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 Post subject: 1934 Martin OM specs
PostPosted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 9:01 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 10:44 am
Posts: 6232
Location: Virginia
I'm building a guitar for a guy now in the 'spirit' of his '34 martin. It will be BRW back/sides Torrified Red Spruce top. It's not a direct copy of it as he's letting me have my way with the top but he did measure his guitar and sent me the specs for purpose of reference. He used one of those Hacklinger thickness gauge measuring devices.

Spruce top: 3.2mm (.127in) thick
Brazilian rosewood back: 2.55 (.1in) mm thick
Brazilian sides: 1.6mm (.063in) thick

.06in for the sides? Does anyone have any experience using those gauges and can attest to their accuracy? Seems a bit on the thin side to me. That's 1/16th inch thick, not unheard of for a Flamenco guitar I suppose.


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 Post subject: Re: 1934 Martin OM specs
PostPosted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 9:09 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Thu Feb 12, 2009 12:12 pm
Posts: 3290
First name: Bryan
Last Name: Bear
City: St. Louis
State: Mo
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Did he measure in multiple locations? It may have gotten a lot of block sanding/scraping; the starting thickness was probably thicker.

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 Post subject: Re: 1934 Martin OM specs
PostPosted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 10:43 am 
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Contributing Member
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Joined: Fri Jul 10, 2009 4:44 am
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First name: colin
Last Name: north
Country: Scotland.
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Thin sides not unusual in older Martins I believe.
Even had a 00-18 in for repair recently, very lightly built.

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.


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 Post subject: Re: 1934 Martin OM specs
PostPosted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 11:44 am 
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Cocobolo
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Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 2:14 pm
Posts: 268
Location: Creedmoor, NC
First name: Tim
Last Name: Benware
City: Creedmoor
State: NC
Zip/Postal Code: 27522
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Top sounds too thick to me and the sides a little on the thin side.

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 Post subject: Re: 1934 Martin OM specs
PostPosted: Fri Mar 15, 2019 12:27 pm 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 10:44 am
Posts: 6232
Location: Virginia
Good question about measuring more then once, I'm not sure about that. He also said it was the lightest guitar he's ever held too.


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