We Found The BEST Guitar Under $1,500 At The NAMMShow 2023!
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- Опубліковано 5 чер 2024
- We challenged ourselves at the Nammshow to find the best Acoustic Guitar, under $1,500. If you're looking for the best new acoustic guitar releases then this video is for you!
Which guitar would you pick out of this lineup?
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00:00 - Intro
00:33 - Breedlove
02:56 - Ibanez
04:09 - Seagull
05:16 - Godin
06:17 - Takamine
07:24 - Martin
08:14 - Alvarez
09:18 - Eastman
10:10 - Guild
11:03 - Final Scores
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We use the Ear Trumpet Labs "Edwina" Model Microphones! Thank you Ear Trumpet Labs!
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Thank you for watching!
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#thenammshow2023 #theacousticshoppe #namm2023 #nammshow #nammshowvlog #nammvlog #eastman2023nammguitars #namm2023 Eastman Manrtin Takamine Alvarez Breedlove Guild Seagull Godin Namm guitars namm show 2023
Awesome video as always thank you!!! loved the Eastman and martin and the breed love you played first
thank you, for this test!
Thanks guys, great service
Thanks, helps take the guess work out when looking for a guitar. :)
Enjoyed that! Great comparison. Loved the Breedlove sound & the Eastman. Two guitars I’ve never played! Many thanks! 👍
I have an Eastman with the rosewood body and aged sitka spruce top. It sounds great and has unbelievable sustain. Love it.
Cool comparison. I think doing this at NAMM would be difficult with all the noise.
Eastman coming out as the winner doesn't surprise me at all. Would have liked to see a Yamaha in the race...
Unfortunately the booth had a brass section playing when we were by there BUT we can confirm, they had some awesome guitars!
I was not surpried that Eastman came out on top. The quality of workmanship, the tonewood choices, and attention to detail all come together to make a great instrument. I own an Eastnam E2O-OM-SB which is a sweet knockoff of a vintage Martin OM.
Glad you took on the challenge
Great comparisons!👍👍👍
For me, it was Breedlove No. 1, Eastman No. 2, and Martin No.3. I'm spoiled with a Martin D-28 Marquis, though, so anything less than that sounds like someone playing two rooms over.
I picked the Breedlove as my #1 too
@@im58woody Ditto!
@@markbutikofer5207 ditto ditto.
Oh I remember that name, cuz there are quite a few special editions (of d28), along with custom shops too. The Marquis is with sunburst & adirondack?
@@bekeneel Adi, yes. Sunburst, no. East Indian rosewood back and sides. It's a real beast, volume wise. Sustain lasts for eons.
The Alvarez and Guild are the best looking. The Guild sounds surprisingly good and the price is hard to beat.
One of my favorite guitars, Guild f240e. $275 on sale. Didn’t even need to change the strings out of the box.
Nice group test! I bet if you would have tested the Eastman E1 specials they would have been the best value easily. I find the tone very similar to the fancier model. And with TC top even sweeter.
Hard to tell with all that NAMM background noise. I am a huge fan of Eastman and that one has gorgeous back and sides a well as a side port yet, in spite of my built-in bias, I'm still going for that plane Jane Martin. There is less background noise and your voice in the recording of the Martin has more clarity, so that might account for my choice. I'm agreeing with @ahill209, I liked the Breedlove best. There was also a whole lot less background noise in the Breedlove recording. It would be fun to stage a re-match between the top four guitars in a controlled studio setting to find out how much the background noise swayed opinion. Fun video.
The tone port is an idea I really like. I haven't played the Eastman, but now very interested.
It actually makes a bigger difference than we thought it would!
Gibson G- Writer also has a tone port - adds a much fuller and richer sound for the player, in my opinion.
Thank you for doing this! I have several guitars under $800, Yamaha L16M, Yamaha NTX1200R, Bridgeport BG400 and Alvarez 12 string, I'm very happy.
Is that the maple 12 string?
whats your favorite?
No Yamaha, Larrivee, Furch… $500 guild to $1500 Eastman… Not exactly apples to apples. It would also have been better comparing somewhat similar body styles. Still appreciate your work and the content!
I don't know about Furch, but Larrivee has no acoustic guitar with a Street price less than $1500. However, they have many really good options for less than 2K.
Agreed. No Larrivee represented? I was at the Acoustic Shoppe in Springfield, unfortunately right during NAMM. Most high end guitars and personnel gone to NAMM. Bad timing, I guess. I'm personally not sure what to think of Eastman, but Acoustic Shoppe seems high on them. Martin is what it is...a yes, and yet?
Unfortunately the booth had a brass section playing when we were by there BUT we can confirm, they had some awesome guitars! Also Larrivée & Furch were not at NAMM this year, we tried checking out what we could find!
