J45 vs D18 Blindfold Test - Which Guitar Sounds Better?? 

I was able to correctly guess the guitars. Thirty years ago I was a "Martin guy." Not only was I incredibly biased toward Martins and vociferously against Gibson, but I was a committed Rosewood back and sides for the tonewoods. Over the years my ears have led me toward the slope shouldered Gibson mahogany dreadnoughts like the J-35 and the J-45. I still appreciate the D-28s, HD-28, OMs, & 000's but it is interesting where one's ears will take you and how different other people's ears and tastes are.

Did not peek, but was not trying to ID the guitars. It seem like Guitar 1 (the Gibson) had a bright crisp, "ringy" sound where each string could be heard clearly whereas Guitar 2 (the Martin) had a deeper more "mixed" sound a "richer" sound where the notes melded together into a common sound. That is my take.

Correctly id'd both. The J-45 projectes a bit fuller when strumming, but the D-18 has the pure musicality of a Martin playing single notes. If I was playing a rhythm gig, I'd take the J-45 with me. Solo gig I would take the D-18.

I own a J45 I guessed it right. It has a warmer tone on the low e and a strings and at the same time a brighter clarity on the high strings. The 18 sounds crisp and tight but i prefer the 45 by alot. Just a great sounding guitar. im very happy with it.

I think for me, the more my playing advanced the more I became a huge mahogany fan. I guess I appreciated the rosewood overtones covering up my mistakes and filling in the empty space. I love how clear and dry everything is on a mahogany guitar and the balance makes for some spring on the strumming. Same thing that over time I appreciate a good Gibson with red spruce and mahogany.

These two are possibly the most iconic available today, poss. the D-28 as well, great comparison!! Love them both.

I'm a Gibson guy, and identified each correctly. On the basis of this (taking into consideration Quinton's pick and string technique), sound wise I would choose the Martin, but prefer the look and feel of the Gibson which I would probably pick up and play more. Basically, I can't win!

I love these kind of videos! Please add some Guilds too (Martin hd28 vs Guild d55 maybe)

I really enjoy the blindfold comparison tests. I would love to see some comparisons of budget ($300 to $700), middle($800 to $1500) and higher end Martins, Taylors and Gibsons. That is, comparing Martin to Martin, etc. It would also be fun to see some comparisons of similarly priced guitars from less well-known makers with these top brands.

I guessed wrong. And I have an 18 with Adirondack top. They are close and both sound great.

Got it right. Maybe luck. Both are really similar, when you don’t look - the J45 sounded it little brighter to me, even the depths. Was fun!

I own the D-18 and it's my favorite sounding acoustic guitar, but the bright liveliness of the Gibson J-45 really surprised me. Had great single note definition.

I think that was a really good j-45 wow haven’t heard a Gibson that sounds that deep

Recently played a D18 2020 limited edition, and a J45 standard (both were brand new), and I ended up buying the J45. It seemed to project more, and had a little more low end. I was pretty sure I wanted the Martin when I first walked into the shop (because I love my D16r), but the Gibson got me. Happy with my choice.

I will be honest. I did not get it right. Love what you guys do! Great chemistry!!

What a great comparison! I thought the Gibson was slightly preferable because it was more balanced across the strings (against my expectations). If between the two specific samples, i'd choose the Gibson because I usually find them more comfortable.

I liked guitar 1 more than #2. But guessed incorrectly. I OWN a J45 and a D-28. Glad I liked the one I own. Good video. What about a video that compares a 12 fret slotted head with a solid head?

Thanks for the cool video, I leaned to guitar #2, I didnt cheat. I played the video again and discovered it was the D18, both sound great, so either is a winner....

Got this one right. The single notes are more pronounced and harsher on the J45. The D18 has that Martin “all the strings blended together” sound.

I was first wrong. But then knowing and listening again, it became obvious which one was which one. Interesting effect... Never had thought that the difference between the two is so small. Probably much clearer when the handling plays a role, too. After all, I still would go with the D18.

