. The RK's are the heavy braced of all the guitars I own, but that's not always a bad thing, depends on what kind of playing style you have.

IMO, I'd still recommend streching the budget a little more and going for the Mahogany Furch OM, they are very lightly braced, light guitars with a 45mm wide nut and even though it's more expensive than a few guitars mentioned here the build quality can be close to a Martin at a good chunk less and made in Europe. Seen it online for just over £900.

As for the Guild M/OM 120's, I'd say for those try before you buy, I played a few of those in Wunjo and one OM-120 I tried had a pretty high action and quite a low saddle and by the time it'd be lowered to get a good playable action, there'd be almost no saddle left, it sounded a bit dead as well. I played a few M-120's which really impressed me though.

malcolmkindness · July 2020

Loobs said:

malcolmkindness said:

I have a Recording King ROS 616 all mahogany 000, which is terrific value for the money and very like the Martin 00015sm.

It seems they've either changed the name of this model or don't make it anymore. Which is it closest to from their current range?

https://www.recordingking.com/browse-by-shape

It's not like any of these, it's a 12 fret slotted head model, all mahogany, I bought mine second hand. There are certainly some clips of it on YouTube you could check out, perhaps there's another second hand one out there somewhere.

Stuckfast · July 2020

I was going to recommend a Larrivee but I've just looked up current prices for new ones... blimey. When did that happen? Still if you can find a secondhand Larrivee OM within your price range I'd go for it.

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Smaller-bodied acoustic for fingerpicking recommendations/poor man's 000-15SM?

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