No doubt about it. I've owned the Yamaha and I own a genuine M D41 . . . that knock off sounds fantastic. The Yamaha sounds like Yamaha's do . . nice . . but a bit on the "tinny" side.
He never actually says where he got the guitar. I still believe as long as it's solid wood. Add a bone nut and saddle and it should really open up a lot more. I would actually like to try that myself and see...
Overall, if I had to choose 1 to be my only guitar, I'd choose the fake. I thought overall it was smoother and I really liked the richness of the full chords. And in the areas where I did like the Yamaha better, I didn't think the Chartin was bad at all. Of course if you were actually recording songs you'd experiment with mic placement because it could be the Yamaha would benefit more with the mic closer to the sound hole for fuller chord playing, whereas it benefited with the neck placement for higher tones more than the Chartin did. But for testing, it's really only fair in my mind to place the mic the same on both guitars as you did, unless you really go all out and compare each guitar with multiple mic placement positions.
Biggest difference I hear is that the Yamaha's sustain is more even, both in decay and tone. It also sounds like the Yamaha is little more mids-forward tone-wise than the fake Martin, and that usually bodes well for recording and playing in a band setting without too much need to mess around with EQing and things like that. All that said, I'd like to hear both with the strings broken in a little bit. I think once the new string "zing" wears off a little bit the true voice of the instrument starts coming through.
Curious to hear comparison of fake - versus - real D-45. But considering how good the fake sounded in this test I am worried that such a comparison might make me regret spending my life savings on my real D-45.
I agree with Randy Shartiger, they both sound great, the fake Martin has a fullness that I am more attracted to. Thanks for the video. Randy probably has a dozen real Martins ! I like his videos too !
Steve here - First time commenting, but long time watcher, and have to agree with the consensus. The D45 faker is fuller, more balanced, but lacking in the high end sparkle that the Yamaha has. The Yamaha is definitely thinner, as you pointed out, but both are nice sounding acoustics. The D45 faker would be really interesting if you upgraded the saddle and nut to the similar corresponding items on the real D45. I would suggest that perhaps the bone saddle upgrade would help your sustain. Of course, I am assuming that the D45 faker is still stock, and you haven't already upgraded those components. I wouldn't mind one of these, as a test subject, and then do those upgrades - nut, saddle, tuners, etc, to see if the sound, tuning, and sustain improves at all. Is the pickup in the fake D45 an under saddle type? If that wasn't installed correctly in China, and isn't perfectly flat, that would transfer to your saddle, and could be a huge reason why you aren't getting the tonal transfer and sustain between saddle, bridge, and top on the D45 faker. Might be worth your while to have a look under the saddle to see how well the slot for the USP was cut. I've bought a couple of chinese "knockoffs" in the past, but not the D45. I bought a Rickenbacker 325 faker, and the Gibson J160e faker, and to be fair, both weren't too bad. I do get a lovely full sound out of the J160e, but the electronics are of no use whatsoever. Of course, build quality is nothing compared to the originals, but the Chinese are upping their game, and making people think twice about spending a fortune on the originals. I do have real Gibsons and Rickenbackers as well, but was as curious as you obviously are, to see what the fuss was about. Love the site, and really enjoy your videos. Thanks mate, for taking the time to do all of this. It is greatly appreciated!! Cheers from a Geordie exile in Canada!!! (BTW.......those are my REAL Rickenbackers in my avatar)
Hey brother thank you for the kind encouragement and support it means a lot to me. You are spot on the consensus with the fake being favourite with most people. I haven't done any work on the guitar other than install the b band electronics myself. I may try a bone but and saddle at some point as I agree it will likely result in the tone improving especially in the top end. It would also make for an interesting video and comparison test. Thanks again and happy new year to you my friend. 😊👍
Thanks a LOT for this comparative demo! The chinese Martin replica clearly outperforms the Yamaha as others also noted. It would be more interesting to compae with a real Martin D-45?
Great comparison, thank you. My ear prefers the "sounds cleaner" sound of the Yammy. After having my Aldi Livingstone acoustic correctly set up, it sounds really good for the money. Mind you the setup cost of $100 (inc. new strings) was nearly as much as the Aldi unit cost a few years ago. I used to own a sunburst with rosewood neck, Fender L Series Stratocaster (Serial No. 10,900)... parting with that nearly 40 years ago was one of those... "I don't like to think too much about that" moments in life.
