# Suggestions for good OM/000



## elburnando (11 mo ago)

Like it says, Id like a nice OM/000. Im not ready to buy right now, just getting some opinions and suggestions. Id like a smaller body shape(larger than 00), preferably a cutout but not terribly important if its got 14 accessible frets. I like a bit of a fuller sound, and would generally use a pick, with the odd fingerstyle. Basically a nice all-arounder.


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

I need a price range.

I don't think cutaways are very useful on an acoustic guitar. It's difficult to play up there because you shouldn't be playing up there, certainly not chords.


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## elburnando (11 mo ago)

Hammerhands said:


> I need a price range.
> 
> I don't think cutaways are very useful on an acoustic guitar. It's difficult to play up there because you shouldn't be playing up there, certainly not chords.


Id feel comfortable in the $3-5k range, but for the right guitar it could change. 
And yeah, I dont necessarily need a cutaway if it was 14 frets.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Lots of custom builders in that range, but the usual offenders like Martin, Larrivee, Furch, Collings, Taylor, Breedlove, Godin, Bourgeois, et al, could be considered.

I never met a Collings I didn't like, and recently I've enjoyed a couple of Furch that were spot on. 

I would shop used from a reputable seller for substantial savings on played in proven quality.


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## jazzereh (Oct 25, 2016)

As has been mentioned, there are custom builds that you can get in that price range but that implies that you know what you want in terms of woods and size specs. If you are not up for that, Larrivee is one of the best values you will find. Best idea is to go and play a bunch at music stores to get an idea what sounds best to your ears and feels right to play.


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## Alan Small (Dec 30, 2019)

Eastman should be considered: excellent value and big open sound


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## Ronniedblues (Jan 29, 2021)

If you’re able try out a Boucher


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## ronh (11 mo ago)

A second to try a Boucher. I have an HG-56 000 a gem, and made in Canada. Torrified top sounded amazing from day 1


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

I would mention the very affordable Seagull Performer and Yamaha LS-16, and put the spot light on Guild F-30, Martin OOO-18 or Taylor 322/324 512/514 and Collings OM1 I all love !


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## jazzereh (Oct 25, 2016)

I would third the Boucher HG-56 as I have one and it's possible the OP will find one in his stated price range.


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## gevans378 (Oct 12, 2006)

Halcyon guitars. Have Ed build exactly what you want. Could not be more pleased with the guitar he built for me. Bit of a wait list but worth it.


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## Jalexander (Dec 31, 2020)

After 20 years on my Simon & Patrick dread, I was looking for a bury-me-with-it guitar. Custom guitars were too intimidating for me, and the depreciation should I not like it was a turn off.

I settled on an OM/OOO type guitar. I also wanted sparkly rosewood back over thumpy mahogany back. I quite liked the Larrivee L09 and the 8-series Taylors. But something traditional like a Martin OM21 seemed about right for me. I did try many other guitars at that $3k-ish range.

However, when I tried a Collings that was it. Took a while to find a used one in my price range, but I now have an OM2H and that’s the one. I just seemed to have a little more than a Martin to my ears, but was also the most accessible of all the boutique brands you’ll learn about if you start doing some research. Just a beautiful guitar.


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## elburnando (11 mo ago)

Ronniedblues said:


> If you’re able try out a Boucher


Yeah, I've been looking at them, as well as Larivee, Collings and some custom builders. Ill have to try them out and go from there.


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## desolation_angel (2 mo ago)

The two OM's that live rent free in my head (instead of in my house) are the Collings OM2H and the Martin Authentic 1931 OM-28.... both phenomenal guitars.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I would look at Boucher, Yairi and Collings if you have that much money to spend.


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## elburnando (11 mo ago)

After trying a few out, i like the Collings OM2H. I'm kind of leaning towards a luthier though. I've spoken to a few I liked/recommended, but they were too busy to make anything within the next year or longer. Ill leave it til the new year and see what happens.


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## Eric Reesor (Jan 26, 2020)

Don't overlook laminated backs if you need to keep the costs down IMO. A older well made Japanese style laminated back OM with a solid spruce top can indeed be a gem but the people who own them are loath to part with them. If you find a K Yairi that has not been played to death from the 1970s then get it restored and you may have a guitar that shines and rings out for much less than a new custom build.
It is a false assumption that solid wood wood back and sides are always better in sound than hard laminates. The old 14 fret Harmony guitars made in the US with solid mahogany are gems and can be upgraded to an x brace. They can sound absolutely incredible and surprisingly loud and wonderful.
The most overlooked of all guitars that can be found to restore are of the Harmony lines, even the ones that cost no more than 100 dollars when new in the 1950s and sixties can be restored and become instruments worthy of good musicians.

