It's a question of how much music means to you. There are great guitars to be had for much less money than 5 G's. The orangewood base models are good for a beginner or hobbyest weekend warrior guitar player, but it's not going to satisfy a serious player. It's a fine camp fire beater or extra guitar.
If I had to buy a "nice honda civic" for 4750, I will def go with the collings... just think about happiness it will give versus shitty 10 yrs old honda civic which wont even support bluetooth
@@m.s2881 a lie? What? Lol. It's an opinion. I've played around on the orangewoods. Their new all solid wood guitars are nice. Great bang for buck but I like my guitar better.. The standard solid top orangewoods are decent. But it's not even on the same conversation. Not euphoric to not transcendental......I would miss the hell out of my guitar it I was stuck with one of those are a daily driver! A lie??? What? ROFL!
For someone who is just starting to play guitar, then I believe having a good setup to ensure playability is the most important regardless of the price paid. Once a person gets to a proficiency level and knows that they will continue playing, then they can upgrade to a more expensive guitar. People's closets are full of $1,200+ guitars that never get played because the owner lost interest. You can get to that point with the $275 guitar.
I've seen several of these types of reviews, comparing two guitars with similar features but vastly different price points. What I would like to see now is a comparison of two guitars with similar prices, but different feature sets and lineages. For example, both Martin and Orangewood offer a dreadnought acoustic 12 string for about $500-600 (Martin X1D12 is about $600, and Orangewood Echo 12 is $495). The Martin has a solid spruce top, laminated sides and back, a *laminated* neck, and a "Richlite" fingerboard. It has basically zero ornamentation . . . no binding anywhere, a basic rosette, and no fret markers on the fingerboard (just dots on the side). Versus the Orangewood which has a solid sitka spruce top, laminated back and sides, solid mahogany neck, and ovangkol fingerboard, with binding everywhere (body top and back, neck, and headstock), fancy fingerboard inlays, abalone rosette, and gold hardware. The Martin is made in Mexico, and the Orangewood in Indonesia. But only one has "Martin" on the headstock. So given a fixed amount of money, is it worth it to forsake a lot of features, both cosmetic (binding, inlays) and functional (solid vs laminated neck, wood vs synthetic fingerboard) to buy a budget version of a "top name" brand, or take a gamble on a (seemingly) much nicer but unknown one?
You could buy 18 orange wood guitars for the price of 1 Collings. Keep 1 for yourself and donate the other 17 to a music program where it’s needed the most.
@@toholisema195 quality matters when you are no longer a beginner or if you can afford it. Ask the greatest guitar players what their first guitar was and you’ll agree...
Law of Diminishing Returns on full display. Yes, the Collings sounds slightly better, but $4,725 better? I saw this in action 28 years ago when I bought my $1,200 (1990 dollars) Taylor 410 and compared it to my $129 (1986 dollars) Alvarez Regent. About the same difference as this test. That and a foray into semi-expensive electrics cured my overspending on guitars. Unless you're a recording artist, the cost/benefit just isn't there.
Zissou Moonshot Why would you work at a studio that would laugh at someone for being strapped for cash in the first place...some of the best studio musicians have played MIM Fenders at some point in their careers and I would put the quality of Orangewoods way above those.
I've only been playing for a year and I'm far from being an expert but I will say this: It's not whether or not people can detect a difference in the sound; it's whether or not people can QUANTIFY that difference. The answer is most likely no and that's because the actual tone of a guitar is highly subjective. Whether its guitars or professional cameras or power tools, the key differences between cheap and expensive equipment are usually based on objective and quantifiable metrics. Flagship cameras aren't $8,000 because they take better pictures; they're $8,000 because they have features that make taking good pictures dramatically easier and more efficient. A guitar that is expensive is only worth the price tag if it is built with things like ease-of-use and versatility in mind. You have to ask yourself different questions than "does it sound better?" like: "Is the intonation good?", "Is the action appropriate?", "Does it have convenience features like an on-board tuner, a pickup and/or level controls?", "Is the build quality solid and are the materials of high quality/rarity?". Those are the types of things that differentiate a $5,000 guitar from a $275 guitar. The difference in sound quality is almost purely subjective; a person might even spend hours in an audio editing suite making their $5,000 guitar sound like a $275 guitar because they like the acoustic qualities of the latter. So the playing comparisons are nice in terms of seeing what the difference is but they're practically meaningless in the context of the guitars' prices. I do like that you guys talked about more than just the sound quality in your comparison. My only issue is that the title is a tad "click-baity" and there just seems to be a pervasive issue in the musical instrument world in regard to comparing instruments based on their sound and trying to relate that to price-when that's only a small piece of the puzzle. A bargain guitar that is hard to play won't be useful no matter how good it sounds and there are so many ways to augment the sound of the guitar for actual recording/performing that I would say playability and ergonomics should be everyone's top priorities, followed by technical aspects like intonation and tuning (i.e. how easy it is to tune, how well it stays in tune, how sensitive it is to weather, etc.). I wish more videos would focus on things like string spacing, fretboard width, tuning and action because those are the pervasive issues that have plagued my guitar learning experience over the past year.
I agree! Functionality is a much larger piece of the puzzle. But while tone is subjective, more expensive acoustic guitars do sound better. Especially, when we're talking about solid wood vs laminated top, back, & sides. The diminishing returns start pretty early on after that, and I agree that after a certain price point (around $1000 or so) it's 100% preference. That's our opinion at least. :)
Thanks, Steven, for your comments, which I found thought-provoking. There must certainly be perceptions of musical sounds that are strictly subjective due to the very nature of hearing, as well as subjectivity due to preference. None of which can be quantified. Even if one were to take the utmost care in matching instruments (i.e. body styles, materials, strings,etc.), those subjective elements would still maintain and there are going to be some variables in the playing of two instruments, even by the same person playing the same chordsor piece of music. All of which is say that I agree with you that the more important issues are those you have noted. Aesthetic considerations are not valueless and a beautifully constructed guitar using top-grade materials can be a work of craft-art by a world-class luthier. I also feel that branding has a built in hype-effect that we are all subject to. We expect a suit with a designer label hand-made by an expert tailor to be better crafted than one off-the-rack, but it doesn't always follow that "you get what you pay for," especially when one considers the diminishing returns aspect. It seems there are some fine-sounding, very playable guitars out there which are not poorly made and do not require floating a loan or joining kitty at the meow-mix bowl.
The Collings certainly has more dynamic range in the lower frequencies however for the price, I think it’s smarter to buy the best you can afford and put the time into practice with that instrument.
Great demo - in my experience, a good player really minimizes the difference between lesser and greater guitars. Still the Orangewood is a great value.
Do you ever compare guitars after they have been used for a couple of years? Be interested in hearing how well some of the less expensive ones hold up.
The Collings had more presence...You could definitely hear that was somewhat restricted in the Orangewood. Both had great balance across each's spectrums.
The difference is almost negligible when you consider they will be eq'd in post to sound too close to really tell, especially in a mix. Orangewood are good guitars. I played an Oliver Jr mahogany live in a streaming concert from a local studio. I have Babicz, Breedlove's, Larivee, Tacoma, first run PRS acoustic with LR Baggs Anthem, and some others, but chose the Oliver Jr for live performance because of the playability. Now, I have a couple newly released all solid wood Breedlove Companions I would've chosen for the playability and all solid wood response for a live set, but I'm stills shopping for another Orangewood because they're just dependable and expanding their selection of different types of acoustic baritone, bass, and other, even higher end all solid wood guitars, still affordable to most.
A spruce (or cedar) top is the most important thing for sound. Solid back and sides may add some tone, but not that much. The set up, and strings make a huge difference. I find the neck (slightly wider) of the Orangewood Echo Live to be more playable than any acoustic I've ever had. When it comes to expensive guitars, you're paying mostly for aesthetics. When you get rich from your playing ability, you can buy pretty guitars.
