The new Martin custom shop 00-18s is a joy to play. 00 size, 12 fret, short scale,..The light build, the wide nut and wide string spacing at the bridge and the bigger neck make for an exceptional guitar. I’ve bought a couple guitars from Ted at LA Guitar Sales over the years, he designs custom Martins w the right specs at a savings over what an individual would pay. I’m loving this guitar. 
NGD: Martin Custom Shop 00-18s
- Thread starter stephent2
- Start date
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My kind of guitar.
Like that guitar. That’s how finger tips should look on NGD.
howardlo
Friend of Leo's
That looks like great guitar. Love the size and it being 12 fret with wider nut. Perfect!
I'm already on my third string change just for grins. It came w/ Martin MA540T Authentic, Martin's top of the line PB strings, they did sound great but stiff. Big bottom end. Must be the thick core.
I have a few sets of the old stand by, D'Addario EJ16,.. those were certainly easier to play and you could say more balanced, you could also say, lacks the bottom of the Martin Authentics. They're OK. Didn't have the sparkle and piano like sound of the Authentics.
Just slapped on a set of Martin MA540 FX "Tommy's Choice" Flex Core. I've liked this string on my 00-28, we'll see, they take a bit to settle in.
Curious to try some Monel string next. BTW, I've always just winged it changing strings on a slot head, I never had a system,.. recently ran across this video and man o' man, a great approach, makes immediate sense.
I have a few sets of the old stand by, D'Addario EJ16,.. those were certainly easier to play and you could say more balanced, you could also say, lacks the bottom of the Martin Authentics. They're OK. Didn't have the sparkle and piano like sound of the Authentics.
Just slapped on a set of Martin MA540 FX "Tommy's Choice" Flex Core. I've liked this string on my 00-28, we'll see, they take a bit to settle in.
Curious to try some Monel string next. BTW, I've always just winged it changing strings on a slot head, I never had a system,.. recently ran across this video and man o' man, a great approach, makes immediate sense.
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Wish I had seen that slothead stringing clip while I owned a bunch of old Nationals !
Like you I would always just wing it and/or put it off.
Great new guitar btw !(and Goodsell’s)
Like you I would always just wing it and/or put it off.
Great new guitar btw !(and Goodsell’s)
Beautiful!
I get my specs mixed up
I see the 12-fret neck, but is it the longer or shorter scale length! Thanks
Thanks!
It's shorter, 24.9", a full scale Martin 14 fret is 25.4"
as howardlo mentioned being a 12 or 14 fret doesn't dictate scale length. A D-18 14 fret Martin is 25.4" but a 00-18 and 000-18 is 24.9". So my neck is the same as some and shorter than others.
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howardlo
Friend of Leo's
Being 12 or 14 fret doesn’t really determine scale length, just where the neck joins the body which changes where the bridge is attached. Closer to the center of the lower bout, fuller sound.
The other spec that I'd never guess would make such a difference is the 2 1/4" string spacing at the bridge, makes fingerpicking easier and the neck is a bit wider at the 12 fret, w/ a bit more mass.
Not all of them,
a 14 fret 000-18 ( a style I have my eye on) has the shorter scale. ( I have a Martin Dread, and a Blueridge OM-28 style, with the long scale)
I'd like to try the short scale too, just to feel that, on an acoustic
You didn't mention how it smells.
Seriously, Martin "hog" guitars smell heavenly - especially ones with a hog top. Best air freshener ever - albeit not appreciated much in the bathroom...
Seriously, Martin "hog" guitars smell heavenly - especially ones with a hog top. Best air freshener ever - albeit not appreciated much in the bathroom...
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yeah, I did correct my response to the fellow to give the variables,.. there are many. My initial point was simply in the big world of Martins, mine is shorter than the longest.
Stubee
Doctor of Teleocity
That’s a really nice guitar!
JamesAM
Tele-Holic
this is a cool guitar. congrats and hngd!
I like slot heads and once you learn the tricks they aren't that hard to string. Start at the outsides and work towards the center. Think about how the string leaves the hole in the tuner shaft and goes towards the nut. Cut the string off at the next post, stick it in so there is about 1/8 inch sticking thru the post, one wrap on one side of the post then the rest on the other
Didn't mean to hijack the thread.
Didn't mean to hijack the thread.
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The vast majority of Martins have what Gibson would call loooong scale 25.4
The vast majority of Gibson acoustics have what Martin would call short scale - 24.75 (seeing as Martin “short scale” is the already-mentioned 24.9)
All In the eye of the beholder.
To hardcore Les Paul freaks, most Telecasters have crazy narrow nuts (1 5/8”)
To a large swath of vintage Martin lovers , the measurement of almost all LP’s (1 11/16) is what they call narrow nuts.
The vast majority of Gibson acoustics have what Martin would call short scale - 24.75 (seeing as Martin “short scale” is the already-mentioned 24.9)
All In the eye of the beholder.
To hardcore Les Paul freaks, most Telecasters have crazy narrow nuts (1 5/8”)
To a large swath of vintage Martin lovers , the measurement of almost all LP’s (1 11/16) is what they call narrow nuts.
And don't call a Martin sunburst, a 'sunburst' around real Bluegrass folks!
You'll get yelled at ( at least I did!) - it's a Shadetop!
