Naugler Guitars Home Page

Models

I currently offer three models, the OM, Small Jumbo and Dreadnought. Another larger body guitar with a 16" lower bout is under development and should be in production by the fall.

Standard dimensions are 25.4" scale (also known as Long Martin which is pretty much an industry standard), 1 3/4 inch nut and 2 1/4 inch string spacing at the saddle. Custom nut width and string spacings are available.

Orchestra Model (OM)

This is a design based on Martin's OM, which is a 14-fret version of their 000 body. While I always loved the sound of Martin's OM and the relatively thin body I always felt the guitar looked out of proportion, the upper bout being too large (like a little kid with huge ears.) My design addresses this by tapering the upper bout just a bit. I also use my own x-bracing pattern with scalloped braces, unlike the original OM.

The OM is a wonderful fingerstyle guitar with nice balance and wonderful overtones. While not as common on the bluegrass circuit as the Dreadnought, the guitar has been popular with flatpickers for decades. I keep hoping I can keep one of these but it hasn't happened yet.

Standard setup is with light gauge strings.

Small Jumbo (SJ)

This model is based on an old Gibson which was available for a short time during the middle of the last century, the J-100. The guitar was popularized by luthier Jim Olson (whom I think also coined the wonderfully oxymoronic name) and is available in one variety or another from several well-known custom builders but unavailable from any factories.

The guitar is a really well-balanced model and is particularly well-suited for fingerstyle but has enough bass and volume so it can be flat-picked as well.

This has a deeper body than an OM but is just a bit shallower than a Dreadnought.

Standard setup is with light-gauge strings.

Dreadnought

Another Martin design, the Dreadnought is known for its volume, projection and deep, booming bass. The Dreadnought is the guitar of choice for most flatpickers and bluegrass guitarists and was wildly popular with most folk/rockers of the 60s and 70s. (James Taylor played one and all the guys at Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young bought new Martin D-45s when they got their first big paycheck).

Very rewarding to play.

Standard setup for this guitar is with medium-gauge strings, but light-gauge are available as well.