Rocky L. from Canada writes: Can you please tell me about my Martin OMC-16WE

One Man’s Guitar replies:

According to the serial number you provided, your OMC-16WE was made in 2002. Martin built 219 of the total 244 examples of this model that year, the other 35 were made in 2003.

While it had the general construction of a Style 16 Martin for that era, in terms of neck joint, neck shape, neck wood, and bracing, it has walnut back and sides and a sound hole rosette of blue paua shell from New Zealand, and wood fiber black and white line purfling around the paua.

Martin made similar OMC-16 models during and after this period with back and sides of maple or koa, which had an abalone rosette. The specific pick-up system varies depending upon the exact model and year of production.

The bracing, here listed as 1 Style was invented for the old 1 Series instruments, which are no longer in production. So Martin now calls that pattern “A Frame X” bracing.

Here are the main specifications for the Martin OMC-13WE

MODEL OMC-16WE CONSTRUCTION: Mortoise/Tenon Neck Joint
BODY SIZE: 000-14 Fret Cutaway
TOP: Solid Sitka Spruce
ROSETTE: Single Ring of Blue Paua Pearl w/BWB Fiber On Both Sides
TOP BRACING PATTERN: 0001 Hybrid
TOP BRACES: 1 Style/Scalloped
BACK MATERIAL: Solid Walnut
BACK PURFLING: Style 45
SIDE MATERIAL: Solid Walnut
ENDPIECE: White Boltaron®
ENDPIECE INLAY: Black/White Boltaron®
BINDING: White Boltaron®
TOP INLAY STYLE: Multiple Black/White
SIDE INLAY: none
BACK INLAY: none
NECK MATERIAL: Solid Spanish Cedar
NECK SHAPE: Modified Low Oval
NUT MATERIAL: White Corian®
HEADSTOCK: Solid/6 String No Diamond/Standard Taper
HEADPLATE: Solid East Indian Rosewood/ Raised Gold Foil Logo
HEELCAP: White Boltaron®
FINGERBOARD MATERIAL: Black Micarta®
SCALE LENGTH: 25.4”
Number OF FRETS CLEAR: 14
Number OF FRETS TOTAL: 20
FINGERBOARD WIDTH AT NUT: 1 3/4”
FINGERBOARD WIDTH AT 12TH FRET: 2 1/4”
FINGERBOARD POSITION INLAYS: Style 28 w/ Abalone Dots
FINGERBOARD BINDING: none
FINISH BACK & SIDES: Polished Gloss/ Dark Filler
FINISH TOP: Polished Gloss ; Sunburst available at additional cost.
FINISH NECK: Semi Gloss
BRIDGE MATERIAL: Black Micarta®
BRIDGE STYLE: 1 Style Belly
BRIDGE STRING SPACING: 2 1/4”
SADDLE: 16” Radius/Compensated/White Micarta®
TUNING MACHINES: Gotoh Gold w/ Large Knobs
RECOMMENDED STRINGS: Martin SP 4100 Light Phosphor Bronze
BRIDGE & END PINS: Black w/ White Dots
PICKGUARD: Black
ELECTRONICS: Fishman® Gold Plus Natural 1