Both sound great... Martin sounds that little bit sweeter to my ears but it’s not by much

This was very helpful. I can definitely tell the difference. I am currently trying to decide between these two guitars, as to which is more appropriate to the way I play. I would say that the Martin is ‘punchier’, with each note standing in its own in a way that punches the ear with extra bass at the attack end of the note. The J45 has a brighter attack with the sustain having something like a compressed ‘growl’. This is true of the individual notes. When you chord/strum, it has a different effect on each as well. On the Martin, when a chord is struck the notes each hold their own in the low register and blend beautifully in the upper register. It creates a warmer low end that to my ear is not necessarily as ‘clean’, with each note refusing to succumb to the strength of the other notes. On the Gibson, the whole guitar seems to respond to chords differently than as described above. It’s almost like the guitar plays ‘mixer’ and balances them together and blends them ‘pre-projection’, so that they come out if the sound hole sounding exactly how they are going to sound in the room. So, the Martin platforms each note at full strength and let’s the room mix them into harmonious resonance, but the Gibson seems to blend the notes into a mixed product within the box, so that the strummed or comped chords come out of the guitar as a finished product. I did not cheat, and I definitely hear the difference and was able to pick it out blind. In conclusion I’d say the Martin is punchier and has a more ‘brute’ appeal, where the Gibson has more growl and blends the notes in a way that sounds more sophisticated, maybe ‘smoother’, almost like natural compression.

I think I would know by the way each guitar feels. My D-18 is a featherweight compared to my somewhat more substantial J-45. I love them both for their unique sound quality.

I got it wrong as well! The Martin sounds like a j45 used to , if that makes sense. Both real nice and similar sounding though

I have a J-45 and still got it bass-akwards! They are very similar and if you start screwing around with different strings - I'm sure you could make yourself crazy doing this.

Very different tones. The Martin has more bass and is somewhat muted. Both have great sound. I guessed correctly after hearing the first demos. I have Gibsons and Martin and love each for their individual characteristics. You can prefer one over the other but you can't fault either. Great instruments!

the mic alone is possessed lol they both sound good but I can distinguish them blind folded, nothing like that gibson sound and martin has its own sound too. rock on guys! watch out for that magical moving mic :P

I got it right. The strum was tough but the single note stuff made it easy. The J-45 is a great guitar, but the D-18 is its own class.

I have a 97 D18 and really like it. I've played a few J45s and they are equally great guitars but not enough for me to sell my d18. But I could clearly hear the difference in this comparison. But if you compare two d18s or two j45s you'll also hear a difference. Aged wood vs new wood makes the biggest difference.

In my experience the tusk bridge pins and saddle make the attack fuller and stronger witch is great but the negative effects is it makes them brighter. You can hear it in the vidio but that particular j45 is perfect for the materials used aperantly because it does both and sounds amazing!

I got it right but I have the advantage of owning one of each. However, my J45 is a Custom Rosewood which, of course, is a completely different animal. The fellas call the Gibson "The Grand Piano"; loud with more 'phumph'. The Martin (2015 standard D-18), is the 'Cannon', dryer and more cutting. I'm set for acoustic guitars. (Though I wouldn't mind a smaller 12-fret!)

I got it correct and the Martin has more bass. I actually got it. But, as an HD 28 guy (Rosewood), I think I like the slightly brighter tones of the J-45. Thanks.

Got it right when Quinton played, but missed when Paul played. Certain style of playing will out a guitar every time as well. I am just glad my wife didn’t see playing RU-vid and not watching (face turned away and eyes closed) she would have me committed!

Dangit I got it wrong. That j45 sounds incredible

I picked the 45, with out looking as #1. #2 was the D-18. The D-18 has a more bassy sound to me BUT both are very close.

I think the Gibson has a more open sound. Has clarity and full bass.

It would be helpful to know what strings you have on them and if they both have the same string type and gauge. As you know, strings make a dramatic difference. (Hopefully they do, as that would change everything if not.) Also, the microphone makes a big difference to as to the frequencies transmitted and overall sound. So if someone is using these videos to make a purchase decision, they need to know that, and really need to listen in person if possible. Thanks. I enjoy your videos!

I didn't even try to get it right. But I did focus on which tone I liked better. It ended up being the martin. The martin has a little more growl, reverb whatever you want to call it. It sounded better to me. These challenges are great!!!

