Blindfold Challenge (Gibson vs Martin vs Taylor vs Guild vs Yamaha vs Eastman)
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- Опубліковано 25 лис 2024
- One of our UA-cam subscribers suggested we do a blindfold challenge... so, here it is!! We picked similar Rosewood guitars from Gibson, Martin, Yamaha, Taylor, Guild, and Eastman. Which one do you think sounds the best???
Eastman E20D Sunburst: 0:40
Gibson J-45 Custom RW: 1:30
Taylor 814ce DLX (V-Class): 2:18
Martin HD-28 Standard: 3:08
Yamaha LL6 ARE: 3:54
Guild D-55: 4:43
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The Yamaha LL6 steal the show imho
Thanks to everyone for watching - this was definitely a fun experiment! I know, I know . . . it would have been far more interesting if I'd offered some guesses, but truth is, I'm just not well-versed enough with the maker's archetypal sounds to match a given maker to a given sound. My guesses would have been laughably terrible and an embarrassment to all involved; still, perhaps we'll revisit the idea with some actual guesses - I'm old and married, and so no stranger to humiliation. Better yet, a narrower "pepsi challenge" between particular pairs of guitars (rather than the onslaught of so many at once).
All that said, the blindfold was interesting because I don't think any player can escape the subconscious influence of knowing who made the guitar, and the power of suggestion/expectation in shaping your ear's interpretation of the sound. I'm sure we'll be doing this again and refining the process moving forward . . . Thanks again!
Quinton seemed responsive to the shape of the guitars more than to their actual particular sound or tone...
Is the Eastman Adirondack-topped ?
An even more interesting test would compare identical shapes and tone woods guitars...(set up pretty much the same too ).
Still worth the money (ha!).
Thanks
Actually, I was most impressed with how you tuned the low E note on the Eastman. No fumbling around trying to find it and you turned it to just the right spot.
it would be fun to see a blind test of three Martins... a D-45, D-41, and a D-16... or 3 Taylors.. 114, 314 and a 914.. see if you can guess them..
Best part was hearing your playing, thank you. First great guitar I ever owned was an early 70's Martin D18. Bought it from a bluegrass player who needed funds for a Gibson mandolin.
So no surprise you felt at home on the Martin HD28.
If I saw correctly Quinton, you pegged the Martin as a "bluegrass" guitar so spot on and kudos to you good sir
Why so rushed? This could have been much much better if you let the guy expound on his thoughts until he was ready to move on. It should have been double or triple the current length. Are you guys restricted in some way?
i was wondering the exact same thing,WTF is the problem? why didnt you do a full experimentation video,it would have been interesting to hear his thoughts on everything.sometimes their videos suck because they are just waaay toooo short.i dont get it?
Couldn't agree more.
It was like the dude on the right was nervous that the guy with the blindfold on would actually manage to identify what was what too accurately and didn't want to give him too much of a chance.
Trying to watching it actually stressed me out and I had to bail early.
N M I think you’re spot on, and I was at the end of the video and asking, and now...what?? Where’s the review? Where’s the talk through? I guess he’s too worried about looking like an Anderton’s video...
@@oaktree1628 disagree with what?
@@bigmike9527 You're right
Beautiful guitars, I would be glad to own any one of them. The Yamaha was the biggest surprise of all. Thanks guys!
the Yamaha surprised me but must admit the Martin stole the show for my ears
Guild has a spot as well. Nice guitars.
Definitely the Martin.
Anyone got one to spare?
If you play professionally Martin for about three grand versus Yamaha no comparison even Yamaha is stage ready wow I was shocked.....
Yep. The Yamaha sounded stellar
That Guild too…
Picked up that Martin and in his head definitely said "oh, there you are old friend."
touche !
MARTIN AND GUILD. GUILD MORE MIDDY. THAT GUILD WAS NICE. MARTIN WAS SMOKY GOOD. DAMN. I JUST GOT AN OLD SIGMA AND IM PRETTY HAPPY. HAPPIER IF IT WAS OLDER.
