The fact that this little Tanglewood parlor was chosen to be played along side the Martin and Lowden is really a great credit to the Tanglewood - a $400.00 guitar. The Lowden is $5500.00. (The Tanglewood is less than the tax on the Lowden.) All guitars have their own unique voice. In the case of this demo, the Martin has "fatherly" bass overtones, and the Lowden has a somewhat different richness, but very pleasing. The Tanglewood answers back with the melodic sweetness and innocence of a child. A smaller and "younger" voice is what this guitar possesses. To dismiss it would be wrong. In the right hands this guitar can bring tears to our eyes.
Allow me to chime in - I played this Tanglewood parlour recently at a local guitar shop - my God, did it leave a lasting impression on me. It sounds and looks like a much more expensive guitar for a start - the spalted mango on the back is very impressive. The high strings ring like a bell and it has an overall focused and natural sound. Just perfect for fingerstyle. I couldn't believe the price when I was told it was under £400. Yes, of course the Lowden and Martin are in a different league in terms of sound and craftsmanship, but you pay out big time for these guitars. Sometimes a great little model comes along that really makes you sit up and pay attention - Tanglewood did it this time for me.
Fretwear TV I know i'll never own a Lowden or Martin, but I have just bought the Tanglewood TWJP E. For less than £300. You're right, sometimes a great little model comes along and makes you sit up - it looks expensive (six different tone woods on one guitar) and really does sound lovely amped up or acoustic.
Considering the Tanglewood only cost £380 in comparison to the Martin at £1400 and the Lowden at a whopping £3400 i think the little Tanglewood doesn't do too bad..
It's like comparing Apples, Oranges and Bananas. How can you compare a Dreadnought (Martin), a Parlour (Tanglewood) and Lowden S guitar (Unique). Of course they're going to sound vastly different. In my humble opinion ( I have owned all three brands and styles) they all sound wonderful for what they are.
Do you know if this specific tanglewood is all solid wood body? All the reviews just say the wood and not (solid) first. But they do say solid for the top wood. Thanks
It's a Martin and that have over 170 years experience in making guitars , Tanglewood are new to the game by comparison but what you get for the money is fantastic the only winner is the customer,,a good demo and nice playing.
I played the Tanglewood TWJF ("F" for Folk) at a Music Shop. This is a GREAT Guitar for the Buck and it can sure rival with the much more expensive Martin and Lowden! It´s very fine specially for Blues, Folk & Country and the Cedar Top sounds amazing. So THIS Guitar would have been the right one for a Test together with the Martin and the Lowden, because it got a bigger Body than the TWJP ("P" for Parlour) . The Tanglewood TWJP used in this Test got a much smaller Body and it sounds a little like a Dobro. 12988 Jake is absolutely right with what he said about it. In Comparison with the other two Guitars it logically sounds much thinner, because of it´s smaller size.
I agree...just picked one up cheap. Very comfortable and fantastic tone. I don't get this video where you compare a dreadnought to a parlor guitar for sound? Makes absolutely no sense.
taxisteve929 So after my positive Experience I bought me a TWJF some Days ago and I am totally satisfied with it. A really great Guitar. And it was low-cost too.
If I had to choose one without seeing it and without knowing the price I'd definitely take the 2nd one (Tanglewood), but I'd also mention the 1st (Martin) was also really convincing
My Larrivée L05 has been in guitar hell for several months (in the hands of a bad luthier who allowed his assistant to botch a neck reset job...) and I'm considering getting a Tanglewood. I played one in Germany, a TW173 and it was glorious. I wish I just bought it and sold the Larrivée back then.
datalaforge hi! when you mentioned bad luthier ...gulp...myself I hope there will be decent ones... I can't handle the tech part...maybe I'll have to become a luthier from hell...man...that's an issue...
three different guitars with a massive price difference. I think all these people that have commented should listen to these three demos again but blind folded then try to place each demo to each guitar. To me there isn't really anyone that's better than another.
That Martin owns the rest in tone. Played it yesterday at my local GC and it sounds better than guitars 2 times the price range. I'm buying it soon. In person, it sounds so amazing.
