- What are 00 and 000 guitars?
- How do they differ from each other?
- Find out which body size is the best choice for you
C.F. Martin, most commonly referred to as Martin, has been the gold standard of acoustic guitar designs for decades.
It is safe to say that all the acoustic guitars on the market have a guitar body based on one of Martin’s designs.
In this article, we look at two very popular body sizes, 00 vs 000.
Martin 00 vs 000 (Body Size)
The main difference between oo and ooo body sizes on guitar is that oo is slightly smaller. Being a bit shorter in both length and height, making it a little more comfortable for smaller players.
What is a Martin 00 guitar?
Martin 00 guitars are famously known as theGrand Concert, and they are some of the most popular acoustic guitar body shapes around.
The history of Martin 00 goes back way to around the 1850s, and the Martin 12-fret 00 guitars were called Grand Concert because they were considered large and loud enough to be played in front of a large audience.
The Martin’00 is among the smallest out of the full-sized guitar body types, being slightly bigger than the 0 size, but smaller than 000, Dreadnought, or Jumbo sizes.
Martin’s 00 size has abody lengthof18.9 inches, ascale lengthof24.9 inches, and a width of14.3 inches.
The 00 model has a classic and iconic body shape, with its signature curvy waist. It’s a super comfortable guitar ideal for players with smaller hands.
But even with their small size, Martin 00 guitars have excellent projection and are perfect for delicate playing such as fingerpicking.
Martin 00-18 is the most recognizable model out of the Martin 00 series, and it has the iconic Sitka spruce top with mahogany back and sides.
With the East Indian rosewood head plate and an ebony fingerboard, it’s still highly sought-after byacoustic guitarplayers around the world.
Guitarists like Steve Howe of Yes, Gary Clarke Jr., and Dallas Green frequently play a Martin 00 guitar.
What is a Martin 000 guitar?
Martin 000guitarsare known as theAuditorium, and they are almost identical to the famous Martin OM guitars.
While Martin 000 and Martin OM share the same body shape, there are a few differences.
Martin 000 guitars are a step bigger than 00 — they have a body length of 19.3 inches, body width of 15 inches, and a scale length of 25.4 inches.
Along with the Martin OM guitars, 000 guitars are the perfect guitar for recording and playing fingerstyle/fingerpicking.
The short-scale14-fret000s are also ideal for lead guitar playing because of their great bendability and focused tight tone.
Martin OM and 000 models are often confused with one another because of their almost identical design, but keep in my mindthey sound and play differently.
While the OM might be louder, the 000 has a shorter scale length with less string tension, giving them an edge in lead guitar playing.
You can find both 12-fret and 14-fret versions of the Martin 000 models, which refers to what fret sits at the point where the body meets the neck.
Guitar players like Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam or Leo Kottke love playing the 12-fret 000 models.
Eric Clapton often plays 14-fret 000s, and there are plenty of options for 000 guitars such as the 000C12-16E Nylon or the acoustic-electric12-fret000 models.
How do they compare?
Visually, the00 and the 000 are very similar, with round bodies and no cutaway. They also have the same body depth.
Their top-selling models are the 00-18 and 000-18.
But once you get your hands on 00-18 and the 000-18, you’ll realize they are more different than you might have thought.
Firstly, the 00 is a smaller guitar with smaller width and length. The fingerboard feels more comfortable due to its smaller size.
The 000 has a slightly wider and longer body, and the difference in size will result in big tone differences.
Secondly, Martin 00’s tone is brighter and thinner than Martin’s 000 guitars.
Due to the smaller size, Martin 00 has more high-end and mids, while Martin 000 has more pronounced lower-mids and bass.
Both Martin 00 and Martin 000 are pretty versatile, and are both exceptional guitars for playing both fingerstyle and with a pick.
00 or 000, which is right for you?
Ultimately, you would have to try both guitars out. There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to 00 vs 000.
Both the 00 and 000 guitars have 12-fret models and 14-fret models, which is another aspect to think about when choosing your guitar. 12-fret models are more classic and traditional, while the 14-fret models are modern and more versatile with easy access to higher frets.
But here are a few things to consider when choosing between a Martin 00 or a Martin 000:
- The Martin 00 is smaller, so naturally, it would be a better fit for players with smaller bodies or smaller hands
- While both are versatile, the Martin 000 is better for lead guitar playing and single-note soloing.
- If you like your guitar to havemore high-endthen Martin 00 is better, and if you likemore low-endin your guitar, the Martin 000 is a better pick.
- If youfrequently travel or move around, Martin 00 will be lighter, while still being loud enough to perform acoustically.
- If you want more volume and projection, Martin 000 will be a better pick.
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