@Stan Williams The fault was yours.... You made your choice of guitars... and of women. Do not blame either for your shortcomings. (No pun intended). :-)
_hello Martin my old friend_
@@diggitydankenstein3624 I have a 1970 Japan Sigma DR-41e and a Martin custom D-41e. I'll keep both. :D
Like the sound of the yamaha the most.
Taylors tend to make other guitars sound dead when you play both in a room, but it's a shame, because the taylor sound, to me, is fatiguing.
Objectively, I'd have heard the gibson as a gibson, the martin as a martin, the guild as a gibson, the yamaha as a martin, and the taylor as a taylor. I might've been confused by the guild, though. The gibson and the taylor have unmistakable sound - fundamental and dark for the gibson, and floodlight bright for the taylor.
Great multi instrument test. For me, the Guild knocked it out of the park. The Taylor sounded like a cheap $400. guitar. The Martin sound nice, and so did the Eastman.
I liked the sound of the Gulid the best ! I like the low end tone , but still sounded good on the more treble stuff ! Martin was next . I was surprised at how well the Yamaha sounded !
I was listening with an airpod tidying my room without looking at the screen and I figured the Guild D-55 right and I’m now happy :)
Most impressed by the Martin and the Guild. Surprised that the Taylor didn't sound better by comparison, and happy that the Yamaha sounded so good! (Yamaha FG180 was my first guitar). Thanks for the fun video, guys. Quinton makes any guitar sound good!
Well, the Taylor is a smaller body and a cutaway... so, of course it will sound anemic after a couple of Dreadnoughts... not sure why they put the smaller body in the blindfold challenge... and why in the hell was the guy rushing him so quickly? That was annoying
But that was Yamaha LL6 ARE!!!
@@jeffbateman2339 No worries the Taylors are great guitars definitely up there with Guild and Martin
The Taylor sounded pretty bad. But again it was so rushed it just wasn’t a good environment to judge any of them.
The Guild is an absolute cannon, Martin most balanced, Taylor the brightest. I have all 3 of those models, love them all, but Martin is the best…..or the Guild….or Martin….Guild in double dropped D is haunting…
Surprisingly, the Yamaha here has laminate B&S and sells for $539. And it held its own among these expensive solid bodies. I just wish they would have used a Yamaha LL or solid A series.
listening back to the eastman after all the others, the midrange emphasis sounds best to me, very j45-like kind of character. That guitar is definitely a bargain
The D-28, D-55, and J-45 - no surprises here. Of course no mention was made of what they were each strung with - coated? non-coated? - mediums?, lights? etc.
My Martin D-41 came with Medium SPs.
The Martin, Eastman, Guild, and Gibson grabbed my ears.
The Guild surprised me😮
Great comparison. IMHO the Martin HD-28 sounded the most compatible with what I like to hear from a guitar. But, then again we're listening to it recorded by a microphone and then played through my earbuds, so I'll have to try out all of them and make my final choice.
Its all very subjective obviously, but the D-55 is easily the best guitar I have ever had the pleasure to play.
D-55 is a canon, literally mopped the floor with the rest.
Guild > Yamaha > Martin > Gibson > Eastman > Taylor.
The Martin sounded lovely 😍
Great blindfold test!
You could tell the guitarist was a real player his chords where fantastic!
☆☆☆☆☆
Love the sound of the HD28 and the Guild D-55
Why was it so rushed?
The Guild and the Gibson were my favorites, they should have used a Taylor without the cutaway for a more equally matched comparison. If you know about acoustic guitars feeling that cutaway right away would be a giveaway that it's a Taylor because Taylor is known for its modern approach and a cutaway is part of that experience. I have a Taylor and love it/them but I definitely love Guild and Gibson acoustics. Out of the big name companies, those are my favorite 3 Guild, Gibson and Taylor but there are so many great smaller companies that make amazing guitars. Santa Cruz is a great example.
Simon Ritchie Not a thin sound on the Taylor, just a smaller body. He knew that and should have mentioned it.
Needed a Larrivee in the mix, seriously under-rated guitars.
my favorite Guild D-55
That Guild is sooo tasty. Came and stole the thunder. Best one for me. I mean they're all amazing
Wow. That HD-28 sounds terrific.