On the screen the Alvarez is the MPA66SHB but, like the man says, it's the MPA66ESHB. The price includes a pretty good pickup system. Mine was £550 in Scotland last year, 2022.
The obvious glaring omission was Yamaha which would easily surpass each of these entries. Of the entries in this grouping though the Eastman would be the one I would choose.
yes yamaha is king of the cheapies I played them all!!! owned a bunch
Unfortunately the booth had a brass section playing when we were by there BUT we can confirm, they had some awesome guitars, specifically the FG9's!
Not a comparison without a Yamaha. Would blow them out of the water.
@@Wobbz9413 ll16 ARE
Cordoba bought Guild from Fender and now Yamaha bought Cordoba. The quality of the Guild Westerly guitars is quite impressive especially the 100 series solid wood. The older GAD series were nice guitars, but these new Westerly Guild/Yamaha are legit players.
I have a 2005 Blueridge BR160, solid body and sides Indian Rosewood. I would like to see you do a show on Blueridge.
We've been wanting to get some Blueridge guitars for reviews for sure, hopefully soon!
Good selections and judging. I liked the Eastman the best.
sounded great for the first impression !
Why am I not surprised that the Eastman came out on top??? Pleassssse!
Strictly from the audio in my headphones I thought the Breedlove was number two and Martin number three. Martin was thin sounding compared to the Breedlove. Eastman did win in my ears. I think the Guild won on price vs sound.
It's hard for a $500 guitar with laminate back and sides to compete against a $1300-1500 all solid wood guitar.
The all solids just blow the laminates away ....
I bought a D35 Herringbone Martin In 1979 and it’s just Like New The Sound will never be duplicated just had the action adjusted To this day it looks brand new and actually sounds better
Thx for doing this. My vote was:
Breedlove, then Eastman and Martin.
Nice!
I own 2 Eastmans and absolutely LOVE them. Play one and you will understand. 😊
for under 1500 I would buy a guitar you did not pick up - the Martin SC -12e - a REVOLUTIONARY guitar that Martin has invented with X and scalloped bracing, S -shape that is so comfortable, and the neck has NO heal anymore so high frets are so easy to reach. Its amazing, not the same old acoustic guitar!
I thoroughly enjoyed this review! Your value rating, however, befuddles me.
To me, value means how much you get for your money. Low score means that axe should be priced lower to be commensurate with all you get for that model's street price.
Good example is that Ibanez, which sells for $649 everywhere, yet your 2.5/5 Value score might imply that it is comparable to guitar half that price. If the Ibanez was street priced at $325 would the value be 5/5?🤔
Further, the Martin & Eastman are over double the cost, which puts them in a much higher tier. So ...
With all that being said, great job! 🙂
That's how I would have rated them except for Breedlove being higher than expected. The Martin had the Martin scooped sound that became the acoustic standard, but at $550 Guild would be my choice though I agree Eastman was best sound & quality.
You mean your acoustic standard? Not all acoustic players are Martin lemmings
I too would like to see a Yamaha included in the competition. I liked the tone on the Breedlove and was surprised that I liked the Takamine. Where is the Acoustic Shoppe?
We're located in Springfield, Mo!
also curious about Faith guitars as well
I like the truck bed liner finish on the Ibanez top
A *question for you* ... When you say, for example, 4/5, what are you comparing the 4 _to_ ??? What would be a "5" ??
Curious - was Orangewood guitars there? Have they ever been before?
they did not have a booth there & I'm not too sure if they've ever gone.
Great video. Personally, I thought the Breedlove was the best sounding of all, which was a big surprise to me. The Martin and Eastman were also equal second on sound but I reckon the Eastman is way more guitar for the money.
PS. How about the Gibson Generation guitars?
Gibson did not attend! 👀
I have two Eastman guitars, an E20 OOSS and an E20P. Both are wonderful instruments of exceptional build quality and worth every penny.
@@AcousticShoppe Weird! Thanks for the explanation.
How did Yamaha LL16D not get in the competition? Solid value for around $1200
I totally agree 👍
Great guitar!
Nice job.
Honestly, if I couldnt have a Martin, Id go Eastman E8D all day, if you wanna spend a little more money the TC version/s. If you wanna spend even more money yet? Eastman E20D- TC or Martin
No mention of Yamaha FG5 ? Has to be in the top 3
I think the Breedlove came across really nice through the mics...
Enjoyed the video. While it is obvious none of us viewers could feel or play these guitars, our only mode of actual experience was sound. Sound is very subjective and what sounds good to me may not you and vice versa. I thought the Martin, Breedlove, and Takimene were the best sound with the tak being third. But again, I was listening through ears with a lot of exposure to loud industrial noise. Great job.