The amazing thing is the Tanglewood is under £300, and it's a parlour guitar, so unfair comparison, the Martin sounds great, but the Tanglewood price wise is pretty phenomenal when you look at prices...
I'd reckon one should have all three guitars! I'm a big Martin fan, but the other two had such beautiful tones (albeit different) that I would equate them with the Martin. That's just my opinion. How much do the guitars retail at?
The title of the video is different model, than the title presented in the video. Video title TWJP E, and the tilte presented in video is TWJF E, which one is it? Tune is awesome.
The Martin sounds a bit thin for my taste, not what i'd expect from guitar at that level and although the 32SE sounds superb I can think of 3000 reasons to by the Tanglewood over the Loden plus its way prettier!
The Martin to me sounds nice, but just a bit 'ordinary'. The Tanglewood sounds just as good, albeit with a slightly more mid-range prominence. The Lowden is just more balanced, and has that perfect sound which oozes quality. I have owned a Tanglewood hi-end super-folk model for a couple of years, which was £449 rrp, and for the money it sounds as good as anything else I have tried up to around £1000. I have just ordered a Lowden 032se however, and I cannot wait to play it.
The three of them are excellent instruments, but for acoustic fingerstyle i would choose the Lowden, imho fits better that kind of style, sound and playability
Being not-partisan, this contest wasn't quite an even match (IMO). The Martin is a dreadnaught sized guitar had way more sonic body than the parlour sized Tanglewood. The Lowden (never heard of it in N.A.) sounded pretty decent. Price point is everything when purchasing a guitar. Not many of us have deep pockets to buy a superior guitar and end up settling for a less expensive guitar. I'm not saying you can't get a great sounding guitar at a lower price. I have had some myself. But after upgrading a few time, you can hear the difference.
You're right. In person, it is stunning. Best Martin I've heard since a J-40. Difficult to think it's ± $1K. Imagine it with a proper setup and a set of Elixirs. The only Martin I've heard lately that compares is an Aura, and those are around $2k, and the 17M has way more bottom end and is nicer to play. Fat neck though.
Can't believe the guy never mentioned the sizes!!!! Compare a Martin Dreadnought to a Martin 0 and tell me how the 0 sounds like a banjo. Apples and oranges here. All sizes have different uses. I always tell people who are looking to purchase an acoustic guitar the system I use. In order of importance. 1-Comfort which is mainly the body size and neck....if action is high, a good tech should be able to bring it down a bit to where you like it, 2-Sound (tone, volume projection and to the guitarist, and build...intonation is very important, but if slightly off can be set better by a good tech) 3-Looks. There are other things, and some of these intermingle, but the reason I place comfort at the top is that I made the mistake of purchasing a guitar that sounded like a grand piano once, but it was a chore to play, so it sat, the only time being brought out was when I wanted to show others how good it sounds. There are a ton of neck shapes, and you will find your fit. You can learn to move to a different shape, but it can't be too different from your natural shape preference. Some love the feel of the very low profile, but for me, the modified V of Martin is fantastic for most of what I play, but the old Japanese Yamaha's had a very comfortable neck style FOR ME. I find the performing artist Martin's not to my liking at all, but an electric player might like them. They seemed okay at first, but after 15 minutes, my hand would tire and cramp. You can't decide in 5 minutes. You also can't get projection playing the guitar. Guys and gals who sell guitars will be happy to play one while you stand out front to hear it. Let them use a pick to strum, ask them to finger pick if that is what you play. Most people need multiple guitars for different types of music they play. My ideal is the 00 size because I play mainly fingerstyle and sing...I can go with a 000 too, but smaller or larger won't work as well. I use my fingers only, (usually), so dreadnoughts, which sound incredible strummed with a pick, and will have people saying "WOW!!!" are nice to own for some settings, but not all. The 000 (or auditorium) is probably the best all around utility guitar. I know Taylor made their Grand Auditorium their signature guitar, and that is the reason. I know this was wordy, but it is important to realize that these online comparisons should not be a key reason for choosing a guitar. Also, the player style, way he holds the guitar, pick or fingers, etc also contribute to tone and volume. 90% of us will play the guitar for fun, not a living. Don't think if you buy a guitar like Eric Clapton, you will sound like Eric Clapton, or whoever your favorite is. You can emulate a style, but you will always have your own, which is a good thing!! It's all about having fun!!!
