I'm still torn between which one to get. Here the D18 is quite a bit cheaper though (the D28 and J45 are on par). I think the Martin sounds great but in this video the J45 has a distinctive sweet sound.
My D18 is 46 years old. I bought it new in 1973. Had the neck reset done several years ago at the factory.. I had the bridge reset under the lifetime warranty a couple of years ago. It will outlast me and has never let me down.
One of the better reviewers, he plays each guitar it's strengths, also gets the tops moving where needed to suss out the sound. Most just noodle and show off.
We like your videos! Very clear. Concise. Thumbs up! Good job from mtw and 99 in LA. Weekly jam night players 2013-2019. Your playing is very inspiring! Congrats!
Thanks for the demo.Nice playing and commentary-I hope you and your family are well. You sound like a decent individual- God knows the world is in need of that.BTW I own a J-45 and am quite happy with it, but there is no denying Martin!
That J-45 is a monster. Can't really pick a favorite with two classics like that. The D-18 sounds great and holds its own with the new specs, despite the J-45 being 15 years old. Even if they were the same age, they're really so different, despite similar wood and similar size.
My son has Older D18, Older Collings, I have J45 and Southern Jumbo Limited. we drink beer, lil whiskey, play and talk about life and good times. His view out his window is Golden Gate bridge and Alcatraz.// I visited my dad in prison a few times, never played any guitars w him, never had any fun w him. But, I learned a lot from him, not in the best of ways, though learn I did. Both of my sons are different people, both of them are fantastic people for our world. Yes this pertain to your comparison. Take care of your family.
I have a D18 and HD28. The J45 sounds killer on this video. Beautiful!! I'm stupified bonded with my D18 and till death do we part. I tried a J45 and it was great but it's all about personal preference. It's dangerous walking into music shops with killer axes to peruse and play. You never know what you're gonna walk out with. Oh yeah, I'm a Martin freak but the J45 was the one in this shootout for my ears right now!!
Personally I think that you should own both a Martin and a Gibson. Martin is absolutely stunning to listen to in an acoustic matter - whereas Gibson to me sound better in a live mix or in a studio recording. I've heard several guys who make professional sound mix at concerts and studio producers that it's barely necessary to mix a Gibson but a Martin often needs lowcut because of the more bassy and woody tone of the guitars. But then again, you can't generalize. In my opinion Martin is better sounding purely acoustic - richer tone, treble and bass. But a Gibson has that almost nasal tone and wellknown midrange which makes it perfect for recording pop/rock or easy mixing live in concert.
Wow the Martin D18 is by far the leader in sound and looks. I admire the J45 but not as much as the Martin. Martin rock and have since 1833 :) -There's nothing like a Martin and that's why I went out and bought myself a D18 today!!! - I always enjoy your in depth reviews.
Congratulations. i agree a million percent mate!!! absolutely nothing like a Martin, you can make it purr like a kitten or Roar like a Lion depending on your attack. Very Dynamic. with a capo it excells at fingerstyle, because of the sheer size of the body you have the volume for the more delicate intricate passages. And with a simple flick of the wrist enough Power to make yourself Heard. if you play facing a corner like people do parlor guitars you'll get quite the listening experience!!!! ;) as it would be Sacrilege to put a soundport on a martin. soundports were originally used by classical guitarist/flamenco players, so they could hear themselves over the women tap dancing
Oh man that J-45 has got the deep soul voice that sounds so inspiring. Jarvis you're a lucky hound to be able to handle all these beautiful guitars but I'm sure that through your passionate style and talent you've definitely earned it! Kudos to you.
The balance of the Gibson. That is why I bought one. I compared it to many others and narrowed it down to the Gibson and a Martin D-35. To be honest I would have been happy with either one, but since I've gotten used to the J-45 it's my baby.
I’ll have to say the j 45 is amazing - I played one at guitar center and fell in love - even though the Martin d18 tone is awesome also. One of each ha ha
@@TheGuitarSpaSingapore Well you picked the most iconic model of them all really, not to bash the other models or brands but this D-18 is hard to beat in every sense since the beginning.There are leaders and then followers. Cheers mate!
Weired I´ve considering one of these 2 Guitars quite a while now. Went in a shop and played both. The Martin was way better. In this Video to me the J 45 is da winner.
Gibson is for rock n roll Martin more for Bluegrass. I need both if I had a lot of more. Down to one I would pick a Gibson. I have a Gibson J35 very similar to J45.
An enjoyable video. Both great guitars. I own a D18 GE and a 1968 reissue J45. Completely different animals and both excellent instruments in their own right
the j-45 is stellar- i agree with others- brilliant warmth- lively- and the martin d-18 sounds very precise and tight- but slightly clinical compared to the more organic tonal variations of the Gibson J-45- i'd say the scale length plays a key role in this difference... but to me- each guitar is individual and i would never say all martin d-18's fall short of the gibson j-45 & vice versa-
thanks for the review Jarvis, both are great guitars but does things differently. the D18 is more articulate and has better clarity. however the J45 has a very melodious and natural warm sound that simply sings. The Hallmark Gibson sound that complements the vocal range.
