acoustic guitar advice martin 0/00 type

Martin's 0-14 fret: https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/x-series/0x2mae/

Martin's 00-14 fret https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/x-series/00x1ae/

You might consider scraping up hard savings over the next year or so, and eventually spring for Martin's re-introduced 00-18 (one of the sweetest small body guitars out there & somewhat affordable): https://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/standard-series/00-18/

Street price of the 00-18 is 60% of that list or about $1,850 US (some dealers, like LA Guitar sales & MFG ship internationally)

 

Just keep looking with an open mind. I was able to find a Simon and Patrick dred with an Adirondack spruce top and solid rosewood back and sides for not much more than your price range in a folk center in a college town in California. I bought a good padded gig bag and flew home with it. Be open to some of the more obscure brand and play anything you find close to your price. I hope you have the same good fortune I had. You don't have to jump at 'good enough if you have a little patience. Besides, you'll have a lot of fun in the hunt.

 

Sigma makes some nice Martin clones.
Might want to take a look.
Makes sense since they used to be owned by Martin.

 

I have a Silver Creek T160, pretty good all solid, pretty cheap. If you weren't in Italy. . . .

 

+ 1 on the mahogany Martins. See if you can get one from around 2000-2006 they seem to have nicer wood IMO.

I would try to get one used and it might fall within your budget.
I got really lucky with mine. I traded a old Peavey Bandit 112 and an Epiphone Les Paul.

 

I recently picked up a used Eastman E6OM. It's a beauty. Solid Sitka spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides.

I've had some seriously sweet small body acoustics over the past 50 years including a 1956 Martin 0-18. a late 50's Gibson L, several Recording Kings, Art & Lutherie's, Seagulls, vintage MIJ's from the 50's, 70's, et cet, et al. I can honestly say this Eastman is one of the best small body guitars I've had the pleasure to play.

Looking at what these go for used, I picked this one up for a song! It's delicate, yet rough. soft but a cannon. What you put in is what you get out. While I got it for finger picking, hit it with a pick and it will not only hang with a good, loud dread, but (in many cases) put a dread to shame.

Take this with a grain of salt as it's just my opinion....I've played 4 or 5 Clapton model Martins. Out of those instruments, there was only one I would say was close to being worth the money. Now I know a guitar takes time to open up and grabbing one off the wall of a local GC is not the best representation of Martins finest. However, this used Eastman not only hangs with the best of what I played, but in a blind tone/playability test, the Eastman takes top honors. I feel bad saying this, but the proof is in the tone and playability.

I believe in tone over name. If I can find an instrument that fits my lofty tone and ease of play standards....for much, much less than it's MIA counterpart, (and much less that many import guitars) I'm in. All I can say it this Eastman is a superb instrument in every aspect and I'm blown away by the tone to dollar value.

 

Seagull SWS (solid wood series).....spruce/mahogany or spruce/rosewood. Awesome guitars!

 

I once thought I could satisfy my ear if I just found the right Sigma...

Never happened. Maybe I was unlucky but the gap between a Sigma and a Martin was just too big...

 

Good to hear from someone who has played them.
I've heard good things about Sigma but never actually played one myself.
Thanks for the info.