Is there any sort of comparison here? - the martin costs 3 times the tanglewood - the lowden costs 10 times the tanglewood. Surprise the Lowden sounds best the Martin is second and poor old Tanglewood is a distant but still respectable last.
***** All I see is you saying the Tanglewood is shit. While The Lowden is a fairly clear winner here and the Martin being second (of course there are the martin fanboys in the comments who think Martin > Anything but what can you do) you have to respect that the little Tanglewood while not sounding amazing, does hold up considerably better than a lot of other guitars in the price range. There are maybe one or two comments saying the Tanglewood is the best but quite a few by you hating on it. Most of the comments say either Martin or Lowden. Personally it's the Lowden for me, not sure how anyone can deny it, the Martin is nice but doesn't sound as good, that's reflected in the price though.
I don't think this is a fair comparison at all. The Martin is nearly 4 times more expensive than the Tanglewood and the Lowden 10 times more expensive! Despite this the Tanglewood gives a very good account of itself.If they made it with a wider neck I would buy it without hesitation.
I love Martin's...have 4 of them, but this video is ridiculous. Why would anyone compare a dreadnought to a parlor guitar??? The Tanglewood is an 0 sized guitar.....I can't imagine my comparing my D-41 special to my 1940 0-15....they are apples and oranges and have totally different uses.
I like Parlors, I have one. My personal favorite is my Martin 000D15m.Its got a richer ,deeper sound. I love all of my guitars and yes they all have their uses. Rock on!
Firstly, you've got to learn to mount the strings properly - on the Tanglewood they touch the headstock, which is HIGHLY undesirable (the wounds should've been kept at the middle portions of the poles). Then, to really make a sound comparison, it is not enough to perform only the light picking - when guitar gets strummed, any (eventual) issues in regards with fretboard and overall construction of the body&neck become apparent.
***** Once again i agree i have aVintage dreadnought that sounds as good as most Martins and has a better tone than my Tanglewood i have had many guitars over the years and i am convinced now that a lot of these new copied guitars sound as good as top of the range guitars it seems to me where of lot of guitars are concerned its sods law and as i originally stated the likes of Martin and co are charging to much its time they bought there prices down
The fact that this little Tanglewood parlor was chosen to be played along side the Martin and Lowden is really a great credit to the Tanglewood - a $400.00 guitar. The Lowden is $5500.00. (The Tanglewood is less than the tax on the Lowden.)
All guitars have their own unique voice. In the case of this demo, the Martin has "fatherly" bass overtones, and the Lowden has a somewhat different richness, but very pleasing. The Tanglewood answers back with the melodic sweetness and innocence of a child. A smaller and "younger" voice is what this guitar possesses. To dismiss it would be wrong. In the right hands this guitar can bring tears to our eyes.
Allow me to chime in - I played this Tanglewood parlour recently at a local guitar shop - my God, did it leave a lasting impression on me. It sounds and looks like a much more expensive guitar for a start - the spalted mango on the back is very impressive. The high strings ring like a bell and it has an overall focused and natural sound. Just perfect for fingerstyle. I couldn't believe the price when I was told it was under £400. Yes, of course the Lowden and Martin are in a different league in terms of sound and craftsmanship, but you pay out big time for these guitars. Sometimes a great little model comes along that really makes you sit up and pay attention - Tanglewood did it this time for me.
Fretwear TV I know i'll never own a Lowden or Martin, but I have just bought the Tanglewood TWJP E. For less than £300. You're right, sometimes a great little model comes along and makes you sit up - it looks expensive (six different tone woods on one guitar) and really does sound lovely amped up or acoustic.
I have one TWJF E( a factory repaired one even), the mid is amazing!
I have the exact same experience, I’m seriously considering buying one and getting better at finger style:)
Are the backs and side woods all solid?
@@seanoneill3442 yes, all solid woods used on this guitar and spruce bracing ( a really lovely guitar to play, it feels looks and sounds amazing)
Considering the Tanglewood only cost £380 in comparison to the Martin at £1400 and the Lowden at a whopping £3400 i think the little Tanglewood doesn't do too bad..
bazmaximo exactly
Agreed and with regard to these comments irrespective of the make and price of a guitar it's all down to the player.
