Martin 0X Bamboo Soprano - REVIEW

Bill Potter said:

While I haven't played a 0X Bamboo yet, I believe the only difference is the pattern printed on the HPL. Maybe the difference comes down to individual instruments. How about it? Anybody try a new 0XK alongside a Bamboo? Field trip to Navojoa!

Click to expand...

It would make the most sense that Martin is building these two models exactly the same, save for the fretboard and bridge material differences noted below, and the visual exterior "print"... What could be though is that possibly any changes made in the construction are now on both the new 0X Bamboo and 0XK models versus the older 0XK models? Without Martin confirming so, that would obviously require getting samples of each and measuring/visually looking for any physical build changes as well i.e. bracing, etc...

At this moment I can only speak to the 0X Bamboo I own now versus the 0XK I used to own and my recollection of it in comparison. The immediate thing that first struck me about the 0X Bamboo being different was that weight seemed to feel lighter overall . The sound of the older 0XK as I recall also seemed to not be as bright as the new 0X Bamboo (at least one posted video comparison seems to confirm this).


Here is the only noted difference between the 0X Bamboo and 0XK from Martin's own specifications:

Fretboard. & Bridge Material: 0X Bamboo - Sipo; 0XK - Rosewood.

Sipo (aka: Entandrophragma Utile) from Central & Western Africa, in the Mahogany family of woods.

"Utile Wood Lumber, also commonly known as Sipo, is used as an alternative to other Mahogany species. Utile wood is used in flooring, fine furniture and cabinetwork, joinery, decorative veneers, plywood and boat construction. Utile Wood has an interlocking grain like other African species, giving it an alternating light and dark banded look.".

I 'suspect' though that the use of Sipo on the new bamboo's is more a case of them being new. With Rosewood now on the CITES restrictions I would expect that the 0XK will soon have the rosewood fingerboard and bridge changed also.

The other differences I can comment on are partly based on hearsay i'm afraid.

First - someone commented on Facebook claiming the 0X bamboo had thinner HPL in the body than the 0XK - not made the comparison myself.

The other difference is that I have seen a LOT of comments from people saying the 0XK is neck heavy. The 0X Bamboo neck 'appears' to be the same construction, but mine is certainly NOT neck heavy.