Also the Orangewood Hudson Torrefied Spruce Live
Not at NAMM
Would like to see one on Kepma guitars . Around 2-300 dollars . Also one on acoustics without amplification. Thanks . Overall , the breed love sounded the best . There's more to a guitar than tone . It's an overall sound ( lows - highs ) and also the feel of the neck . Never played breed love , my go to guitar is a takamine SL 281 .
They weren't showing at NAMM
What's up with no Yamaha??
I love eastmans but an LL 16 would blow the doors off of any of those by a long shot! They play and sound like a very expensive guitar.. cool comparison though.. love these guys.
Unfortunately the booth had a brass section playing when we were by there BUT we can confirm, they had some awesome guitars!
You should have included the Sire A3 and Sire A4. The Sire A3 is $400 and sounds as good as any of these and better than some of them. Mohogany back and sides. Roasted spruce top.
Mahogany neck. Bone bridge and nut. Rolled edge fingerboard. Quality electronics.
That Guild is a great value
I like the Breedlove name... Breed love not war! ☮️
The Martin 15m is awesome.
Definitely not apples to apples. You either love all the choices or become overwhelmed. Enjoy the hunt!
I am disappointed that there was no First Act CocoMelon guitar. Only $29 and it really is a gem.
Sounds about the same as my Seagull Entourage Acoustic/electric, for which I paid around 500.
tuff to tell with all the noise But Im spoiled with my amazing guitars ...these sounded small tiny plinky....needs to be an under 2 thousand category and honestly yamaha would have killed these!!! great shirt btw u look kool my man
Thanks so much!
the breedlove was my favorite
I would also submit the Recording King Tonewood Reserve Elite Dreadnought
Not at NAMM
Breedlove for the win. Oh mah .....
Much fuller and brighter at the same time then the other contenders.
If that Martin didn't have the Martin label it would be a middling mid level finisher.
And it goes to show Japanese and Chinese guitars rock.
Disappointed at the Godin and Seagull. Thought they would fare better.
I appreciate that the ambient noise and perhaps the strings on the guitars probably made it harder to judge.
And you should have featured a Yammie. The FG5, FG3 and the LL16 are all under $1500 and either would be top 3 if not top 1 here.
And the Alvarez MD60 and 70 would be right up there as well. Those are my favorites in this price range
Comparing a parlor guitar in sound to a dreadnaught in the same video is crazy.
I (personally) find Breedlove almost unplayable at all price points, even though they sound great.
Alvarez and Seagull have my pick personally when it comes to value and overall sound.
None of them have decent pickups at this price point. All of them need to have Lyric or Anthem pickups installed when they jump over about $900.00
yeah Im spoiled with what I own but these were all avg to me
The scoring system didn't discriminate against small body sizes. We were limited by what the companies brought.
The styles (body shapes) are just splatter shot and all over the place. Not a completely fair test, but ... I actually appreciate the presentation of whats out there on the price bracket.
Yeah it was kinda hard to gauge everything that the various companies brought to NAMM, but we worked with what we could find in the price point we chose to highlight. Thanks for watching!
No Yamaha, no blueridge br160 and no recording king rd 328. These guitars are great and well under 1500
I bought a 700$ Breedlove that sounded better (amplified) than every acoustic in Guitar center including the 2000 and under but after 5 different trips to 5 techs I could not get it intonated
Your playing posture is absolutely shocking
Nice review. I wish they had tested a Yamaha. I bet it would have beaten them all.
No Yamaha????
Unfortunately the booth had a brass section playing when we were by there, we totally look forward to checking them out in the future though!
I dont know what it is with John's picking but he makes most guitars sound exactly the same. Not sure if its the type of pick or how heavy he picks. But it's probably both. For example, the first guitar demo'd by the Guitar company sounded warm and full. Then he hands it to John and it sounds bright and like it has zero sustain. So strange. I guess just a further example of tone being in the hands
I bought a Yamaha FG5 Red Label a few years ago. I thought it sounded better than Martin's that were 3x the price.
Every single one of those guitars was out of tune. You’d think that at a NAMM Show they would at least tune the guitars they are showcasing. I hate to admit it, but the Martin sounded the best to me. The Eastman was my second pick in sound but looks the best. You’re a great player.
Breedlove sounds great.
I can't help it man, I'm Martin all the way
Amen brother!
I fancied the D15 so much after seeing a UA-cam review some time back.
Then I played one at a GC in Omaha NE. (Nice peeps there btw)
Disappointed. Muffled,flat sounding guitar.
I'll take an Alvarez or Yamaha over one any day.
@@ralfybabyme too, Boutique makers make significantly better guitars than Martin. You get lucky once in awhile but most of the time you’re buying the Martin name not the best guitar.
