My memories of the acoustic guitar go back to my very early childhood when my Dad would pick up his old "Decca" acoustic guitar and play. Over the years there would be many nights of jam sessions where he and my uncles played for hours. I can still remember the guitars they played, and although they had different brands, every single guitar was a dreadnought. Years later when I began playing guitar myself, I naturally leaned toward the same body style that I had become used to while growing up. Ultimately, every acoustic guitar that I have owned up to this point was a dreadnought style body.

So when Dan and I were selecting the guitars we wanted to review from the Greg Bennett line, I naturally selected a dreadnought for my review. When I told Dan which guitar I wanted to review, he informed me that I was stuck on dreadnoughts, and that I should broaden my horizons and try something in a different body style. Realizing that what he was saying was true, I set out to find something different than I had ever reviewed before. The result was the "Rio Grande OM 15 CE" acoustic guitar, which is an orchestra model body with a cutaway.

Gary Allen with Greg Bennett

Dan and I had the pleasure of meeting Greg Bennett at the winter NAMM show in 2005 shortly after I reviewed the Ultramatic. In the short time we were able to talk with him, both of us got the impression that he is very set on the goal of bringing high quality, yet inexpensive guitars to the market. Mr. Bennett accomplishes this by taking many of the most proven guitar designs on the market and using his own 30 years of experience to create something different. The goal is to create something unique in each design that makes it stand out from the original. The guitar we are about to look at is an excellent example of Greg Bennett’s commitment.

The Rio Grande OM 15 CE


The Rio Grande OM 15 CE is a stunning guitar. I was immediately impressed by the attention to detail and obvious care and thought that went into its design. It features a solid cedar top and a highly figured Ovangkol back and sides. This was my first experience with Ovangkol. From doing a little research, I found that it comes from the Ivory Coast to southern Nigeria. The appearance of the wood can be anywhere from a yellow brown to a deep chocolate color, with black or gray stripes. The guitar I received has a deep Carmel color that almost has a 3-D appearance in the depth of the grain. It reminds me very much of "Tiger Eye".



The turquoise dyed maple binding gives this guitar a very classy look. Gold Grover Tuners, small abalone fret dots, and a Fishman "Clear Wave 50" preamp really round out the features on this guitar. But possibly the most unique and coolest features in my opinion is the wooden pick guard. Instead of gluing the pick guard onto the top like other wood pick guards I have seen, it has been inlaid into the top. I am no expert on guitar design, but I would assume that making the pick guard a part of the top would allow for top to vibrate more freely, resulting in increased sustain. In any event, it looks awesome. It is one of my favorite features in the appearance of this guitar. Overall, the look of this guitar evokes a desire to pick it up and play.



The Sound Test

This guitar was very comfortable to hold and felt very balanced, thanks in part to the smaller head stock. The action was medium to light, and was not hard to play at all. There was no noticeable fret buzz or any excess noise. The tuning keys were solid with no slipping as one would expect from Grover tuners. Overall, I would rate the quality feel and playability to be superb.

The warm low mid response of the cedar top blends perfectly with the added sparkle from the ovangkol body. These two great tone woods bring out a uniquely rich tone. It is an exceptional balanced sound, and the articulation from string to string is excellent. The scalloped bracing on the cedar top allow for maximum vibration resulting in wonderful sustain and impressive projection of sound. In short, this guitar sounds as good as it looks.

The Rio Grande is wonderful for fingerpicking, but also adapts well to light to medium strumming. I found it to work well for those occasions where you want to switch between using a pick and using your fingers. This style seems to be one that I use quite often, so I found this guitar well suited to my own playing.

Having never had the opportunity to try a preamp with a built in tuner, the Fishman "Clear Wave 50" intrigued me. The tuner is very small, but easy to read. I tested this onboard tuner against the RT-7100 Sabine rack tuner. The "Clear Wave 50" tuner was dead on accurate. When the tuner is turned on, it bypasses the preamp circuitry so that you can tune unamplifed. Believe me, your audience will appreciate this feature. With a three band EQ, brilliance control, and volume control, you have a wide pallet of tonal options at your disposal.

Closing Comments

While the dreadnought body style will always hold a special place in my memories, the Rio Grande has opened some new doors and options to me. I really enjoy playing this guitar and I like the feel and tone I am able achieve from the OM 15 CE.

It is my personal opinion that we are starting to see a major shift in the guitar industry. Paying a lower price for a guitar no longer means that you are going to sacrifice major craftsmanship, playability or sound quality. The materials and building practices are making huge advancements, and the Greg Bennett line is proof of this. In doing an Internet search, I was able to find the Rio Grande selling for between $250 - $499. This was incredible to me because based on my feeling toward this guitar, I was expecting a price tag more in the range of $800 - $1000.

My experience with several Greg Bennett guitar models has led me to believe that they are one of the best values on the market today. Now a beginner can afford to start with a guitar that will be easy to learn on, yet will grow with them into their advanced stages of playing. I now personally own two of these guitars, and I look forward to the opportunity to review more of them.

The Rio Grande OM 15 CE receives the Guitar Gear Heads approved award, as well as the Rig Ready Award for superior design in sound and functionality. This guitar is ready for the stage and the studio. If you have not tried the Greg Bennett line of guitars, I encourage you to do so. They are incredible instruments for the value. Go to www.samickguitar.com and check out the entire line of Greg Bennett guitars.



Gary Allen

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