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Martin 000Jr-10
Martin OM-42
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Playability
82
Sound
83
Build
67
Value
82
Score
77
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Playability
73
Sound
86
Build
90
Value
68
Score
83
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Martin 000Jr-10 vs OM-42

Reasons to Get
Martin 000Jr-10 over OM-42

Release Year
2021 vs 1930
From a more recent year
Body Shape
Auditorium Mini vs Auditorium
A compact version of the Auditorium size
Scale Length
24'' (609.6mm) vs 25.4'' (645.2mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Value Score
82 vs 68
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Martin OM-42 over 000Jr-10

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Mexico
Built with higher quality standards
Pickups Brand
Fishman vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Material
Bone vs Corian
Good quality nut with rich tone
Body Shape
Auditorium vs Auditorium Mini
Narrower and shallower than a Dreadnought with less lower tones
Scale Length
25.4'' (645.2mm) vs 24'' (609.6mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone

Other Key Differences
Martin 000Jr-10 vs OM-42

Back Material
Sapele vs Rosewood
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Sapele vs Rosewood
Different Sides Material
Saddle Material
Ivory Tusq vs Compensated
Different Saddle Material
Bridge Material
FSC Certified Richlite vs Ebony
Different Bridge Material
Neck Wood
Hardwood vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Richlite vs Ebony
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Corian vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Martin 000Jr-10 vs OM-42

Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Hollowbody
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
0
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Number of Frets
20
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.75'' (44.5mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Type of Frets
Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Martin OM-42 is probably the better product overall with its final score of 83 compared to the Martin 000Jr-10's 77 score, although not by a lot.

The Martin OM-42 wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Martin 000Jr-10 has the upper hand when it comes to playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Martin 000Jr-10 is the better choice.

The Martin 000Jr-10 meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Martin OM-42 meets only 3. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Martin 000Jr-10
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Martin OM-42
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Martin 000Jr-10 Overview

  • From Martin's 2021 Junior series
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 24"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Spruce top
  • Solid Sapele back
  • Solid Sapele sides
  • Select Hardwood neck
  • FSC Certified Richlite fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • FSC Certified Richlite bridge
  • Acoustic Junior Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Chrome Enclosed Gear tuners
  • Weight between 3.7lbs (1.7kgs) and 3.9lbs (1.8kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Martin OM-42 Overview

  • From Martin's 1930 Standard series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.4"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Spruce top
  • Solid East Indian Rosewood back
  • Solid East Indian Rosewood sides
  • Genuine Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman (Preamp/Active)
  • Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Modified Low Oval Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Gold Open Gear tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The most important thing that will determine the tone of an acoustic guitar is the wood. Let's take a look at the differences between both .

Woods Used in Both

Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce

Spruce has a light color with tight grain patterns. It's very stiff but relatively light. It's known for producing a well-rounded tone with a broad dynamic range. Find out more about Spruce.

Woods Used in the Martin 000Jr-10

Hardwood wood pattern used for guitar building
Hardwood
Richlite wood pattern used for guitar building
Richlite
Sapele wood pattern used for guitar building
Sapele

Hardwood is just a generic wood that can come from many species. This type of wood is used to build guitars because it provides a rich, warm sound. The wood also has good structural properties, making it durable and long-lasting.

It's very similar to Ebony, but it is much cheaper to make. The main reason is that it is made from resin-infused paper. It is very durable and soft, so it's often used for fretboards and tops.

It's similar to Mahogany in both color and tone. It can produce warm tones, and it's known for its beautiful figured grain patterns. Find out more about Sapele.

Woods Used in the Martin OM-42

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Winner: Martin OM-42.

Electronics

The Martin OM-42 comes with a preamp that allows you to connect it to an amp, unlike its competitor. This allows it to have more versatility and sound quality if you want to record with it or play live.

Winner:Martin OM-42.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Martin 000Jr-10
Sustain 80
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 83
Martin OM-42
Sustain 90
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 86

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Martin 000Jr-10 compares to the Martin OM-42.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Martin 000Jr-10 is built in Mexico while the Martin OM-42 is made in United States.

Mexico has been for a long time where Fender has built their semi-premium series. If you don't want to overpay for a wellp-built instrument, a guitar built in this country by a good brand always offers good value for the money.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Martin OM-42

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Martin 000Jr-10 has a Corian nut. It used to be the go-to nut for Gibson, but it's slowly being replaced by Graph Tech (Tusq). It's a synthetic material made to be similar to Bone, but it doesn't have the same self-lubricating properties, and it's less resistant.

On the other hand, the Martin OM-42 comes with a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

Winner: Martin OM-42.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Martin 000Jr-10's are Chrome Enclosed Gear while the Martin OM-42's are Gold Open Gear

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Martin 000Jr-10
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Electronics
  • Low-Quality Material Saddle
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Martin OM-42
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Compensated Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Martin 000Jr-10
Quality of materials 67
Features 65
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 67
Martin OM-42
Quality of materials 86
Features 85
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 90

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Martin 000Jr-10 Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 44.5mm (1.75'').

This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.

Scale Length

Martin 000Jr-10's Scale Length
Martin 000Jr-10's Scale Length
Martin OM-42's Scale Length
Martin OM-42's Scale Length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

The Martin OM-42 has the longest scale: 25.4". The Martin 000Jr-10 is only 24" long. This is a 1.4'' (35.6mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Martin 000Jr-10 Neck Profile
Martin 000Jr-10's neck profile
Martin OM-42 Neck Profile
Martin OM-42's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Martin 000Jr-10 and the Martin OM-42 have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Martin 000Jr-10 Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the Martin 000Jr-10 and the Martin OM-42 have the same fretboard radius of 16". This fretboard radius is really different from Stratocasters, but it's also a lot flatter than Les Paul fingerboards. It'll favor plating single notes over playing chords. This doesn't mean you can't use it for rhythm, but a more curved fretboard offers better playability for chords. Bending and sliding without losing sustain will also be more likely in a flat fretboard like this one.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Martin 000Jr-10:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Martin OM-42:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Martin 000Jr-10 and Martin OM-42 Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium fret size

Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.

Final Playability Scores

Martin 000Jr-10
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 82
Martin OM-42
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Martin 000Jr-10 vs OM-42
General Martin 000Jr-10 OM-42
Brand: Martin Martin
Year: 2021 1930
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Mexico United States
Series: Junior Standard
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: Yes Yes
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Spruce Solid Spruce
Sides Material: Sapele Rosewood
Back Material: Sapele Rosewood
Bridge: FSC Certified Richlite Ebony
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Chrome Enclosed Gear Gold Open Gear
Fretboard: FSC Certified Richlite Ebony
Neck Material: Select Hardwood Genuine Mahogany
Decoration: Mother-of-Pearl Pattern Style 28 Abalone Style 45 Snowflake
Scale Size: 24" 25.4"
Shape: Acoustic Junior Acoustic Modified Low Oval
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 16" 16"
Nut: Corian Bone
Nut Width: 44.5mm (1.75'') 44.5mm (1.75'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fishman (Preamp / Active)