It looks like the Yamaha is still wearing the coated 80/20 strings it comes with. They are bright and punchy on a bright/punchy guitar. I think if they both had PB strings they would be a bit closer in tone. I went to buy a D28 2 months ago and bought an LL16 instead. They were both right there in the store to A/B and the Yamaha had so much more punch and volume, and the bass is clearer. The Martin was good guitar but the price was so far off between the two. If they were both $900 I would buy the Yamaha every time.....if they were both $3200 I would buy the D 28 , but only to protect my resale value.
If you plug it into an amp use a 10 band EQ....you need to reduce the 16K band to get rid of the icey sound. Temu has a cheap 10 band EQ that works great. You just need the line level battery and 16K...it has both.
I do not want to hurt anyone's feelings, but, I much preferred the Yamaha. It had all the depth that the Martin had, plus a whole hell of a lot of top end and clarity that the Martin did not have.
Doesnt hurt anyones feelings. Everyone has a right to appreciate a certain type of sound. I agree the sound on yamaha is better balanced across all strings. It had a clearer midrange I think.
Years ago I owned a D-28 and then foolishly sold it. A few years ago I bought a Yamaha LL-16 ARE, and when I first played it, it reminded me a lot of the D-28. It's not exactly the same, but the spruce/rosewood combination does have it's own sound. The build quality of the Yamaha is remarkable, too.
I've owned my D-28 for over 20 plus years now and from this video, personally I prefer the sound projection of the LL-16. I probably won't trade in my D-28 for the LL-16 though but I'm super interested in the LJ-16 and LS-16 now. Yamaha makes excellent acoustic guitars. Period.
LS-16 is phenomenal. I've got it, along with MARTIN D18, Gibson J-45 Rosewood Custom Shop, Larrivee, Furch, son I have some good guitars to compare it. Again: it's sleeping giant.
I like how Yamaha voices their guitars. For this style of music, it’s well balanced. The guitar sounds brand new and bright but that of course will develop nicely with time. The Martin sounds like it’s enjoyed more play and is getting into its adult voice. It’s also getting into a completely different price point. Nice playing
Listening through headphones. I prefer the Yamaha, sounds clearer.... Martin sounds a bit muffled by comparison. It's ridiculous that the Martin cost 3 times more. You paying over the top for the brand only.
@SeriusNtentions I do have one of the L models, though it's not a 16. I think it's either a 6 or a 7. I'd love to get my hands on the model that Paul Simon played In the 80s, was it?
@SeriusNtentions I don't think Paul Simon's model was a production version. It might have been one that was made especially for him. I do recall seeing something like it for sale on eBay by a Japan based seller. Of course, the price was in the thousands of dollars, plus the shipping would have been another $200 or so. That aside, I have been able to get two or three used guitars from Japanese sellers, one a steel string Morris, and one a Yamaha classical, a GA-80, which was about $100.00, including shipping and a zippered vinyl case. I still can't believe it was also shipped by air, and I received it in less than two weeks.
I've been a Martin guy for years since 1974, but now have other guitars as well like Larrivees, Taylor, Takamines, and now yes,, Yamahas! I just discovered them and it's really an exceptional company. It sounds unlike any other guitar I played. It's a unique sound, very precise & articulate with great sustain through the highs, mids and even bass. And the price you pay is ridiculously low! No wonder they're always sold out & needs to be back ordered. The big three: Martin, Taylor and now Yamaha's,.no question!
I've owned a Yamaha L16 for 16 years which I bought new for just over £400. It's a fantastic, sweet guitar, very balanced. The build is extremely high too, definitely a keeper.
I've always wanted to own a D18 or D28 but I know I'll never feel comfortable dropping that kind of cash, the LL Yamaha is so well made and beautiful sounding I'd be very very happy with that, keep and play for a lifetime and it would be even better.
I bought an llx 16 from a local guitar shop when I was 17 from the local guitar shop. I couldn't afford it but the owner listened to me play it and offered it to me for half then and half a month later. I took it home and have never regretted it, I will never sell it.
