Re: Opinions about trading out a Weber Sage OM #1
If you’re looking for “the big warm sound,” you should probably stay away from maple back and sides, which is what the Sages often (always?) had, and go for walnut or mahogany. Rosewood on an OM gives too much sustain and overtones for my taste. You might also look into a zouk or OM with a cedar top to get more warmth. Since you mention specific instruments of some players, you might see if you can find out what woods were used in those instruments, but keep in mind that lots of a tone’s magnificence comes from the player.
Another builder you might check out is Richard Beard, who builds in North Carolina and specializes in OM’s, zouks, and citterns. I have a cittern that he built in 2010 which is an absolute keeper.
As for the scale length, you’ll feel that, but it’s not like going from mandolin to OM. I find that I can play a little faster on OM than on cittern, so I generally only use the cittern when I am playing on my own,
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