How I REALLY Feel About The Gibson G45 (Guitar Breakdown Follow-up)
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- Опубликовано: 29 авг 2024
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The original Gibson G45 Breakdown video:
• A full review of the G...
In this video, Chris shares all the thoughts that he couldn't say during the Guitar Breakdown Episode for the Gibson G45.
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Gibson does know about you - because I work for them and have shown your video to them. 😊 it’s important for any builder to be able to take criticism and critical thought. I personally love your channel and it’s helping me up my game. 🙏
Gibson is the new garbage guitar.
I hope they paid attention. All my guitar buddies know to never buy a gibson.
I think that basically all fenders suck and don't understand why anyone would buy one, but to each their own.
@@dickrichard626 Fenders do suck. I own many of them. Even my Fender American Standards aren't anything special. My Gibson Les Pauls are so much more inviting to play. They're warm, rich, full and sweet. It always consternates me when I hear the ubiquitous, incessantly-repeated phrase "Strats are the most versatile guitar you can buy". No, they're not. A Les Paul is way, way more versatile. Pretty much any other guitar is more versatile than the Fenders. For me, my Strats fill a niche role - that of being only played clean, usually arpeggiated chords. That said, Gibson does seem to be bad these days. They say the new management has turned things around, but I hear conflicting reports. That Keith guy from 5 Watt World told me Gibson's making some of the best guitars that they've ever made right now in 2022, but I hear others say the opposite. I wish I had a more definitive answer since I'm in the market for a new Gibson Les Paul '60s Standard.
If gibson guitars were good, you wouldn't need a MOD shop to sell off your junk
I’m a woodworker. I remember the first time I picked up my first high end Taylor in a music store. I spent the first five minutes marveling on the inside of the guitar. I was was a fan because I felt like if a company could put so much care and craftsmanship into the inside of the guitar that this was a company I can trust. I’m glad to see you showing what some would never consider to look at to determine the quality of the company. Good work guys.
To bad Taylor's sound like garbage. To me they do anyway. Too bright . Way to bright
Yeah I hear you but I come from 4 gen of pure flamenco. All our guitars have always And will always be built by hermanos conde purely for the name and tradition it means to my family history I can honestly understand Gibson owners feeling the same way about the history and of the legends who have played there guitars. Some people can’t be swayed.
@alljazzedout23 Maybe see Driftwood's review on the Taylor Academy 12 guitar. It scored a 125 and at that entry price level Taylor provide a quality guitar not only brilliant for beginners but also experienced guitarists. Taylor marketing is strong but they back it up with quality.
This series being controversial is good, I feel like people are afraid to call out bullshit on brands like Gibson, because they need that. So many reviews are like “it’s made of wood and is guitar shaped and sounds good” and these are truly genuine. I was considering buying the g-45 before that video, but now it’s a hell no and I am extremely thankful for that.
I see you doing Gibson a service by pointing out these issues. If you really care about your product you should pay attention to these issues and make changes
But they don’t care, hence their acoustics.
You, as a luthier, should be as honest as possible about these other guitars. If this means bashing other guitar companies, so be it. Truth hurts, sometimes. This is my hard earned money I spend on my hobby, I want to know what I'm getting for my money. Great job as always guys. Keep them coming.
The difficulty, is probably being truthful and objective without seeming deliberately damning.
@@danielbell4007 You achieve that by backing your critique up with tests, observations, data, experience and expertise, etc, which is exactly what these guys do. It would be one thing if he was leaving a 2-sentence Facebook comment on a Gibson post telling them how much they suck. This is a dude with decades of experience as a luthier literally examining the overall craftsmanship/quality of a guitar by putting it through a series of reproducible tests and assigning a score to it. The fact that people still question his motives as if he is trying to pull a fast one is just mind boggling.
The only guys giving you crap are those guys who are Gibson cult members anyhow. Because anybody who defends the junk Gibson is releasing these days is defending substandard quality. I personally have had two very bad experiences buying Gibsons online. Both were $2000+. Both had finishes that looked sneezed on to the body. There was no excuse for Gibson to try to pawn that garbage off on the consumer as adequate workmanship. These days I play mostly acoustic and I believed the Bozeman Gibson acoustics were a cut above the Nashville junk electrics I see. Then you guys cut a Gibson open. Jeez. I suppose I'm being too harsh, but Ive never encountered the garbage workmanship on ANY guitar that Ive experienced with Gibson. I still love Gibsons (proper ones.) I own a '81 Les Paul and '85 Gibson Q2000. Those older gibsons don't have the issues the new ones have.
@@kensmith1122 Same experience here. I pulled down a cherry 335 and it had orange peel and the nut slots were so high, every string went sharp. That's an unfinished guitar for 3k. Unacceptable and I don't buy the cult argument of "they leave the nut high so the local tech can adjust it to the taste of the buyer". That's bs.
@@tommywilliamsjr.697 They could also just file them to spec, ship it, have the fretboard wood expand, leaving the slots to low, and give you something else to complain about.
I'd love to see a breakdown of a mid-price Eastman. See how they really stack up when they're under a microscope.
Great shout.
I suggest an E20OM to be specific.
Glad somebody brought up Eastman as I'm looking at an E10D at this exact moment
I have several Eastman's. They are Killer great guitars! They are hand crafted.....so they have "imperfections" per saaaaay, but they kill it on tone, sustain and playability. I have written to them about some of what i consider senseless/easy imperfections. But I personally have not seen anything that affects their great tone, sustain or playability. But that is just my experience. I love their fretboard work (ebony) and their use of quality materials and higher end electronics. Even their low range acoustics are Great.....IMO. I got a new Eastman with a cracked bridge in-between the bridge pins and refused to let it go out of my hands, because the rest of the build was ridiculously good. It happened during hot summer Fed-Ex shipping delays. It was not cracked before (pictures) But...I will deal with the bridge, but to find another with that TC top...is impossible. If/When they cut an Eastman in half...that is a video that I will have a hard time watching.