He nailed it saying it was the best for bluegrass.
Number one goes to the Martin. It simply blew the others away especially the Taylor. My second choice goes to Guild.
Guess I'm the odd man out but I really liked the sound of the Taylor. I also think they're some of the most comfortable acoustics to play. Why didn't the guy get more than 10 seconds to play each? You could tell he was trying to figure out what he could play to accentuate each guitar's sound and feel but the guy in the right is apparently late to a fire or something.
Loved the Guild...always thought my Guild sounded better than just about anything else I have played...Guild guitars seem to not get the attention they deserve...glad to hear this one sounding great here, & seeing in the comments that many agree!
All amazing guitars but the Yamaha Is the overall winner for sound and price!
$299.00 at Guitar Center
Ll6 laminate
Li16 all solid.
GOT THAT RIGHT...
I pick the guild all the way and the Yamaha as my second pick...!!!
Fifty shades of grey..guitar edition.
Ha! Softcore guitar porn.
That Guild covered all the bases from highs to mids to Low end. The HD 28 came a close second and then that 814, even though it was a little thinner tonewise, it really looked like he had a easier time playing it and lets face it, it was smoother than all the rest.
that last one the Guild D-55 sounds nice. good amout of low end. bright and spanky
Yamaha and Guild baby! 😁😁 Those two were the stars.
Best sound (beautifully balanced and musical) is the Martin to my ears, best value (by far), Yamaha - good enough for pro gigging at a very reasonable price
They should have used a Yamaha LL16 that still cheaper than all the other guitars in this video.
What on earth are you talking about? Best value by far? With poly finish and laminated back and sides? Sounds like you have developed an emotional attachment to YOUR purchase. Not saying it doesn't sound good for what it is, but for between $500-$600 USD there are at least half a dozen objectively superior guitars to be had. Better wood, better finish, actual bone nut and saddle. Hell, better tuners. All for the same money as the Yamaha.
Edit: What is most surprising about this comment is that 18 people liked it. I'm sorry man, I'm really not trying to be confrontational, but everything you said is wrong. Yamaha makes decent instruments. No more no less. I suppose the laminated back and sides won't really matter if you plan on plugging up every time.
@@smartacus88 I think you misunderstood, (my fault though for missing a word out), I meant the Martin was best (see my other comment - no don’t, I’ve edited my original one now haha) but the Yamaha is best value, it’s just an opinion though of course
@@geespar1 I can get bent out of shape over nothing haha. My apologies.
@@smartacus88 no problem
I usually never respond or make comments on UA-cam video.. I making exception because this video has been most educating and informative video. I just happen to be shopping for a new 6 string acoustic guitar to play at church. I have 12 string martin but I'm looking for 6 string acoustic. YOUR VIDEO HAS HELP ME MAKE MY DECISION WHICH ONE I WILL BUY.
Thanks again for taking time to make this video.
So what did you end up buying?
That Guild had my ears very happy.
I agree 100%...very proud owner of a DV-52, bought brand new right outta the box!!! 18 years later, she's opened up and continues to get better with age although I can't say the same for the owner, LOL
Yep. Watch closely when he first hits the Guild strings: "this one's got the most!"
@@TheSpiralnotebook As did I when I picked mine up, even though it was out of tune from the factory and hadn't received Emirons usual "set up", I hit a full choke G and it spoke to me!!! I am YOURS and you are mine!!! It's been a wonderful relationship ever since!!! I'm glad I got mine before the company changed hands as I'm unsure if they're still made here in the USA 100% or if they're made elsewhere or a combination somewhere in between. As with a high end Martin..etc. It's an investment that typically will increase in value!!! JMO, play a Guild and you'll want one! NO REGRETS
@@TheBamaKid1962 I have 4 Guilds, 1966 to 2017. Gorgeous wonderful guitars. Like bells with teeth.
@@shelleyhunt2121 never heard it said that way, LOL, but what a great point...I was tickled to have one, but to have FOUR??! that would be an AWESOME jam session with three close friends!!!