The Collings seemed to have a lower, rounded sound, whereas, the Orangewood seemed to have a high, thinner sound that occasisonally tended toward tinny. Overall, the two guitars sounded similar and, I agree, that the Orangewood would certainly be acceptable for a beginner.
Nice review! For a more accurate comparison, you should be comparing the Collings to the Orangewood Highland collection, which are all solid guitars instead of laminated sides and back. Granted, the price jumps up to about $645/$945 (difference being the electronics pickup system). As you point out though, part of what you are paying for is the name, prestige, and the backing of the company; similar if you purchase a Martin, Taylor, Guild, or something similar. One thing that improved the playability for my Orangewood was swapping out the Ernie Ball strings for a set of Elixirs, but that's a personal choice.
I want to see this too. These comparisons are all over the place from a couple years ago when the Highland series didn’t exist, but now it should be a much more relevant and accurate comparison between the Orangewood Hudson and this Collings D1 or a Martin D-18.
The orangewood reminds me of a Taylor-esque sound in this video. Is the Collings a well broken in guitar? If it is, that trows off the fairness. It's nice and warm.... Kind of Martin-esque.
I would buy the $275 guitar ......because the$5000 guitar does not sound almost 20 times the price better and you will earn the same amount of money playing the cheaper one and if this $275 fell to bits after 10yrs I would buy it again , the $5000 could also fall to bits as well
I feel that as long as you have a decent quality guitar, it doesn't matter if it is $200 or $5000 as long as you enjoy the tone it creates. There are definitely some specific tonal qualities that are hard to create without using expensive materials, but that doesn't make its tone superior and there are a lot of great tones that can be created with cheaper materials that some may prefer.
you clearly never owned a prestige level boutique then. its fine to buy a guitar within your means - everyone should. but dont lie to yourself out of jealousy - dont be aesop’s fox in the vineyard
I have have owned two Collins acoustic guitars. They are nice. But in my opinion, definitely not worth $5000. Mine were a little less than that,but I sold them a while back and I can honestly say I do not miss them. I have this Orangewood now as a campfire guitar and I actually really enjoy it. Obviously I have more expensive guitars like My Gibson songwriter and my Martin D 45 which are definitely a cut above the Orangewood.But I will admit, I was very pleasantly surprised when I picked up the echo and started strumming it. A very bright balanced sound to my ear. None of my $5000 guitars sound $4700 better LOL Buy the Orangewood. Support a growing company that seems to have a good idea behind their instruments. They’re very well-made and set up. It’s a good cause.
Anthony Sclafani Yea, it’s more of personal preference rather than quality most of the time. But quality is still factor too, just really depended on the guitar itself. I played a $150 Mitchell Acoustic Electric at GC the other day and it felt and sounded like it was a $800 guitar. There are sleepers and I hear Orangewood are sleepers. People are just more biased to Gibson and Taylor and Martin
I purchased a Taylor Academy 12 (grand concert size) to learn on. I settled on the Taylor by going to a local music store before I knew anything about playing or about guitars in general. I tried multiple brands. As much as I like the price point of the Orangewood guitars I'd only try one if I could hold it and try out the fit first. This may not be a problem for most people but I'm a small person and the larger guitars are harder for me to learn on. I was given an Alvarez dreadnought before I bought the Taylor. I complained to a guitar playing coworker about the size and he is the one that suggested I go to a store and try out different styles and brands till I found one that was a good fit. It ended up being great advice. When I become an accomplished player (in my own mind) I might consider trying something like the Orangewood. High end guitars are just out of the question for an aspiring hobby player like myself. I do agree there is some tonal advantage but it isn't enough for the price difference.
The only way to do a valid comparison is to hear it live. The room you record in and the quality of equipment can drastically alter the tone of a guitar.
Years ago was in New Orleans and there was this beautiful old black man playing and old Tel Star crap guitar, stings were at least 3/4 inch off fret board, but that man made that guitar sound like a million dollars combined with his rough cigarette voice and great smile. Thinking about a Orangewood, but you guys a awesome artist and make playing sound and look good!!!
To me the big difference is going to be fit and finish and the quality of the materials used? is the cheap guitar going to play just as good in 50+ years and sound better like the expensive one will?
The Collings sounds better. But for people who wouldn’t ever own a guitar if it weren’t for affordable ones, what good is that? I recently bought a very inexpensive Orangewood parlor size guitar and I love it! I have a classical guitar that is just a bit large to sit on my couch and comfortably play. My Orangewood is perfect for doing so; since I enjoy it, I play more. And practicing on my Orangewood has made playing my classical easier for me.
This was well done and helpful... but what would be MORE helpful would be to compare this to, let’s say a 8 or 900 dollar guitar from Martin or Taylor.. thanks for the review!
I have an Orangewood as well as 4 very high quality guitars. The Orangewood is very good, but there is no comparison with a professional-grade instrument and there really was never meant to be. I'm a registered music therapist and I got the Orangewood for work so I wouldn't lose my mind if something happened to my guitar at work. My Orangewood gets a great acoustic sound. The factory-installed pick up isn't that great (too many wolf notes) and you can really notice the difference in playability between an Orangewood and an expensive guitar. Totally worth the price, and the Orangewood company cares about its customers. Comparing an Orangewood to guitars in the $400 - $600 range, they are close in terms of quality of sound, but a Seagull S6 or a Taylor 100 model are hands down better guitars overall and much more satisfying to play. The Orangewood is still an entry-level guitar. I wish I would have spent a few more bucks and just bought a Seagull.
good review guys. I play strictly by myself in a little corner of one room in the house. Once in a while I post a you tube video. If I were a gigging musician actually getting paid real money $$$$ I'd consider the Collings. But for what I do the Orangewood would work just fine. At this time I play a Breedlove Atlas Studio series 12 string, and I'm looking to add a 6 string and I think the Orangewood will fit the bill perfectly.
Thanks for this video, played a big part in me finding my great Orangewood. Fyi that Orangewood is also Pau Ferro back n sides and not mahogany and the two woods feel and resonate noticeably differently (Ive played this OW Echo model and preferred mahogany back n sides so returned the Echo and got the new Hudson model in mahogany b & sides).
I have a Gibson that I love, and a Taylor GS mahogany. I'm thinking a boutique brand like Collings or Froggy bottom will be next (OM body). Anyone else have any good boutique references? For $250 that Orangewood sounds really good, and is nice to look at.
Here’s a at home practice trick to make ANY guitar sound like 5 Grand...Play your Guitar in your bathroom or walk in closet. Trust me you’ll get spoiled lol
Who is this advice for? Certainly not a beginner... a weekend hobbyist? Studio guitarist? Who would you ever recommend "spend as much as you can afford" for a guitar?? If you are starting and you spend more than 100 bucks at your local pawn shop you are crazy. Heck, Amazon has a bunch for under 200 if you insist on having something brand new. Get it, play it and if you love it, play it till you break it and then go shopping for whatever you can afford. If you don't like it, take it back to the pawn shop and get 20 bucks back for your trouble. Don't get sucked into the tonal differences and imperceptible nuances of the expensive guitars. They are just not worth it.. and if you are a mediocre player (lets face it... most of us are, right? ), you can spend 15k and you will still sound like garbage. Get something cheap and have fun with it!
I agree. I'm a beginner. Somebody gave me an Alvarez dreadnought. I'm small and it is a bit big for me trying to use. It was good I had the opportunity to try it. On advice from a coworker I went to the local guitar store and tried guitars till I found one that fit me and felt easy to fret and strum. I ended up with a Taylor Academy 12 grand concert style. It was on sale for 20% off on black Friday. It was still 420 dollars. I didn't know till I got a teacher that Taylor was a top guitar company. My teacher has a Taylor 312CE and honestly when I looked up the price and compared what the sound difference is I could in no way say the 312 was worth as much as it cost over my Academy 12. The teacher was even impressed with the sound of the Academy 12. He's a professional player though and I'm sure wouldn't be caught on stage with a beginner guitar, lol.