Thank you friend, I prefer the Yamaha to play as well. It's a very 'comfortable' guitar and every 310 I've touched seems set up the same and feels right. Glad you got your AL set up just how you like it. It's a big difference hey? Things we let go of will come back to us if it's meant to be so no point dwelling man :-)
Greetings! You said it upfront...as much as I like 70s Yamaha acoustics I have to agree the fake Martin has better bass response and richer tone by far. Its much more pleasing whilst the Yamaha even though articulate, is thin sounding in comparison. Great video as usual!
I realize that I am talking (almost) apples and oranges here... I have enjoyed owning a 12-string Yamaha FG-230 since purchased new in the early '70s. Aside from the obligatory string replacement, the only work done to the guitar has been a saddle replacement (Elk horn), and tuner replacement on the outermost high "E" string. The new Elk saddle changed the character of the instrument completely. The lower end resonance was resoundingly improved, while the sustain gained nicely at both ends of the performance spectrum. Whilst I realize that your main focus is on electrics, these two acoustics would probably enjoy a gain in performance, when the time comes, with a newly crafted saddle. This eval was more than fair in my view, and I must also say that I enjoy your videos immensely!
I agree with the Yamaha being "brighter",crisper , cleaner but they are as individual as can be across the board. Would love to hear them being played together. Thanks for sharing
Coz that's one of the cheapest Yamaha he's got, which is made in China or Indonesia. That's why no artists really plays a Yamaha unless a really good one. Unlike Takamine or Taylor which are good even the cheapest models.
How can you guys even think that the fake sounds better? It sounds muddy and way too dark for a dreadnought. The Yamaha sounds way better to me even if it is laminate top. With tusq nut and saddle the fake would probably sound better than the Yamaha , but right now it doesn't.
Am with you, I hear it the same. The Yamaha also sounds a bit more balanced in the chords to me. You seem to have some minor hassle with the D45-Fake at times, is the neck sticky or anything uncomfortable about playing it? Still that fake is one sweet sounding thing. Which is a pitty: Some Chinese company could be making a name of their own with a very nice instrument there. The way it goes, they don't.
Hi! I didn't pay attention on the sustain, but I do agree on the Yamaha having a higher or brighter tone and the fake having a more darker/mids type of tone. With that being said, I preferred or liked the fake more than the Yamaha. Then again everyone has different tastes, and may choose otherwise. For that matter there isn't or shouldn't be a judgement on which is better. It's all in the eyes or ears of the beholder. LOL. Thanks for the review. Always a pleasure and a new experience watching your videos. Cheers!
I would lower the action on the Yamaha and turn it into a flamenco with nylon strings. It has a good bright tone. The fake Martin is bright on the top end and deep on the low end. Definitely a better sound on the Martin. Now I want one of both guitars.
Not a real comparison, as the two guitars fulfil very different purposes, as was stated earlier. I have an old 1973 Guild 6 string and I've recently bought a Chinese Martin D45 and I'm really impressed by it. It has a more amber colour to the wood top and is solid spruce. The build quality is amazingly good for the price! I would say that it really depends who you buy these from as they vary widely in quality. I love the D45 so much I bought a second with the pick-up fitted. Since Customs Officers are now impounding the replica Martins from China, I've got my own custom logo inlayed on the headstock, otherwise the guitars are identical to the Martin D45S! I would recommend them as you cannot buy this quality of guitar in the UK for less than £700 off the shelf, imho!
I wish I had my logo on the Martin copy. This was the last guitar I ordered before putting my logo on. I really don't like the ones I have with trademark infringements on them. Good call buddy.
TBH I like having the first one around it's like having a little shadow of the 'dream' which is as close to a 'real' Martin D45S I'm ever going to get. But I'm happy to be able to get a quality custom guitar for my friends at a good price. I wouldn't try to get another with the Martin name on it but I'm glad I found these excellent guitars and can get more of them, legally. But now I have the only 'Orion' Guitar on the planet! LOL! :)
Okay, Here it is April 2019, Got my D-45 from China for $305.00, I have a real Martin D-45, Brazilian Rosewood to boot. This Chinese D-45 Sounds, Plays outstanding, Nice well balanced Tone, Can't beat it for the price. Received it in about 2 weeks, Outstanding !!
