Official Luthiers Forum!

I want to start my guitar but I am going back and forth between whether to build a 000 or a OM. I would like the guitar to be an 000 but I want it to be 14 frets, a short fretboard scale either 24.75 or 24.9 and a solid headstock. I have been told there is no difference between the 000 body and the OM body. Is this true? Is there a difference in the bracing between the two and if so what is the difference?

I was thinking, if there is no difference actually, I would order the OM guitar plan that is the Official Luthiers Forum Guitar Plan from StewMac. If I do should I use the optional X back brace?

I don't know if it makes a difference but I am building it to play country blues and ragtime music mainly.

Any thought about the OM or the 000 body and or bracing would be appreciated. Actually any thoughts about the building process in general would be appreciated.

Thanks for your help.

Chuck

Chuck,

I think you might be confused because of the 12-fret 000, which is in fact a different, longer body. However, the 14-fret 000 and OM look the same from the outside, except the bridge on the 000 will be a bit closer to the neck joint, by half the difference in the scale lengths.

Pat

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formerly known around here as burbank
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

As Todd points out , the plans out on the market are not very accurate to actual Martin design and are way overbuilt. Also the confusing part to this is the differences between the 000 and the OM . A OOO can be both 12 and 14 fret , also they can be long or short scale. The major difference is the bracing and neck width. OOO's have a narrower neck ( 1 11/16 ) and OM ( 1 3/4) . The OOO's will have 5/16 bracing and OM's will have 1/4 inch.
Both bodies are the same in shape and profile. The pickguard on the OM is a tear drop shape. These are the details but I think it is pretty much accepted long scale OM short scale OOO .

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

I will second Tod on the John Hall tracings I have got a few from him and they are quite useful and his charges for them are reasonable. If you get tracings from John get a side outline also it saves a lot of time if the side is cut to profile before bending.

Fred

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

Thanks everyone for your help.
Chuck