Surprised more people didn't like the Eastman. I thought it sounded right up there with the Martin and Guild. I think going first was a disadvantage as far as public perception maybe. Taylor and Yammy sounded thinest but actually, like he said, they all sounded really good because he is a great guitarist.
Yeah, I knew it was going to be fun to have Quinton blindfolded!! You're welcome guys🤘😁
It would depend on what style I'm playing as to which one I would choose. It is hard to beat the warm woody sound of a Martin for bluegrass. The brighter clean sounding guitars shine with finger style picking. Of course everyone has their own opinion. I'd have either of those music boxes.
Very usefull blind comparison. Thank You!
Fantastic video! Thanks for posting. 👍
In this test HD 28 for sure. Then Guild/Gibson. Taylor sounded as zeo mojo/soul as they usually does. Fun and great review :-)
Well well, I got 2 out of 6. Would have thought I could spot the Martin but alas. This is a very nice format, gets you/us to focus on the sound instead of negligibilities.
That Yamaha held its own for being only $500
All I can say is I have several Taylor guitars and I love and play them all regularly in the studio and at gigs. As with all guitars I have my favorite one or two and can easily adjust the volume and color of the sound through my PA system. I see a lot of pros playing them on stage and in studio. Nothing against Martin, I have a couple & love them too.
This video convinced me to buy a D-55. Now I’m loving it more than my J-45, Bird, D-18GE, and D-41. I wish I would have known how great Guilds are earlier in my guitar journey.
oh man... I was really hoping for the guessing game..
You can smell a Martin. Martin owners know what I’m talkin about haha!
That beautiful rosewood aroma
Same as a Gibson
Yea the lemon scent, I really would preferred just the wood smell in my d18
WA Bream Angler definitely not.
Johnkoutsouros, Rule of thumb for Martins: Pick it up, play a big G chord and snort the sound hole.
Very cool. All sound great. Considering the Eastman is 1/3 to 1/2 the price of the others, I think it did a great job of holding its own.
I think I like the Guild the best.
Could do some serious swamp blues with that growl...
Bring Back the blind test, that was fun!!
Agreed! And this time, make it ''blind'' for us, too. Have the player with his back facing us so we can't see which type of guitar he's playing. Then reveal at the end.
I’ve been playing Yamaha acoustic guitars forever. I have an LL16 ARE and I’d put it up against any guitar that costs twice as much. The only things I’ve changed on my guitar are the tuners, which I swapped out for a set of Grover’s; the pick guard, which I swapped out for a Hummingbird style pick guard; I sanded down the bridge and adjusted action a little and obviously changed the strings, which are the D’Addario custom light gauge. The guitar is absolutely amazing sounding and so easy to play. I’d love to have a hummingbird one day, but for now, my Yamaha does the job quite well. All these guitars sound great in their own way, I guess it comes down to personal preference.
Indie, I bought the cheapest Yamaha sunburst they make on Amazon....Nice Mohagany neck and spruce Top! Too bad they did not adjust or reduce height on that bridge AT ALL., but no problem..I love adjusting and playing with guitars (which is 1/2 reason I bought it) After grinding down almost 3/16" of the bridge height, it plays EXTREMELY well! Great fullness, bright enough....actually pretty articulate ...light as a feather....I can play it damn near like a Jazz Box with a Fischman Pickup! Really LOVE IT....Usually play electrics, so this full-fills my need for an acoustic.
Just like most here..Martin, Guild, Gibson. ...I agree the LL16 would be more comparable, and as I play a Taylor that actually is just as fat of the low end as these, was shocked, but the Taylor here sounded terrible to the rest. Interesting compare....
Love it, compares the Yamaha to the Taylor...
Yamaha knocked the Taylor out of the park...and look at price difference.. 😲 wow
Awesome review. HD28 all the way for me.
Agreed, Dom; the HD28 sounded awesome. I don't have any dreads in my arsenal, but this one sounded like a cannon, in a good way. I have to say I agree with some of the other commenters who would have liked Quinton to hazard a guess as to what he was playing, if for no other reason than grins and giggles at seeing how well his impressions met with reality.
Bought an HD28 recently and I’m in love with it
I agree. It's got a perfect sustain, great bass when you need it, amazing high and mid range tones, amazing play-ability, and the list goes on.
