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I'm a Classical builder with little to no experience with steel string acoustics. What is the difference aside from the shape, between 000 12 & 14 fret guitars vs Dreadnaughts? I'm thinking about building a 000 because the shape is closer to a classical and I'd like to use a slotted headstock rather than a peghead. Which guitar has more appeal to the player? Are these guitars used for different styles? Sorry for all the dumb questions, I'm just trying to get educated.

Hello Ed -
In general - the OOO, OOs - Om's & Sj's are all smaller that the Dreadnought. The Dreadnought is the quintessential camp fire gitar! Flat pickers, and strumers like dreads (IN GENERAL)--

Finger-style players like the smaller bodies (in general) -- This is really a loaded question, because there are finger-style players that prefer dreads, (Think Michael Hedges) So thats sorta it in a nutshell.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

For 14 fret I prefer an OM. For a 12 fret I would go with OOO. The body length and depth of OOO and OM's are shorter, narrower, and shallower than a dreadnaught, and are usally bilt with slightly lighter bracing

the martin versions were the originators of these instrument types. aside from their bodies, the other fundamental difference between the dreds and the 000's is scale length. the 000's, whether 12 or 14 fret, are built with a 24.9" scale,though the bodies of the 12 fret is somewhat longer, and is in fact longer than that of a 14 fret dred..

as mentioned above the dreadnaught is overall a bigger bodied instrument and is built to a 25.4" scale. the 12 fret and 14 fret dreads also have different bodies, with the 14 fret being deeper than the 12 fret, but the 12 fret being the longer, indeed the longest currently built by martin..

the om can be thought of as a long scale version of the   14 fret 000, using basically the same body but the longer scale.

have i confused you yet?

Thanks guys! In the beginning I was really turned off by acoustics mainly do to the fact that most not all mainstream performers seem to just play chords rather than really letting the guitar sing. Also I never liked those big plastic teardrop pickguards. But I have to say, after seeing this talented groups work I'm a changed man! I can't wait to get started on an acoustic!

edward

go to www.jackwilliamsmusic.com and have a listen to an old martin d35 sing its songs.

Thanks micheal, that was music to my ears.

[QUOTE=LanceK] Hello Ed -
The Dreadnought is the quintessential camp fire gitar!
[/QUOTE]

Really? You think so? That is funny because everytime I think of a campfire guitar I get the picture of one of those small bodied guitars with the rope cord as a strap....

..more the image of one of those cowboy style guitars.

It is funny how the minds eye works like that.....

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Now when I think of campfires and guitars, all I can think of is "Play Beer!"

Thanks Micheal for the lead to some fine new music. I ended up buying a couple of cd's from "Rediscover Music" including Jack Williams.

Just my style John How38483.7660763889

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Jack Williams is the man. Good stuff.

The 000 can be a very balanced solo instument. A lot of people think the 12 fret matches the human voice better than the 14.

Whether or not they were originally designed for this purpose, drednoughts gained popularity, and remains popular, as a strummed rythm instrument. The deep bass was ideal for baseless groups and the scooped mids made it ideal for staying out of the way of vocals. Not is good for a balanced solo fingerstyle guitar. I think the dred ends itself well toMichael Hedges rythmic style.Scott Thompson38483.8074768518

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Scott Thompson
Port Townsend,WA

"In a perfect world we'd all sing in tune
But this is reality so give me some room"
-Billy Bragg

Anyone here ever see/hear Norman Blake break loose on his 12 fret Dred, or any guitar for that matter.
I guess I'm just an ole country boy

Daniel

the response of the guitar is partly the instrument, but at least equally the ability of the player to realise its potential capability. as an example i mentioned jack who is one of the few musicians i have met, heard or even known of who creates a better sound live and un-amped-processed-produced etc. than you will hear on his recordings.

crazymanmichael38484.4490046296

I went to the Martin website and did a little research. Martin has no consistancy when it comes to the definition of a 000. The 14 frets seem to have the same body shape between the 000 and OMs. The bracing might be different but they don't mention it. As for scale and nut width, they are all over the map.

All and only OMs are 25.4 scale with a 1 3/4 nut width 14 fret.

000 28 EC        24.9 1 3/4     14
00028         & nbsp;   24.9 1 11/16   14
00016         & nbsp;   25.4 1 11/16   14
00028 VS         &nbs p;25.4 1 13/16   12
00016RGT        &nbs p; 25.4 1 3/4     12
00040SPR        &nbs p; 25.4 1 11/16   12

There don't seem to be any 24.9 scale 12 frets or 1 13/16 14 frets.

So the rule of thumb seem to be OMs are 25.4, 1 3/4, 14 and all others are 000s of some sort.