@@giannirocco7492 I don't think you will be disappointed. There is a reason that the nicest guitar store in Atlanta carries Eastman next to their much higher priced guitars.
Chris, with no disrespect or snark whatsoever; these guitars are approximately 1/10 the base price of your guitars (per your website). Could you (would you) do a video where you build a guitar of your own at the $1500-$3000 price point? I think it would be educational and interesting to see what sacrifices/compromises/shortcuts etc could be made to maintain quality and still get down that price point. Thank you for your videos, they really are inspiring and appreciated,
You make an interesting point, Daniel. Unfortunately, because Chris’ entire build process is different from what Gibson and other mass-production builders use, there’s no way he could keep the price down in that range without using inferior materials and taking many shortcuts that would be detrimental to the final results. I dare say he wouldn’t be proud of the finished product and may not want to put the Driftwood name on it.
Yeah that kind of video will be much appreciated. I don't think he will ever make such priced instruments cause he thinks his craftsmanship is worth more than that price. But that dosent let Gibson to make subpar instruments cause other brands make better guitars at lower price....but I don't think he will ever make and SELL a guitar for $1500.
Great point. I’ll likely never be able to afford a Driftwood or anything of that quality. But I have a Gibson L-00 studio that I love. I’m sure it’s not perfect but it’s the nicest guitar I’ve owned. There aren’t many alternatives at that price and it’s a specific tone.
there is really no need for him to build one. if u seen the other videos it's not difficult to infer the bare minimum acceptable standard, such as being careful with the gluing or using sharp tools.
these are things raised in numerous videos and a factory of all places will be able to control these factors easily. the fact that some manufacturers are not able to shows that they don't care. plain and simple
@@larryclark3547 that's the whole point, it HAS to be inferior to be cheaper, if it wasn't, it's HIS guitars that are overpriced because if he can build a guitar for 2 grand to the same standard of quality as a guitar for 10 grand, that's 8 grand for no notable increase in quality besides materials. it's a good idea for Chris to build a lower end guitar because it proves why the extra time, patience, and attention to detail is so important.
A good video would be where you give recommendations for factory-made guitars @ $500, @1,200, @ $ 3,500, etc and if there are luthiers that make guitars in those price ranges, include them as well. While it's good to know which guitars to avoid, it's better to know which ones to seek in specific price ranges.
I, for one, never assumed you are doing these breakdowns to sell your guitars. Your instruments are a way higher class than a factory made one like a Gibson line.
Your point about glue squeeze out and pride of craftsmanship is important. I play Furch guitars because the craftsmanship is outstanding along with the quality and tone. My Blue 6 string cost about $100 more than that Gibby, all solid tone woods and impeccable playing environment and tone.
Keep up the great work, I recently tried that G 45 and that dead tone that I heard in your tear down was there in spades. It was awful.
look, reality is different:
if you are quality and bash impostors, you are selling yourself and downgrading them, as you SHOULD. it is all ok
Hi Guys, Don here from Hamilton NZ, I love your videos, you're obviously skilled CRAFTSMAN and l love honest opinions, it's very interesting some time ago l owned l Gibson Hummingbird and it was so over built my Chinese acoustic's sounded at least as good but gave me money volume for a fraction of the price, well done keep it up
I play Furch as well. I've been playing for 20 years. I own several custom guitars. I must say the major brands have left my disappointed very often. When I bought my Furch I tried quite a few other and more expensive guitars from the major brands. They all lacked in build quality and sound. Just a matter of fact.
I have a g45 I really like the feel and sound over other guitars 🎸 I played at the music store - For the price I’m very happy 😊
It's all about how it speaks to you. I just bought G-00 and think it's a great guitar for the money. The tone and feel really stood out, and I played it against a V braced Taylor and the Gibson L-00 Studio with Rosewood back and sides. I could have spent the extra cash on the the Taylor or the L-00 but for me it was about the no 'whistles and bells' vibe that won me over. That very thin finish and no pore filler, it makes for a more woody sound that will get better with age. I did spend time smoothing out the sharp edges on the body and coating them with thin nitro on a rag, just to cover the extra radius. I also dressed the fret ends as they were pretty sharp. It now feels like the finished article and I'm really pleased with the guitar.
You are absolutely right, "The Gibson label should mean something." The workmanship I see in that guitar for that price infuriates me. When you buy a Gibson or a Martin you should be able to have confidence that the workmanship is as top notch as it can be for a factory built guitar. This truly is a slap in the face to their customers, they really are saying "Oh we can put Gibson on a piece of crap and the suckers will still buy it." Instead of the people coming after you for pointing out the obvious, they should be emailing/calling/writing Gibson and DEMANDING better. A good friend once told me "In everything you do have three things: Patience, Persistence and Craftsmanship." That guitar has none of those.
I’m often asked to recommend a guitar brand to a prospective buyer, usually a beginner. Knowing that they don’t have a ton of money to spend, I suggest that they look at the Yamaha range. It’s long been my belief that with Yamaha, you get what you pay for at whatever level you choose.
How about cutting up a Yamaha or two to test my theory?
Keep up the good work!
Yamaha are great as a beginner only reason I haven't got one incase it needs a setup when delivered
Yamaha gives fantastic value. My first guitar was a $300 Yamaha. It's about 1,000 times better than the Gibson they cut open.
@@briwood6328 I don't understand. What do you mean?
@@ObjectiveDynamics most of the time when you order a guitar they need a set up when they arrive but if you notice in the shops there mostly already set up 👍✌
If I hadn't found my PRS my acoustic would have been a $600 Yamaha, and I budgeted $1800. The Yamaha was a way nicer guitar for the money than any of the other brands under 2k and sounded better too.
I was shocked by the quality of workmanship in the original video. For me, I want you to say what you really think. I am a Gibson solid body owner and love my guitars but after this, I will think very hard about buying a Gibson acoustic. You are providing a valuable service to the community and I thank you.