Very true, that's not to say that I don't enjoy the herringbone inlay on the top and the zig zag purfling on the back. I think it looks much more classy than what'd you'd get out of a D-45 or D-42 where the abalone inlays distract you from the tonal quality of the guitar. the D-45 or D-42 are just too flashy for me and are the guitar equivalent of mall crawlers.
Dom Tiano Jr I'd have to agree!
Although he didn't name the brands, he was right on the money with the brand characteristics: Martin: low end, balanced big voice. Gibson: good bass with bright highs, Taylor: bright mids, Yamaha same etc
I’ve played my Taylor exclusively for years now. I’d have to say that Martin sounded the best though.
Normally I would say: Martin, yes but that Guild did have a nice growl.
I love the Guild growl. I'm not a big fan of Martin as I always thought they sacrificed too much for that low-end in comparison, but they're definitely leagues beyond Gibsons any day in my book.
@@IcabodCrane Guild for folks and blues, Martin for Bluegrass. Liked the Yamaha and Eastman more if you were just working lead parts and wanted to cut through the mix. Not impressed with the Taylor. Should have had a Larrivee for full spectrum tone balance.
Guilds are the world's most underrated guitars.
gomez10969 I have a F47 dtar dreadnaught depth with Grand O body amazing same quality price as D55 at the time..
I just got an all hog Guild D20. Compare it to a Martin D15, and IF you are unable to prejudge, you have one tough choice to make. Some people just pay a fortune for a headstock rather than tone. It's not that the Martin isn't still great, some players resist the paradgm shift when it comes to anything else.
Update: recently played a Taylor koa kce 224 and was actually very impressed. Actually a better neck and playability than a Martin D18 I used to own, with a lot of warmth. A very worthy guitar indeed.
I think an 810e DLX would've been a better representative for Taylor versus the GA bodied 814. All non-cutaway dreads against a GA body will make a difference, I believe. Reshoot it with an 810e DLX!!
Best comparison video EVER! I would love to see more of these.
Really interesting way to change it up. I'm a Gibson fan, but I'd take the Guild and the Martin any day.
Great video. It's more fun when they try to guess which one it is, but Quinton knew when he had the Martin.
You can hear a Martin sound from miles away. Very unique
HD 28 All day , Every day !!
Fascinating. Having owned Martin, Gibson, Guild, Yamaha and Taylor acoustic guitars over my lifetime (plus an Eastman mandolin), the blindfold man's opinion on each aligns with my experience. But they all sounded great, and probably played great, and any one of them would be good choice. I agree that the video should given the tester enough time to play single notes, chords, and different styles to form a more informed opinion.
Rather crazy to blindfold the good tester and then not having him guessing.
Keep it rollin' guys ^ U are followed
The Yamaha LL6 is not a solid rosewood guitar. They should have used the LL16!
The yamaha Ll 6 you used had laminated back and sides. You should have used the all solid Yamah LL16!!
I have a LL16, it's surprisingly strong in fundamental notes but terrible for strumming. The LL6 works out better for strumming. Personally I am not a huge fan of the LL body. I find a decent FG 7xx or 8xx easily takes a solid Taylor to school. The LS are good when you get the Japanese made ones.
@@MintStiles what fg specifically you can recommend?
@@AS-do3vj LL are not really FG bodies. In fact quite different. I really like the FG5 from Japan (dry sounding but very balanced and nice), I've yet to play the Chinese made FG3 and the Japanese FG 50th limited. I assume they are similar. As for the regular lineups, I like the rosewood FG730s or the maple FG750. They can often be found for cheap. Its my opinion that they are made superior to the 7/800 and the 7/820. They tend to feature consistently better workmanship and flat out sounds better regardless of the plywood back and sides. If you can, some 730/750 made in Kaoshiung is better than the later Hangzhou made ones. The former tend to be a bit heavier but had better harmonics (superior to most taylors or breedlove of the era IMO), the later ones were made lighter, they were louder but didn't seem to have the same sparkle and sustain. Just the ones I've played, so personal opinion of course. I thought the 8xxs were not bad, but a played in 7xx is probably better in the long run. I'd just look for a 730 or 50 used. They can be had for a song since the 800 is out. I've always found the Malaysian made guitars to be meh, kind of like Korean guitars (samick). They always felt great to play, but were never impressive in sound. Funny we are talking about the nuances of 150 dollar guitar when I have got about 500 times worth of guitars lol. Tells you how good these are.