Actually I would say as a beginner buy new and around $400 plus setup will get you a decent guitar and something to last for a while. Of course as you start to find the music you like to play your initial guitar may no longer suit your needs. But by then you can actually play music do it's much easier to choose from the range in offer. I would say give it at least a year before considering changing. If you then decide to have a go at electric guitars buy used is a much easier proposition as parts are easier to switch and it can be pretty beaten up and still play perfectly fine. I started with classical acoustic as I like fingerpicking but once I started strumming I moved to a steel string acoustic. I also put together a kit Les Paul (Which I do not recommend although I did get to mess around with some pretty tricky wiring. ) which ended up costing a fortune and would be different to sell and a $50 Strat copy (Still had plastic on the pick guard and looked almost brand new) which after a small amount of fret levelling plays well. I did play a friends cheap acoustic and it was awful to play and sounded horrible as well as very different to stay in tune.
If you start with a cheap guitar you are less likely to stick with practicing and give up playing altogether. That's what I believe the dude was trying to say. It kinda makes sense. Your going to be more inclined to pick up that guitar more often and play if it's a really nice one as opposed to one that's cheap and perhaps harder to play.
It sounded nice but not in a million years would i chose a guitar over a 3 months island hopping in thailand including elephand riding, surfing, good food you catch my drift, when you can have pretty solid stuff for 1000€. (And personally i wouldn't go higher than 500€ )
Because you're not a musician. You're a fun strummer. Real guitarists absolutely will choose a fuller sound and better feel on their beloved instrument over a throwaway holiday cheating on their wives with Thai boys.
I could hear the collings has more presence, depth in the bass, note articulation, and sustain, but would you pay a few extra grand for those things? it's all in what you use it for.
The biggest difference may or may not be how well it cuts through the mix with a full band. I remember the first half-stack amp I bought. A Crate solid state. I'm sure the salesman was glad to get rid of one. That thing would get loud. But with a full band, I couldn't hear it AT ALL.
With about 600$ u can buy an "all solid" Orangewood guitar, which is much better of both of them.... Also Orangewood are made in Indonesia, and their founders are Koreans that moved to California in 2004 and made their headquarters there.....
I just needa highlight. Im a collings user, i play everyday heavily. Ive kept my collings in nesr perfect condition since it left the factory in 2008. Bought it for $3000 the last offer i had for it was $15000 . So there is also a rare item trade that enthusiast are also willing to pay for. Sorta like collecting expensive watches and cars
The Collings for sure sounded fuller and better. But IMO ~$1500 is where you really start to see diminishing returns on guitars. Its hard to justify spending 5x the money on something just because there is a "thing you cant exactly nail down that you like better". And lets be REALLY honest. 99.9% of the people who buy a guitar dont use it to make their whole living. It is a hobby for them so does the 5x amount of money make you a better player? Nope. I also get what your saying about the dirt bike comment. But dirt bikes are a CHEAP hobby! Parts are cheap and they themselves are about the price of the Collings guitar. If you want a HIGH DOLLAR hobby look into UTV racing. We take a $20k UTV, strip it all down (with no miles on it) chuck another $20k in parts and labor at it and then take it out and break a few thousand dollars worth of parts per weekend. Plus normally you spend a couple thousand dollars just getting to and from the race and entry fees. Normal race seasons cost about $50k per year not counting the price of your race machine.
More like $800-1000 is when returns start diminishing. An All Solid Epiphone Masterbilt can be had in the $500 range, and an All Solid Mahogany Guild D120CE for not much more. For those stuck on Taylor or Martin, then yes, it does require a higher price point to get an equivalent guitar.
The major difference, i believe, is that the Orangewood guitar comes with 80/20 Bronze (Earthwood) strings, while I would suspect that the Collings has Phosphor Bronze. The Orangewood sounds brighter, as expected, and the Collings sounds warmer, also as expected with Phosphor Bronze. The Orangewood also sounded like it needed a truss rod adjustment. Action too low from the factory. I would like to see this comparison re-done after changing both with identical strings.
I’d say diminishing returns start at about $1k these days, maybe even $800 usd. Look at Yamahas L or A series, Epiphone masterbuilt, crafter guitars, and sigma guitars.
I like the sound of both of them even though they are different I think the Orangewood guitar would actually be easier to mix where is the $5k guitar would need more hi-pass shelving eq.
Just going from the sound of the video it doesn’t seem to justify the Collins being roughly 8 times more. Playability isn’t discussed but still hard to imagine that aspect would justify that difference.
Biggest question for me is why you would even compare the two? Why not compare it with an 800-1000$$ guitar, I mean what y'all did is like comparing a Malibu against a Cadillac. Redo with a more realistic comparison because I'm sure most of your viewers can't afford a 5000.00$ Guitar.
i need honest opinion please!! which one sounds better, echo or the brooklyn from orangewood?? Personally i really like the design of brooklyn but i dont know if it sounds the same,better or worse than echo!!has anyone tried both of these guitars??
Not sure what strings Collings uses but Orangewood uses Ernie Ball 80/20. With phosphor bronze strings it would really warm-up. Also laminated back and sides are far more forgiving to climate changes. Therefore easier to care for. And they do offer solid wood guitars too at super low prices. I could but a new Orangewood every month if I needed to and maybe one Collings in my lifetime. I have higher end Taylor, Martin, Takamine, Zager and others. And an Orangewood on the way to play with. I'm betting with good strings it will sound amazing.
Is it like the Martin vs. Taylor I was just watching? Collings-sound of wood, Orangewood-sound of strings? Like the sound of the strings was permeating the wood more thoroughly on the Collings? I preferred the Collings. Just seemed like it was coming in and sounding more put together. Like a driving a well engineered car. Do they stand the test of time better? The Collings? I got to put my hands on a Collings many years ago. I'll never forget how that felt. I didn't want to let go. Even with my nearly non-existent guitar skills at the time. It was owned by a singer-songwriter. Broken-in. I think we have to take a deep gulp about the price. To keep the crafters coming. The Orangewood was a good guitar. It think if someone buys and plays a reliable but less expensive guitar to start, they will have more of an idea about what they want when they go for the special guitars. They will know what kind of music they like to play, and what they need the guitar to do for them.
If you can use the tone of the collings in your music and you can AFFORD it, it’s defined that worth it, especially if you can get the chance to try a bunch of different ones out that suit your music or what sound you’re looking for, NOW if you’re starting guitar or just learning or just want a cheap guitar that’s IN TUNE near the couch to entice you to practice more, get the Orangewood, the purpose of this video is not to say one is better than the other but to give you options
ok, so trying to judge a guitar online is difficult, but i could definitely hear a distinct difference between the collings and the orangewood. the orangewood sounded OK for a cheap guitar, and if i were buying cheap guitar, one like this would be my pick, but the collings sounded way better. i would be much more comfortable with the more expensive guitar.
I definitely heard a difference. Not a $5k difference. What wasn't addressed however was playability. I have owned $100 guitars to my current $3400 Taylor, and everything in between. The way they play is a huge part of ownership. I have a $150 Peavy falcon that plays like a dream. It just really depends on what you are looking for.
Love playing and the quality of products simply has no comparison. That being said i have a garage sale guitar i got for $85 and have gotten years of music and joy from it '
I surprise myself by liking Orangewood better in practically every comparison I have listened to until now. I hope they grow and start delivering in Europe (where I am). I have to plan it delivered to a friend or family in the States, and then shipped to me. But, I am starting to think that $275 (and the more upper-end Orangewoods around $400-$500) are better deals. And definitely not only because of the price.
I've heard a very good player make a cheap guitar sound Awesome. Then ive heard bad players make a great expensive guitar sound like Crap. The sound comes from the player. But Orangewood is a Great guitar, just bought the Duke. Then I'm getting the Oliver. Good video!