Finley someone who's going to say what needs to be said about these big brands, keep up the good work guys, honesty deserves respect.
i would love to see breakdowns of the epiphone inspired by Gibson hummingbird, a Sire A4 Larry Carlton, one of the Yamaha LL series? The breakdowns are some of the most useful videos on guitars on You Tube.
I just purchased a G45 and I gotta be honest. It was the easiest player and felt better in the hands than any of the other guitars I tried. That being said, after watching your video I feel like I’ve been cheated by Gibson and I thought about returning it. It’s saving grace is that it plays very smoothly and it’s hard to find a guitar like that so I’m gonna keep it and just be more mindful next time. Love the videos! Hope your criticisms help improve their quality control.
Seems to me that you bought your guitar because you liked the guitar and not based on the name on the headstock. That's a good way to buy a guitar, because you like it. Too many will buy purely because it says Gibson. Enjoy your guitar 🙂
When you find a guitar that sounds good to YOU then it doesn't matter what any other person has said of the same model. In the end it only matter how it sounds and how does it feel playing it to the user. Does Gibson need to tighten up it's craftsmanship? Probably based on this breakdown. But higher rated Taylor etc with better craftmanship/mainly machine made is top notch but I dislike the sound of all Taylors.
My thoughts:
1. Your reviews are very valuable to buyers
2. The whole G series Gibson's looked cheap to me (and I own and love 2 Gibby's)
3. You stated clearly in the first video that you were grading accordingly to price point
4. Finally the guitars of yours that I've seen looked incredible!
My new favourite guitar channel! Greetings from Spain!
I have one of the very first G45s and I love mine. It's a fantastic sounding and playing guitar. I am sure at the price, it could go either way, but my copy is great. I love it and am very happy with the purchase.
Same here. I believe they put more quality control into the original. The new ones with the extra sound hole on the side may be another story.
I am an electric player who loves Gibson guitars, and a couple of months ago I was looking to buy an acoustic for the playing around the house. I know very little about acoustics. Your review saved me a ton of money. I watched the Gibson video, and then your vid on the Taylor Academy. I went with the Taylor, saved a bunch of cash, and am happy. Ignore the negative fanboys. You are helping people. Thanks guys.
When the G45 was released, I thought it sounded like an interesting, fairly inexpensive guitar but I, too, was absolutely astounded at some of the sloppiness that went into manufacturing the guitar you cut in half - the fact the bracing didn't make it as far as the kerfing made my jaw drop. That plastic screw plug for the strap pin was the straw that broke the camel's back for me, though, and from that point on the G45 was summarily struck off my list of "possible buys". I probably naively assumed that the reason why bindings and other bells and whistles were not included in the price point was due to the more expensive cost of US labour, properly trained luthiers, quality controllers etc. but your breakdown raised an enormous question mark over that assumption and Gibson really does need to explain what has happened here, particularly as we were swamped with video content at the time of the "company relaunch" three or four years ago promising us that quality issues at Gibson are now a thing of the past (I must admit, though, I thought the relaunch was primarily because of past quality issues with their electrics - were the acoustics this bad back then too??).
Whatever the story is with this G45 (a model which is now sadly dead to me - RIP), the main thing I wanted to say is many thanks to you for these breakdown videos - they're going to be almost compulsory viewing in the future to help buyers make properly educated decisions based on actual quality and not the perceived quality the headstock logo promises.
By the way, Celtic music (to my experience) is almost exclusively populated by Takemine players ;)
It's not a plastic screw plug. It's called a Molly. Quality issues, we're talking about a little glue squeeze out and a Molly. Most of the top bracing isn't supposed to go to the kerfing.
I would love to see a Breedlove organic collection breakdown. All solid guitar for around $600 seems great, but I would love to see the inside and the overall build quality.
I came to the comments here to say this same thing. I'd love to see Chris breakdown a Breedlove too.
It would be super cool to see their bridge system up close.
Chris and Matt, you guys are great!
I would also love to see a Breedlove breakdown. I have actually purchased two "Performer" guitars this year and find them very intreaguing.
The previous comment about the bridge system also got me thinking... Their higher-end guitars use a Bridge Doctor to anchor the bridge and counter the torque and sheer force introduced by their pinless bridge design. My $699 Concertina (parlor size) one does not have that, but instead has a couple of hidden bolts helping keep the bridge from torquing to much.
How are other brands' budget and high end guitars different in terms of design, material quality and workmanship.
I know this would be pricey, but how does the G-45 differ from it's Gibson and Epiphone J-45 cousins? "45" says they're related, but how are they different? That sort of comparison, especially for the big three, would really help people understand what, if anything, justified the price difference.
But don't cut a J-45, D28, or 814 in half!!! 😬
Second this
Third this!!
I could see in the original Gibson breakdown that you were holding back how you really felt. I own and love my 2010 Les Paul, but I think I also have one of the few that was actually well built. Gibson has coasted on their name and reputation for so many years now, and as a result, destroyed their name. Instead of trying to rebuild, they have focused on suing other companies that are doing Gibson better, and trying to guilt people into “Playing Authentic”. Love the channel and what you guys build. It would be a dream to own one of your guitars someday.. Keep up the great work.
Could we see a Maton breakdown? Probably the best known Australian guitar manufacturer...many high profile international users. Great series guys thanks.