But if you expect new or slightly used condition in a guitar like one does with cars then expect a minimum of 3000 dollars if you want a great all solid wood instrument whether custom ordered from a factory line or off the shelf from a chain store or built by a luthier.


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## elburnando (11 mo ago)

Eric Reesor said:


> Don't overlook laminated backs if you need to keep the costs down IMO. A older well made Japanese style laminated back OM with a solid spruce top can indeed be a gem but the people who own them are loath to part with them. If you find a K Yairi that has not been played to death from the 1970s then get it restored and you may have a guitar that shines and rings out for much less than a new custom build.
> It is a false assumption that solid wood wood back and sides are always better in sound than hard laminates. The old 14 fret Harmony guitars made in the US with solid mahogany are gems and can be upgraded to an x brace. They can sound absolutely incredible and surprisingly loud and wonderful.
> The most overlooked of all guitars that can be found to restore are of the Harmony lines, even the ones that cost no more than 100 dollars when new in the 1950s and sixties can be restored and become instruments worthy of good musicians.
> 
> But if you expect new or slightly used condition in a guitar like one does with cars then expect a minimum of 3000 dollars if you want a great all solid wood instrument whether custom ordered from a factory line or off the shelf from a chain store or built by a luthier.


Yeah, like I said i dont have a problem spending $3-5k, more if it were the right guitar. I hear you about laminate back/sides though. I've played some that sounded great.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

Eric Reesor said:


> The old 14 fret Harmony guitars made in the US with solid mahogany are gems and can be upgraded to an x brace. They can sound absolutely incredible and surprisingly loud and wonderful.
> The most overlooked of all guitars that can be found to restore are of the Harmony lines, even the ones that cost no more than 100 dollars when new in the 1950s and sixties can be restored and become instruments worthy of good musicians.


I have a Harmony H165 that was rebuilt by Scott Baxendale. Its a great guitar that hangs with my vintage Gibsons and Martins





  








Baxendale Harmony 1




__
Scottone


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May 26, 2020


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## Eric Reesor (Jan 26, 2020)

Scottone said:


> I have a Harmony H165 that was rebuilt by Scott Baxendale. Its a great guitar that hangs with my vintage Gibsons and Martins
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Beautiful instrument! I just wish I still had my Sada Yairi 12 fret 00 from 1970! Same type of neck profile as the Harmony in the pic you posted and a fantastic finger style instrument. It had great and stable thicker mahogany laminated with other hardwoods not just cheap crap thin plywood back like some of the inexpensive Sears models of smaller guitars. It had a sweet solid spruce top and a real ebony fingerboard that was lower grade so it was not perfect as expected from snobs and guitar collectors. But what a great little instrument it was indeed. The first thing I learned to read on it was Fernando Sor studies and then Bach's lute prelude in D minor. Naturally it was quiet and needed to mic the playing but was the sound ever sweet and pure.
I imagine that your mahog Harmony most likely sounds as good or better then the stuff on shelves today for 2-3 thousand bucks US.

It is encouraging that people are finally starting to catch on to the real importance and significance of these great instruments.

May a Bella voce always find a way into your guitar tunes and all other musicians of your acquaintance!

Eric


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## Eric Reesor (Jan 26, 2020)

The really great part of having a great old solid mahogany or good solid spruce top is that if a refinish is done well and not a crazy home shot varathane plastic layer: it will not effect the sound at all these days with high tech finish materials that can be applied better than the original finish of the guitar was. 

Quite often the guitars that have heavy finish from the department guitar store finish days of the 1950's, sixties and especially the early 70s when things went crazy in numbers of cheap guitars from off shore the wood was shot with a finish that was way too thick to keep it from damage on store display racks. So a properly applied more modern finish on a cheap guitar can in many cases actually increase the sound and character of many older guitars. Not the ones from way back when finishes were hand applied super thin to save on labour costs like the old high end parlor guitars made around the turn of the twentieth century but certainly most cheap guitars made with good woods after the second world war when heavy plastic finishes became the norm on department store and cheap music store guitar offerings.

For some refinish of a top is sacrilege, but in truth if done properly it can really improve an instrument that would otherwise not sound up to the potential of the woods because of an original finish.

Personally I don't put much credence on the state of the top of a guitar as far as perfect looks goes I much prefer if the instrument has been actually used for what it was built for in the first place. But building new with a deliberately distressed finish is still not possible because most people buy guitars with their eyes and not their ears!