My new LL16 just arrived today. First guitar I’ve purchased in nearly thirty years. It’s plays so easily and sounds pristine. So excited to get to know this new friend for life.
Maybe this is a stupid statement...But the Martin sounds very martin. The LL16 is so much richer and fuller, besides slightly brighter.(Those Elixir are extremely bright compares to my preferred PB 12-53) I have tried different acoustics from different brands. Gibson, Taylor, Martin, Furch, Takamine, Cort, Fender. But the Yamaha L series is one of the best line I have ever experienced. After trying different guitars, I went for the LL16ARE. Both the quality and tone is at the same level as the Gibson J-200. (They sound different but the tonal quality is the same). The minimalistic design on the LL16 is the main reason why it became my most beloved acoustic, a piezo pickup under the saddle without any preamp at the side of the guitar, and i never have to worry about it running out of battery since the pickup does not require a battery. I have even played live with the guitar and it sounded awesome through the PA, it even captures the dynamic (percussion) from the body. With other words, I have found the love of my life. Additionally, I am an electric player too, currently owning 4 electric guitars all are Gibsons, I have to worry and be really careful due the the nitro lacquer could react with anything. But the poly finish on the LL16 cures my perfectionism.
Great comparison and great playing thankyou! The Yamaha sounds more lively, the Martin tighter, but it would open up over the years. I wish the LL had a sitka topped option. I own the LL16. It not only sounds good, it has a lovely stable neck and very playable. The Martin is very expensive here in Australia, 4 x the price of the Yammie.
Great vid. For me the Martin has more definition of tone: warm lovely bass and mids and inoffensive treble, a blend of volume and character achieved by a balance of these elements - signature Martin sound. The Yamaha seems a bit overridden with treble and percussiveness - I’m hearing the bound fretboard talking mostly? I’d LOVE to play Freight Train on the Martin.
The precision and playability of Yamaha guitars is consistently superb. They should never be overlooked, and this particular model has a beautiful voice. This is taking nothing away from the Martin, but unless you are wealthy, or a professional musician, the price may not be justifiable.
As the very proud owner of a yamaha dw5s and unable to afford a Martin,, the yams the one for me,, although I bloody love Martins,,, as someone once said,, "if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with" 👍
I'm very surprised that u have a dw5. I bought a dw6 and it sounds great. I don't know too much about it cuz internet didn't give me some info. Could you tell me please a lil bit about them and do you know how many ages have our guitars? Thank you
@@sunwalker2599 hi, the dw5s was made in the mid 90s I believe,, mine is in real good condition, and sounds awesome too,, Tom petty owned one by all accounts!
@@johnhassall1782 thank you so much for answering. One more thing, do you think that fg850 is good for an upgrade? Or you think there isn't a big difference?
Picked up one of these Yamahas for £400 which already had a tusq nut and saddle fitted, I’m blown away by the quality and sound, it compares to my Martin D28, It’s an amazing guitar.
Hi, please tell me how you like the Yamaha LL16 guitar, how it sounds through the pickup, are there any problems with the tuning with equalization or is there a background from the pickup ?
Got a Yammy, it sounds great and records beautifully, used to have a D28 but it was stolen years ago unfortunately- I have access to several and have great custom hand built acoustic also, and the LL-16 is right up there…
They both sound amazing. The Yamaha is clearly a better value, considering it costs less than half the Martin‘s price. However, to me the Yamaha has a slight punch and high to mid sparkle (I don’t know how else to describe it) that feels tiring to me. The Martin is more balanced and softer.
Yeah, I agree. The Yamaha has a high to mid "sparkle" that sounds a bit distorted when strummed. A better comparison would've been with an LL26, which is made by Yamaha's master luthier. It's also dressed out more like the D-28 and it costs about the same as the D-28.