Here's my 2 cents: I'm 62 yrs old, a lifelong guitarist who has also professionally gigged for many years. Like most, I started as a kid with dirt cheap guitars, working my way up to some of the best. My personal preference via hands on experience performing on stage, is without a doubt the real Japanese Takamine's. Loved them even more than my hi-end Taylor. Retired from gigging back in '02 because I grew tired of the club scene here in east/central Florida, but I do miss the music. Later, I was forced to sell all of my guitars and other items of value to save our home during that awful recession. I'm now about to buy myself the Yamaha LL16D, and I can hardly wait. For the price, I'm sure I will be pleased. Enough about me. Here's my outlook: It always blows me away how any person can spend over a grand on an acoustic guitar, but hasn't first taken the time to learn about quality construction and overall value for their hard earned money. But there's a group of people where it gets much worse, and that's the brand loyal snobs. Whether it's automobiles, guitars, or whatever, they get hopping mad any time someone EXPOSES THE TRUTH about some product made like total garbage, or how very little care in craftsmanship coming from a company with such an iconic name. These brand loyal snobs all too often wind up being in a total state of denial.......denial that they're getting ripped off........denial anytime some individual with bonafide EXPERIENCE tells the truth and shows evidence of something that is a direct rip off. I feel sorry for such people who are not willing to accept the truth. Because through their own denial, they are only cheating themselves in both losing money in relation to true value, and refusal to accept & gain knowledge, and learn from experience. Hey, most of us have learned some lessons "the hard way". I certainly have. The ONLY way to truly recover from that is to ACCEPT THE FACTS & LEARN FROM IT. We learn from our mistakes so that we may never repeat the same mistake again. Especially in this information age, where we can do lots of research online about almost anything these days BEFORE spending your hard earned money on some rip off.
So let me get this straight the only thing you found was the fact that there was glue squeezed out of the interior bracing and a plastic dowl was used for the strap screw support both of which does not effect the integrity of the guitar in any way. You glossed over the fact that the g45 has a compound dovetail joint which is only found in Higher end instruments and as Luthers you must know that this effects the sound and quality of the guitar. Also, it’s all solid wood and has a solid ebony fingerboard and impeccable fret work and imo sounds great. I owe this guitar and love it .
Perfectly said.
These videos have almost completely turned me off to this channel; they did make be decide to stop being a patreon. Destroying a perfectly good guitar, nitpicking things like glue squeeze out and calling it a “review,” is ridiculous. When Car and Driver reviews a new automobile, they don’t drop bowling balls in it and then saw it in half.
In other words, review an acoustic guitar in detail, pull no punches, BUT without intentionally destroying it. THEN give that instrument to a student who would really appreciate it and use it to create new music.
Did either of you not see the damn bracing not even meeting the sides. The g45 sounds like shit and is a pos. I love gibson its all i own but the g45 is garbage and its not this giys fault this guitar was built by stevie wonder. Sorry you bought the hunk of shit thinking you got a good gibson cheap. You didnt. Martin did it well in late 90s to mud 2000s epiphone is making guitars built identical to its gibson counterparts that bliw the g45 away. And why the dumbass sound hole on the upper bout anyway. Get your heads out of your ass. Gibson was way way late to the party with this guitar and fucking failed miserably. @bldallas
As a new builder, these videos help me a ton by outlining what to watch for when building my own instruments. A lot of points you make aren't necessarily digs on the other companies, you are pointing out that they are just not as good as they could be. I appreciate that about the channel, very helpful.
incendiary… “Are you bashing Gibson to make yourself look better?” Actually, no … Thank you Chris and Matt. The best (dream) acoustic guitar I ever held in my hands and played, was an old Gibson, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart for that. I realise this issue is about a particular guitar, and I saw what I saw on this one, in that video… I trust your analysis of this one, and again.
You guys absolutely rock. I’ve been saying these things for the past 19 months. It’s done well for my channel. Keep up the truth.
Ive watched your stuff, i too love yamaha guitars. I have a 1976 fg 295s
I played a $250 guitar for years. Recently in the market for a new guitar ($600-$850 price range) I tried out the Martins and Taylors and couldn't understand why they sounded like plastic boxes. I bought an EASTMAN (handmade solid wood guitar) after visiting a local shop and got schooled by an old-time luthier. Before anyone spends hard earned money on any guitar, not just Martin / Taylor / Gibson it's invaluable to see the inside and get a better appreciation of what you're buying. This breakdown is EXACTLY what people need to see.
Chris & Matt - please review an Eastman to show what a CHINESE hand made guitar is all about and why you SHOULD'T just blindly buy based on brand.
Great piece. Sadly, a common human trait is the need for affiliation, and once obtained it is defended as if it were a physical part of us. There are so many more things to be concerned about rather than what car we drive, guitar we buy, sport team we support (if any), etc. Perhaps it's because we feel we can't change the world but someone's opinion about a sacred guitar brand....
CAPITALISM AND CONSUMERISM IS THE AMERICAN WAY. SAD
Pfft... You probably drive a BMW. Just like a BMW guy to think they know better then everyone else. ;)
@@ajkourafas Nope, don't like BMWs... got a Porsche. Haha...
@@petermorris6052 haha. Welp.. let's try this then.. Porsche guys are just like BMW guys but worse at hiding their complexes. Hehe
When I first saw these models, after playing several of the Tribute Les Pauls, I was excited. The Tributes are phenomenal guitars. And when I played the G-45, I thought it played well. It’s sounded ok enough. But I wasn’t blown away by it. I’d rather spend $500 on a Seagull that was built in Canada and plays better, sounds fuller.
I completely agree. I went into L&M this year looking to drop $1500 on a guitar. Strongly considered a Gibson Generation. Ended up walking out with a Simon and Patrick Woodland Dreadnaught. Love the sound and playability and the guitar was made a few hours away from me. Not to mention I saved a bunch of money.
I can't do more than loudly and happily applaud you guys. Good job and we'll done!
I would love to see you guys reconstruct the guitar after the breakdown (and donating them after)
Indeed. Which has better tone? Duct tape, gaffer tape, or gorilla tape? Maybe structural carbon fiber wrap resonates better... 🤔
Donating poor quality instruments doesn't sound very charitable.
