Martin Guitar Comparison on Jim Croce's "Dreaming Again"
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- Опубліковано 10 січ 2024
- Here's a video I recorded to highlight the similarities and differences between my Martin guitars. I have an HD-35, a D-18, an OM-18V and a CEO-7. I recorded Jim Croce's "Dreaming Again" on each instrument, singing and playing it "live" into a single large diaphragm condenser microphone, an ADK Munich. I've got the same mic setup for each guitar, so you can tell the difference in volume as well as timbre between the instruments.
00:00 Welcome
02:06 All Guitars
04:44 HD-35
07:21 D-18
10:00 OM-18V
12:36 CEO-7
Very cool! I liked the HD-35 and OM-18V best :) All beautiful guitars - nice job on the song, too!
Thanks Kyle!
The HD-35 reminds me most of the original by Croce, I believe he was playing a D-28 at the time, the HD-35 is a little bass heavy, overweighing the mid and trebles.
The D-18 was my favorite to compliment your voice and arrangement, certainly enough bass, but I felt that the mids and trebles were very clear, overall well balanced.
The OM-18V I had assumed at the beginniing of the video would probably be my favorite, it was a close second, the 18V seemed to be slightly constrained on the bass, the notes didn't ring as clear, the mids and the trebles were balanced and clear,
the CEO-6, is a 00 size, and didn't have the openess of the other guitars, still a beautiful guitar, but not the best for this song.
my .02 cents worth, your performance was wonderful, and I enjoyed the back and forth during the recording well done!
Where did you hear he was playing a D28? I thought it would be one of the following:
1. His friends D21,
2. Maury's D35,
3. His own, repaired Gibson Dove.
I've never heard of him known to play a D28, so I am interested ! Thank you
HD-35! Love it.
I’ll admit to a bias, I have 1971 D-35, original owner. I mentioned on your FB post that I only had to close my eyes and listen, and I could identify the HD-35 consistently because it sounded “right”. This was a really enjoyable comparison, and a real feat of editing on your part. Thanks for sharing, Jud.
Thanks! There's just so much room for personal preference with this - I think there's something just "right" about that 35 as well.
Beautiful song! All the guitars sound great!
They are all very good sounding guitars, but if I had to be the judge, the HD35 seems to have a better over all sound from the boomy bass to the high notes. Thanks for the demo. Love your great fingerpicking.
For me, it's the HD-35 by a mile. It has a warm, 'liquid' sound that I love. Wish you had a smaller body -28, maybe a 000-28. A lovely song beautifully played!
Thanks Louis - yes, I'm kinda feeling the same way. I'm curious about the M36 - do you think that qualifies as a "smaller body 28?" It's certainly smaller than the dread - in depth. And I think it has more the balance of an OM...
@@judcaswell I don't know that I've heard an M-36. Specs show a hybrid jumbo/OM dimensions? My main guitar is a spruce/mahogany OM. Someday a Martin 000-28, but I'm a long way from that.
Hi Jud. I narrowed it to the HD35 and D15. Then I wondered if I was swayed by the volume. I think I lean to the D15. It sounded a little crisper and maybe brighter to my ear. Of course they all look and sound beautiful when you play them. Great Croce song too. Thank you for sharing the comparison.
I'd love to try one of these with your new guitar, Wendy - it's got such a great sound!
Really like the HD35 and D18. Dreadnought fan here.
It’s funny - folks on Facebook who only see the little clip tend to favor the OMs, but people who hear this dull comparison are leaning toward the dreads!
Copying this comment from the shortened version of this, which I saw first! For me the OM is my favorite. Of course, they're all great guitars. But to my ears, that one best compliments your vocals. The others have a more prominent midrange twang in their tones that competes with your vocals. The OM sits back and provides a nice, warm bed for your fine singing.
Of course, for a gig, if you're not using a mic on the guitar and instead have to rely on a pickup, you should opt for whichever one sounds best amplified. That's more of a hit-or-miss kind of thing, even with Martins. ;-) -Tom
Thanks! The way the instrument works with a voice really matters, doesn't it? The OM is certainly the "cleanest" sound to my ears - very uncluttered. The CEO is the most midrange-heavy to me. It's a really amazing little instrument - it really barks. One thing this comparison doesn't allow for is the ability to tweak the recording setup between instruments. If the mic were raised a little higher (closer to my voice, further from the soundhole) I think it would take a touch of bass out of the dreads and bring the vocals up a bit in the mix - and I think in that setting, the 35 would be very clear and stay out of the way of the voice quite nicely.
Those HD Martins are just hard to get past. Gotta have one in the line up and then you can add different guitars from there but if U don't add others, the HD will do what U need it to!
Yeah, there's just nothing wrong with the sound of that HD on this - to my ears anyway!