Upon purchase the store I got my LL-TA from changed out the saddle and pins for bone. It is a pure canon and blows away any of the 12 top Martins I had before. The mids have tons of punch as does the bottom but not woofy like Martins, clear with definition. The highs have output that is clear and sweet not wimpy like the Martins I had. Sorry the Yamaha rocks
I've got an LL16 that I bought second hand for £300 (which is just about half price in comparison with a new one). I've had it for about 10 years or so. I use D'Addario LZ910 strings on it, and I changed the string pins out for bone ones. Other than that it's totally standard. Over the years it's matured into a beautifully mellow guitar that still has the punch and volume when I want it, but more importantly for me, it has a really well balanced and subtle tone that starts from the bottom E and goes right up to the highest note I can play on it. I think it could probably do with a professional makeover at sometime, to try and reduce the string height a little, but other than that I can't fault it. With regard to the comparison in the video, I was intrigued to hear what the differences were. I found the LL16 to have more treble than the Martin, and it sounded a little cleaner. However, the tone of the Martin was more mellow in the middle than the LL16 in the video. In that respect it was closer to my own LL16 than the one in the video was. So I suspect that if the Yam in the video was brand new, then over time it will mellow somewhat, and give that wonderful umami type sound that I get out of mine. 👍😊
Love my Yamaha LL16 ARE. Mine is the brown sunburst finish and the build quality for the price is fantastic. I’m not saying it’s better but it certainly gives 2-3k guitars I’ve played a serious run for the money - balanced, enough low end and clear trebles, versatile for finger picking or strumming. I play more electric guitar so for my purposes I’m more than happy with it.
Hi, please tell me how you like the Yamaha LL16 guitar, how it sounds through the pickup, are there any problems with the tuning with equalization or is there a background from the pickup ?
Nice comparison! Thanks for great video. It seems Yamaha LL 16 ARE has more potentials than Martin just in my opinion. I also own LL16 ARE, then I replaced bridge pins into buffalo, and took undersaddle pick-up away. The sound become softer and richer like this D-28! Now I'm planning to replace nut & saddle both into bone and I can't stop playing my Yamaha!
Hi, please tell me how you like the Yamaha LL16 guitar, how it sounds through the pickup, are there any problems with the tuning with equalization or is there a background from the pickup ?
@@martifingers Hi, please tell me how you like the Yamaha LL16 guitar, how it sounds through the pickup, are there any problems with the tuning with equalization or is there a background from the pickup ?
@@thomasbaker1239 Hi, please tell me how you like the Yamaha LL16 guitar, how it sounds through the pickup, are there any problems with the tuning with equalization or is there a background from the pickup ?
Honestly don’t believe there is a winner here. Both are great and hold their own. My preference is to the Martin but I agree with others the Yamaha is more articulate but I prefer the warmth of the Martin.
I listened without looking at the guitar being played, and chose the Yamaha every time. I own both brands. Like them both, but always buy used Martins and beat the seller down until I can afford the guitar... lol Except for custom shop Yamaha guitars don't hold their value very well, which is great if you're a buyer and sucks if you're a seller... They are a great bargain and wonderfully well built and sounding instruments.
A better comparison as to price point, dreadnaught body style, would be the LL36 and the Martin Hd_28. They are both priced a'rd 3k. The Hd- 28 is a beast, but the Yamaha is right there, with a lot of beautiful abalone inlays & purflings a'rd the body. It's just beautiful! The Martin has a nice herringbone inlay a'rd the body which is common these days. They are both great sounding instruments, but the Yamaha surprised me. It's very articulate, loud, bassey, and beautiful as well.
Wow, 3 minutes very well spent. Great comparison...love the song, and that arrangement! Just actually payed the LL16 along with 3 or 4 Martins ($2500-$5k). The Martins all had a bit richer warmer time, compared the the Yamaha which was a brighter on the top end. Same sense I got from this demo. That said, the Yamy is a fantastic guitar, especially for Chinese made, and might mellow a bit over time, and as the strings wear. :) Tremendous value.
