Martin Custom Shop OM Auditorium Acoustic Guitar, 18-Style, Flamed Koa Top/Back & Sides, Natural

Being one of a handful of Martin Custom Expert dealers, we have the privilege of building beautiful Martin Custom Shop pieces to spec, like this Martin Custom Shop OM with an Auditorium body made from flamed Koa with a natural finish. 

With a body that's sized the same as a 000 Martin at 15 inches, slightly smaller than the Dreadnought, the Orchestra Model (OM) features a slightly longer scale length of 25.4 inches, plus a slightly wider neck that gives it a reputation of being loved for fingerpicking styles, while also still boasting a moderate amount of projection and being notoriously comfortable to play. The "Orchestra Model" moniker is in relation to its projection, as the first versions that appeared in the 1930s were made to be able to offer enough projection to compete with a live orchestra, and still be heard with clarity. The OM Auditorium, introduced in the early 2000s, offers a slightly deeper body that helps with projection even further than the OM.

A trip to the Martin production factory led to us choosing to create this OM Auditorium featuring a top, back and sides all cut from gorgeous flamed Koa and finished in a natural finish that does very little to get in the way of the wood figuring. The top and back both offer a vertical grain that makes this guitar a visual joy, with the rear boasting two bookmatched halves that have no purfling between them. Under the top, Scalloped spruce 1/4" bracing helps this guitar project with clarity, structurally supporting the top while allowing it to vibrate freely at the same time. 

Nestled comfortably within the Koa body is a select hardwood neck, precisely shaped to Martin's Modified V profile, that sits deep in the palm and is a good fit for players who like their fingers to be able to reach all parts of the fingerboard with ease. A sleek black ebony fingerboard tops off the neck. This fingerboard features twenty frets, and dot inlays. The ebony's grain is tight, and its color is a dark contrast to the color of the Koa body. 

The Old Style 18 appointments found on this Martin include its rosette made of maple fiber, and a decal inlay on its headstock.

Most new Martin Guitars ship with the original endpin not installed, if you'd like us to install one for you before shipping, please let us know and we'd be happy to. 

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