Yes I can hear a difference, the collings definitely has a more warm, full bass sound. But yeah is it worth 10 times as much? I don't think so. It's like when you go to Best buy and see all of the TVs next to each other It's hard to tell a difference. Put that sucker in your house and you won't even know
i think the orangewood sounds atouch better because its got that sort of pingy sound that i like but i would say that because im buying one next week lol loverly sound guitar for the price you can,t go wrong ste from liverpool england lar lol
I play for myself since I got out of the trade. I have an old Fender Newporter acoustic (1969?) & a recently acquired Washburn W10SCE. Both work for my needs, not needing to please a n audience. Also an RG and a squire strat. The fullness of the Washburn is heads & shoulders over the Fender, which is better suited for Delta Blues, slightly muted poorman sound. As far as the sound difference between the 2 in question, I'd take the Orangewood & save $4700. Especially if the playability was similar, which wasn't discussed.
If you were blindfolded and played something more than a chord strum on each guitar, you'd recognize the difference right away. They probably don't sound the same in the room as they do mic'd, either - the mic compresses things. The laminated guitars tend to be more harsh and less woody sounding. 15 years from now, the collings will still be straight, too. If I'm playing at home, I'd have the collings. If I was busking in a city outside, I'd have the orangewood. I'd buy the collings used, too (I have solid collings, but no acoustics - and I also have one of the cheap $150 epiphone les paul specials - equal opportunity across the spectrum)
Not that this vid is of much significance or relevance, but you have to consider that when vids are made comparing whatever to the newest hot affordable acoustic that the new affordable acoustic is in fact that, brand spanking new and hasn't had a chance for it's solid top to open up yet. I imagine these haven't gotten nearly the play as the expensive guitars they get compared to, and that given even just a few months of play they may sound a bit better?
I really like the sound of orangewood guitars especially the solid top ones. But even this cheaper one when compared to the collings, thing brings the heat. The collings does sound a bit more full but dang, that OW is no slouch.
Orangewood is ok just buy as much as you can I bought the oliver and was really poor quality I don't even play it anymore bad experience won't buy any more from them.
This reminds me of the discussion by pianists of the difference between pianos. Comparing a Yamaha C-7 to a Steinway B is like apples to oranges. The Yam is preferred by jazz players for its "brightness." The Steinway is preferred by classical players because of it unique tone. Both are excellent instruments. Can the Yam be "voiced" to sound more like a B, probably yes and vice versa. I would say changing the strings on the Orangewood would likely have a salutary effect on its timbre and projection. YMMV.
There is a point of diminishing returns on guitars but even then it’s hard to define where that point is. I’ve had a lot of what people generally call ‘high end’ guitars and not all of them have been worth the price tag. On the other hand I’ve had much cheaper guitars that are superb. In general it is best to use your ears when buying any guitar. The other issue is one of skill. I feel more than good enough to evaluate a guitar but I know much more advanced players who can make any guitar sound awesome providing its playable in terms of setup. When I test a guitar I have to have great resonance on certain notes, for example if the F# on the D string doesn’t sustain how I like it I give it a wide birth.
I'm late to this party. But I would say buy what you like and can afford. I have had both high end and low end guitars and there is a difference but not a 4700 dollar difference. My favorite guitar is a 600.00 washburn comfort series and I only paid 270 for it. I have Martian guitars but always find myself going back to the washburn. One advantage to my Martin's is I can get my money back if I sell them. A D 28 new is 2500.00 and I am pretty sure I could get very close to that if I sold it.
These days I think diminishing returns really start kicking in at around $800 to $1500. I saved a lot of money buy purchasing guitars purely based on sound. I went from wanting Gibsons and Taylors to actually buying Crafters, Yamahas, and Takamines. I might end up buying a sage orangewood guitar. The expensive guitars are usually amazing guitars, but if you play guitars at all price points, specially those with solid tops, you might realize that you prefer some of the guitars that are under 1k. You might have to get them setup, but that's a small price to pay if you like the guitar far more than a 2k+ guitar.
One of the biggest differences in my opinion, is that with the Collings guitar you could really hear the difference between the bass and the higher notes. which which makes this big, reveb-ish, beautiful sound. On the orangewood there is no difference between the bass and the higher notes, it sounds (compared to the Collings) just meh. You can really hear the difference in the strumming test.
Unless you're playing professionally or you're a millionaire, a $5k guitar isn't going to be worth the investment, imo. I love my new Orangewood Brooklyn Live Limited it sounds and looks amazing. If they had them in stock I would probably have gone for the all solid Ava model. That's my unprofessional, unsolicited opinion. That Orangewood sounds pretty dang sweet to my ears. 😍
The solid wood guitar will only get better with time and possibly appreciate its value depending on its brand. If you're going to buy the multi thousand dollar guitar I would say spend it on a old old Martin or gibson just because its value will only rise.
The problem being, you can't sit down w/ an Orangewood before you buy one.Yes, you can return it ...but still.Guitars are individuals and you Have to try them before buying, whatever the price.And there is more than the way they sound ,ie; the way the guitar feels and looks, to the owner.
A $5000 acoustic is probably not worth it for most people. However if you're already signed to a record label or have a large 100k+ subscriber UA-cam channel, I say go for it.
Collins sounds better but the Orangewood sounds great for the price. I agree you definitely can tell the difference when playing a better quality acoustic. I just ordered the Oliver Jr. from Orangewood to take camping etc.
I will say to the untrained ear there are tonal similarities, but a quality instrument is a quality instrument. I think people are upset at the 5k pricetag but you can get a collings or a martin with solid wood construction for half that. I hear the difference and value the quality I get out of something better. I dont personally like this collings, but dont let that speak for all high end guitars. all guitars sound different.
![This $295 Guitar will SURPRISE you! [Orangewood Brooklyn Guitar Review]](/img/n.gif)
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Skip to the playing examples!
Fingerpicking: 1:18
Crosspicking: 4:28
Strumming: 4:48
*Correction: Orangewood Guitars are made in Indonesia.
Guitareo really man ? Orangewood made in indonesia ? It's that true ?
Buy the Orangewood and a nice used Honda Civic for the price of the Collings (unless you are RICH).
It's a question of how much music means to you. There are great guitars to be had for much less money than 5 G's. The orangewood base models are good for a beginner or hobbyest weekend warrior guitar player, but it's not going to satisfy a serious player. It's a fine camp fire beater or extra guitar.
If I had to buy a "nice honda civic" for 4750, I will def go with the collings... just think about happiness it will give versus shitty 10 yrs old honda civic which wont even support bluetooth
A nice Honda? Well that’s an NSX and your not getting one of those for the price of a Collings.
@@ramspencer5492 that's a lie. I would be very happy with a orangewood, music is music and I play everyday consistently for multiple hours.
@@m.s2881 a lie? What? Lol. It's an opinion. I've played around on the orangewoods. Their new all solid wood guitars are nice. Great bang for buck but I like my guitar better.. The standard solid top orangewoods are decent. But it's not even on the same conversation. Not euphoric to not transcendental......I would miss the hell out of my guitar it I was stuck with one of those are a daily driver!
A lie??? What? ROFL!
For someone who is just starting to play guitar, then I believe having a good setup to ensure playability is the most important regardless of the price paid. Once a person gets to a proficiency level and knows that they will continue playing, then they can upgrade to a more expensive guitar. People's closets are full of $1,200+ guitars that never get played because the owner lost interest. You can get to that point with the $275 guitar.
100% true!
Best advice...on the cheaper guitar
I do agree with the good setup hence I can't justify owning $$$$ worth of guitar for a beginner.
I've seen several of these types of reviews, comparing two guitars with similar features but vastly different price points. What I would like to see now is a comparison of two guitars with similar prices, but different feature sets and lineages.