I have the LL 16 D A. R. E and I can confirm about the strings, too bright. Changing them whit warm sounding ones might improve the sound, but all in all a great guitar and tone.
Change the LL to bone saddle and pins and change out the strings for the SP Martins Phosphor Bronze and you'll eat your words I promise. Been there done that
The urea nut and saddle create the brightness on the Yamaha. I got one on a trade after the previous owner switched both to Tusq. I then added Buffalo horn pins. It went from great to wow!
I have bought Yamaha LL16 and was happy untill I bought two Furch guitars (Yellow dreadnought and Green Grand Auditorium with cutaway). Belive me, comparedu to my Furch guitars my Yamaha appears quite thin, but I still like it, considering that the price was 50% less than Furch which is still 40% less than Martin or Taylor. Clarity, depth, balance and workmanship is unbeliveable in Furch.
Hi, please tell me how you like the Yamaha LL16 guitar, how it sounds through the pickup, are there any problems with the tuning with equalization or is there a background from the pickup ?
@@user-uj6yu1jk2b Hi Pavlo. OK. I've been using both Yamaha and Furchs enough time to give you my feedback. I like Yamaha LL16. It was new and It's opening step by step as I play it. It's sound is very open, on bright side, but still solid. Compared to my Furch's (Green with cutaway and Yellow Dreadnought) it lacks some (little) depth and warmth, but still it's great. It's crisp and the playability is very good. It's a joy to play. For the price you pay you got a fantastic guitar. I also have an LS16 which is phenomenal guitar since the point of view of longer sessions playing. The neck, size ecc make me want to play it, even thouhg it doesnt sound so deep as my other guitars. Looking like million dollars (red sunburst) and plays like an electric guitar. The pickup in LL16... basic and irrelevant for me as my Furch Green and Yamaha LS16 both have LR Baggs Anthem build in, so I don't care about pickup in LL16, but I tried it and was OK. Anyway, to get a good sound you will need an external preamp.
@@piotrkanarekl thank I bought a yamaha fgx 830 c there is an active pickup system 66 equalizer, it's convenient for me, but I have a few more days to exchange the price is a little less than LL 16 ,, I want to record at home in the sound card line, so I wonder if the recorder will be better orat least it also works well as system66 on the 830
They're both really nice looking ...and....nice sounding guitars !!! I own a Yamaha LL16 - - EXACTLy like the one you're demonstrating, so I may be slightly biased.....but I do believe ....overall....the the Yamaha wins this particular comparison. The Beauty of the LL16, is that you could go around to 10 different music stores and play 10 different LL16 's ....and guaranteed......9 of the 10 would sound excellent and be of very precise construction / from my experience, you could do the same experiment with the Martin D28 and out of 10 guitars.....you would find 3 or 4 that would look and sound 'amazing' !!!! Unfortunately, the other 6 would not compare to the LL16. Also, ( where I live ) you can pick up the LL16 for 1/3 rd the cost of the Martin.
The Yamaha does win it's a $1500 guitar being faced up with a $4000 guitar and it still keeps up. He needs to compare the Yamaha with the Martin D13 road series which is $1600-$1800 something more appropriate in price range
Have to say they both sound really good. To me the Yamaha sounds a bit more scooped, tight and dry while the Martin has more harmonics and a richer midrange. For sitting in a mix the Yamaha would be killer but given the space, the Martin has a bit more character and life to it in my opinion. Great comparison video, I would have reached for the Martin though most people here seems to go the opposite direction but I guess that's what's great about music and sound. :) Free tip: I ended up buying a Kremona R35 based on it's sound, instead of a Martin and that guitar is about half the price. It is tight, has a lot of harmonics and is really well built in my opinion. So if you are looking for a really good, bang for the buck, hand built guitar check out the Kremona R30 and R35.