Great video. Really had a hard time telling them apart until you played the single notes. For sure a difference. That doesn't mean one was better than the other, but that was when I could pick one out.

At 7:39 you can tell the Gibson is a White Label Standard and not a custom shop Red Label....one thing to take note of is all Gibson’s are now made with hide glue on the neck joints which as the guitar ages it’ll just keep getting louder and crisper and better sounding this is my experience with all Bozeman Montana Gibson

I love Gibson's & Martin's and both had beautiful tone but the J-45 was to my ear the best sounding of all of them and superior to the Martin D-18. It rang out with more definition and more girth. I would also say the Taylor 314 would have been my second choice. Of course this is relative to each and every ear. Rock on guys...

i got it right away but honestly i dint think i would. I like the dark martin tone. never played a gibson but to me it sounded like a sweeter tone (more melodic?) idk just my impression

The single-note playing towards the end definitely was where the difference lay for me. I guessed it right, but not sure if it was bc of my ear or the fact that I had a 50/50 chance of getting it right. J-45 is what sounded better to me. For my taste, Martins tend to be more muddled on the top end and I like a little more sparkle up there. Thanks for the comparison!

That 45 said hello to me!

I own both the J-45 and an HD28...I think that would have been a better comparison test. I can definitely tell the difference in the sound of each. And the build of the J-45 is more closely related to the HD28.

I have a D-18 and it's the best-sounding and best-playing guitar I've ever laid hands on. That being said, I could not tell which was which in the video with my eyes closed. A J-45 is definitely on my bucket list. I wouldn't trade my D-18 for it though (but I probably would be willing to trade my Taylor 314ce (no offense to Taylor--it's a great guitar)).

Great video. Interesting test. I remember being a guest at CF Martin years ago and playing two D-28 Authentic prototypes. Both were built identically by the same person with hide glue. The necks were made from the same mahogany billet, and the Appalachian spruce tops were cut from the same billet as well. The only difference was that the backs and sides while both being Brazilian Rosewood, were taken from different trees and one set was flatsawn while the other was quartersawn. The difference in tone between the two was incredible and I and the other five guests had varying opinions about which one sounded better. Go figure!

It would be cool to do an A/B test with the D18 vs. the Eastman dread with spruce/mahogany. That would shake some folks up, I bet.

I totally got that wrong! I was convinced they were the opposite, based on what I thought I heard earlier in the episode. When I re-wound it and watched, I've got to say I just loved the sound from the D18. One day....

When you spend some time listeingn to really old martins and gibsons like 40's to 55's You can really start to recognize the diiferent tonal characteristics. Martins have a very controlled sound while gibson are kind of looser and jangly. Dont know if its because all the braces are falling out but that can be a really cool personality. Something about old gibsons with thin sounding notes but giant sounding bass overtones that is like the best thing ever.

I am brand loyal to MARTIN(I own several) - rarely disappointed. In this comparison, however, I do prefer the 'crisp'; less boomy sound of the J45. Thank you guys, it was a treat to my ears.

I totally got it right. The thing I don’t like about the J-45 is the predominance of bass in it’s tonal spectrum. You can easily perceive and label it as “depth” if you are attracted to that type of sound.

I guessed correctly, but inly because I've been listening to/watching videos featuring one or both guitars all evening. Even before this video, I was very surprised to learn that the J 45 had surpassed the D 18 to my ear (and eyes as well). The Martin is certainly an excellent axe, but the J 45 just has more sparkle. liveliness and personalty, while the martin sounded kind of stiff and sterile by comparison. I think the J 45 is a far better looking guitar, as well. Just my opinion.

Wow, I guessed wrong. I honestly can't believe how much better the j45 sounded. Much more pronounced high end and clarity. I thought it was the Martin, for sure. Thanks for the vid

I got it wrong as well and I preferred the J45 everso slightly.

I got it right. I could spot the difference in the tonality. Both bave a different tone, its hard to find, we can spot it if you try hard.

I didn't look and i'm guessing that guitar #2 is the martin d18.

