Martin Style O or Style zero

Pukulele Pete

Pukulele Pete

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I was just thinking , I always say or think Style O as in the letter
when it is actually a zero .
What is correct way to say it , Style O or Style zero ? :confused:
I'm guessing everyone says O , the letter .
 
People say the letter, but I think it should be the number. The spiffier models are the 1s, 3s and 5s.
 
Ukecaster said:
Don't forget the spiffy Style 2 :D. Agreed, most folks say Style O, but it's actually zero.
Click to expand...

Yes, it makes sense that they are all numbers. I agree that the style 2 is pretty sweet. It has a little understated pizazz.
 
I too would agree that the "character" in question is intended to be the number "zero". But I'm as guilty as anyone of referring to it as "oh". My favorite uke is my Martin S-0, which I almost always refer to as my "Martin ess-oh".

I've always tended to do the same with, for instance, phone numbers. In my working days, my office number ended with the digits 0701, and whenever I'd give it to someone, I'd pronounce those four digits as "oh seven oh one". A residential phone number I once had ended with the digits 0078, which I'd pronounce "double oh seven eight". Maybe there are regional variations on this, such as with calling a soft drink "pop" vs. "soda"...
 
Pedantic, it's zero, but snooty "If it's not Martin it's CRAP" "Okay, I'll be over here playing my Collings...." guitarists say "oh" or "double Oh" or "Triple Oh", or sometimes go Old School with "Double Ought"

In real life, any of those will be pretty much understood.
 
cdkrugjr said:
Pedantic, it's zero, but snooty "If it's not Martin it's CRAP" "Okay, I'll be over here playing my Collings...."

In real life, any of those will be pretty much understood.
Click to expand...
I dont understand any of this . I had to look up Pedantic to be sure and it says thats an insult .
 
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Pukulele Pete said:
I dont understand any of this ......
Click to expand...

My thought exactly. Someone must have read or interpreted something here that I certainly did not see.

Maybe covid lockdown is going on too long! :rofl:
 
cdkrugjr said:
Pedantic, it's zero, but snooty "If it's not Martin it's CRAP" "Okay, I'll be over here playing my Collings...." guitarists say "oh" or "double Oh" or "Triple Oh", or sometimes go Old School with "Double Ought"

In real life, any of those will be pretty much understood.
Click to expand...

Hahahahahahaha! Love the "Double Ought"!! Reminds me of my days as a CB radio enthusiast!
 
EDW said:
My thought exactly. Someone must have read or interpreted something here that I certainly did not see.

Maybe covid lockdown is going on too long! :rofl:
Click to expand...

Maybe this person just does not like anyone who owns a Martin or a Collings ?
 
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Definitely, the correct nomenclature is “Style 0” (that is the numeral 0, not the letter O) and it was historically pronounced “oh” or “zero” at the whim of the pronunciator. For verification of this, I present a 1941 Martin catalog which clearly shows the 0s in various model names to be the numeral rather than the letter O, including the Style 0 ukulele!

https://acousticmusic.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Martin-1941-Catalog.pdf


Scooter
 
ScooterD35 said:
Definitely, the correct nomenclature is “Style 0” (that is the numeral 0, not the letter O) and it was historically pronounced “oh” or “zero” at the whim of the pronunciator. For verification of this, I present a 1941 Martin catalog which clearly shows the 0s in various model names to be the numeral rather than the letter O, including the Style 0 ukulele!

https://acousticmusic.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Martin-1941-Catalog.pdf


Scooter
Click to expand...

Very cool! Nice prices too!
 
ScooterD35 said:
Definitely, the correct nomenclature is “Style 0” (that is the numeral 0, not the letter O) and it was historically pronounced “oh” or “zero” at the whim of the pronunciator. For verification of this, I present a 1941 Martin catalog which clearly shows the 0s in various model names to be the numeral rather than the letter O, including the Style 0 ukulele!

https://acousticmusic.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Martin-1941-Catalog.pdf


Scooter
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing that!

Ok, so a $10 style 0, converting 1941 dollars to 2021 dollars using an online inflation calculator would be... about $178. I would gladly pay $178 for a Martin style 0 made in Nazaret, PA. In fact, I'd buy several!
 
Cluze said:
Thanks for sharing that!

Ok, so a $10 style 0, converting 1941 dollars to 2021 dollars using an online inflation calculator would be... about $178. I would gladly pay $178 for a Martin style 0 made in Nazaret, PA. In fact, I'd buy several!
Click to expand...

Me too, but I think you're forgetting ukeflation. ;)
 
I once tried looking at the 0/O to see if it was a zero or an "O". I want to say I saw some with a "O", but that was probably the OXK. Or maybe that was a zero too.

It's fine to say Oh, as that's just common quirk of English , but if you're writing it, a zero is the way to go.
 
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