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I would like to build a guitar along the lines of a Martin O style. Does anyone know if plans are available? Do I really need plans, or would it just be a matter of reducing the size of a OOO down to O specs? Any other considerations or advice?
Thanks in advance for any help,
Walter Lay

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Walter Lay
"It's taken me so long, but now that I know
I can see. All that I do or say, is all I ever will be"
- Billy Joe Shaver

I've never found plans. Contact John at Blues Creek for an outline trace and brace layout. He's the man!

Other than that, 24.9 scale, pick your string spacing, usually 2 5/16. MIMF Martin dimension page gives 4 3/16 max depth. Assuming that is at the tail, don't know about at the heal. Anyone?

Kevin Gallagher is another possible source for 0-sized Martin plans.

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George :-)

Here is a link to my Shasta Parlor...taken from an old Martin 0-16 New Yorker of the 1960's...with the major dimensions given. If you need more, drop me a PM with your needs.


http://www.mauelguitars.com/Parlor.htm

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Hank Mauel

I don't recall who posted all the specs for a 1937 Martin 0-18. but I saved them all. Here's the basic dimensions:

12 Fret
total length 37 3/4"
body length 19 1/8"
body width upper 9 1/2"
body width lower 13 1/2"
body depth upper 3 3/8"
body depth lower 4 3/16"
fingerboard at nut 1 7/8"
fingerboard at 12th 2 5/16"
soundhole diam. 3 5/8"
scale 24.9"

14 Fret
total length 38 3/8"
body length 18 7/8"
body width upper 10"
body width lower 13 1/2"
body depth upper 3 11/32"
body depth lower 4 1/4"
fingerboard at nut 1 11/16"
fingerboard at 12th 2 1/8"
soundhole diam. 3 5/8"
scale 24.9"

Hope this helps, I'll see if I can post some of the other stuff.

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Jamie M

Does anyone have the upper body depth for the OO as well?

Also, not that you cant make it in different dimensions, but what radii are the top and backs on the Martins. O and OO.

Very helpful info. Thanks to you all.
Walter

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Walter Lay
"It's taken me so long, but now that I know
I can see. All that I do or say, is all I ever will be"
- Billy Joe Shaver

Hank,
Your Shasta parlor is beautiful.

What about bracing? Is it lighter than you would use for an OM or OOO? And thicknesses for top, b & s; any lighter there?

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Walter Lay
"It's taken me so long, but now that I know
I can see. All that I do or say, is all I ever will be"
- Billy Joe Shaver

Contact me at fred-tellier@cogeco.ca and I will email you the files I have collected on 0 size Martin guitar drawings. I can't recall where I got them but the drawings look to be ok to build from.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

Quarter inch wide by 5/8" tall at the X intersection bracing. Tapered toward the top and scalloped. Back and sides in the .070-.080" thickness range, depending on "feel". Tops are thicknessed to a "desired flex point" which is to say that I have a feeling that I'm looking for as I flex the top. Therefore, there is no "fixed" thickness. Each top goes to it's given flex point so inherent stiffness is compensated for by either more or less thickness. It's an acquired feel and there is really no way to describe it so that someone else could grab a piece of wood and duplicate it. Also, it's what works for my bracing architecture to get to the sound I want from the guitar.
Also I have built a few with only one tone bar. No apparent loss of top strength due to the relatively "small" top area. I splay the X brace to 94 degrees so it can get closer to the soundhole (about 7/8" down from edge) which opens a bit more of the lower top area and I use only one finger or wing brace off the X brace. They are placed to come off the X right under the end of the bridge.
That's about it. The Martin 0-16 New Yorker was a sweet small guitar and serves well in the "parlor" idiom. As I build them, they have a volume commensurate with OM/000 bodied instruments yet offer a smaller, more comfortable instrument to hold. People of smaller stature find this a very appealing feature, especially a petite lady.

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Hank Mauel

Thank you Hank. That's very helpful.
Walter

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Walter Lay
"It's taken me so long, but now that I know
I can see. All that I do or say, is all I ever will be"
- Billy Joe Shaver