It’s interesting how differently people hear things. I have owned a D28 and currently own an LL16 and HD35. Martins and Yamahas are totally different guitars. The Yamaha has a very flat sound profile with plenty of harmonics and rich midrange. On the other hand a D28 is softer and most definitely scooped. For fingerstyle the Yamaha would blow the Martin away, that’s why I own both the LL16 and LS16. The Martin on the other hand has that classic American sound and can’t be beaten when it comes to strumming chords. But that’s just how I hear it.
I have a D35 and a D15M as well as a Yamaha FS800. The latter of course is inexpensive but is distinctive and really enjoyable. Hence I have been shopping for a higher end Yamaha like FG5 or LL16. I would say the comparison demo here is quite instructional because the D28 has that Martin tone that is special like the models I have. I would not say it is better or worse than the LL16. Then the Yamaha has its own thing that is special
Thanks for this... I dig your format. Even though an LL-26 or 36 would have been slightly closer to the D-28s build quality, it still shows to the "Martin is always better" audience what we Yamaha lovers have known for a long time! (I have an LS16R and a Martin 000-17 hanging side by side, and the Martin only gets played by guests).You should probably mention that people looking for that sound can save $1500 with the LL16.
@@artsistellar stretch your mind a bit and be a good sportsman.....take warmer instead...since it is the Music Industry most of you have no education like in engineering so it is hard to quantify what it is being said..so does that make you colder than him? :)..in this case bright to duller depending on the wood type is a good baseline to start debating.....preferences which have to be respected....
I'm going to start my statement and "opinion" off by saying - no disrespect to anyone here thats stated their "opinion", whether you are an occasional music enjoyer/listener who wears hearing aids with the hearing of a 95yo gunny sgt. who's withstood considerable hearing loss from firing and having heavy artillery fired in close proximity or you're a master luthier who's been blessed with the ability to hear a sewing needle dropped to a wood floor from 20 paces. I cant believe that all who have commented on this video comparing these two guitars are listening to the same thing and it's blowing my mind 🤯😆 I have some strong notions as to why some are probably biased due to price, region of manufacture, ownership, outside influence etc. etc. Im using my ears and feel like a blindfolded A vs B test would be very beneficial but I digress. What I hear between these two guitars is they both sound beautiful and have alot of the qualities I love in the sound of an acoustic guitar. Both are punchy with excellent bass frequency and response which is something I really look for in a full size acoustic. Both have an adequate actually quite nice top end shimmer. Heres where I feel these two differ the most - the mid range frequencies. The Martin sounds hollow compared to the Yamaha, thats where the Yamaha excels to my ears. That's why I feel that some on here have commented that the Martin "is" punchier, I dont feel this is the case. I feel that the Martin is lacking in mid frequencies and that makes it seem more punchy and/or bass heavy. To my ears the Yamaha is every bit as punchy with those added midrange qualities that make it fuller, more lush, just a more balanced sound with more string separation and clarity. The Yamaha doesn’t really sound any colder to me, just fuller. I prefer the sound of the Yamaha, not by a long shot but it's a solid preference, with that being said I've always loved and been a big fan of Martin, Gibson and Taylor guitars and use them as benchmarks of tone and build quality. Price doesn’t even enter into my preference here, its all about tone and to be honest if I was offered both of these instruments used for the same price with the assumption I would keep them for life, I would choose the LL16 given they both had the same playability and immaculate condition. I see some misconceptions about these guitars being a different body shape when they're both dreadnought bodies, maybe slightly different dimensions but very close. Also I seen some assumptions that the Yamaha had laminate or plastic in its construction? It is all solid wood, top, back and sides. Only plastic bridgepins and maybe saddle and nut? But the bridge pins are throwaways and the builders knowledge that different players with preference different materials for bridgepens, saddle and nut and will customize to their liking when they change strings. Anyway, there's my takeaway and my preference. Id be glad to peacefully and respectfully discuss thoughts with anyone on this comment board. Happy playing Brothers and Sisters. 🎸🎼🎵🎶🎶😎
I was surprised at how well the Yamaha held it's own against the Martin. The Martin has great single note separation but the Yamaha was as good if not a bit better. At way less than half the price, the Yamaha is a winner all day long.
