Martin introduces VTS Vintage Tone System

[majorminor]

Here's the marketing thing with some good info scattered between the baloney www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXdibaNFz-Q

Basically as of 2015 on their Authentic series guitars they are treating their tops and braces by use of no O2 heat in a process called torrefaction which cooks some of the resins and sugars out of the top. They've tweaked the previously established industrial lumber process some for their purposes to minimize the darkening of the tops. The goal seems to be achieving an appearance under microscope of cell structure on new tops that look like old tops on the vintage guitars. Benefits are generally stiffer and lighter tops and tops that are more stable when exposed to different humidity. Downsides appear to be the "burnt" visual look imparted with natural tops, guitars with this treatment may not open up as much or at all, and the tops may be more brittle making gluing more challenging. They are also combining this system with a different finish system that is a duller sheen lacquer.

I had sort of started some things in motion to pick up a Martin OM 18 Authentic later this year when I turn 50. On one hand I'm curious as the reported tonal benefits seems to be good, but I'm not liking the new duller finish look as much. The particular OM18 that I'm interested in is an amber shadetop which will minimize the color issues, though even the brown tinted tops now seem to be duller and darker.

Anyone played one of these newfangled Martins first hand?

[theevan]

So Torrefaction is where they try to make a Martin sound like a Torres?

Some of my body parts seem to have Torrefied.

[Doug]

I think the bleached white of the tops to start with aging to the cool yellow is what makes a Martin. 

[Dub]

Steve, I don't think you should consider anything less than an original vintage 1933 OM-18.

[majorminor]

Mar 30, 2015 16:37:39 GMT -5 Dub said:

Steve, I don't think you should consider anything less than an original vintage 1933 OM-18.

Where were you in the 80's when I could have actually afforded it Dub? In 2007 I was actually offered a pretty straight '33 shadetop OM18 by a guy I knew. The buddy private sale deal at the time was 20K which was a non starter, but I wonder if I'd be upside down today or sitting pretty.

Anyway - I'll do some thinking on a birthday guitar. I have 1 acoustic guitar now which is a Martin Ditson 111 bought new in 2007. I have hardly played it these last few years but this weekend I blew the dust off the case and restrung it. What I realized is either I have had some hearing loss since I was playing acoustic regularly or I'm presently pretty plugged up because I wasn't too inspired. I'm going to make an effort to play it daily for a month or so to see if this hearing loss is more permanent or a passing thing due to dust/allergies.

[drlj]

Martin is not the only guitar builder doing this. It seems to be all the rage right now. Taylor and Bourgeois, among others, are also doing it.

[Doug]

You are young just get a OM-18 and let it age naturally. 

[Cosmic Wonder]

Collins is into adding Torres to their tops.

Mike

[majorminor]

Things went better tonight. I actually got Church Street Blues about half way back to how I used to be able to play it. It's funny as during the time I was only playing acoustic I wound up preferring 1 7/8" necks and 2 3/8" string spacing at the saddle. After a few years of electric only this guitar feels awkward and huge even with my big ol' mitts. There is a lot of fine finger muscles that are out of shape. Things sounded a lot louder and better so it's in my sinuses or the guitar needed to be pounded on awhile to wake up.

[frazer]

I well remember an OM 18 'Golden Era' model about 12 years ago that sounded just about as 'vintage' as they come, and cheap at the price (at the time, at least). Shame about the god-awful banjo tuners, but man that one sounded good! I expect the tone was simply down to old fashioned craftsmanship and great wood.

[millring]

Mar 30, 2015 14:44:28 GMT -5 majorminor said:

no O2 heat

Potters call that "reduction". I'm guessing it would sure go a long way toward making a stable top. Still, you're going to get what you get from a specific hunk of wood, I would guess. And I don't think any treatment is going to get a huge sound from an OM. A mic might.

[drlj]

Sound is in the ears of the beholder.

[Marshall]

"No O2 heat" means the thing won't burst into flames in the heating process. Combustion needs Oxygen. It's just a means to raise thetemp above the kinling point to alter pore structure without burning the thing.

I don't have a clue if it's good or bad. Probably good. But I'd like to play one or two to see if there's proof in that pudding.


On other fronts; if I was looking to buy a real nice (pricey) acoustic these days, I'd look serious at Collings. I think they are building historic Martins and Gibsons better than Martin and Gibson. Of course M & G have broad lines across many price points. And the ones you find in GC are quality-compromised for price considerations. But GC has put most other shops out of business.

[Greg B]

I think Suhr guitars has been doing that to their necks.

[majorminor]

Mar 31, 2015 6:37:52 GMT -5 millring said:

Mar 30, 2015 14:44:28 GMT -5 majorminor said:

no O2 heat

And I don't think any treatment is going to get a huge sound from an OM. A mic might.

I find OM's to be the loudest of the "smaller" guitars, but they tend to be guitars that project more or shoot sound away from the player. They seem capable of being plenty loud to me but you are right there is always that "for it's size caveat.

[Deleted]

All I'm going to say is "wait". If this procedure really works somebody will come up with a fool proof method and machine to do the job cheaper. In the mean time even if Torrefaction is everything they say it is, it is still too expensive for most of us.