Best small bodied guitar

[brucefan12]

I am in the market for a new OM style shape body guitar. It must be acoustic/electric since I play out a lot and need to be able to plug in, but also, something that sounds good unplugged for recording and pracitce sessions. I am looking into Martin's and Takamine. Taylor, just doesn't do it for me. Don't like the feel of Taylor. So, I am left with the fore mentioned companies. I am thinking maybe an OM-18 from Martin or the Takamine TAN 76 OR TAN 77 and the TF450SMSB.

Any thoughts??!

 

[otterhound]

An OM-18 sounds tasty .

 

[fstempleton]

Check out Larrivee. The one I bought about 15 years ago was recommended to me by Doc Watson, who was playing it when I walked into the shop in Boone that sold them at the time. He said it was a real nice little guitar, and I agreed with him. Fortunately, this happened at the time I was getting a serious itch for a hi-end acoustic. It's a non-standard OM-09, with a red cedar top and walnut back/sides, back when they had invisible [thin, clear] pickguards and no electronics. It's a definite keeper.
ST

 

[Bill Ashton]

Guild GAD-30 PCE or the new (maybe not released yet) F30CE or F30RCE...

 

[hal]

I have a 30th Anniversary Taylor that now the GS model. This one is cedar/mahogany. After 25 plus acoustics of all sizes, this will always be my main acoustic.

 

[Cliff Schecht]

Check out Larrivee. The one I bought about 15 years ago was recommended to me by Doc Watson, who was playing it when I walked into the shop in Boone that sold them at the time. He said it was a real nice little guitar, and I agreed with him. Fortunately, this happened at the time I was getting a serious itch for a hi-end acoustic. It's a non-standard OM-09, with a red cedar top and walnut back/sides, back when they had invisible [thin, clear] pickguards and no electronics. It's a definite keeper.
ST

I would buy anything that Doc Watson told me to.. Very cool that you met him so casually!

 

[telleutelleme]

Of your two choices the OM-18.

 

[imwjl]

I'm pretty sure OM-18 is discontinued. I have an 00-18V I love and if you'll have a pickup that would give you a nice small guitar that would cut it when amplified. 000 is another current 18 model from Martin. Santa Cruz still does both OMs in mahogany back, same for the OMS (custom short scale of same).

 

[fstempleton]

I would buy anything that Doc Watson told me to.. Very cool that you met him so casually!

Doc Watson is a world treasure, but he's also part of the community fabric around Boone NC. I grew up in Boone, and used to see him regularly at the music store in town. As I recall, Doc's wife would drop him off while she went shopping. He used to play regularly at one of the fish-house type restaurants in town [this was back in the mid-70s], and I got to sit in on a few songs several times back in my early teens. I hadn't seen or talked to him in 20+ years when I walked in and found him playing that Larrivee back in about 1996.
Given the OP's question, though, I should've focused more on the guitar. Larrivee's grown since I bought my guitar, but I understand that they still make outstanding solid wood acoustics, particularly in the smaller body sizes. I'd also be quick to look for a used Larrivee. They're not for everybody, and I'm sure you can find them occasionally on the used market.