I just want to say thanks for these videos. They are very well done, excellent sound, excellent playing, and very well thought out. I'm even more pleased to hear Christian music.
I own a 2003 Martin HD-28V and now I am just thinking to sell it and buy a Yamaha LL-16 ARE. Martin are great guitars, but for my style of playing I think Yamaha suits better. Yamaha make some great guitars: I still own my very first guitar, which my father bought me as a birtday gift in 1979, when I was a kid, a Yamaha FG-305W. With age it sounds amazing, in some aspects better than my HD-28V! I am not joking. And it’s a laminated guitar. I still can’t understand how this is possible
They're both nice. I would pick the Martin for it's open woody tone. The LL16 sounds tighter and brighter and somewhat artificial with less resonance. But for the money, it's extremely nice, and compares favorably to the martin.
Yep, I've had an LL16 since the late 2000s and got a used 2002 D28 recently and there is just more clarity and wooden sounding depth in the Martin, to my ears. These are very subtle differences that most don't hear but it's there. The LL16 has a bigger bass and brighter sound but when I thump a string it just doesn't have that same depth. It seems to have a slightly plasticy sound, to my ears.
Yes, I think that's what I was getting at describing it as aritificial. It's not bad, but does have a plasticky tone as you say. I think an LL36 or LL56 would be a much better comparison.@@muttsongster
The Martin Is clearer but sounds less blended when hitting a chord.. Both are great sounding rosewood guitars. The yamaha is a little smoother/ blended with the chords and the rhythm guitar. Not a ton of flatpicking here but I'm going to assume the Martin is going to win the Bluegrass Comp, with big bass but they're supposed to. I'm sure anyone here would love to own or play either one, and have a hell of a time playing them!
When you listen with quality headphones, the Yamaha sounds much more articulate, but still maintains a nice bass response. The Martin just sounds kind of muddy. In this case I think the Yamaha is the clear winner.
Well good muddy sound is what some people (me, for example) are looking for! So, basicaly, there 2 ideal guitars: Gibson J-45 and Martin d-28 (both mahagony back and sides)... and any other guitar sounding similar. Even Martin D-28 (rosewood) is too bright, too sparkly, too treble in higher registers. And then, going plugged in: acoustic humbucking magnet (for example Seymour Duncan SA-3HC) and not any kind of under the saddle pick up. Bit dirty sound from magnet (bit of gain) and not quacky like piezzo at all. And then for the recording: mix of one miked guitar and one with acoustic humbucking magnet. And as far as for sparklier (treblier...) guitars: there are bunch of those for a good price and the other bunch of expensive ones (read Taylor). Everyone to its taste. But it mis so hard to find a good bassy, woody, muddy acoustic guitar below price of Gibson J-45 :(
@@vojislavvoxmilosevicmile2129 See if you can get your hands on a used Eastman E10-SS. Put some John Pearse Pure Nickel strings on it and you'll have a close sister to the sound of a J-45. If I remember I'll send you some clips of mine.
I just got an LL16 ARE (2017 model year used but mint with hard case $800 Canadian) and a beautiful guitar, handcrafted ,solid wood, Adirondack spruce top, and the sound is just unbelievable really for that price. I love Martin’s too but I will not pay that much money for them. A D-18 is $1500 more new than a LL16....and in Canada you cannot even find either the LLs or the FG3 and 5 series Red Labels anywhere. I was lucky and purchased new a Yamaha FG3X Red Label last November and man o man what a guitar ($1400 plus tax with top notch gig bag)....can’t justify a Martin and in fact could have had both the LL16 and FG3 for same price as a D-18.
Hi, please tell me how you like the Yamaha LL16 guitar, how it sounds through the pickup, are there any problems with the tuning with equalization or is there a background from the pickup ?