I know Scott but there are people that dont have acces to anything even if its poor quality
Thanks for your honesty. Over a year ago I bought a Gibson LG2. It sounds beautiful, I can't fault the sound. There are a whole bunch of things about it that make me wish I'd never bought it, and took a while to surface. Mostly concerning the neck. Firstly the way it's been set up, it's only playable with light to medium strings, and only when the humidity is over 50%. Tuning down even a semitone makes the guitar unplayable even with the truss rod relief set correctly. I play fingerstyle and like the action fairly low, with custom lights, but this isn't really possible on this guitar without a lot of fret buzz when temperature or humidity are not optimal. I have never had these issues with either Taylor or Martin Guitars. Taylors I can tune down by 4 semitones and they play without issues. The inside of the guitar under the bridge looks like a woodpecker had been living there (nasty splintered rough looking woodwork) The bridge peg holes are so badly machined that with light gauge strings the Low E string will pop out in standard tuning, loose as hell. There are other issues like buzzing inside the body when playing louder. I've been playing guitar for over 30 years and have owned many different acoustics, none of which had any issues. If I pay two and a half grand for a guitar I don't expect this BS. I have a Yamaha acoustic that costs 10 times less than the Gibson, and it has far better playability with any gauge of strings I want to use, doesn't buzz, and can be tuned down or up without any issues, and isn't affected by humidity. I feel that Gibson still relies on it's good reputation it got pre-war and into the 60's but hasn't really kept that quality in its guitars, and hasn't really innovated like some other guitar companies. I even remember my father telling me how amazing Gibsons were and he first played one in the early 1950's and loved it. "Vintage" is fine if that's what you want, but if you also get a guitar that behaves like it's 100 years old, falling apart and should be put out of its misery, then no thanks. I can't even bring myself to sell this guitar because I feel I will be inflicting a bad instrument on some poor unsuspecting soul. I also own a Gibson Les Paul and that's had so many issues I'm not going into them here, which I fixed, but all due to very poor quality control, poor manufacturing, and setup on Gibson's part. The sad thing is that both of these guitars sound great, I've recorded with them, gigged with them, but ... shame on you Gibson for such badly made instruments.
I personally think that you have to do the Martin 15 series to compare pretty closely to the Gibson g45.
I agree Gibson has a name that should be treated with respect and honor by whoever is running the place at any given time. Great video.
I would really love to see you guys do a deep dive on one of the Maton guitars that are built here in Australia and see how their quality control is.
I so value your willingness to do these breakdowns. Saw apart and all.
How about sawing in half a Martin 000-10E solid Sapele, top, and B/Ss for $800?
I’d like to see that!
The fact that you buy a guitar for x amount then try to scratch it drop a steal ball on it then let it fall on it face then saw the thing in half to look at how it is built pretty much gives you the right to say what ever you want in my book and I hear every word . Thank you.
I’d be so curious to see what you guys thought of Eastman guitars. Spend another $1200 and get an e10ss and put that up against the Gibson. Really quality stuff, and money well spent in my opinion.
I really wanted to like Eastman because of all the praise and their price tag as well so I went to my local dealer and picked up the E10ss and some other models. They sounded nice but they didn't have a personality as much as a Gibby has with that thump sound. Also with the Gibson the mids are so clear. The Eastmans on the other hand were kind of all over the place. Now I'm a proud owner of a J15 which I wouldn't trade for anything tbh. :)
I enjoy this series because it does show the level of care and pride these companies take in the product they're offering. I'm a Seagull M6 owner, and would love to see what you think of their builds (not an M6 specifically because they don't build that model anymore.). They have a great reputation for quality/price value...
Your comments are highly valuable and informative to me. Regardless of what your guitars cost, when you buy these guitars with your money you are free to give your opinion, loyalists be damned. Please keep making the breakdown videos.
Love the info! Great series. I just finished building my first guitar (from a kit); huge respect for all the hand builders out there!
Would love to see you breakdown a Larrivee guitar. I own several and have been through the Larrivee factory and met Jean Larrivee himself. Great man and luthier
I just bought one and I Fricken love it.
I'd like to see a Martin 000-15m given this treatment. An entry level American made Martin compared to the HPL X series you previously reviewed would be interesting to see.
I just bought a 000-15M. Personally I’m blown away by it. I lived in Nazareth and am NOT a Martin fan but after playing every guitar in the acoustic room the 000-15M was the one that said “buy me”. Maybe I’m wrong but that’s ok, I love the way it plays and sounds!!
Agree. Martins should be judged by what comes out of Nazareth. I get that the breakdown review is about that specific guitar, not the brand, but people will make the broader association -- like this review of the G-45 fits in with my general impression of Gibson.
Thanks for the honest and unbiased opinion guys. It’s refreshing to see.
Hey guys I really enjoy your show. I honestly think you're being too nice and shouldn't have to explain yourself as much as you did. You're absolutely right, it's a good thing cuz maybe somebody can Gibson will see this and maybe they will step up their quality control. You guys have a great show keep it up. Robert from Salt Lake.🔍🎸
These videos are great. I’m not a luthier, but I am an extreme guitar enthusiast, so learning about some of the things in these videos and the factory tour videos has really taught me a lot that I didn’t know. Keep them coming if you can!
"you fell for the name on the headstock".... man... I'm so happy about this video. I left a long comment on the Martin guitar review, and I see that I might've been a bit wrong maybe. But they way you constructed this point was excellent! thank you for going over things like glue squeeze out, etc. So awesome. I watch almost all of these videos. The American made topic too.... man, great video.
Stop defending yourselves. You have a great channel and we learn a lot by it. Thanks!
These videos are f'n great. This one confirmed a lot of my suspicions about Gibson's. I feel the acoustics quality has followed the electrics. Basically you have to buy custom shop of each to get a heirloom quality instrument.
Also, I didn't think the Taylor factory tour video was harsh. You had some critiques, but overall had a lot of interesting information.
I thought he was generally surprised, in a good way, about the level of quality Taylor achieves in mass-produced guitars.
