Smaller-bodied acoustic for fingerpicking recommendations/poor man's 000-15SM?

Loobs

Hi folks - keen to buy myself something like a poor-man's Martin 000-15(SM) - 12 or 14th fret join. I'm horrendously uneducated when it comes to acoustics - I'd not want to spend over £800/900. Very much like the mahogany look, and don't want a dreadnought. Would consider a parlour. 

What can you recommend? 

richman6100

If you're happy with a 12th fret join, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Auden Emily Rose. I prefer a 14th fret join, so I went for the Auden Marlow, albeit in cedar/rosewood after trying all the different wood combinations. You should be able to pick up a decent secondhand one within your budget. Personal preference I know, but I was interested in the Martin 000-15SM too, but despite the great reviews it gets, I wasn't blown away by it. I found the Audens sounded fuller and more articulate than the Martin, possibly due to a slightly deeper body. I looked at parlour models from several different brands before getting the Auden. It's now my most played acoustic. Hope this helps.

woody

recording king ros16 is just ridiculously good for the money imho.

woody

sorry I've just seen your budget.Ive also heard great things about auden.eastman and furch/ stonebridge are brilliant also.

earwighoney

Loobs said:

Hi folks - keen to buy myself something like a poor-man's Martin 000-15(SM) - 12 or 14th fret join. I'm horrendously uneducated when it comes to acoustics - I'd not want to spend over £800/900. Very much like the mahogany look, and don't want a dreadnought. Would consider a parlour. 

What can you recommend? 

The Sigma 000M-15+ is the counterpart of the 14 fret Martin you mentioned, only has a solid top though, not solid back and sides.

For around half the budget, the Fender PM3 looks amazing value, all solid with a hard case

https://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_pm_3_triple_0_all_mahogany.htm

A little more than your budget at around £1k, but my choice would the Furch Blue OM-MM. The exchange rate isn't the best right now, if you hold on for a bit it might drop in price a little.

McSwaggerty

Keep your eyes open for an Eastman E10P..... A Spruce /Mahogany 12 Fretter which is far more suited to fingerpicking than a 00015sm in my opinion.
Wider nut and great bridge string spacing which make it ideal for fingerstyle work. 

Loobs

Thanks so much for the recommendations. I'll look into these now. 

Loobs

earwighoney said:

Loobs said:

Hi folks - keen to buy myself something like a poor-man's Martin 000-15(SM) - 12 or 14th fret join. I'm horrendously uneducated when it comes to acoustics - I'd not want to spend over £800/900. Very much like the mahogany look, and don't want a dreadnought. Would consider a parlour. 

What can you recommend? 

The Sigma 000M-15+ is the counterpart of the 14 fret Martin you mentioned, only has a solid top though, not solid back and sides.

For around half the budget, the Fender PM3 looks amazing value, all solid with a hard case

https://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_pm_3_triple_0_all_mahogany.htm

A little more than your budget at around £1k, but my choice would the Furch Blue OM-MM. The exchange rate isn't the best right now, if you hold on for a bit it might drop in price a little.

Ah - no cutaways, thanks. 

Loobs

The Eastmans look superb - but the range is huge. Where to start? What nut widths should I be looking at? 

Teyeplayer

I believe Eastman did a mahogany version of the limited run of OMs a few years back if that is your thing. 

The Auden Emily Rose is very good, it was designed with a nudge from the singer I work with, Kenneth J Nash (I believe it is named after his daughter), and is all over his various live and studio recordings. 

Personally,  I’ve owned a Martin 000-15 which was fantastic, though I was constantly unnerved by the lack of side bracing in Martin guitars (I saw a few live accidents that frankly upset me). 

I’ve settled since for an Eastman E1 Om; mahogany back and sides, Sitka spruce top (both solid), nitro finish, ebony finger board -what’s not to like? https://flickr.com/photos/157224850@N02/sets/72157680052464898

McSwaggerty

 For me 1.75..(1'3/4")....minimum. I think the the E10P is  1'13/16"......However l think bridge string spacing is more important. (for fingerpicking.) 
I would be looking for at least   2 ' 1/4" 

Loobs

Been impressed with what I've heard of the E10 00 so far. 

Loobs

Teyeplayer said:

I believe Eastman did a mahogany version of the limited run of OMs a few years back if that is your thing. 

