Peghead Nation Alternate Tunings Fingerstyle Guitar instructor Doug Young is one of Northern California’s most active fingerstyle guitarists. An in-demand teacher and performer, he’s frequently found at camps, festivals, and venues throughout the state. He has released several albums, the latest of which is a duo project, Duets, in which he and I explore a wide range of fingerstyle repertoire. A serious gearhead, Doug has reviewed and demoed hundreds of guitars, and his own collection of instruments includes guitars by several of today’s most highly regarded custom makers. Besides luthier-made instruments, Doug also plays a few guitars made by larger makers, including a very cool Laurence Juber signature model OM that he demonstrates in this video. “I got the guitar for when I want a more traditional Martin sound than my other guitars offer,” he says. 

Fingerstyle guitarist Laurence Juber’s collaboration with Martin goes back to a custom shop guitar he ordered in 2001, which led to a variety of signature models that began appearing the following year. Though not currently in production, the line included several limited editions in various wood combinations, all based on an OM with a cutaway (check out this article on Laurence’s website to learn more about the whole series, as well as his own Peghead Nation demo of an OMC-18LJ and an OMC-21LJ). 

Doug’s guitar is an OMC-28BLJ model, built with Brazilian rosewood back and sides and an Adirondack spruce top. This particular series was a limited edition of 50 guitars, and Doug purchased the instrument pre-owned several years ago. The guitar mostly has standard style-28 appointments, with herringbone purfling, a multi-ring rosette, ebony fingerboard and bridge, etc. However, in a departure from traditional designs, the OMC-28BLJ has a plain fingerboard with no inlay (other than position dots in the side), and a Schoenberg-style cutaway. The guitar also has a drop-in saddle, rather than a vintage-style through-saddle, and at 2¼ inches the string spacing at the saddle is a bit narrower than it would have been on older OMs. The instrument does have the typical 1¾-inch nut width, and the neck has a modified V profile. Because it’s designed with fingerstyle players in mind, the OMC-28BLJ doesn’t have a pickguard.

“It’s a wonderfully balanced guitar, and it’s easy to play,” Doug says, adding that he mostly uses it to play in standard and DADGAD tuning. He currently has a Dazzo pickup installed, and frequently uses the instrument in performance.

To study with Doug, enroll in his Alternate Tunings Fingerstyle Guitar course now!

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