I own a Martin DX1ae great guitar, I do not agree that a company copies another companies name (period). That said the D-45 copy sounded good, but for $200 you can get a Yamaha FG800s which is cheaper than the D-45 copy and sounds great. I have been playing for 30 years, great hobby ~ great video. I might buy a China guitar if the changed the name, they also are faking Taylor guitars. Shame on them :-(
Honestly the Yamaha sounds really good, the fake D45 as you said has very little sustain compared with the D45. Personally i would use the D45 for rhythm and the Yamaha for leads and harmonics. Kinda curious if you ever had the chance to play a Maton. Greetings for Australia keep up the good work, can't wait for the Explorer unboxing.
The Faux martin was better in the lows and mids as you said and a bit less jangly than the Yamaha. I don't know that this comparison gets to a real point. I think the Yamaha does what the higher end Yamaha's do and it sounds very well doing it. martins are going for a whole different thing with a booming bass that they are known for which Yamaha's are not known for. Some like the booming bass others do not. I've played with people who play either one. While this is a comparision is between apples and apples I will say one is a Honeycrisp and the other is a Fuji.
Obviously the fake blows the Yamaha to the moon in every way in regards to sound but the Yamaha is a $129 guitar here in the states. I'll give you credit for being the only one doing a comparison but why not compare your fake Martin to an authentic Martin? Maybe even one of the entry level Martins with a solid spruce top but laminate back and sides. Thanks for the videos!
Short bursts great for comparisons. Recommend headphones or earbuds. The Yamaha sounds sadly, toylike. It’s clear but void of any richness or depth. The string idea was good idea and you should add a link for the brand. Glad you revisited your previous review. Well done.
I went back and forth, depending on what was played. Probably in the studio I'd have to try each one for a particular part then decide for that song. Both have their strong points. To my ear, the Yamaha had more "right" sounds but it was very close.
The fMartin is brighter with clearer sound projection (is it a solid top?) but the sound is more raw (incomplete wood cure?). The Yamaha is mellower (having a laminated wood). The F310 doesn't have (IMO) good tone woods.
Both guitars are made in China now. If you ask specifically for a bone saddle and nut on the Chartin guitar they will throw that in. Also you can upgrade your fret board and bridge to Ebony for 35.00 U.S. more. And even add a solid rosewood back and side for 250.00 U.S. more and be pretty close to a real Martin D45. Which cost 12,000. U. S. Vs 600.00 U.S. for the Chartin D45 and that’s with all the upgrades including the Fishman Presys EQ.
Shame you can't do a comparison test against a real D45 then we could really see how good or bad the fake is. Having said that, I much prefer the sound of the fake to the Yamaha, It's more woody, folky & percussive sounding to my ears & that's my personal preference. I'm not a fan of bight new strings on an acoustic anyway unless recording. Give me a grungy well used set for a good old camp fire strum any day.Keep up the good work. (P.S. Any plans to review a Chinese Gretsch semi in the near future).
I think the point to me is who can afford the real Martin? And just because the Martin is so costly does it REALLY warrant that cost when the sound is compared in an unbiased controlled test? People spend a fortune on Italian cars, yet cars that cost a tenth the price can be as fast and even last longer over time....go figure
To my ear the Yammy has a hard sound with a muffled sustain, but the knock off sounds really bright n happy and the sustain rings out beautifully, but i would like to do this test myself because i think your Yammy bias has colored some of your conclusions. So how much was the knock off and where can i get one ?
The China D-45 is an awesome guitar for a lead singer to come out on stage , wear, play a little rhythm during the lead breaks on a couple of up tempo tunes, then hand it off to their "Charlie Hodge".
Spot on accuracy with describing the difference in tones. I wonder if the difference in the tops plays a part in how different they sound. I would wager the Yamaha has a spruce top.
I would like to see comparison between a Yamaha FG830($300). Which is a guitar made closer to a Martin than the Yamaha FG310($70). The FG830 has a spruce top, rose wood back/sides, and scalloped bracing. The FG830 is similar to the price of the Chinese fake. But I suspect the FG830 will sound much better especially on the low end.