@@MintStiles I never played 8xx series. But I guess bracing is their only difference. Interesting
@@AS-do3vj they are similar. I think the 730/50 has better harmonics. The 830/50 probably better if you just want quick played-in feel. I didn't buythe advertising literature on how the 800 is new and improved. My ears seems to disagree. FG is a unique design where a dred is more mid focused. I think it's quite a design feat to mass produce something that is pleasant sounding, reliable and rock-bottom priced. May just be my obsession with industrial design talking here.
Taylor in front of the Martin = roadkill .... The Taylor was very pretty tho.
They're all good. Just different in ways. I own an Eastman E 20 OM and it is the best guitar I've ever played .... and I've been lucky to have some great high-end stuff.
"I just bashed your elbow."
"That's fine, I got to of em."
Lol
IMO this is the most honest review of a Taylor I've ever seen in my life. Even an 814, basically Taylor's most ridiculously priced flag ship, Quinton assumed to be an inferior grade/quality/priced guitar to everything else he played other than the Yamaha. As other said he walked it back pretty quickly because they're making these videos to sell product not tell the truth; but that moment said a thousand words.
Expecting a guitar salesman to tell the truth without a blindfold is the same as expecting a used car salesman to tell you the truth about a lemon.
No only lacking in the bass department not inferior.
Many fingerstylist prefer the midrange high end focus while drummers often prefer more low end and projection.
Not better are worse but different do bluegrass his favorite or blues jazz worship pop soul etc.
NOTE: With the Taylor, where he said bright but "not tinny"... I think he really meant to say "almost tinny" but was polite about it. It is a new V-Class model! I have the 814ceDLX in X brace... SO much better, warmer, richer sounding than that V (or others I've played)! In fact of all the guitars in this review I'd put the 814 second from the bottom, just ahead of the Eastman. My ranking? 1) Gibson. 2) Yamaha & HD-28 tied. 3) Guild. 4) Taylor. 5) Eastman. The Yamaha is only $500!!! and almost as good as the Gibson and for some a preferable sound to the Martin. With the right strings I'm sure it will hang in with any top of the line guitar. The Taylor V-class is wanting to sound as good as the HD-28 but doesn't even come close as it is so tonally out of balance. JME
The Martin Gibson and guild were all really great sounding
He could tell the sound and neck of the Gibson, also he was familiar with the Martin feel and balance, I think the Guild had him thinking, the other guitars don't compare.
Joe Masse I agree with you. For my preference, I lean towards the Guild. Great aesthetic appeal and sound to match.
Joe Masse i have a Guild F47 dtar they were high end trad us guilds price was originally $3800 -4500 selling for 3250 I bought old stock in 2012 in London for $ 1700 its was a bargain ! Adirondack top Indian rosewood, not the easiest player (im crap just a strum & finger pick late life learner) but really great if you can play it sounds amzing for the money but picked up a Gibson J45 and imthink its easier to play for me so maybe part ex for xmas !
He seemed to like the Gibson sound but was very knowledgeable about his style and sound with the Martin straight away. Very good video, maybe that should be the way to pick guitars. Then looks and brand.
That D28 steals my heart.
For me, sound wise, the Yamaha, Gibson and Martin, but not necessarily in that order as they all are great guitars. !
1 Martin 2 Guild 3 Yamaha
I like the guild sound, but Martin was amazing here
The Martin, the (first) Gibson, and the Guild in that order. All great, all very different. I think there is a 'Martin' a 'Gibson' and ' Guild ' sound. As for Taylor - I just don't get it. A lot of money for no bass or lower midrange. If you own one, it is not too late to put down the Koolaid, sell it and buy something that sounds better.
No doubt there are some Taylors that sound okay, but the odds are not in your favor.