I would say the only thing I took away, was he did not fully explain the difference between factory and hand-built guitars, and why the expense can be justifiable
@@stevescuba1978 Yeah, I was thinking the only real critique was about Taylor not binding the guitars and achieving a binded (word?, bound) look with paint.
I have been a drummer for over 30 years and have dabbled with acoustic guitars and eventually taught myself to play. I have always heard guitar players tend to lean on specific brands over the years and I, as a drummer, didn't know the difference between the acoustics but did know what sounded good.
Every time I went into guitar center as a novice guitar player I'd always look for the guitars that were priced at $1,000 and up because those we supposed to be the best. Thanks to your breakdown videos and build videos last week was the first time I walked in to the acoustic room of GC and felt like I knew what I was looking at. It blew me away at how many of the $1,000 + guitars didn't have binding and or real rosette's. Almost every entry level guitar ($500 ish) appeared to have more attention to detail and craftsmanship.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and what makes a difference in quality.
I am suspicious of any $1300 guitar that has fancy bindings and pearl inlays. That means money/time was spent on cosmetic decoration that could have been spent on other areas that would have improved the guitars tone/playability/quality of sourced materials.
Many $1000+ guitars will purposely leave out binding or other decorative features so that money and time can be spent on the other areas of the guitar that have greater impact on its tone, build quality, quality parts (Grover tuners, bone saddle), and playability.
The Martin 15 series notoriously lacks decorative binding and fancy inlays. Martin sells them for $1300 with a hard shell case, and if you play one you can immediately appreciate why they forwent decorative features over build quality, tone, and playability. They are incredible guitars.
Many lower priced guitars have decorative features because they are so cheap to produce that even after adding inlays and binding the guitar is still cheap to manufacture. Many times they don’t spend time setting up the guitar, making sure the neck and braces are form fitted, and often Either using quick and dirty manufacturing processes, laminated wood, cheaply sourced materials, or a combo of all.
Not that cheap guitars are bad. There are solid wood, inexpensive Yamahas that look and sound incredible. But when you see a basic looking $1500 guitar without binding or intricate abalone inlays or a decorative headstock, it’s because the money they WOULD have used on those things went into making the guitar sound and play better.
It’s hard to find reviews that are honest and critical on RUclips, and where I live it’s also hard to get ahold of a wide range of guitars in a given price point to compare. I have 4 acoustics in different ranges and for different situations, and I really struggled trying to get enough info to make some of the purchases with confidence. When I see a reviewer who is willing to tell me what they like and don’t like and why I really appreciate it. Your review of the inexpensive Taylor was very positive I thought, so it’s not like you’re just pissing on big makers.
I was going to buy a G 45 at some point but now I know better. That’s why I think these breakdown videos have value. Thanks guys!
Along with the glue squeeze out, something I just noticed from boutique makers and even some high-end builds for Taylor and Martin is care sanding on the inside of the guitar, specifically the top. For most/all of the boutique/luthier makers, if you run your finger on the underside of the top (just reach into the soundhole) you'll find most/all have sanded the inside of the top quite nicely. On lower cost guitars the wood is often much rougher. Again, probably doesn't make a tonal difference (I wouldn't know) but it just shows the care of certain builders to want to bother to do that fine sanding.
Rough grain is like insulation absorbing and dampening away the vibrations. I don’t know how much of an effect it would have, probably more than switching down a grade of spruce
So I’m no guitar expert and will never claim to be one but I have learned so much about guitars in the short time I have been watching your videos. This is the most Iv been excited about my instrument in a long time so thank you .I bought my first acoustic about 2 months ago and Iv been playing electrics for the last 15 years so this was new to me. I got a Taylor Academy 12 because I liked the arm bevel and that guitar has been good to me and now I understand why thanks to your channel so thank you bro.
I would love love to see a breakdown review of one of the Harley Benton acoustics like the CLD, CLA or CLD. They have affordable models with solid wood back and sides.
Oh man my lunch break is over. I’m going to have to watch this later.
Matt brings up..."I'm a Gibson man, my father and grandfather were Gibson men, etc". IMO that's a problem, but some people buy stuff for a label while others actually care about the craftsmanship vs cost of a product. It's like politics, some people just vote Dem or Rep, while others actually take the time to learn about the individual they are "buying into". It's the society we live in.
I Don't feel you should have to explain yourselves as your breakdowns are the best I've seen to date. I'm certain seasoned players who know quality instruments would totally agree and your approach of how you convey you're your wealth of knowledge is outstanding, any beginner or novice should take note before they purchase anything on the market regardless of prestige or value, I in my own experience have seen a lot of shall we say inferior instruments from higher end companies resting on their laurels over the years...You guys are awesome, keep up the great work!
I don't own any acoustic guitars. I do have a bunch of electrics from many different manufacturers. A few years back I was looking for a Gibson SG. It took me about 4-5 months and some 15 SG:s until I found found an acceptable one. Even that needed some work to play right. Most of ones I rejected had issues with frets, some with finish, one even had a neck twisted like a corkscrew. The one I got only needed the frets to be leveled and dressed up.
A bit later I was in the market for an Ibanez AZ Prestige. I played 3 of those. All great. All the same. I picked the one with the nicest top.
If you listen carefully enough, you can hear the whispers of dissapointment for Gibson products. They are not what they are supposed to be.
Thanks for educating us on “what” we should know and be looking for when purchasing a guitar. I don’t own a Gibson acoustic, but I do own a couple of modern > 2016 solid body electric guitars. They “seem” to be well built,finished, and set up to my eye, but I know that’s a little apple to oranges as building an acoustic is much more difficult. Having said that even their solid body guitars have been found to have serious quality control issues in the last decade. The moral of the story is to thoroughly inspect your guitar when purchased and if isn’t what it should be return it.
If nothing else was taken into account, the fact that there's a freakin' sheet-rock anchor holding the strap button in place should get everyone who sees it riled up! EDIT: Chris IS, in fact, The Devil. :)
Yeah when I saw that my jaw dropped in disbelief.