I own martin guitars but honestly in this case the Tanglewood has a sweet mellow tone to my ears
It's like comparing Apples, Oranges and Bananas. How can you compare a Dreadnought (Martin), a Parlour (Tanglewood) and Lowden S guitar (Unique). Of course they're going to sound vastly different. In my humble opinion ( I have owned all three brands and styles) they all sound wonderful for what they are.
Do you know if this specific tanglewood is all solid wood body? All the reviews just say the wood and not (solid) first. But they do say solid for the top wood. Thanks
It's a Martin and that have over 170 years experience in making guitars , Tanglewood are new to the game by comparison but what you get for the money is fantastic the only winner is the customer,,a good demo and nice playing.
That Lowden although serious money is just piano like, amazing guitars.
I played the Tanglewood TWJF ("F" for Folk) at a Music Shop.
This is a GREAT Guitar for the Buck and it can sure rival with the much more expensive Martin and Lowden!
It´s very fine specially for Blues, Folk & Country and the Cedar Top sounds amazing.
So THIS Guitar would have been the right one for a Test together with the Martin and the Lowden, because it got a bigger Body than the TWJP
("P" for Parlour) .
The Tanglewood TWJP used in this Test got a much smaller Body and it sounds a little like a Dobro.
12988 Jake is absolutely right with what he said about it.
In Comparison with the other two Guitars it logically sounds much thinner, because of it´s smaller size.
I agree...just picked one up cheap. Very comfortable and fantastic tone. I don't get this video where you compare a dreadnought to a parlor guitar for sound? Makes absolutely no sense.
taxisteve929
So after my positive Experience I bought me a TWJF some Days ago and I am totally satisfied with it. A really great Guitar.
And it was low-cost too.
If I had to choose one without seeing it and without knowing the price I'd definitely take the 2nd one (Tanglewood), but I'd also mention the 1st (Martin) was also really convincing
My Larrivée L05 has been in guitar hell for several months (in the hands of a bad luthier who allowed his assistant to botch a neck reset job...) and I'm considering getting a Tanglewood. I played one in Germany, a TW173 and it was glorious. I wish I just bought it and sold the Larrivée back then.
datalaforge hi! when you mentioned bad luthier ...gulp...myself I hope there will be decent ones... I can't handle the tech part...maybe I'll have to become a luthier from hell...man...that's an issue...
That piece you are playing is beautiful.
This piece is divine, does anyone know where I can look up the tabs ?
three different guitars with a massive price difference.
I think all these people that have commented should listen to these three demos again but blind folded then try to place each demo to each guitar.
To me there isn't really anyone that's better than another.
That Martin owns the rest in tone. Played it yesterday at my local GC and it sounds better than guitars 2 times the price range. I'm buying it soon. In person, it sounds so amazing.
The amazing thing is the Tanglewood is under £300, and it's a parlour guitar, so unfair comparison, the Martin sounds great, but the Tanglewood price wise is pretty phenomenal when you look at prices...
All three have very beautiful characteristics, for me it would come down to playability. Very nice song chosen for this demo. Well played!
i like the Tanglewood, it sounds majical
What mic and preamp was used to record this? Although they had slightly different sounds, all three guitars sounded pretty good to my ears.
great video, what is the mic by the way
I'd reckon one should have all three guitars! I'm a big Martin fan, but the other two had such beautiful tones (albeit different) that I would equate them with the Martin. That's just my opinion. How much do the guitars retail at?
Beautiful song! nice playing..
Excellent demo.
wonderful! very good!
The title of the video is different model, than the title presented in the video. Video title TWJP E, and the tilte presented in video is TWJF E, which one is it? Tune is awesome.
its the TWJP E
Bloody hell, got distracted by your beautiful playing.
i can find any one playing blues on the tanglewood parlour, is it good for blues...