For example, both Martin and Orangewood offer a dreadnought acoustic 12 string for about $500-600 (Martin X1D12 is about $600, and Orangewood Echo 12 is $495). The Martin has a solid spruce top, laminated sides and back, a *laminated* neck, and a "Richlite" fingerboard. It has basically zero ornamentation . . . no binding anywhere, a basic rosette, and no fret markers on the fingerboard (just dots on the side). Versus the Orangewood which has a solid sitka spruce top, laminated back and sides, solid mahogany neck, and ovangkol fingerboard, with binding everywhere (body top and back, neck, and headstock), fancy fingerboard inlays, abalone rosette, and gold hardware. The Martin is made in Mexico, and the Orangewood in Indonesia.
But only one has "Martin" on the headstock.
So given a fixed amount of money, is it worth it to forsake a lot of features, both cosmetic (binding, inlays) and functional (solid vs laminated neck, wood vs synthetic fingerboard) to buy a budget version of a "top name" brand, or take a gamble on a (seemingly) much nicer but unknown one?
Agreed! Nicely stated! It would help those of us sticking to a certain budget.
You could buy 18 orange wood guitars for the price of 1 Collings. Keep 1 for yourself and donate the other 17 to a music program where it’s needed the most.
Quality matters
@@toholisema195 quality matters when you are no longer a beginner or if you can afford it. Ask the greatest guitar players what their first guitar was and you’ll agree...
The strumming playing test showed the most difference for me
Law of Diminishing Returns on full display. Yes, the Collings sounds slightly better, but $4,725 better? I saw this in action 28 years ago when I bought my $1,200 (1990 dollars) Taylor 410 and compared it to my $129 (1986 dollars) Alvarez Regent. About the same difference as this test. That and a foray into semi-expensive electrics cured my overspending on guitars. Unless you're a recording artist, the cost/benefit just isn't there.
Yeah you're right to a point but playing a Collings and an Orangewood is night and day mate, fuck the listener...
@@CircusNormal Yes, playability wasn't factored in here.
Zissou Moonshot Why would you work at a studio that would laugh at someone for being strapped for cash in the first place...some of the best studio musicians have played MIM Fenders at some point in their careers and I would put the quality of Orangewoods way above those.
Collings will retain its value. The orange wood, not so much
The Collins sounded slightly better, and definitely more durable, but the price isn't justified.
I've only been playing for a year and I'm far from being an expert but I will say this: It's not whether or not people can detect a difference in the sound; it's whether or not people can QUANTIFY that difference. The answer is most likely no and that's because the actual tone of a guitar is highly subjective. Whether its guitars or professional cameras or power tools, the key differences between cheap and expensive equipment are usually based on objective and quantifiable metrics. Flagship cameras aren't $8,000 because they take better pictures; they're $8,000 because they have features that make taking good pictures dramatically easier and more efficient. A guitar that is expensive is only worth the price tag if it is built with things like ease-of-use and versatility in mind.
You have to ask yourself different questions than "does it sound better?" like: "Is the intonation good?", "Is the action appropriate?", "Does it have convenience features like an on-board tuner, a pickup and/or level controls?", "Is the build quality solid and are the materials of high quality/rarity?". Those are the types of things that differentiate a $5,000 guitar from a $275 guitar. The difference in sound quality is almost purely subjective; a person might even spend hours in an audio editing suite making their $5,000 guitar sound like a $275 guitar because they like the acoustic qualities of the latter. So the playing comparisons are nice in terms of seeing what the difference is but they're practically meaningless in the context of the guitars' prices.
I do like that you guys talked about more than just the sound quality in your comparison. My only issue is that the title is a tad "click-baity" and there just seems to be a pervasive issue in the musical instrument world in regard to comparing instruments based on their sound and trying to relate that to price-when that's only a small piece of the puzzle. A bargain guitar that is hard to play won't be useful no matter how good it sounds and there are so many ways to augment the sound of the guitar for actual recording/performing that I would say playability and ergonomics should be everyone's top priorities, followed by technical aspects like intonation and tuning (i.e. how easy it is to tune, how well it stays in tune, how sensitive it is to weather, etc.). I wish more videos would focus on things like string spacing, fretboard width, tuning and action because those are the pervasive issues that have plagued my guitar learning experience over the past year.
I agree! Functionality is a much larger piece of the puzzle. But while tone is subjective, more expensive acoustic guitars do sound better. Especially, when we're talking about solid wood vs laminated top, back, & sides. The diminishing returns start pretty early on after that, and I agree that after a certain price point (around $1000 or so) it's 100% preference. That's our opinion at least. :)
Thanks, Steven, for your comments, which I found thought-provoking. There must certainly
be perceptions of musical sounds that are strictly subjective due to the very nature of
hearing, as well as subjectivity due to preference. None of which can be quantified. Even if
one were to take the utmost care in matching instruments (i.e. body styles, materials, strings,etc.), those subjective elements would still maintain and there are going to be some
variables in the playing of two instruments, even by the same person playing the same chordsor piece of music. All of which is say that I agree with you that the more important issues
are those you have noted. Aesthetic considerations are not valueless and a beautifully
constructed guitar using top-grade materials can be a work of craft-art by a world-class
luthier. I also feel that branding has a built in hype-effect that we are all subject to. We
expect a suit with a designer label hand-made by an expert tailor to be better crafted than one off-the-rack, but it doesn't always follow that "you get what you pay for," especially when one considers the diminishing returns aspect. It seems there are some fine-sounding, very
playable guitars out there which are not poorly made and do not require floating a loan or
joining kitty at the meow-mix bowl.
The Collings certainly has more dynamic range in the lower frequencies however for the price, I think it’s smarter to buy the best you can afford and put the time into practice with that instrument.
Great demo - in my experience, a good player really minimizes the difference between lesser and greater guitars. Still the Orangewood is a great value.
That's true! A great guitarist can make almost any guitar sounds awesome.
Do you ever compare guitars after they have been used for a couple of years? Be interested in hearing how well some of the less expensive ones hold up.
I can tell that whoever edits your videos loves their job!
The Collings had more presence...You could definitely hear that was somewhat restricted in the Orangewood. Both had great balance across each's spectrums.
The difference is almost negligible when you consider they will be eq'd in post to sound too close to really tell, especially in a mix. Orangewood are good guitars. I played an Oliver Jr mahogany live in a streaming concert from a local studio. I have Babicz, Breedlove's, Larivee, Tacoma, first run PRS acoustic with LR Baggs Anthem, and some others, but chose the Oliver Jr for live performance because of the playability. Now, I have a couple newly released all solid wood Breedlove Companions I would've chosen for the playability and all solid wood response for a live set, but I'm stills shopping for another Orangewood because they're just dependable and expanding their selection of different types of acoustic baritone, bass, and other, even higher end all solid wood guitars, still affordable to most.
A spruce (or cedar) top is the most important thing for sound. Solid back and sides may add some tone, but not that much. The set up, and strings make a huge difference. I find the neck (slightly wider) of the Orangewood Echo Live to be more playable than any acoustic I've ever had. When it comes to expensive guitars, you're paying mostly for aesthetics. When you get rich from your playing ability, you can buy pretty guitars.
Do you have a video comparing the Collins with one of the all solid body Orangewood guitars?
The Collings seemed to have a lower, rounded sound, whereas, the Orangewood seemed to have a high, thinner sound that occasisonally tended toward tinny. Overall, the two guitars sounded similar and, I agree, that the Orangewood would certainly be acceptable for a beginner.
Nice review! For a more accurate comparison, you should be comparing the Collings to the Orangewood Highland collection, which are all solid guitars instead of laminated sides and back. Granted, the price jumps up to about $645/$945 (difference being the electronics pickup system). As you point out though, part of what you are paying for is the name, prestige, and the backing of the company; similar if you purchase a Martin, Taylor, Guild, or something similar. One thing that improved the playability for my Orangewood was swapping out the Ernie Ball strings for a set of Elixirs, but that's a personal choice.