This is the video I needed. I retract all negative all negative previously made comments (I only made one).
You guys got it right with this video and I appreciate this one.
I think it would be very cool if you made a video series on how someone should make their first guitar. Walk us through the whole process. As much as I love the 3000 year old guitar build, it seems like a lot to take on as my first guitar build. I want to make something much simpler. Perhaps use cheaper materials to get the price down. Maybe show videos on how to build jigs and patterns and what not. I would love to watch that!
Great idea!
@@DriftwoodGuitars There is an awful amount of choice as to how to build a basic, simple guitar, in terms of style, too ! But yes, a beginner' guitar build that is not fancy, but solid quality.
Excellent and honest opinion gentlemen. Well done.
I recently purchased Lakewood m31cp and I was very impressed about the quality of the guitar and wood selection. It’s value for money. Playing guitar is my passion and I can play all day long with good quality guitars. I also own a Taylor 714ce wsb v class and it is equally of good quality and value for money. Guitar is an investment and with good quality built, it will last a long time and the tone gets better over time. I therefore recommend to test and scrutinise the wood and built quality before deciding to purchase one.
I personally thank you, I work hard for my money and I dont want to spend $1200 on a sub par guitar
I own one of these G45s. The sound varies greatly from guitar to guitar here. I played 3 whil at the store and i feel I chose one that was comparable to higher end sounding guitars. I am very happy with my purchase but having said that, I wish I'd ponied up for the guitar i was comparing it to.
Am I unhappy with my guitar, absolutely not. I recently restrung it and it sounds beautiful, having gotten a touch more out of its already big lower end. It blows my previous guitar out of the water. Its difficult to compare truly as its apples to oranges and of course the more spent, the better things sound. I'm planning to hold this guitar until I can move passed the threshold into the higher end guitars.
I'm not a professional player, but I am very happy with my G45
This is really sad. I thought that the current CEO of Gibson was determined to put the company back on a path to quality. Evidently not.
He’s the last of the Martin blood line and is squeezing all he Can out of the company.
I know this video is a year or so old, but it is actually an important thought to think on.
I fell in love with Oscar Schmidt guitars with my first purchase from them a few years ago. 3 of the 4 of my guitars are from that brand based on that original purcahse. It was the OE-40 B which is a natural blonde coloration in maple. It's actually based on Gibson's L5, so yes, it is a chinese clone. But it is simply a beautiful guitar that plays well. Based on that I bought the OE-20 Flame Maple top. This is an LP clone. Again, fantasitc guitar, plays well, and has awesome sound.
Fast forward a few years, and now I have an OA-12, an Oscar Schmidt 12 string with piezo pickup. This one needs some minor setup work, but it this is something I intend to do myself. (Lower the saddle a bit, replace the bridge pins with unslotted and cut slots for the strings into the bridge to accommodate the pins.) BUT STILL it's much better than the the offerings from the mainstream makers from everything I have seen! (Without the case or replaced tuners (locking) on the 12-string, I have about $400 into it. Again, not a lot of money!)
You get exactly what the seller expects you to pay for. In my case I have about $1500 (before cases, new pickups, etc.) into three guitars that look and sound great, and have only needed minor work to sound better. As opposed to spending three times that for a single guitar based only on the name on the head stock which may or may not need another $300-$400 bucks to sound as good.
I can't see myself spending half a years wages on a guitar just to have bragging rights. What I can see myself doing, spending money on something that I'm going to enjoy, sounds acceptable to my faulty ear, and I have fun playing. The name on the headstock be damned.
Just my own thoughts.
Honestly, I would love to hear your thoughts on the Zager EZ-Plays. Do one of the breakdowns on those and I would loop the thing to make sure I didn't miss a word. THEN give final thoughts in a seperate video llike this one, good or bad! If I were to ever buy a "name brand" guitar for under the price of a house down payment, it's probably going to be a Zager. (I keep entering their giveaway, but haven't won yet!)
You aren't competing with mass manufacturers so the idea that you are "bashing" them to make yourself look good is just nonsense.
Suggestions: Yamaha is always touted as great value so I'd love to see an FG820 or or L series (6 or 16) tested and cut up. The L16 should in theory put the Gibson to shame. $100 cheaper than the G45 with pickup too!
Also one day: Taylor 324 because I have one and love it but I'd still like to see one cut open and hear whether in your opinion the build quality is good or bad. It won't make me stop loving mine but I am curious what you think!
I’d love to see he goes as far as the Yamaha F-series, the absolute entry level, like F-210. I don’t know if it’s available in the states or not though.
The yamaha A series is serious value for money, even the laminate back and side "A1". Scalloped bracing, aged top treatment, I tried so many guitars and they are the best in that price point, such a resonant guitar you can actually feel the top moving in your belly when playing, and when you sing, it amplifies your voice, all for under £600, £100-£200 more and you get all solid wood as well, upgrade bridge pins, saddle and nut and youve got a guitar that sound like it should be £2000+.
I only really buy Japanese guitars now. Barely if not at all any CNC machines... It's said that the Hamamatsu Yamaha plant can be ran without electricity.
@@craig6198 I own a MIJ AC5R and I can attest to it being the best guitar that I have.
@@maykolllopez1585 wish it was me mate, never tried one but I know from trying the A1 and A3s, that will be an amazing guitar
you are absolutely right in my opinion
Eastman please!
Yes! I'd love to see something from the Eastman lineup in this series. They have a pretty outstanding reputation for quality, and I've been impressed by the few I've been able to get my hands on.
The breakdown series is awesome! Very educational.
I'm really curious to see what you guys think of guitars in Martin's 16 series. The GPC16E would be a good one to check out!
Yes, I have that exact guitar. I got it on a discount for the same price as the Gibson they are talking about. It's a good guitar and I like it a lot but there are some things they could have done better.
15/16/17 SERIES ARE ALL IN THAT PRICE RANGE, THATS WHAT I WANT TO SEE!!