The Martin sounds a bit thin for my taste, not what i'd expect from guitar at that level and although the 32SE sounds superb I can think of 3000 reasons to by the Tanglewood over the Loden plus its way prettier!
the Lowden and Martin were my favs (:
The Martin to me sounds nice, but just a bit 'ordinary'. The Tanglewood sounds just as good, albeit with a slightly more mid-range prominence. The Lowden is just more balanced, and has that perfect sound which oozes quality. I have owned a Tanglewood hi-end super-folk model for a couple of years, which was £449 rrp, and for the money it sounds as good as anything else I have tried up to around £1000. I have just ordered a Lowden 032se however, and I cannot wait to play it.
The three of them are excellent instruments, but for acoustic fingerstyle i would choose the Lowden, imho fits better that kind of style, sound and playability
What is the song you are playing? It's beautiful. Is there a tab for it?
+Maria Averill did u by any chance find the name of the song?
+Bibash Rai No, I never did.
It's called " The unpleasant truth about Martin guitars".
I like so much the sound of 1ª Guitar ;-)
What is the piece called its so beautiful
Does anyone know the piece he played on all the three guitars? Or is it his own composition?
Being not-partisan, this contest wasn't quite an even match (IMO). The Martin is a dreadnaught sized guitar had way more sonic body than the parlour sized Tanglewood. The Lowden (never heard of it in N.A.) sounded pretty decent. Price point is everything when purchasing a guitar. Not many of us have deep pockets to buy a superior guitar and end up settling for a less expensive guitar. I'm not saying you can't get a great sounding guitar at a lower price. I have had some myself. But after upgrading a few time, you can hear the difference.
Are you wearing a Hamilton Khaki?
You're right. In person, it is stunning. Best Martin I've heard since a J-40. Difficult to think it's ± $1K. Imagine it with a proper setup and a set of Elixirs. The only Martin I've heard lately that compares is an Aura, and those are around $2k, and the 17M has way more bottom end and is nicer to play. Fat neck though.
I need to know the name of the song and tabs
Whats the name of the song?
oh yes, martin owned again. :)
Love the lowden, just can't afford it !!!
TANGLEWOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Could someone please help identify the name of the song being played on these three guitars...
Thanks...
+Greg Carpenter did u by any chance find the name of the song?
Can't believe the guy never mentioned the sizes!!!! Compare a Martin Dreadnought to a Martin 0 and tell me how the 0 sounds like a banjo. Apples and oranges here. All sizes have different uses. I always tell people who are looking to purchase an acoustic guitar the system I use. In order of importance. 1-Comfort which is mainly the body size and neck....if action is high, a good tech should be able to bring it down a bit to where you like it, 2-Sound (tone, volume projection and to the guitarist, and build...intonation is very important, but if slightly off can be set better by a good tech) 3-Looks. There are other things, and some of these intermingle, but the reason I place comfort at the top is that I made the mistake of purchasing a guitar that sounded like a grand piano once, but it was a chore to play, so it sat, the only time being brought out was when I wanted to show others how good it sounds. There are a ton of neck shapes, and you will find your fit. You can learn to move to a different shape, but it can't be too different from your natural shape preference. Some love the feel of the very low profile, but for me, the modified V of Martin is fantastic for most of what I play, but the old Japanese Yamaha's had a very comfortable neck style FOR ME. I find the performing artist Martin's not to my liking at all, but an electric player might like them. They seemed okay at first, but after 15 minutes, my hand would tire and cramp. You can't decide in 5 minutes. You also can't get projection playing the guitar. Guys and gals who sell guitars will be happy to play one while you stand out front to hear it. Let them use a pick to strum, ask them to finger pick if that is what you play. Most people need multiple guitars for different types of music they play. My ideal is the 00 size because I play mainly fingerstyle and sing...I can go with a 000 too, but smaller or larger won't work as well. I use my fingers only, (usually), so dreadnoughts, which sound incredible strummed with a pick, and will have people saying "WOW!!!" are nice to own for some settings, but not all. The 000 (or auditorium) is probably the best all around utility guitar. I know Taylor made their Grand Auditorium their signature guitar, and that is the reason. I know this was wordy, but it is important to realize that these online comparisons should not be a key reason for choosing a guitar. Also, the player style, way he holds the guitar, pick or fingers, etc also contribute to tone and volume. 90% of us will play the guitar for fun, not a living. Don't think if you buy a guitar like Eric Clapton, you will sound like Eric Clapton, or whoever your favorite is. You can emulate a style, but you will always have your own, which is a good thing!! It's all about having fun!!!