I got it right. The low E on the Martin gives it away. It’s not about better; rather, it’s about what you want to play on it!

Easy. They sound very, very different on my audiophile iPhone. :)

Loved the video, I got them right...didn't think it was difficult to hear the difference. Please do more like this...include Guild, Eastman, Taylor, and Yamaha. Thanks.

My main guitar is a d-18 that I play everyday. I still had a hard time picking out the d-18, felt like a coin toss. I got it right though, mostly because the single note picking on the higher strings/higher frets really gives away the scale length.

I'm more of a strummer so I prefer the J45 but the D18 is best for lead parts and finger picking. Much more versatility with the Martin.

I have replaced my D18 with a J45 and I also own a D28...I got it wrong but I turned around before the single note..I LOVE ALL MARTINS AND GIBSONS!!

I've played guitar since 1979. Owned over a hundred brand new acoustic guitars. Martin, Gibson, Guild. etc....I've had Hoboken, Westerly, Tacoma and Oxnard made Guild D-40'S and 5 Gibson mahogany guitars through these past 44 years. I closed my eyes as Quinton suggested. I heard his strumming and I guessed correctly!!! The Guild has a deeper bass note articulation compared to the Gibson. The J45 is no slouch of course but I can tell that higher Gibson mahogany sound! Great sound test!

I got it right, and who knows if I'm lucky or good. What I heard was the Martin had strong mids, while the J45 was more balanced from to top. They are close enough that I think string selection could even switch the results. I, too, was always a Martin guy (68 D28), but Collings is made here and I wanted to support my local biz. Heard a CJ and was blown away by the smooth response bottom to top. Bill said it was inspired by the old Gibson Advanced Jumbo. I bought one of each and, while I had never had any use for big Gibsons, the round shoulders sound even better to my ears than my beloved Martins. Since Quinton is a long scale guy, I'd like to see a comparison of an HD-28 and an Advanced Jumbo, or the AJ with a J-45. Thank you guys for doing these comparisons. I have particularly enjoyed these last two.

I got it right - but then, I do have a D18 myself - but they are quite similar

I got it wrong....btw the J45 sounds better

I took the blindfold test myself and got it right. I have a D-18MD and a D-21, so that may have helped me. Both the D-18 and the J-45 are winners in my book!

I actually did keep my eyes closed and correctly identified the guitars. I have a Martin DCPA4R and my brother has a D18 that I have played. I actually really like the J45.

I own both. They are amazing tools and I appreciate them equally. I've played so many of them over the years and in my opinion, the J45 is the better strummer in cowboy chord and middle neck chord runs. It's deep and full. It feels great to play with the shorter scale. It starts to sound tinny as you play up the neck all the way to the heel. It doesn't sound great with a capo beyond the 3rd or 4th fret. The D18 is better to play all the way up the neck. The longer scale helps with this. The neck is more comfortable for me to move quicker and play single notes. Using a capo sounds great everywhere. For my style of the playing, the D18 is the better all around instrument. If I'm just strumming while singing, I'll always choose the J45.

I got them wrong ... love both Martin and Gibson Great video idea

I’ve failed, surprisingly the Gibson had more articulation while the Martin had more bass. Thanks for letting us viewers take part it was fun!

This was nice 👍 and I didn't have any problem pointing out the Gibson, which has the biggest sound. or maybe I was lucky.

I didn't even guess because I just couldn't distinguish enough of a difference. I'm pretty much a dyed-in-the-wool Martin guy but that J45 sounds every bit as good, to me

I got it wrong and I have a d18! It has an adi top though, but these both sound great

To me it's easy to tell the J45 from other guitars like Martin or Taylor. It usually doesn't have that typical strings chyme when you strum it. The sound of it is less from the strings but more from the guitar, if that makes sense. Its a whole sound as one instead of a separaration of sounds from individual strings that you can commonly hear especially from Taylor.

I guessed wrong and I have an HD 28 and a Gibson CL-50. Love both of them.

i cheated and looked but martin sounded a bit thinner to me, they sound very simmilar.

