Description

Introducing the Martin OOOC Nylon The powerful low-mids of the Martin 000C, combined with its crisp highs, create a "scooped" tonal character — quite different from the sound typically found in classical instruments. Most guitarists tend to associate Martin with steel-string guitars, such as the company's popular dreadnought and OM models. The company has, however, been building guitars since 1833, and steel strings only became common in the early 1900s. Before that, guitars were strung with gut. Martin began offering a "classical" model in the mid-1930s based on its 00 size, and has offered classical models ever since. In the 1990s, Martin even collaborated with the late luthier Thomas Humphrey to produce a model based on his Millennium design. The Martin 000C Nylon has a few unusual features, including an exceptionally long 670 mm (26.44 inch) scale length — even longer than the 665 mm scale found on some classical guitars — and a fingerboard and bridge made of Richlite, an eco-friendly product made from recycled paper and resin that looks and feels like black ebony. Inside, the 000C Nylon uses an A-frame variation of Martin's traditional X-bracing. The A-frame bracing supports the extension of the fingerboard at the upper bout, while a version of the standard X-bracing sits at the lower bout. This makes the 000C Nylon the only guitar in this review that does not use fan bracing. In terms of sound, the Martin 000C Nylon offers an intriguing blend of nylon-string tone and Martin's familiar steel-string voice — its powerful low-mids combine with crisp highs to create a "scooped" tonal character, quite different from the sound typically found in classical instruments. Perhaps owing to the longer scale length, the guitar has noticeable sustain and a tighter string feel that steel-string players will surely appreciate. The Fishman F1 Analog electronics system features a Sonicore pickup under the saddle