D18! I prefer the balanced tone of the 18, the 45 is to woofy when strummed into the mic. Most bluegrass pickers chose a D18 when recording into a mic. A lot of D28’s can get to woofy and boomy when mic’ed to. Both have their place!
To get the punch out signature 'Gibson Dreadnought Tone', you use the same technique as you use to make your Gibson Les Paul sound like a pro. You 'coax it'! That is, as you pick or strum be more deliberate. Play your open chords giving each fretted note a little more force and very slight 'grind-in' not necessarily bending pitch, but driving the sound home. Yank and cajole even when playing gentle. Most Martins have the 'pretty on top'. Most Gibson's have the 'pretty underneath'.
The Gibson projects better and is more crispy, but the Martin blows the Gibson away with warmth and pure quality of sound. And that's all I've got to say about that.
I feel the same way. After 30 years plus of playing I ended up settling on a Larrivee about ten years ago and I'll always be a Larrivee guy, but if and when I get another 6 string acoustic it'll be a j45. Ive always loved their sound. Its an industry standard for good reason. Dont get me wrong, Martin makes a great guitar. I love them and would be more than happy to own a d18, or a 25, but for my ear Larrivee wins the race. Still, the j45 will one day be mine.
I have a 2015 D18 and a 2011 D28. I thought I had all my bases covered but it looks like a J45 will be in the quiver in my future! It exudes warmth just like the sunburst finish. It will be in excellent company with my Martins. Great review as all your work is!
They both sound fantastic. The J45 is more my style, more punch. The D 18 has a sweetness to it that sounds nice fingerstyle, but that last segment really showed the difference.
both sound great, both are iconic guitars. I personally would never own a Martin. (well that's not true, if someone gave me a 35, 41, or45 I take it lol) but I'd never buy a Martin. it's impossible to say one of these guitars is better than the other.. everyone has a different ear and what tone they prefer. I'm a Gibson guy and I own 5 Gibson Acoustics.. There's just something about the tone of Gibson.. Nice review. I truly enjoy your videos and I watch them all the time..
Best sounding mahogany guitars I've ever heard. I have a 1981 HD-28, until today I preferred rosewood but you made mahogany right up there. By themselves, each sounds nice, back to back I liked the Martin D-18 a tad more, just seemed melower even with the capo. Your stage presence, voice and facial expressions add a lot to the playing ;)
No contest. The full balanced sound of that Gibson J-45 leaps out of my speakers and hits the sweet spot, it's satisfying and involving, bold and expressive. The sound is confident as if it knows it has that elusive musical Mojo (what a joy it must be to play) The Martin D18 by comparison sounds suprisingly flat and undeveloped, all the notes are there for sure, but the character is somehow missing. (Please Jarvis let me know if that Gibson is still for sale because I'm genuinely interested) Meanwhile thanks for a great site, you always serve up a feast for the eyes and ears.
nice playing ! difficult to decide which sounds better. however i noticed the gibson sounded great through all the songs you played . the martin sounded really good but not as good as the gibson in a few of the tunes you strummed. Maybe the gibson wins overall in sound quality to me.
I love bassy instruments....but in this case the Martin gets to over feed the bass over the sound spectrum I think. The Gibson sounds a bit mire balanced. This is Strumming. In finger picking maybe I'll take the Martin for the very same reasons.... funny. great as usual bro
About 2 years ago after being unhappy with the acoustics I had and previously had, I decided I would take as long as it took to find my "perfect" acoustic. I quickly eliminated the Taylors I tried. I finally narrowed it down to the Gibson J-45 and Martin D-35. I went with the J-45 and I absolutely love it. There are so many great guitars out there. I guess it just depends on what a person likes. I love the way Taylors are so playable, but their sound just doesn't do it for me. I've owned a Gibson J-185 (hated it), Larrivee D-09, etc. For me the J-45.
1LOCKNLOAD good you are happy with your J45. I'd love to hear why you hated the Gibson 185.... I am yet to try one, or a J200, but I have the idea they are awesome guitars
Hey Jarvis, let me first say as a fellow brother on the AGF, we all appreciate your kind spirit & wonderfully informative reviews. Suga baby, it's fun! So as a full-time professional solo acoustic musician here on the Florida coast, I'm picky about my tools. I've played a J-45 that was marvelous, but found the newly braced D18's more consistent & balanced for my ears. So in addition to my Pro Series Tak, I now use a '14 D18 with an M80 pu...Both the 45 & 18 have a nice low end, however, the clarity & timbre of the 18 appeals more to me. Give that 18 your playing a solid year of playing & it will open up like the 45. I'm with you overall, I love mahogany & both these guitars have mojo. btw, you play wonderfully, your new setup sounds good, & so does your freestyle singin'! God bless you & your family my friend, eric...see my YTC for live tunes featuring my D18 if you like!