Both quitars sound very good. The strange thing is that I played on several very expensive Martin's in quitar shops, and I didn't like them at all. Last week I tried a Yamaha LLX16 and it had a great sound and was easy to play. Maybe I'll buy that quitar.
Martin is just so much more musical and cooler, it can make music sounds in the ways you want them to be heard; it’s the closest to music, I want it but I can’t afford it!
I have just bought an LL16D so may be I sound a little biased. BUT listening to the two sounds on here, I would choose the Yamaha as it seems to be more resonant in the mid and brighter high tones where the Martin sounds, to my ear, quite muddy. Glad I got mine "new" second hand with original strings seemingly played and stored. £500 well spent and £400 saved from new (er) one. I have several yamahas a Taylor 314 and cannot believe the quality of sound from these Yammies for the £. I always recommend them to anyone considering a first "Real" guitar.
Gonna be biased here since I own the Yamaha LL-TA which is the same guitar as the LL-16, but with the Trans-acoustic sound system(chorus and reverb built in without an amp~which is amazing in itself).... And I have always wanted a D-28 or a D-35 (more so). But If you just put on the head phones and scroll the screen out of view, you'll be very hard pressed to hear any real difference.... without watching from the beginning (since he does them sequentially), you probably Won't be able to tell at all. But watching, I hear (here's the bias) and detect a bit more clarity from the Yamaha, not much difference in articulation, highs, lows and mids at all for the money. My Yamaha cost under 1k with GC discounts, (which I don't think are allowed with Martins) ...all solid tone woods,, with case, etc, makes me just as happy than if I'd have spent the extra 1400-1700 for a Standard Martin D-28, that doesn't come with pickup or pre-amp. And with the Trans-acoustic system, it's not even a contest really. Different people are gonna hear different thing and their bias (some call it snobbery) will always come out. One man's opinion.
Man oh Man I cannot believe the Tones from that Yamaha .. after all these years even the 60s and early 70s yamaha FG are sounding better. Aged wood taken care of .
I have a 1991 custom shop HD28V and I just bought a Yamaha LL TA (that's an LL-16 with electronics). All in all, the HD28 has the edge when it comes to depth/bass but the LL is louder and brighter. The build quality of the LL is top notch and matches or surpasses the HD28 in all respects. I'd always dreamt of having my own Martin dreadnought but now, for 1/3rd of the price, the LL gives me pretty everything the HD28 does. In fact, the decoration of the LL sits between the D35 & D41, let's not get into the price of one of those. The on-board Yamaha pickup is OK but that's not really what this guitar is all about. The in-built actuator (TA) is wonderful, not for the purist maybe, but playing it is pure joy. I still love Martin Guitars but they need to pick up the pace or just rely on the traditionalist market who buy them for the name as much as anything else.
Get your luthier to change out the LL's saddle and pins for bone and you'll eat your words. I compared the custom shop HD to a Yamaha LL-TA and took the TA home immediately after the saddle and pins got changed out as the luthier told me it would exceed the Martin. He was right and I handed him my VISA
It's difficult to beat a Martin but the Yamaha holds it's own. I can't afford a Martin and for the difference in price, I like the Yamaha sound and it would be fun to experiment with. I may purchase one.
The Martin D28 is a $4000 guitar and the Yamaha ll16 is a $1600 guitar and it stood up very well being such a difference in price but also you should be comparing it to the Martin D13 road series something that's more in the Yamaha's price range
The Martin d-13 zircote has very good sound for laminated b&S . But it’s no where near as good sound as thee Yamaha ll16 and the Martin sell for $500.00 more.
It's always hard to nail down the real differences in sound. Even comparing two of "any" guitars you will sometimes hear a difference. Are both guitars the same age, are they playing on the same strings, etc. ?, can also add to the tonal differences. I have a Yamaha FG-340 and a Martin J-40. If I have the same strings on them, and no one can see what I'm playing, they are often thinking that the Yamaha is the Martin. I think they are both fine choices, and well built.