May I ask how much is that guitar . reply as soon as possible thank you.
The first one is between 1500 and 2000 dollars, the second one is about 500 and the third costs 5 grand
whats the name of the piece btw?
Is there any sort of comparison here? - the martin costs 3 times the tanglewood - the lowden costs 10 times the tanglewood. Surprise the Lowden sounds best the Martin is second and poor old Tanglewood is a distant but still respectable last.
What's that piece you play on the guitar?
Martin WIN!!!
Lowden for me
Lowden all the way!
***** All I see is you saying the Tanglewood is shit. While The Lowden is a fairly clear winner here and the Martin being second (of course there are the martin fanboys in the comments who think Martin > Anything but what can you do) you have to respect that the little Tanglewood while not sounding amazing, does hold up considerably better than a lot of other guitars in the price range. There are maybe one or two comments saying the Tanglewood is the best but quite a few by you hating on it. Most of the comments say either Martin or Lowden. Personally it's the Lowden for me, not sure how anyone can deny it, the Martin is nice but doesn't sound as good, that's reflected in the price though.
***** Hmm, I agree that the model in the video is. That isn't all you said though.
Name song?
Name song. please 👍
Tanglewood all the way.
what a instrument?
I don't think this is a fair comparison at all.
The Martin is nearly 4 times more expensive than the Tanglewood and the Lowden 10 times more expensive!
Despite this the Tanglewood gives a very good account of itself.If they made it with a wider neck I would buy it without hesitation.
All three beautiful guitars....but Martin D17M beats the other two! Nothing like a Martin!
I love Martin's...have 4 of them, but this video is ridiculous. Why would anyone compare a dreadnought to a parlor guitar??? The Tanglewood is an 0 sized guitar.....I can't imagine my comparing my D-41 special to my 1940 0-15....they are apples and oranges and have totally different uses.
I like Parlors, I have one. My personal favorite is my Martin 000D15m.Its got a richer ,deeper sound. I love all of my guitars and yes they all have their uses. Rock on!
Definitely!!
:-D:-D:-D Don't throw jokes like this too often! I almost pissed up my pants ! :-D
Not a fair test the Martin is a Dreadnought with a larger body
SUENA SIN DUDA MEJOR LA MARTIN, EN SEGUNDO LUGAR LOWDEN Y TERCER LUGAR LA TANGLEWOOD. MARCO DE CHILE
non va bene martin, tanglewood unique sound, warm and original
Tanglewood
IT is a useless comparison to be honest, they have different shapes and different wood material used.
the louden. albeit the law of diminishing returns.
Martin.
For the price, the Martin is a disappointment.
You always pay for the brand
Martin
Yep, the little guy with the fancy pants. Tanglewood uber Pennsylvania. Punches out of its weight. The other two are for muggers and drug lords.
And that Lowden is over 5k for an inferior sound! That is insane!
You actually have to play them yourself, then listen and feel.
Firstly, you've got to learn to mount the strings properly - on the Tanglewood they touch the headstock, which is HIGHLY undesirable (the wounds should've been kept at the middle portions of the poles). Then, to really make a sound comparison, it is not enough to perform only the light picking - when guitar gets strummed, any (eventual) issues in regards with fretboard and overall construction of the body&neck become apparent.
seriously, can't you Watch his fingers and try to play it by your own? lazy youtubers.....
Lowden better sound... worse design
The Martin doesn't sound much louder than the Tanglewood once again this proves to me Martins are over charging for there instruments
Point taken the Martin is the best heard with headphones the Tanglewood is the worse out of the three but are still nice guitars Cheers
***** Once again i agree i have aVintage dreadnought that sounds as good as most Martins and has a better tone than my Tanglewood i have had many guitars over the years and i am convinced now that a lot of these new copied guitars sound as good as top of the range guitars it seems to me where of lot of guitars are concerned its sods law and as i originally stated the likes of Martin and co are charging to much its time they bought there prices down
***** I could not agree more cheers
Tanglewood