I love the 16 series. I own a DC-16GTE from 1999. It's aged so well. The preamp was garbage, so I put a K&K Pure Mini in it. Sounds fantastic
I was considering the G45, and I really appreciate your honesty. It is so refreshing to watch a REAL review, most of them are nothing but advertisements for whatever guitar they are "reviewing". It is so helpful to get the real opinion of someone who knows what they are talking about. For the record, I never at any point thought to myself that you were "bashing" anything. You just gave your honest opinion and people are not used to seeing that. Subscribed!
10:07 "I'm not going to spend my $1200 on a guitar that....." Dude, you're not buying a $1200 guitar. You're buying a $500 guitar and a $700 water slide decal that says 'Gibson'.
wahahahahaha....I wish there was an LOL emoji here!... you got that right bro!
To me, nothing else sounds or looks as good as a Gibson J45 or LG-2 so I will buy Gibson in spite of their problems, which are many. I appreciate your criticism and hope they improve.
I play guitar, I don’t build them, when I buy a guitar, I want it to sound good, and play good, I’m not really concerned about glue, or something in the construction? If a guitar sounds like I like it, I don’t need to look into the sound hole for something you think it’s lacking? It’s about sound and playability? Are you a longtime guitar player? I’ve played guitars with fantastic workmanship, and sometimes they just don’t sound good, Gibson acoustic guitars sound good! That’s the bottom line!
Sounds good is subjective though isn’t it. That guitar isn’t built well but priced as though it is.
As a Gibson owner and lover of USA built electric guitars this was hard to take. However, I absolutely agree with your comments. We are entitled to a high quality product. My Les Paul is really well made. I’m getting a mirror out to take a look at the inside of my ES-335.
Breakdown an Epiphone. It would be ironic to see if the “sub” brand out does the big brother.
For the money it definitely will!
Great shout!!!
Yes and you can make this typical keychan scrach test to the guitar and you can be sure that the thick poly finish of the Epiphone is much more scrach resistant than the thin nitro finish of the Gibson. And not to talk about bugspray resistance, you can immerse the whole guitar into bugspray, no problem for the poly finsh
I'm not a builder, or a player, even. But I'm so with you on this project. Honest, informed, unbiased. Any manufacturer in any industry needs to be held responsible for the quality of their products. Sadly it appears that any number of respected brand names are being milked dry by their current owners. Whether it's in bikes and cycling equipment, or hifi or kitchen appliances, or cclothes, it's more or less the same everywhere. And don't kid yourselves it's about China. The chinese build ships that float, planes that fly. It's all about quality having a price no matter where it's bought, and brand name owners pinching for manufacture, while charging "think of a number" from their customers.
Thank you for being forthright and honest. You fall nicely into a small group of independent in depth reviewers on youtube. I very much appreciate your work.
And I'll try learning to play guitar, promise.
Suggest a guitar you say? Zager. And react to their videos. I need them to be exposed. If you get one of their guitars, take off the stickers one by one. Thanks much
Well said guys. Keep on keeping on.
Superb work and continue the breakdown videos.......
Love what you guys are doing. I personally don't feel you guys needed to explain yourselves but keep up the good work!
Tell it, Chris! I went through the same feelings with Martin and Fender in the 70's. I care about the heart that goes into the build far more than the name on the head stock. There is no reason for bad or overpriced guitars.
Insightful.
Just one thought though, some of the guitars sold in high volumes are guitars around the $200 price. Guitars like Fender cd60 v3, Yamaha F-310, Epiphone DR-100, etc.
Even then it's rather hard to find review of these. With the quality I've seen here, it will be amazing if you could look into that side of things as well.
Maybe if not go for individual ones, you could grab 3-4, and compare/contrast them together in one video.
just discovered your channel. has been a fascinating eye opener to the world of guitar construction, what difference it makes, and why it matters. appreciate your honest perspective. folks can draw their own conclusions but for me it definitely feels like i can now see behind the 'wizards curtain' some guitar brands present.
I remember I ordered a new j45. Picked it up to play, and…. There were cracks on the sides under the finish, scratches all over, cloudy finish, and a piece of wood bouncing loose on the inside….. thank goodness there was a quality inspection card to vouch for how amazing a Gibson is…. I returned that thing so fast it passed Bozeman twice
I was just recently in the market for a new acoustic. Of course Gibson was one on that list, Martin, Taylor,,, but I started watching yous guys videos. Like you guys, I am one that thinks you should get what you pay for. And until I started watching you guys I never really paid much mind to the hidden things. I have since turned away from Gibson specifically on their acoustics. I ended up trying a ZAAR site unseen but the first thing I did was get a mirror inside of it and I was very impressed. I am now going to try building soon.
The next day after watching your first video about the G45 found a used one on a GC store, an older model with electronics, nicely priced, examined pretty good cause your video was still in my mind even with a flashlight and my cell phone camera on the inside. Saw nothing wrong, I saw excellent craftsmanship, plays and sounds very good to. I own american made Martin and a Gibson J45 and after taking a look a this G45 and watching this new video of yours, I am confused.
I have a 63 J50 in almost mint condition,people took pride making them back then. You are so right they need to step up there quality control.
I would love to see a breakdown for the Fender CP-60S (parlor, sunburst, walnut neck I believe). I ordered one a few months ago just for having a small acoustic lying around to fool around with on those lazy couch evenings. It has prove to be a little gem.
I'm even thinking about selling my Martin HD-28 (barely play it anymore) to put some founds towards a nice telecaster.
That little Fender changed my world for the $200 it cost. Also looks very well build.
Like your honesty. Don`t let the trolls get to you.
Thanks a lot guys for the passionate and honest work!
Vintage Japanese gats can be gold folks. Premium on precision has been part of their playbook forever and the wood is seasoned. They are worth looking at.
wow these are awesome points wish i could afford a Driftwood guitar.