C. F. Martin & Co. and Babicz Design Team Up For New Orchestra Model Cutaway
July 28, 2007
For as long as there have been guitars, musicians have dreamed of owning instruments with action (the distance between the strings and frets) that could be instantly adjusted for comfort and genre; from low for fingerstyle to medium-high for flatpicking. Now this dream has become reality with C. F. Martin's introduction of the OMCRE, a guitar created in collaboration with Babicz Design Limited.
The Martin OMCRE features Babicz Design's patented "Continually Adjustable Neck," invented by company founder Jeff Babicz. His "floating" neck design allows the player to quickly and accurately adjust the action with an Allen wrench, without altering the neck angle. The adjustment can be made in seconds, without detuning the guitar or changing the saddle.
"We are extremely excited about the Martin/Babicz collaboration," comments Jeff Babicz. "To have Martin - the most prestigious guitar brand in the world - use my adjustable neck invention really makes a statement about the design and Martin's commitment to instrument performance."
To allow players to take full advantage of the adjustable neck, C. F. Martin has designed the OMCRE to excel in a broad range of styles. The comfortable "OM" body and long (25.4") scale provide big, balanced tone, while the rounded cutaway offers full fretboard access. The premium solid tonewoods likewise optimize versatility; a Carpathian spruce soundboard - the first time Martin has offered this exciting tonewood - for clarity and dynamic range, and back and sides of East Indian rosewood for warmth and projection.
The OMCRE's appointments are an intriguing combination of tradition and cutting edge. The Style 28 rosette, herringbone top purfling, vintage-toned top, HD zig-zag backstrip, Gotoh open-geared tuners, and ebony fretboard and pyramid bridge are classic Martin. The ebony headplate, combination of bone nut and compensated TUSQ saddle, and especially the revolutionary Fishman® Aura Pro on-board electronics system, push the envelope in form and function.
Each Martin OMCRE is delivered in a vintage-style hardshell case. The OMCRE debuts on July 27, 2007 at the Summer NAMM (National Association of Music Merchandisers) Show in Austin, Texas, and authorized Martin dealers will begin taking orders on that date. Specifications and further details can be found on the Martin website.
Every Martin OMCRE is equipped with the revolutionary 'Continually Adjustable Neck'. This allows the musician to set the string height action at any time, 'on-command', to suit any playing style desired. Simply insert the provided 3/16" Allen key into the trap plate. Turn the Allen key clockwise to raise your string height (slide action), or turn counterclockwise to lower your string height (electric action).
For more information, visit their web site at www.martinguitar.com.
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