@@marcus31599 yeh and if you spend over say $2500 you may be better off having a luthier built guitar. That is how it works with classical guitars anyway.
martin religion
I know many Martin fans who have said Eastman is the best bang for the buck. Wish Larrivee would have been in the running. Love my OM.
Confirms once again what I already knew - Martin and EASTMAN are the best bang for the buck!
why no zaglers?
I like the tak
Yamaha Fs5 red label is another great option
Have you seen this years?
ua-cam.com/video/R0N4nksnebk/v-deo.html
Good competition ! I know it's a pretty unknown brand, but i wish you could play a China made Merida Extrema Poison Jumbo guitar. They sell new for 1100.-1400. I bought one from an Ebay seller. Specs below. Love your channel.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Model: Poison
Body Shape: 42 inch GC
Top: AAA solid Engelmann Spruce
Back and side: Solid African Rosewood
Neck: Maple
Fingerboard and Brdige: ebony
Tuning Machines: Gold Merida
Pickup: JustPro JC-A1 w/ Volume and Mic Adjustment wheels
Color: Natural
Finish: Gloss
Binding: wood
Body Inlays: wood
Nut/Saddle: Bone
Scale Length: 25.5 inch
Number of Frets: 20
Nut Width: 1 3/4 inches or (43 to 44 MM)
Center to Center String Spacing at the nut is 1.345" or 1 11/32
Includes Merida Poison Soft-case
The Recording King RD-328 with solid Adi top, solid RW back and sides at 799 would have smoked all them.
They weren't at NAMM
EASTMAN is a weird way to spell Yamaha 😂
It sucks if I can’t reach notes above 12 fret. Acoustic should not limit fretboard. I’ll never understand telecaster or strats 21 fret? Fender strat was always my favorite but noodling 21 frets doesn’t allow essential silly string slinkiness
How can you judge the sound in such a noisy room?
What's the use of comparing guitars with different body shapes and sizes? Comparing apples with oranges. Moreover, several major brands are missing. This should not be titled "found the best guitar", but "I just picked several guitars at random and as I like Martin best, it won, no matter what".
We used a scoring system that allows all body sizes. We were limited by what companies were showing.
The title says best under $1500. Not best parlor, dread, grand concert etc. The comparison is not between brands or type, it’s best for your money.
At the beginning of the video, I thought "if there is an Eastman in the competition, it is gonna win".(edit: after watching a couple of videos of T A S I see you are Eastman fans, but I did not know that).
That guild seems best value for only 500 bucks
Eastman was my pick.
You would think that at a big time guitar show all of the companies would remember to bring a few stools so you wouldn’t have to kneel on the floor to play their instruments
Some of them did, to be fair, every booth was pretty packed.
what you found was what was best for you/to you and thats all you found ,,
Try a Yamaha ll16…under $1500.
Martin ftw
good review , i noticed their was no martin's on this list , that's a good thing since martin's craftsmanship has gone to shit in the last ten to twenty years , Great review ,
Yamaha LL16 would outscore both Eastman & Martin in my opinion
Can't take this test seriously with Yamaha being left out
What a surprise 🙄...you picked an Eastman. You do not fake objectivity very well.
I bet, the fact you sell Eastmans but not Martins didn’t play a role at all 😉
Where were Taylor and Yamaha?
The Yamaha booth had a brass section going on when we were by & Taylor had no guitars available to the public. We are very excited to check out Yamaha soon, we can say that they had some great instruments there, just kinda a hard space to capture them!
how about slow down a bit so i can hear what it sounds like
Martin all the way😊
Bring on a Blue Ridge???
Honestly, the only guitar about $1500.00 that I would consider is the 000 15sm.
overrated I own several martins it was tiny and lacked depth when I was gonna buy it last week....didnt have the mojo
@@sooparticular so, what would you buy?
@chris rocco the thing is, I have dreadnoughts and a jumbo (or mini jumbo perhaps).I play a lot of fingerstyle blues I like mahogany and an all mahogany 000 sounds right up my alley. The 000 15sm is a 12 fret and has a wider nut. I truly enjoy my CEO 7 and it is a 00 with Adirondack over mahogany. When I need more depth I play the D-18GE. These are my thoughts on my comment. I would want to play one first.
@@johnwashburn3793 u have amazing stuff!! Im possibly about to buy the Martin koa super d?? do you like it
@@johnwashburn3793 love the ceo 7!!!
Furch?
They did not attend NAMM this year.
Eastmans and Guilds are consistently great value
I def can't agree, Guild ruined Guild guitars about 20 years ago. I've owned several, only some a the Providence RI or NJ issues hold up and good luck obtaining one a them
No Epiphone OR Gibson ?
They did not attend NAMM this year.