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Martin OMCX1KE
submitted 11/27/2008
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Submitter |
backline steve |
Where Purchased |
Guitar Showcase, Bascomb Ave. San Jose, CA |
Year Purchased |
2008 |
Price Paid |
649 ($US) |
Sound
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Good all around sound similiar to mahogany sides and back OM pattern guitar, but uses HPL (High Pressure Laminate) sides and back with a solid spruce top.
I use it for all styles from Travis picking to Flatpicking Jazz; Blues; Country; Gospel; R&B; Soul; and original Folk instrumentals. OM's are great for fingerpicking with the wide 1.75" nut, but I use it for various pick styles a lot too since it's my only acoustic guitar presently.
I can play some of the simpler flatpick instrumentals like "Irish Washer Woman," but my forte is with more commercial sounds like Pop, Showtunes, Gypsy Jazz, etc.
It has a nice crisp punch acoustically when whammed on for rhythm duties but note separation for chord solos is sufficient for that style and various others too.
I don't play the standard repertoire showcase flatpicking style much, but individual lines ring out well and the sustain doesn't fall all over itself, though the body has typical flat-top wolf tones splashing around in there like reverb if you don't damp them out.
When I play out it's usually dinner-Jazz, or contemporary church Worship music through a little amp with a link out to a P.A. The onboard Fishman Classic 4T is pretty good, though I have trouble getting the under saddle pickup over to the treble end of the slot under the high E, so that string is generally a bit attenuated. Not terribly but I can hear the difference.
I install a rubber "FeedBack Buster" soundhole plug to mitigate feedback when using it plugged in.
This guitar holds up pretty well to whammin' on it and the sound doesn't start blowing apart with 12's until you're getting a lot of elbow into it.
I sometimes think it sounds quite a bit like a Larrivee D-03.
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Sound Rating |
8 |
Setup
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As I recall it was fine as purchased, but I immediately went down to 11's because my fingers were wimpy and out of shape from years of electric guitar jobs.
For traditional flatpicking chores, the wider string spacing might seem slow for some guys, but it helps my accuracy a little. I'm not Tony Rice by any stretch.
The truss rod adjustment is functional and the neck can be adjusted concave (with the strings on) or convex with it. Works good and responds predictably.
I trimmed the edges of the fret ends on the treble side with a fine file and buffed the frets and fret ends with a Dremel and some jeweler's rouge, not that the frets or ends were bad but I like a "broken in" feel.
I eventually replaced the Tusc saddle with a bone one and lowered the action a bit. I'll go up in string gauge when my fingers are in better shape. I've been doggin' it for a while (and my chops show it).
Intonation is good with the string sets I've used (Martin standard PB in 11's, and Darcos in 12's).
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Setup Rating |
7 |
Appearance
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I like the HPL Koa look with a nice straight grained satin finish spruce top. The Indian rosewood fretboard and bridge tie the top, sides, and laminate neck together visually, while offering some mild contrast too.
Since it's unbound I think it looks better without a pickguard for a more modern monochromatic vs traditional look.
It has the Schoenberg style cutaway common on Martin cutaway OM's now.
It's basic but I like that. It's stock with no pickguard, so I applied some clear tape to keep pick scratches off the front as well as dirt where my fingers rest on the face.
It's utilitarian and simply appointed. Real working class stuff but that appeals to me.
I guess I relate to simple proven designs. I don't care about frills.
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Appearance Rating |
8 |
Reliability
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I don't worry about it at all. It's made to be played, and the HPL seems like a nuclear isotope proof laboratory counter top.
Naturally the top needs to be protected and there's no reason to see just HOW well the fingerboard responds to humidity changes.
Outside of a steel National, this is maybe the most durable acoustic out there besides a totally HPL Martin. |
Reliability Rating |
9 |
Customer Service
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Joe McNamara is the local regional Martin rep and he is great (plays a mean guitar too).
Martin has a full lifetime warranty to the original owner for defects in materials and workmanship (including neck resets), but you have to be able to prove you're the original owner (sales receipt is fine) at the time of repair.
Believe me, having had a used '76 D-18 that needed a neck reset when I had no dough, I will be VERY careful to retain my original owner's sales receipt in a safe place for the next 30 or so years. |
Customer Service |
9 |
Components
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Good nut and saddle material, as opposed to some competitor's plastic at this price level.
The sound of the HPL back/sides seems crisp and reflective.
The glue-lam neck is stable and I love the feel and shape. It's beefy but not sloppy fat.
Tuners are sealed mini-Gotohs I think, and work well.
The fingerboard isn't too oily. I shoot it with FingerEase to slick it up some. I've seen better, and worse.
I see a lot of ad copy about the premium woods being reserved for the upline models, but there's nothing "less than" about the top on this one. It's satin finished straight grained solid spruce with perhaps a hint of tint. |
Components Rating |
9 |
Overall Comments
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Love the hand filling neck shape. It's oval with a hint of V.
I'd definitely recommend it for playing out where you don't want to risk a nice lacquered or more fragile guitar, yet still want something with good response and playabilty.
I also tried out a full HPL Martin dread with cutaway, but it sounded a bit "funny" and compressed, acoustically. Intriguing though.
The solid spruce top in this guitar makes a big difference.
Someday maybe I'll have another lacquered Martin, but this will suffice for all my needs now and for the foreseeable future as long as I am still sometimes putting my guitar in harm's way on band stands, or REALLY dangerous places like church, with uncontrolled kids running around, screaming, and orbiting through the place like little hellions during rehearsals and between services, etc.
I always thought a couple of the 15 series models or the Standard series Martins were the least I would want. This one was built in Mexico! EEeeeeewww!
But once past that, I have to admit that as a cheap alternative to a "real" Martin, a Martin can be a cheap enough alternative to its own upline stuff.
It manages to please me when couch noodling too, which is what I do mostly now anyway. I play this a lot. There's nothing I don't like about it. If I don't get rich this could be my last guitar, and that would be ok with me.
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Overall Rating |
9 |
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