Perhaps a controversial view of things guitar but very soon new guitars that have nothing but what is left of the high end woods like gazzilion dollar roseywood, ebony and mahogany and perfect gloss finish will become unobtainium for all but those who have a credit rating over 8.🤑👻


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## Eric Reesor (Jan 26, 2020)

Just some more info about the old harmony guitars and why and how they can be restored; I am not trying to take over the thread but starting a new one on how to create an OM from great old Harmony guitars that are overlooked otherwise is a topic that I feel is very important as my brother is currently doing exactly that on another 14 fret OM sized Harmony guitar of the 60's. And when finished I will start a new thread about the journey to restore one. They are still available in original form quite often in many places in Canada because they were well built with good materials in the first place even though the wood bracing inside was cheap and very quickly done they by and large hold together very well indeed without being built with glues that prevent repairs like the factory offerings from some of today's offshore manufacturers of "disposable" cheap guitars that are almost impossible to repair.
Most of the harmonies were first made with cross bracing like old parlor guitars so they are not braced for even light gauge bronze wounds and in original condition can sound nice but not with great volume and presence. 

What needs to be done to make them into concert instruments is to first check the neck and reset it if possible, therefore the back must come off and the cross braces on the top need to be removed for replacement with a scalloped X design. The neck block then needs to be addressed and re-inforced and so does the neck itself in some cases if it has severely bowed over time. The tuners usually need changing to better gear than original to take the tension of new strings. But on ones that were in the closet and never played the original tuners might still do the job for a while, but it is rare.

I have played on this model of Harmony with both silk and steel and nylon and seriously considered buying one in the late 1960s from a little guitar shop in Gastown so I rented it for a while for playing and singing sometimes in the coffee shops there. But eventually settled instead on a slightly used Sada Yairi 00 in early 1970 because it sounded more full up the neck and had better neck width for my large hands. But the Harmony mahogany was sweet sounding indeed and cheap to say the least. 75 dollars used with a bag at the time. The Sada Yairi parlor sized guitar I bought instead was 125 used with hard shell case. Almost two weeks net pay for me at that time working full time days in a warehouse at minimum wage.

HOWEVER today, if these cheap mahogany body Harmonies are redone today with an x brace and a slight change in the bridge placement the old solid mahogany classical/OM steel or nylon guitars from Harmony can be turned into marvelous musical instruments.

The costs of restoring them are quite high and require top drawer luthier skills and careful planning. 

Here is an example of one locally that could go for restoration but the pawn shop wants a bit to rich asking price to make the purchase and restoration financially viable unfortunately. Perhaps in a few years it might pay to restore this guitar but not quite yet which is a real shame because solid top mahogany guitars made from even low grade quarter sawn mahogany with little run out are about to become unobtainium. It is very hard finding good pieces of Honduras and other great neck wood that is on the quarter enough with no run out to produce a guitar top and now even neck blanks! Guitar top and back blanks from good quality mahogany are getting harder and harder to find.

If properly done the particular Harmony in these pictures could very well have punch with light tension bronze wound steel strings. But it also might wind up being turned into a coffee table by someone who wants to show how garish they can be with wasting the best musical instrument wood on the planet before a player or a luthier can afford to restore it properly.🤑🤑🤑🤑👻👻 But chances are it will remain in the pawn shop until the broker decides it is time to blow it out the door or turn it into a yuppie special coffee table and sell it for a few thousand dollars himself.


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## fernieite (Oct 30, 2006)

I'm in the old Harmony camp, as well. Here's my 1958 H1203 Sovereign. It's the OM shaped Sovereign, not the H1260 dreadnought. (I had one of those for many years too)
You're welcome to try it out @elburnando.
(However, it's not for sale)


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## Judas68fr (Feb 5, 2013)

They've got a nice Furch G23 at 12fret in Toronto right now that would fit the bill, I would give it a try if I were you. I've had my G21 (it's basically a G23 without the bling) in cedar top/rosewood back/sides for 16+ years now, and it's an amazing instrument.

Also worth noting: after 4-5 years, the guitar developed a crack at the dovetail joint where the headstock meets the neck. The manufacturer took it back via their local reseller, and had the whole neck replaced. No questions asked, and they did a terrific job. Amazing customer service! 

Here's a pic of mine, it's got a few scratches by the bridge, I'm a heavy right hand player, and often play percussively.


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## Renoguy75 (Feb 9, 2020)

There’s an incredible 13-fret Vincent OM for sale on his FB page as well as the BC Luthier Built Guitars Facebook group. I own 3 of his, amazing guitars! I think he’s asking $3000 for it, bargain! Has a burst finish.


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## elburnando (11 mo ago)

Renoguy75 said:


> There’s an incredible 13-fret Vincent OM for sale on his FB page as well as the BC Luthier Built Guitars Facebook group. I own 3 of his, amazing guitars! I think he’s asking $3000 for it, bargain! Has a burst finish.


I'll check it out, thanks! I actually got to try out a few Lowden guitars tonight, and was really loving the F25.