I want to see this too. These comparisons are all over the place from a couple years ago when the Highland series didn’t exist, but now it should be a much more relevant and accurate comparison between the Orangewood Hudson and this Collings D1 or a Martin D-18.
I'm hearing just a little more "bottom" with the Collings.
The orangewood reminds me of a Taylor-esque sound in this video. Is the Collings a well broken in guitar? If it is, that trows off the fairness. It's nice and warm.... Kind of Martin-esque.
Minus the crazy good higher end Taylor resonance of course
I would buy the $275 guitar ......because the$5000 guitar does not sound almost 20 times the price better
and you will earn the same amount of money playing the cheaper one
and if this $275 fell to bits after 10yrs I would buy it again , the $5000 could also fall to bits as well
Quality increase not linear
I feel that as long as you have a decent quality guitar, it doesn't matter if it is $200 or $5000 as long as you enjoy the tone it creates. There are definitely some specific tonal qualities that are hard to create without using expensive materials, but that doesn't make its tone superior and there are a lot of great tones that can be created with cheaper materials that some may prefer.
is it just me or did they not adjust the action on the orangewood to get rid of that slight buzz?
They both sound great but no one can every justify a guitar being 5000 that’s just ridiculous they pretty much sound the same
My personal opinion is that a guitar over 1500 has more to do with ego than quality of the guitar, just my two cents.
An expensive guitar last longer and gets better with age.
Cheap guitar is opposite.
you clearly never owned a prestige level boutique then. its fine to buy a guitar within your means - everyone should. but dont lie to yourself out of jealousy - dont be aesop’s fox in the vineyard
I have have owned two Collins acoustic guitars. They are nice. But in my opinion, definitely not worth $5000. Mine were a little less than that,but I sold them a while back and I can honestly say I do not miss them. I have this Orangewood now as a campfire guitar and I actually really enjoy it. Obviously I have more expensive guitars like My Gibson songwriter and my Martin D 45 which are definitely a cut above the Orangewood.But I will admit, I was very pleasantly surprised when I picked up the echo and started strumming it. A very bright balanced sound to my ear. None of my $5000 guitars sound $4700 better LOL Buy the Orangewood. Support a growing company that seems to have a good idea behind their instruments. They’re very well-made and set up. It’s a good cause.
The country it's made has a bigger impact on price than quality imo. Plenty of good guitars are made overseas in Asian factories
Anthony Sclafani Yea, it’s more of personal preference rather than quality most of the time. But quality is still factor too, just really depended on the guitar itself. I played a $150 Mitchell Acoustic Electric at GC the other day and it felt and sounded like it was a $800 guitar. There are sleepers and I hear Orangewood are sleepers. People are just more biased to Gibson and Taylor and Martin
I purchased a Taylor Academy 12 (grand concert size) to learn on. I settled on the Taylor by going to a local music store before I knew anything about playing or about guitars in general. I tried multiple brands. As much as I like the price point of the Orangewood guitars I'd only try one if I could hold it and try out the fit first. This may not be a problem for most people but I'm a small person and the larger guitars are harder for me to learn on. I was given an Alvarez dreadnought before I bought the Taylor. I complained to a guitar playing coworker about the size and he is the one that suggested I go to a store and try out different styles and brands till I found one that was a good fit. It ended up being great advice. When I become an accomplished player (in my own mind) I might consider trying something like the Orangewood. High end guitars are just out of the question for an aspiring hobby player like myself. I do agree there is some tonal advantage but it isn't enough for the price difference.
Thank you for the comparison and explanation of what the material differences are between guitars in the two price ranges. Very helpful information.
Event hough its so costly sound wise I would prefer collings, it sounds deep, and good
The only way to do a valid comparison is to hear it live.
The room you record in and the quality of equipment can drastically alter the tone of a guitar.
Absolutely correct. I have one room in my house where my guitars sound fantastic.
Years ago was in New Orleans and there was this beautiful old black man playing and old Tel Star crap guitar, stings were at least 3/4 inch off fret board, but that man made that guitar sound like a million dollars combined with his rough cigarette voice and great smile. Thinking about a Orangewood, but you guys a awesome artist and make playing sound and look good!!!
To me the big difference is going to be fit and finish and the quality of the materials used? is the cheap guitar going to play just as good in 50+ years and sound better like the expensive one will?
Do you see all of those inexpensive vintage Yamaha's out there? Built like tanks. Feel and sound great. Always did.
Yeah my old Yamaha red label, is aged and open and sounds like a 5000 dollar guitar, its 35 years old, solid top laminate b&s.
Are they both strung with the same type/age strings?
The Collings sounds better. But for people who wouldn’t ever own a guitar if it weren’t for affordable ones, what good is that? I recently bought a very inexpensive Orangewood parlor size guitar and I love it! I have a classical guitar that is just a bit large to sit on my couch and comfortably play. My Orangewood is perfect for doing so; since I enjoy it, I play more. And practicing on my Orangewood has made playing my classical easier for me.
This was well done and helpful... but what would be MORE helpful would be to compare this to, let’s say a 8 or 900 dollar guitar from Martin or Taylor.. thanks for the review!
I have an Orangewood as well as 4 very high quality guitars. The Orangewood is very good, but there is no comparison with a professional-grade instrument and there really was never meant to be. I'm a registered music therapist and I got the Orangewood for work so I wouldn't lose my mind if something happened to my guitar at work. My Orangewood gets a great acoustic sound. The factory-installed pick up isn't that great (too many wolf notes) and you can really notice the difference in playability between an Orangewood and an expensive guitar. Totally worth the price, and the Orangewood company cares about its customers. Comparing an Orangewood to guitars in the $400 - $600 range, they are close in terms of quality of sound, but a Seagull S6 or a Taylor 100 model are hands down better guitars overall and much more satisfying to play. The Orangewood is still an entry-level guitar. I wish I would have spent a few more bucks and just bought a Seagull.
good review guys. I play strictly by myself in a little corner of one room in the house. Once in a while I post a you tube video. If I were a gigging musician actually getting paid real money $$$$ I'd consider the Collings. But for what I do the Orangewood would work just fine. At this time I play a Breedlove Atlas Studio series 12 string, and I'm looking to add a 6 string and I think the Orangewood will fit the bill perfectly.
Thanks for this video, played a big part in me finding my great Orangewood. Fyi that Orangewood is also Pau Ferro back n sides and not mahogany and the two woods feel and resonate noticeably differently (Ive played this OW Echo model and preferred mahogany back n sides so returned the Echo and got the new Hudson model in mahogany b & sides).
Collings is obviously warmer and has a more projection
I have a Gibson that I love, and a Taylor GS mahogany. I'm thinking a boutique brand like Collings or Froggy bottom will be next (OM body). Anyone else have any good boutique references?
For $250 that Orangewood sounds really good, and is nice to look at.
Here’s a at home practice trick to make ANY guitar sound like 5 Grand...Play your Guitar in your bathroom or walk in closet. Trust me you’ll get spoiled lol
Paul McCartney said he did that A LOT lol
old trick the ol toilet seat magic!!!!
Who is this advice for? Certainly not a beginner... a weekend hobbyist? Studio guitarist? Who would you ever recommend "spend as much as you can afford" for a guitar?? If you are starting and you spend more than 100 bucks at your local pawn shop you are crazy. Heck, Amazon has a bunch for under 200 if you insist on having something brand new. Get it, play it and if you love it, play it till you break it and then go shopping for whatever you can afford. If you don't like it, take it back to the pawn shop and get 20 bucks back for your trouble. Don't get sucked into the tonal differences and imperceptible nuances of the expensive guitars. They are just not worth it.. and if you are a mediocre player (lets face it... most of us are, right? ), you can spend 15k and you will still sound like garbage.
Get something cheap and have fun with it!
