Martin Acoustic Guitars: OM1 Orchestra

by Guitar Guru
(play-acoustic-guitar.com)

”Powerful Small Guitar”

The Martin 1-Series OM-1 Orchestra Model produces a surprisingly powerful sound for a smaller guitar. And at just $899 (including its hardshell case) it is also a surprisingly affordable Martin.

The Martin 1-Series OM-1 is a 000 sized guitar (one of the smallest full-sized guitars that Martin makes) but that does not keep it from having a rich, commanding sound that has come to be associated with Martins. Even the bass notes are warm and clear; a breath of fresh air for smaller-sized acoustic guitars and its smaller build makes it perfect for those with a smaller build.

Perhaps the incredibly strong sound of the OM-1 has something to do with its being constructed from solid tonewoods. With a solid Sitka spruce top and sapele back and sides, the Martin OM-1 guitar thrums in your hands. It gives you a solid resonance that you can feel right down to the tips of your fingers, perfect for fingerstyle playing and smooth strumming, but which can get a little mushy with aggressive picking.

The OM-1 comes with Martin SP strings, but you may want to replace them, as they tend to give the OM-1 a bit of a twang on the higher notes, a glitch that can easily be corrected with the right weight strings. But once corrected, you will find that this little number provides you with all the power you could ask for in a small-build acoustic.

See more great guitar reviews at Martin Acoustic Guitars.

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