The Auden Emily Rose is very good, it was designed with a nudge from the singer I work with, Kenneth J Nash (I believe it is named after his daughter), and is all over his various live and studio recordings. 

Personally,  I’ve owned a Martin 000-15 which was fantastic, though I was constantly unnerved by the lack of side bracing in Martin guitars (I saw a few live accidents that frankly upset me). 

I’ve settled since for an Eastman E1 Om; mahogany back and sides, Sitka spruce top (both solid), nitro finish, ebony finger board -what’s not to like? https://flickr.com/photos/157224850@N02/sets/72157680052464898

That's v nice! 

Teyeplayer

Loobs said:

Teyeplayer said:

I believe Eastman did a mahogany version of the limited run of OMs a few years back if that is your thing. 

The Auden Emily Rose is very good, it was designed with a nudge from the singer I work with, Kenneth J Nash (I believe it is named after his daughter), and is all over his various live and studio recordings. 

Personally,  I’ve owned a Martin 000-15 which was fantastic, though I was constantly unnerved by the lack of side bracing in Martin guitars (I saw a few live accidents that frankly upset me). 

I’ve settled since for an Eastman E1 Om; mahogany back and sides, Sitka spruce top (both solid), nitro finish, ebony finger board -what’s not to like? https://flickr.com/photos/157224850@N02/sets/72157680052464898

That's v nice! 

And not a bank breaker either, Peach have them for £499: 
https://www.peachguitars.com/guitars/acoustic-guitars/6-string/eastman-e1-om-classic-finish.htm

malcolmkindness

I have a Recording King ROS 616 all mahogany 000, which is terrific value for the money and very like the Martin 00015sm.

ICBM

Guild OM-120.

(Not M-120, the OM is both slightly larger and a better spec.)

A friend of mine has one, it's superb. About £800 list, but you can find them for as low as £600.

Loobs

Teyeplayer said:

Loobs said:

Teyeplayer said:

I believe Eastman did a mahogany version of the limited run of OMs a few years back if that is your thing. 

The Auden Emily Rose is very good, it was designed with a nudge from the singer I work with, Kenneth J Nash (I believe it is named after his daughter), and is all over his various live and studio recordings. 

Personally,  I’ve owned a Martin 000-15 which was fantastic, though I was constantly unnerved by the lack of side bracing in Martin guitars (I saw a few live accidents that frankly upset me). 

I’ve settled since for an Eastman E1 Om; mahogany back and sides, Sitka spruce top (both solid), nitro finish, ebony finger board -what’s not to like? https://flickr.com/photos/157224850@N02/sets/72157680052464898

That's v nice! 

And not a bank breaker either, Peach have them for £499: 
https://www.peachguitars.com/guitars/acoustic-guitars/6-string/eastman-e1-om-classic-finish.htm

Teyeplayer said:

Loobs said:

Teyeplayer said:

I believe Eastman did a mahogany version of the limited run of OMs a few years back if that is your thing. 

The Auden Emily Rose is very good, it was designed with a nudge from the singer I work with, Kenneth J Nash (I believe it is named after his daughter), and is all over his various live and studio recordings. 

Personally,  I’ve owned a Martin 000-15 which was fantastic, though I was constantly unnerved by the lack of side bracing in Martin guitars (I saw a few live accidents that frankly upset me). 

I’ve settled since for an Eastman E1 Om; mahogany back and sides, Sitka spruce top (both solid), nitro finish, ebony finger board -what’s not to like? https://flickr.com/photos/157224850@N02/sets/72157680052464898

That's v nice! 

And not a bank breaker either, Peach have them for £499: 
https://www.peachguitars.com/guitars/acoustic-guitars/6-string/eastman-e1-om-classic-finish.htm

Very very tempted by the natural version. 

Loobs

ICBM said:

Guild OM-120.

(Not M-120, the OM is both slightly larger and a better spec.)

A friend of mine has one, it's superb. About £800 list, but you can find them for as low as £600.

Cheers. The spec looks great for the money. 

Loobs

malcolmkindness said:

I have a Recording King ROS 616 all mahogany 000, which is terrific value for the money and very like the Martin 00015sm.

It seems they've either changed the name of this model or don't make it anymore. Which is it closest to from their current range? 

https://www.recordingking.com/browse-by-shape

ICBM

Loobs said:

The spec looks great for the money. 

It is made in China... which might explain that.

Loobs

As are Eastman