@@Randysax1955 so to quantify and objectively to the facts ... indeed the hearing ability is different and unless you are trained you will/might not hear the difference. The methodology and approach as to how you do it is important as to apples to apples. So it appears you are not able to hear the differnces in this video but the differences are ver clear to hear. Also, if you Master music then the profession itself improves your hearing ability; that is, yo will always hear the difference even if that difference means no difference at all.....take it from a professional ....... What does no change is the sound = source but the destination ....
@@Randysax1955 if you want to be a scientist nothing is the same because of the interface = environment....audio ...unless a controlled environment otherwise everything i mentioned is a fact.
@@atta1798 I think that you misunderstood my point. I was talking in a general way in regards to the casual listener watching this video. And also to the point that if you are doing a blind test, it can be hard to nail down which guitar is which, based on the many variables that can be present. Yes,..unless you have severe hearing loss, you can discern the differences to any sound. I was not arguing that point. BTW, I am a semi-professional/ professional musician, and have been for around 50 years. And I have formal training. I think we just misunderstood each other. My best to you...Randy
Interesting, the martin has more bass but less definition in it whereas the Yamaha seemed to have a good amount of bass with good definition. Overall it sounded like the Yamaha had more information in the sound
I always turn off my screen and listen and later go back and watch to see which one was which brand on these kind of comparisons. Epi Vs Gibson etc etc. Set up can have everything to do with how each one sounds and how it is played "punchy or smooth" on each brand. And how hard the player is hitting the strings and are they equal effort strums or picking on each guitar. In your video I like them both a lot. If you have the money buy the Martin if not buy the Yamaha IMHO.
Nice comparison video, really shows the how well both guitars perform. Martin's have an iconic sound, that being said Martin missed the boat along time ago. They are too expensive for a new artist or even the guy that likes to play at home with friends and family. I have a Yamaha Fsx5 that I would gladly stack up against any D18 anyday of the week. Build quality is better in the Yamaha and the price is better. Martin's quality control is not what it use to be. If you want that signature Martin sound buy a Record King or an Eastman. You will be happier in the long run.
Nice thoughts Brett. I'd like to share my story with you. For the past four years I have been pleased with my Martin OM-21 which everyone says sound fantastic (and IT DOES). Incredible bass response for an OM guitar and shimmering trebles. But a week ago I was in Copenhagen and stumbled upon a used Yamaha FS5 in total mint condition (only used briefly by an amateur musician). I bought the FS5 for 7.000 Danish kroner or 1.100 US dollars. I really love the aesthetic of the Red Label Series and the first days I thought "wow, this guitar sounds good too". Then I decided to do an A/B test. Record some fingerpicking, strumming etc. on equally the FS5 and the OM-21.... and here's the deal: THE YAMAHA SOUNDS MORE WOODY, LESS METALLIC = MORE LIKE AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR TO MY EARS SHOULD SOUND LIKE! The FS5 has more balance and needs almost no EQ for sounding good on recording while the Martin needs more tweaking. Don't get me wrong, the Martin OM-21 sound wonderful and I'm aware of the different tone woods which are also quite clear on recordings (rosewood/OM-21 more metallic, more deep, more complex - mahogany/FS5 more woody, direct, airy, fundamental tone). But honestly.... I'm shocked. I like the tone of a 1.100 dollar FS5 more than a 3.800 dollar OM-21. The only thing I like more about the Martin (right now at least) Is the Lox Oval Performance Taper neck. It plays like butter and has more string spacing while the Yamaha FS5's string spacing is just a little bit tighter and the neck is slightly beefier than the OM-21. But I think in time and with some gigs I could get used to that. Bottom line: should I sell my Martin OM-21 and maybe buy a LL16 or LS16???
You had me until the Eastman and recording king part. Ehh no way. Recording king quality is horrible. Eastman is okay. Neither of them gave me martin vibes. And martin quality control is still damn good.