Hi Jarvis, Thanks for the review. The Martin do sound more impressive initially because of of better tone separation and articulated. But over a longer run, the melodious tone and rhythm the J45 wins over. That's why it is very difficult to pinpoint the Gibson sound. that's just my opinion as definitely both are great guitars
If I had to pick I'd take the D-18! Only a few months old and it's playing this beautifully? Imagine a few years down the road. Oh and the Martin won't be in the shop getting fixed nearly as often as that Gibson!
These are awesome guitars in there on way, you have a winner in either one. I have my on D-18 with medium light daddero coated strings 80/20 bronze exp.your string choice is the only difference in sound, the j45 has a Gibson medium string and the martin has a medium light martin sp coated.put the same strings on these and its hard to tell which one is which by ear.as far as playability, I like the feel of the D-18 and the low end bass that just ringsforever, and the neck is a little narrower than the j-45. Its all I what you like and prefer, just play them both and here them live because these Videos, do no justice to either guitar.You simple Cant here the difference unless your in front or behind the guitar,Then you can here the difference............hands down.Martin.............just has it right, from my perspective and sound choice.
I did my listening without looking, just at the comments.I found the Gibson sound much more to my liking each time I scrolled up. To me it excelled in the fingerpicking test. I may be biased, I own a great playing Epiphone and aspire to owning a Gibson.
for my ear I like the j45. I'm a Larrivee guy myself and will be for the remainder of my tenure on the planet but If I get another 6 string acoustic it'll be a j45. I just love the sound, id rather an older model though. Something from the 80s even. Old enough that the saps crystallized and well broken in. Which do you prefer? Is the 45 easier to play the the d18?
I've owned 3 Taylors including a 1986 500 and a 2008 GS Cocobolo Limited Edition, and recently just purchased a Martin CS D-18 12 Sinker Mahogany. Now in fairness, they are all very different, but the Martin (remember it's one of only 75 ever manufactured) rings like a bell, sustains like a Steinway and it's annotation is as perfect as I've heard on any guitar
I have had a similar experience. I have had three Taylors 2012 314CE (later traded up for the 814), 2014 856e, and a 2017 814ce and two Martins: a 2012 CS D-21 and a 2019 D-18MD. All of them are great, but the CS D-21 (Madagascar Rosewood and Adirondack top) is in a league of it’s own.
I have two martins hd-28 and d-35 but wanted the d-18 for the mahogany sound. I played both the d-18 and then the j-45. The j-45 is now mine. If you can play both side by side you might understand the difference.
WHAT is that little finger style progression in D and G you play when you capo up three? It's near the end, at position 12:15? I just LOVE that! It makes me tear up every time I hear it. I enjoy your videos so much. You love your family and seem like a great guy -- and a danged good guitar player!
I was referring to what the piece was -- not the particular progression itself. I can see how you played it. What I meant was, did you write that, or is it a cover of something? It's very lovely. Btw -- to the point of the video, I'd say that the J-45 is somewhat "bass heavy" over the D-18, which seems more tonally balanced -- although the D-18 has a very nice bass response, as well. I really love the sound of them both, but tend to prefer a rosewood fingerboard over ebony.
Comparing from your demo on the pretty capoed song, I gotta say I like the J45 better. I was considering one, but never like them when I play them at the guitar store. They sound too jazzy or something. I play figure style. But your demo blows that out of the water. J45 wins.
Fat or skinny...They all feel (sound) good. I like the fat low end of the Gibson. The Martin has a bigger middle coming through. We all like what we like...Thanks for the time & comparisons! I've watched your Olson vids 10x each..Keep em' coming brother!
Both sound great, the J45 has a mid-range that just SINGS! It's almost a bell-like quality that was present in all ranges. The D18 had glimmers of it when playing up the neck, and I suspect it will sound incredible in 15 years too. Fingerstyle goes to D18, strumming goes to J45.
I own 2 Martin D35s; one is a 1971 and the other is a 2012. The 71's tone has set in beautifully whereas the 2012 is a little more punchy in the midrange. Do you use light gauge elixir strings or medium gauge? I myself prefer light gauge because I've found the action on Martin guitars to be rather high. Luckily, I'm the original owner of the "71 so I've had several neck resets done under warranty. BTW, I REALLY enjoy your reviews. I like how you compare different models. Keep up the good work!
Both sound great. I think the Martin projects sound at a higher volume than the J-45 (given its standard dreadnought shape and age). The Gibson seems to take better to the harder strumming than the Martin. Martin D-18 is great for the gentler playing/strumming but the J-45 (and many Gibsons) seems to have more versatility when it comes to playing various styles. My favorite Martins are the Orchestra Models. That D-18 sounds nice and so does that J-45.
Great video, thanks for sharing the guitars between the J45 and the Martin D-18. I'm not gonna lie, it's very hard for me to choose lol, because I like them both for different occasions. Do you also do any guitar lessons?
i like both of them too. Sorry i’m not a guitar teacher and don’t give lessons - reason being i have demanding day job while working guitars on the side .. plus time are needed for my family