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## MadCarrot (10 mo ago)

the art music store has a very nice Taylor custom 812ce which is the same size as OM/000... I played it last week its very nice... not excaly a small shop guitar but its custom, and a taylor without electronics.. its on sale right now otherwise its close to $5k I think 








Taylor 812CUST12FRET GC Custom Build V-Class 12 Fret Acoustic Guitar Sitka Spruce Rosewood w/Case - Ser# 1211021070


The best place in Canada to buy the Taylor GC Custom V-Class 12 Fret Acoustic Guitar Sitka Spruce Rosewood w/Case - 812CUST12FRET



shop.theartsmusicstore.com


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I have the sweetest little 13 fret Joshua House. It's the only non-commissioned guitar of his I've owned, the others were custom ordered, as he had it in stock and displayed at a folk festival. He does some nice work.


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## blue_dog (Feb 7, 2013)

ronh said:


> A second to try a Boucher. I have an HG-56 000 a gem, and made in Canada. Torrified top sounded amazing from day 1
> View attachment 447883


I would also try to Claude Boucher (the son of the founder) and retired but is still making custom guitars. Much less expensive than Boucher with same appointments (torrified top). Also I would agree on Larrivee with Austrian moonwood spruce top.


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## Jalexander (Dec 31, 2020)

MadCarrot said:


> the art music store has a very nice Taylor custom 812ce which is the same size as OM/000... I played it last week its very nice... not excaly a small shop guitar but its custom, and a taylor without electronics.. its on sale right now otherwise its close to $5k I think
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I’ve never enjoyed Taylors very much. The 8-series is the exception. They may have less personality than a Martin or a Collings, etc, but they are very nice, and so comfortable to play.


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## elburnando (11 mo ago)

Jalexander said:


> I’ve never enjoyed Taylors very much. The 8-series is the exception. They may have less personality than a Martin or a Collings, etc, but they are very nice, and so comfortable to play.


I'm the same. The 8 series is amazing, especially with the lower sound hole on the new one. The rest are okay, but dont get the same feeling as with some others.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Had a guy in this week with a Yamaha Storia all mahogany that sounded far above it's price range. I've long had a weakness for Yamaha acoustics though it's been many years since I owned one.









STORIA - Overview - Yamaha - Canada - English


Invite music into your life with the stylish and inspiring STORIA series – guitars that reflect your personal style and invite creativity at a glance.




ca.yamaha.com


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## iCGM (1 mo ago)

That's a tough question. If I had a budget between 3-5K for an OM, I'd probably jump on the Furch Vintage 3 OM or Yellow CR at Brickhouse Guitars. They sound amazing. There are so many good ones out there, but what I've found is even when I have a guitar in mind, I need to hear it / play it (if possible). There are some used ones on Kijiji as well from custom builders like House Guitars / Boucher that probably would be a great buy as well. 

My personal opinion on guitars has changed drastically in my search for the sound I love. I not only look for sound for also how it is constructed. Any top that is not voiced individually is luck of the draw. I'm a big fan of Furch's now and actually sold 2 of my Taylor acoustics and replaced them with Furch's after trying one out. The Cedar / Rosewood combination on these Furch's are a pure joy. 

Good luck in your search though, it's always exciting to do some guitar shopping!!


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## Todd Mard (Apr 25, 2021)

Asking advice like this on a forum is pointless. You need to go to a “real” acoustic guitar store and PLAY as many makes as you can get your hands on. Only YOU can answer this question and only after playing anything and everything in your price range. Good luck with your quest.


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## elburnando (11 mo ago)

Todd Mard said:


> Asking advice like this on a forum is pointless. You need to go to a “real” acoustic guitar store and PLAY as many makes as you can get your hands on. Only YOU can answer this question and only after playing anything and everything in your price range. Good luck with your quest.


Of course ill try before I buy, but it never hurts to hear opinions.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

Collings OM-1


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## elburnando (11 mo ago)

butterknucket said:


> Collings OM-1




So far my top choices are the Lowden F25, Collings OM2H(havent tried the Om1) and the Boucher SG51


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## Jalexander (Dec 31, 2020)

elburnando said:


> So far my top choices are the Lowden F25, Collings OM2H(havent tried the Om1) and the Boucher SG51


I’m a fan of anything Collings. The OM is a nice Jack-of-all-trades guitar size. However, the 1 vs 2 is a substantial difference. The 1 is mahogany back and sides so will have more emphasis on the fundamental tone. The 2 is rosewood back and sides, so very sparkly with lots of overtones - and I mean _lots _of overtones. I wanted that rich, complex sound as my main acoustic tone, and the OM2H delivered in spades. But I can understand why others might go down the path of the OM1.


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