I agree. I'm a beginner. Somebody gave me an Alvarez dreadnought. I'm small and it is a bit big for me trying to use. It was good I had the opportunity to try it. On advice from a coworker I went to the local guitar store and tried guitars till I found one that fit me and felt easy to fret and strum. I ended up with a Taylor Academy 12 grand concert style. It was on sale for 20% off on black Friday. It was still 420 dollars. I didn't know till I got a teacher that Taylor was a top guitar company. My teacher has a Taylor 312CE and honestly when I looked up the price and compared what the sound difference is I could in no way say the 312 was worth as much as it cost over my Academy 12. The teacher was even impressed with the sound of the Academy 12. He's a professional player though and I'm sure wouldn't be caught on stage with a beginner guitar, lol.
Actually I would say as a beginner buy new and around $400 plus setup will get you a decent guitar and something to last for a while. Of course as you start to find the music you like to play your initial guitar may no longer suit your needs. But by then you can actually play music do it's much easier to choose from the range in offer. I would say give it at least a year before considering changing. If you then decide to have a go at electric guitars buy used is a much easier proposition as parts are easier to switch and it can be pretty beaten up and still play perfectly fine. I started with classical acoustic as I like fingerpicking but once I started strumming I moved to a steel string acoustic. I also put together a kit Les Paul (Which I do not recommend although I did get to mess around with some pretty tricky wiring. ) which ended up costing a fortune and would be different to sell and a $50 Strat copy (Still had plastic on the pick guard and looked almost brand new) which after a small amount of fret levelling plays well. I did play a friends cheap acoustic and it was awful to play and sounded horrible as well as very different to stay in tune.
If you start with a cheap guitar you are less likely to stick with practicing and give up playing altogether. That's what I believe the dude was trying to say. It kinda makes sense. Your going to be more inclined to pick up that guitar more often and play if it's a really nice one as opposed to one that's cheap and perhaps harder to play.
It sounded nice but not in a million years would i chose a guitar over a 3 months island hopping in thailand including elephand riding, surfing, good food you catch my drift, when you can have pretty solid stuff for 1000€. (And personally i wouldn't go higher than 500€ )
Because you're not a musician. You're a fun strummer. Real guitarists absolutely will choose a fuller sound and better feel on their beloved instrument over a throwaway holiday cheating on their wives with Thai boys.
I could hear the collings has more presence, depth in the bass, note articulation, and sustain, but would you pay a few extra grand for those things? it's all in what you use it for.
I've seen great players make a $200 guitar sound amazing, and players make a $2,000 guitar sound like crap.
Thank you for the vidéo.
You plays dust in the Wind.
But after what is the name of the music you plays just after?
If you mean around 4:30 that's the intro to Boston - More Than A Feeling
Great video guys!
You could also get a Yamaha red label hand made in their custom shop in Japan for about $1200.
The biggest difference may or may not be how well it cuts through the mix with a full band. I remember the first half-stack amp I bought. A Crate solid state. I'm sure the salesman was glad to get rid of one. That thing would get loud. But with a full band, I couldn't hear it AT ALL.
What’s the name of the first song he played ?
With about 600$ u can buy an "all solid" Orangewood guitar, which is much better of both of them....
Also Orangewood are made in Indonesia, and their founders are Koreans that moved to California in 2004 and made their headquarters there.....
I just needa highlight. Im a collings user, i play everyday heavily. Ive kept my collings in nesr perfect condition since it left the factory in 2008. Bought it for $3000 the last offer i had for it was $15000 . So there is also a rare item trade that enthusiast are also willing to pay for. Sorta like collecting expensive watches and cars
The Collings for sure sounded fuller and better. But IMO ~$1500 is where you really start to see diminishing returns on guitars. Its hard to justify spending 5x the money on something just because there is a "thing you cant exactly nail down that you like better". And lets be REALLY honest. 99.9% of the people who buy a guitar dont use it to make their whole living. It is a hobby for them so does the 5x amount of money make you a better player? Nope. I also get what your saying about the dirt bike comment. But dirt bikes are a CHEAP hobby! Parts are cheap and they themselves are about the price of the Collings guitar. If you want a HIGH DOLLAR hobby look into UTV racing. We take a $20k UTV, strip it all down (with no miles on it) chuck another $20k in parts and labor at it and then take it out and break a few thousand dollars worth of parts per weekend. Plus normally you spend a couple thousand dollars just getting to and from the race and entry fees. Normal race seasons cost about $50k per year not counting the price of your race machine.
More like $800-1000 is when returns start diminishing. An All Solid Epiphone Masterbilt can be had in the $500 range, and an All Solid Mahogany Guild D120CE for not much more. For those stuck on Taylor or Martin, then yes, it does require a higher price point to get an equivalent guitar.
I have an 800 dollar Predator pool stick and I don't exactly shoot better pool with it. Lol. But it sure is pretty.
The major difference, i believe, is that the Orangewood guitar comes with 80/20 Bronze (Earthwood) strings, while I would suspect that the Collings has Phosphor Bronze. The Orangewood sounds brighter, as expected, and the Collings sounds warmer, also as expected with Phosphor Bronze. The Orangewood also sounded like it needed a truss rod adjustment. Action too low from the factory. I would like to see this comparison re-done after changing both with identical strings.
We put the same strings on both guitars before doing this video. D'Addario EJ16 Phosphor Bronze 12s.
I’d say diminishing returns start at about $1k these days, maybe even $800 usd. Look at Yamahas L or A series, Epiphone masterbuilt, crafter guitars, and sigma guitars.
I like the sound of both of them even though they are different I think the Orangewood guitar would actually be easier to mix where is the $5k guitar would need more hi-pass shelving eq.
thomas666 Which is an interesting point that I’ve heard others mention too.
Just going from the sound of the video it doesn’t seem to justify the Collins being roughly 8 times more. Playability isn’t discussed but still hard to imagine that aspect would justify that difference.
Collings has more bass. That's about it.
Biggest question for me is why you would even compare the two? Why not compare it with an 800-1000$$ guitar, I mean what y'all did is like comparing a Malibu against a Cadillac. Redo with a more realistic comparison because I'm sure most of your viewers can't afford a 5000.00$ Guitar.
i need honest opinion please!!
which one sounds better, echo or the brooklyn from orangewood??
Personally i really like the design of brooklyn but i dont know if it sounds the same,better or worse than echo!!has anyone tried both of these guitars??
Not sure what strings Collings uses but Orangewood uses Ernie Ball 80/20. With phosphor bronze strings it would really warm-up. Also laminated back and sides are far more forgiving to climate changes. Therefore easier to care for. And they do offer solid wood guitars too at super low prices. I could but a new Orangewood every month if I needed to and maybe one Collings in my lifetime.
I have higher end Taylor, Martin, Takamine, Zager and others.
And an Orangewood on the way to play with. I'm betting with good strings it will sound amazing.
It seemed the Collings was louder or brighter than the Orangewood, BUT not by a whole lot. Both sounded beautiful
I'd buy the cheap one, and use the money saved on good lessons 😁
Is it like the Martin vs. Taylor I was just watching? Collings-sound of wood, Orangewood-sound of strings? Like the sound of the strings was permeating the wood more thoroughly on the Collings?
I preferred the Collings. Just seemed like it was coming in and sounding more put together. Like a driving a well engineered car. Do they stand the test of time better? The Collings? I got to put my hands on a Collings many years ago. I'll never forget how that felt. I didn't want to let go. Even with my nearly non-existent guitar skills at the time. It was owned by a singer-songwriter. Broken-in. I think we have to take a deep gulp about the price. To keep the crafters coming. The Orangewood was a good guitar. It think if someone buys and plays a reliable but less expensive guitar to start, they will have more of an idea about what they want when they go for the special guitars. They will know what kind of music they like to play, and what they need the guitar to do for them.
If you can use the tone of the collings in your music and you can AFFORD it, it’s defined that worth it, especially if you can get the chance to try a bunch of different ones out that suit your music or what sound you’re looking for, NOW if you’re starting guitar or just learning or just want a cheap guitar that’s IN TUNE near the couch to entice you to practice more, get the Orangewood, the purpose of this video is not to say one is better than the other but to give you options
What tune are you playing at 4:48? Sounds familiar.
