Gibson vs Martin

alex matson · Post by **alex matson** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 10:57 pm

I'm a piano player. I don't know much about guitars. I have an old Yamaha FG-336 that a little Googling says is supposed to be a Hummingbird copy.
I'm about to embark upon a new course of guitar study which will hopefully make me better qualified to judge, but...
I was in a band for years where the singer played a Gibson J200. I thought it sounded great. I've played many Martins in stores and like them a lot. I've thought about getting an Epiphone J200 because it's only $400, and at my level of playing may be all I need now. Today at the guitar store the owner said that Gibsons are bright. I thought they were 'big' sounding and bassy. (Oh yeah - I'm interested in acoustic Led Zepplin-type acoustic rock, not bluegrass or whatever)
Be patient..here comes my succinct question.

How would you describe a big Gibson guitar's tone? A Martin? Is buying a budget guitar shortsighted? A guitarist in his 50's that's an excellent player I know once told me, "Spend as much as you can afford or more on an acoustic...with an electric you can get away cheap."

Thanks.

bluesman · Post by **bluesman** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 5:31 am

10 identical Gibsons will all sound different from one another. One may sound better & more balanced than the rest, one may sound brighter than the rest, one darker, one louder, one quieter.....etc. The same is true of Martin guitars. Every guitar sounds a little different. That doesn't mean that any of them sound bad, just different from one another. Pick the one that suits your tastes. If you play enough guitars, one of them will leap to life in your hands & sound beautiful & complimentary.......buy that one.

ckeene · Post by **ckeene** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 6:33 am

Before you decide on brand (or even try to compare brands), I'd recommend you decide what style of acoustic guitar suits your playing style and taste. You mention the J200, but Martin doesn't even make a jumbo-sized guitar.

Once you start to poke around, you'll find there's a big difference in sound between the jumbos and the dreadnoughts, and also between those and the auditorium sized guitars. Also, some you'll find are better suited for fingerpicking than others. Then you'll get caught up in the whole mahogany/rosewood debate!

Anyway, if you're acoustic shopping, TAKE YOUR TIME and try and go in with as few preconceptions about style/brand/prica as possible. Also, find a shop where they have a good variety of guitars and keep them set-up and in tune. (Personally, I'd try and avoid the Evil Empire for a purchase like this.)

Have fun in your search.

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 6:34 am

Yeah, it's hard to generalize. IMHO, Gibsons are USUALLY more bluesy, big-bodied, etc., lots of nice lower-mid action. Martins are often more refined-sounding. But there's so much overlap. Both are great for rock music.

Ultimately, I think that, under $2000, you get much more bang for your buck from Gibsons...but I haven't tried the newer Epis, except for the reissue Texan, which is terrific.

dirty · Post by **dirty** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:04 am

inverseroom wrote:Ultimately, I think that, under $2000, you get much more bang for your buck from Gibsons...

Do you mean vs. Martins or Epis? I've played a couple Gibsons that blew my mind. (A brand new "Blues King", a J51 (I think...) and some awesome Martins too. I especially dig those smaller, rounder Martins. (I think they're the OO body style.)

??????? · Post by **???????** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:12 am

oranges versus apples?

ckeene · Post by **ckeene** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:16 am

brad347 wrote:oranges versus apples?

vs pears vs bananas vs kiwis vs plums vs cherries...

kayagum · Post by **kayagum** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:17 am

I'm personally partial to Martins, particularly the all mahogany models (15 series: D15, 0015, 000-15, etc.), but it's all personal preference. Out of the Gibsons- the J45 is a cannon.

This may sound overly simplistic, but you can narrow your selection to guitars of bands/albums you like. It's a good place to start.

Also, your friend may not know of the many new budget guitars that actually sound and play great. Two brands come to mind right away: Seagull (and any of the budget Godin family brands), and Blueridge.

KennyLusk · Post by **KennyLusk** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:33 am

FWIW I think you're taking the right approach to this by taking the time to entertain and research all the questions you have about buying a new AC guitar. And while Gibson, Epi, and Martin are excellent makers to play and consider, they're not the only guitars in their price range that are "masterfully crafted". Collings (for instance) makes a very fine guitar for sure.