The Gibson sounds louder and brighter. The Martin sounds more reserved

I got it right and didn’t cheat (honest!). There is a treble zing to the J45 that the D18 doesn’t have. Also the D18 I think, sounds more refined. I have an Epiphone version of a J45 and the sound whilst not the same has a similar signature to the Gibson. If you could do some expensive versus less expensive comparisons that would be cool.

I have played significant amount of J45 ... I have never played one like this on the video ... stunning ...what J45 that was ? vintage or Pro ???

I like the brightness of the J-45. Seems fuller than the Martin. Can you compare some of your vintage pieces to moderns? I always feel the vintage stuff just has a better feel and unique tone. But maybe my eyes deceive me. I have tried many modern acoustics but have a hard time beating my ‘47 J-50

Love these videos keep it up!

I got it right, but I was half guessing. I think that J-45 is atypically bright. I like both guitars and have an old (early 60s) J-50 as well as a CEO-7. To me the Martin's generally have more clarity and are a bit brighter, but Gibson's--and especially the J-45s and J-50s--have more thump (fundamental?). But, because of the wonderfulness of wood and construction no two guitars--even of the same make and model--sound exactly the same.

I got the blindfolded test right. #1 Gibson #2 Martin. I’m a Martin guy. I wish to heck I had a J-45 or an LG-2 , but I don’t. I do currently have 3 Martins,… an 0-18T, a custom 0-17M and an 000-15SM. Even though none of these is a dreadnaught, all my Martins share that familiar chime , almost a harpsichord quality that my ear identifies as distinctly Martin. That crisp, dry, articulate punchy Gibson tone woos me for sure. Both are fantastic! Thanks

I was nervous I would pick the Gibson but boy oh boy the Martin just didn’t let me down!

I missed it. I was sure the 2nd was the Gibson, but I missed it. Listening w/ my eyes I would have said I prefer the Gibson in that model, but just listening I preferred the Martin. Makes me feel pretty good as an owner of a couple of Martins at least :)

That Martin rumble I love so much, I got it right!

Here we are a year later and I tried it again (no recollection of which guitar was #1 or #2). I got it right again. Both sounded good. The slightly stronger bass in the Martin was the key. I will admit I am a Martin guy and Paul specs out some really great Custom Shop D-18's with adirondack tops. One followed me home from MT and it is probably the most versatile dreadnaught I own. It will never leave the herd.

Theres also the fact that the d18 comes with medium gauge strings and the 45 with light gauge. Also the gibson has the dreaded undersaddle pickup . I removed the electronics on mine and the sound improved immensly! I have owned the d18....now i have my j45 and will never be without it!

I got that right all 3 times, martin has the "martin tone" and i can hear that here a lot.

I got the guitars right ,but it was harder than I thought it would be . The J45 was a lot brighter that it would be , but then if you compare two D18s there might be a difference , did they have the same strings on the J45 and the D18 , anyway I would not refuse either . Can you do a comparison of the same guitars With different strings , medium, light or extra light if you have already done that sorry I haven’t seen it. Dickiemint.

I played both back and forth a few times. Bought the Guild D-40. All have great tone. But saved $$$

I got lucky once. I have a gibson southern jumbo but still thy both sound the same on my phone.

In the UK, the D18 is almost twice the price of the J45, and I don't hear that price difference in this vid. I thought the D18 was #2, so I will check back now.

It was easy for me to tell because I've always had a strinyg preference for the Gibson sound. So I just picked the one I liked best and it was of course the Gibson.

18 growls by strumming and sounds clear note by finger picking. That is how I tell. ; ) that is Martin characteristics I think. 45 on the other hand sounds lush in bass by strumming and mellow tone by finger picking. I guess the difference comes from sustain. 18 might have a longer sustain.

Got it right. Surprisingly, lol. You guys rock. Love your videos

Funny. I didn't look and with the strumming I was absolutely sure guitar 1 was the J-45, but when I heard the single note lines I knew the 2nd guitar was the D-18. I thought you tricked us. So weird, because in this video, as well as in the last one, I could easily tell the difference between both guitars. I own a J-45 and mine sounds exactly the same as this one. I never thought this test could fool me, but apparently it did.

Got it right. Can definitely tell in the lows for me