Preach Brother! I've played them all and love Martin and Guild. I've always though the Taylor sounded a bit like a washtub.
My Taylor woops my Martin so there lol
@@krismcreynolds984 lol. Keep telling yourself that.
@@kommi1974 tis facts my friend
Agree the Taylor sound was disappointing, perhaps due to cutaway? (why did they pick a cut-away??)
the low end of the yamaha is impressive and surely less expensive than the gibson... My top is: 1 gibson , 2 guild, 3 yamaha, 4 martin, 5 eastman 6, taylor.
The guitar that surprised me the most was the Guild. I've never played a Guild before, but will be trying one out now! I liked all the guitars.
Martin HD 28 - Winner.
I like the Martin, but the guild was impressive
Taylor should have been a dreadnaught (hard to compare with the group). and the Guild had a setup problem on the high e string. The Martin definitely stood out followed by the Gibson and Guild.
Very fun video thanks for making it. It would have been interesting to throw in a cheap guitar in there for the hell of it.
They all sound good- just different
Most full and balanced to me anyway was surprisingly the Guild! Lovely sounding axe! Too bad they left out the MSRP on all the guitars?
I haven’t played guitar in nearly 40 years, but I could still hear the Martin. Enjoyed the challenge. All in what you like to hear.
Wow the Yamaha had something the others didn't have, Guild was also nice.
I liked the Guild and the Eastman and the Martin, in that order. Surprised by the Guild.
Surprised I don’t see many comments on that Gibson cause I think it sounded amazing! I guess everyone is different and that’s why this stuff is so great :)
The Eastman and the Martin sounded the best to me. The Taylor and the Yamaha, the worst. The Gibson was good nice enough, the Guild, while having depth to the bass, sounded a bit 'tight,' for lack of a better adjective.
That's why you play the hell out of a new Guild (now that they're making decent guitars again). When they open up they're incredible. And when you find one circa 1966-1978, especially the mahogany D-25, flat back or arched, Lord have mercy. To me the difference between a rosewood Martin and a mahogany Guild (both suitably played for a long time) is the difference between bird chimes and deep bells. I have a mahogany Martin (it's in the shop for a setup atm) and the tone is very close to the old Guilds, and that's NEW. I can't wait for it to shake it loose a bit. What was my point? Oh yeah. Guild's rock, mahogany over rosewood any day.
Martin, Guild, Gibson
The last time I purchased an acoustic, I ended up in the high-end guitar room blindfolded trying out multiple suggestions from my buddy. I've always been careful to own acoustics I love the sound/feel of, but aren't too similar to each other. It can be quite surprising what sound/feel you like best once all the beautiful inlays, binding, grain patterns, and other visual esthetics are eliminated from your [unbiased] choice. Haha. I encourage all musicians to try a similar approach next time you're in the market for an instrument.
I was very surprised by my final pick.. It was a used Taylor Limited edition short-scale 514ce. For my playing style (usually very percussive) I usually sounds best with Rosewood-type back/sides so there's a lot of bass, good clarity, and the more projection and sustain the better! The "short-scale" isn't noticeably shorter.. If I remember correctly, the overall length of the ebony fretboard is 1/16th of an inch shorter than standard. However, that tiny difference allows the tension on the strings to be relaxed juuust enough to get a little more bass out of the mahogany back/sides.. essentially giving the balance, overtones, and reverberations a more Rosewood characteristic. Also, I think it's very important to note the guitar was USED when I purchased it. It was 10 or 11yrs old. A decade can make a world of difference when it comes to the sounds and playability! In fact, I usually end up seeking out older used acoustics because of the difference.. even though I'd rather get new because of the financing so I don't have to pinch my pennies and save up for what seems like forever! Haha.
I've had discussions with many other guitarists over the years (I'm 34, been playing since 2002) when they're wanting to buy an acoustic because of beautifully crafted artwork in the fingerboard or the way a 3-pc back can be visually stunning, etc.. and granted, maybe you'll gain some inspiration that will contribute into your musicianship.. but for me, I have to make sure I prioritize sound and feel/playability #1! Happy strumming everyone!
that guild man...come to papa