That's Pinball Wizard.
Pinball Wizard The WHO
ok, so trying to judge a guitar online is difficult, but i could definitely hear a distinct difference between the collings and the orangewood. the orangewood sounded OK for a cheap guitar, and if i were buying cheap guitar, one like this would be my pick, but the collings sounded way better. i would be much more comfortable with the more expensive guitar.
I definitely heard a difference. Not a $5k difference. What wasn't addressed however was playability. I have owned $100 guitars to my current $3400 Taylor, and everything in between. The way they play is a huge part of ownership. I have a $150 Peavy falcon that plays like a dream. It just really depends on what you are looking for.
What are the names of the songs they play?
For me, the diminishing returns seem to be right at 800. Anything after feels like a lot of inlays, mother of pearl, and of course the name.
Love playing and the quality of products simply has no comparison. That being said i have a garage sale guitar i got for $85 and have gotten years of music and joy from it '
I surprise myself by liking Orangewood better in practically every comparison I have listened to until now. I hope they grow and start delivering in Europe (where I am). I have to plan it delivered to a friend or family in the States, and then shipped to me. But, I am starting to think that $275 (and the more upper-end Orangewoods around $400-$500) are better deals. And definitely not only because of the price.
I've heard a very good player make a cheap guitar sound Awesome. Then ive heard bad players make a great expensive guitar sound like Crap. The sound comes from the player. But Orangewood is a Great guitar, just bought the Duke. Then I'm getting the Oliver. Good video!
Yes I can hear a difference, the collings definitely has a more warm, full bass sound. But yeah is it worth 10 times as much? I don't think so. It's like when you go to Best buy and see all of the TVs next to each other It's hard to tell a difference. Put that sucker in your house and you won't even know
i think the orangewood sounds atouch better because its got that sort of pingy sound that i like but i would say that because im buying one next week lol loverly sound guitar for the price you can,t go wrong ste from liverpool england lar lol
I play for myself since I got out of the trade. I have an old Fender Newporter acoustic (1969?) & a recently acquired Washburn W10SCE. Both work for my needs, not needing to please a n audience. Also an RG and a squire strat. The fullness of the Washburn is heads & shoulders over the Fender, which is better suited for Delta Blues, slightly muted poorman sound.
As far as the sound difference between the 2 in question, I'd take the Orangewood & save $4700. Especially if the playability was similar, which wasn't discussed.
Orangewood have been making some great-value guitars. Difficult to get in UK.
If you were blindfolded and played something more than a chord strum on each guitar, you'd recognize the difference right away.
They probably don't sound the same in the room as they do mic'd, either - the mic compresses things. The laminated guitars tend to be more harsh and less woody sounding.
15 years from now, the collings will still be straight, too.
If I'm playing at home, I'd have the collings. If I was busking in a city outside, I'd have the orangewood. I'd buy the collings used, too (I have solid collings, but no acoustics - and I also have one of the cheap $150 epiphone les paul specials - equal opportunity across the spectrum)
Not that this vid is of much significance or relevance, but you have to consider that when vids are made comparing whatever to the newest hot affordable acoustic that the new affordable acoustic is in fact that, brand spanking new and hasn't had a chance for it's solid top to open up yet. I imagine these haven't gotten nearly the play as the expensive guitars they get compared to, and that given even just a few months of play they may sound a bit better?
I like the orangewod on both pi king and the collings for strum...
I really like the sound of orangewood guitars especially the solid top ones.
But even this cheaper one when compared to the collings, thing brings the heat. The collings does sound a bit more full but dang, that OW is no slouch.
Orangewood is ok just buy as much as you can I bought the oliver and was really poor quality I don't even play it anymore bad experience won't buy any more from them.
Gee.... Was looking forward to seeing the Orangewood being picked in a blind test for the Collings. :)
This reminds me of the discussion by pianists of the difference between pianos. Comparing a Yamaha C-7 to a Steinway B is like apples to oranges. The Yam is preferred by jazz players for its "brightness." The Steinway is preferred by classical players because of it unique tone. Both are excellent instruments. Can the Yam be "voiced" to sound more like a B, probably yes and vice versa. I would say changing the strings on the Orangewood would likely have a salutary effect on its timbre and projection. YMMV.
There is a point of diminishing returns on guitars but even then it’s hard to define where that point is. I’ve had a lot of what people generally call ‘high end’ guitars and not all of them have been worth the price tag. On the other hand I’ve had much cheaper guitars that are superb. In general it is best to use your ears when buying any guitar. The other issue is one of skill. I feel more than good enough to evaluate a guitar but I know much more advanced players who can make any guitar sound awesome providing its playable in terms of setup. When I test a guitar I have to have great resonance on certain notes, for example if the F# on the D string doesn’t sustain how I like it I give it a wide birth.
Great video!!
I'm late to this party. But I would say buy what you like and can afford. I have had both high end and low end guitars and there is a difference but not a 4700 dollar difference. My favorite guitar is a 600.00 washburn comfort series and I only paid 270 for it. I have Martian guitars but always find myself going back to the washburn.
One advantage to my Martin's is I can get my money back if I sell them. A D 28 new is 2500.00 and I am pretty sure I could get very close to that if I sold it.
These days I think diminishing returns really start kicking in at around $800 to $1500. I saved a lot of money buy purchasing guitars purely based on sound. I went from wanting Gibsons and Taylors to actually buying Crafters, Yamahas, and Takamines. I might end up buying a sage orangewood guitar. The expensive guitars are usually amazing guitars, but if you play guitars at all price points, specially those with solid tops, you might realize that you prefer some of the guitars that are under 1k. You might have to get them setup, but that's a small price to pay if you like the guitar far more than a 2k+ guitar.
You can get a higher end orangewood, all solid wood, for under $700. For about $1000, they add electronics.
One of the biggest differences in my opinion, is that with the Collings guitar you could really hear the difference between the bass and the higher notes. which which makes this big, reveb-ish, beautiful sound. On the orangewood there is no difference between the bass and the higher notes, it sounds (compared to the Collings) just meh. You can really hear the difference in the strumming test.
Unless you're playing professionally or you're a millionaire, a $5k guitar isn't going to be worth the investment, imo. I love my new Orangewood Brooklyn Live Limited it sounds and looks amazing. If they had them in stock I would probably have gone for the all solid Ava model. That's my unprofessional, unsolicited opinion. That Orangewood sounds pretty dang sweet to my ears. 😍
The solid wood guitar will only get better with time and possibly appreciate its value depending on its brand. If you're going to buy the multi thousand dollar guitar I would say spend it on a old old Martin or gibson just because its value will only rise.
The problem being, you can't sit down w/ an Orangewood before you buy one.Yes, you can return it ...but still.Guitars are individuals and you Have to try them before buying, whatever the price.And there is more than the way they sound ,ie; the way the guitar feels and looks, to the owner.
I wonder how these guitars will age? Which one will sound better in 20 or 30 years? Which one will you still own in 20 or 30 years?
The Collings sounds better, but the orange sounds amazing for the price...very good starter guitar.
A $5000 acoustic is probably not worth it for most people. However if you're already signed to a record label or have a large 100k+ subscriber UA-cam channel, I say go for it.
Collins sounds better but the Orangewood sounds great for the price. I agree you definitely can tell the difference when playing a better quality acoustic. I just ordered the Oliver Jr. from Orangewood to take camping etc.
The Collins seems to have more even volume from string to string. The 5th and 6th seemed a little weak on the OW.
I will say to the untrained ear there are tonal similarities, but a quality instrument is a quality instrument. I think people are upset at the 5k pricetag but you can get a collings or a martin with solid wood construction for half that. I hear the difference and value the quality I get out of something better. I dont personally like this collings, but dont let that speak for all high end guitars. all guitars sound different.