I agree with ckeene from experience. Take your time with this purchase. Play as many different brands as you can; from Gibson to Taylor. This is one of the few situations where I believe it's handy to have a Guitar Center locally because they typically have a wide variety of Taylor's, Martin's, Gibson's, Epi's, etc. . You can take your time with them, relaxe a little, and listen to the differences in resonance between body styles - range of freq and projection between cutaway and full-bodied styles, begin to understand the differences in tonal qualities between rosewood, mahogany, maple, cherry, etc. You may even consider some of the models out there offering cedar tops (yum yum).

Play as many as you can and buy the one that has the "WOW Factor". You know...when you play the first chord...you just go "WOW!"

Think about what your highest priority needs are too. Are you going to be using the guitar mostly for live performance or recording? Are you looking for balanced response, or boomy projection? Will you be playing blues, jazz, bluegrass, country, or rock? And which guitar's feel, tone, and features best suit your needs. Because, when you decide on those things and begin to play the guitars that are available to your inspection, everyone's opinion fades away from your mind and you're left with only one thing that matters most in the world at that particular moment - the relationship between you and your guitar.

Feel free to vomit now. Thank you.

ckeene · Post by **ckeene** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:57 am

KennyLusk wrote: Think about what your highest priority needs are too. Are you going to be using the guitar mostly for live performance or recording? Are you looking for balanced response, or boomy projection? Will you be playing blues, jazz, bluegrass, country, or rock? And which guitar's feel, tone, and features best suit your needs. Because, when you decide on those things and begin to play the guitars that are available to your inspection, everyone's opinion fades away from your mind and you're left with only one thing that matters most in the world at that particular moment - the relationship between you and your guitar.

Feel free to vomit now. Thank you.

Do you write ad copy for your day job?

(I meant that as a compliment...)

Marc Alan Goodman · Post by **Marc Alan Goodman** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 10:18 am

ckeene wrote:Before you decide on brand (or even try to compare brands), I'd recommend you decide what style of acoustic guitar suits your playing style and taste. You mention the J200, but Martin doesn't even make a jumbo-sized guitar.

Martin makes a number of Jumbo sized guitars. I've actually liked them more than the more current gibson and epiphone jumbos I've played. But with an acoustic personal taste really is everything. Just keep trying them till you find one you love. Hopefully it will be one on the cheaper side!

-marc

??????? · Post by **???????** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 10:34 am

Marcocet wrote:
ckeene wrote:Before you decide on brand (or even try to compare brands), I'd recommend you decide what style of acoustic guitar suits your playing style and taste. You mention the J200, but Martin doesn't even make a jumbo-sized guitar.
Martin makes a number of Jumbo sized guitars. I've actually liked them more than the more current gibson and epiphone jumbos I've played. But with an acoustic personal taste really is everything. Just keep trying them till you find one you love. Hopefully it will be one on the cheaper side!

-marc

Another thing to consider: I find that age of the guitar matters as much as or even more than the make, especially with an acoustic. To me, a new martin sounds more similar to a new gibson than it does to an old martin (does that make sense?)

inverseroom · Post by **inverseroom** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 10:57 am

I meant Martins, not Epis, being less bang for the buck...but that's me.

Really...it's a bunch of wood and metal...so every single axe is different, period. Head to the guitar store and start playing!

KennyLusk · Post by **KennyLusk** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 4:37 pm

ckeene wrote:

Do you write ad copy for your day job?

(I meant that as a compliment...)[/quote]

I don't have a day job but that sounds like fun actually. Thanks.

I just know what it's like when you're looking for a new AC and considering all the things you're considering. And I also understand what it's like when you find "The One". I love my Martin OM 16GT; sweetest balance I've ever heard. Next, I favor the D-28, then the Gibson J-45. Amazing guitars, all of them. It's good to hear Inverseroom's prop's for the Epi Texan. The Texan is an awesome guitar with a great feel and fantastic tonal qualities. If Epi has crafted a new Texan that IR gives prop's to then it's worth an audition.

the brill bedroom · Post by **the brill bedroom** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 4:52 pm

I find that one's relationship to one's acoustic guitar is usually a very personal thing. You'll really need to tey out a bunch of acoustic to find one that speaks to you. It's definitely no osmething you should buy online. Gibsons, in particular, are notorious for varying in quality from one guitar ot the next. I jsut bought a J-200 after wanting one for 20 years. I played about 12 OK ones before i found a really fantastic one.

FWIW (my first web acronym ever, i swear), I usually think of Gibsons as being generally a little warmer sounding than Martins. I associate Martin with sparkle. There are some decent Epiphone acoustics, but i think you can't go wrong by getting the very nicest acoustic you can afford.

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