I don´t do acoustics, well not yet, but the only thing I can tell is that both guitars sound different because they are from different companies. Both are pretty good. It´s a question of taste.:)
The Chartin D45 actually sounds better - I have a pretty insane audio setup in a man cave garage with computer powering the media (seperate amps for each speaker, crossovers for each speaker , way beyone home stereo setups, and i really cranked it for this sound test - The Chartin d45 just sounded better, i got distracted and was doing other things and i would hear something, turn my head and see oh its the yamaha thats why its dull. I wasnt even paying attention because it was on a loop and other people came in and were here for about an hour or so and after they asked me to put something else on because it looped for a few times, I asked which one sounded "better" (people who have no idea what a D45 is) they described the beautiful chinese chartin and confirmed what I heard - sounds quite nice - Please do a Chartin 000-28ec unboxing and test out- I am really courious about this one
You have 80/20 bronze on your yamaha and phosphor bronze on the fake Martin very different strings in terms of sound 80/20s are very bright n punchy. Phosphor bronze are very mellow but good sustain
I personally preferred the fake D45 sound but guitars always sound different on video than they do in person; as well as sounding much different to a player and to a listener. With that said...did you use phosphor bronze strings or 80/20 bronze strings? I haven't seen any 80/20 phosphor bronze tho I could certainly be wrong.
Ok, first of all I'm a bass player, I've been playing about 26 years, which includes acoustic. Here are my considered observations. The Yamaha and Martin shouldn't really be pitted against each other as they are different types of acoustic one is modern and the other classic in style. Therefore yes the Martin is more mid woody folkish and organic and the Yamaha more contemporary trebleish studio you can see it in their build as they are different beasts but not by a lot sound wise. I would put bronze strings on the Martin and see what happens then. Plus you might not notice this but sub consciously your playing on the Yamaha to Martin is different, you might not see this as you are too involved with the guitars, but as a outsider your playing is more comfortable and relaxed and confident, where as your holding back a little on the Martin, it's quite subtle but play the video back to yourself a few times open minded and you will see your playing differs slightly. Just my opinion, but I can see it. Maybe the first demo is still in the back of your mind. Hope this helps. More Bass videos please.
+Richard Scott Oakes cheers man. I tried really hard to play evenly. I even continually swapped between the two for each phrase to keep it as close as I could and I was trying to watch the mic placement too. I did my best to make this as fair a test as I could. But hey I'm human and I can hear what you're pointing out. However II think it's more to do with the response of the instrument than you think even though it's pretty subtle. :-)
I bought a fake Martin about five months ago and was blown away at the volume and sustain. It is hard to compare it to my high end guitars because the Martin copy is an 00 shape and my other guitars are jumbo shapes. The copy lacks some depth and warmth but that is more due to the body shape, which is smaller and shallower, and the top wood.....it sounds remarkably like a good parlor-size guitar. I picked the body shape exactly for that reason. In this comparison I thought the FD-45 (Fake D-45) sounded richer and warmer by far than the Yamaha but lacked high end projection. But when fingerpicked, the FD-45 wins out clearly at least to my ears. This comparison makes me feel more confident that the 000-45 copy I am considering might surprise me as well. My real concern is that the 000-45 I am looking at has a cedar top and I am wondering how well the Chinese work with that top wood. Cedar is warmer than spruce but has less projection making it better when fingerpicked. Thanks for your work on this....it helped.
I'm very glad my videos helped. I just hope you are having your own logo or on so as not to infringe the trademark of Martin. I so wish I had because I would now have a custom personalised instrument that would be a talking point for all the right reasons instead of having to explain my demos of Chinese fakes. God luck with your new order and I'd be very keen to know how you get on and see some photos or video. All the best 👍😎
It's not a custom order, it is an eBay offering. The instrument in question does not have the Martin logo on it (it has the simulated torch inlay) and I would never claim it to be anything other than a Chinese reproduction. Besides, the early 20th century 45-style ornamentation is no longer patented or a trademark because the CF Martin name does not appear anywhere on it. If it used the Martin name, it would be an infringement and I would avoid that. The 00 model I recently bought is a Crafter guitar, which has its logo/name incorporated into the headstock inlay, so I'm never concerned about explaining it. I am considering this new purchase largely because it is an affordable reproduction of a guitar so rare I couldn't afford it even if I could find one. To me, a fancifully ornamented guitar that sounds good is simply that.....a nice-sounding pretty guitar. Having played hundreds of guitars in my 54 years of playing, brand names mean little to me. It's the instrument that counts......pearl inlay, fancy trim, a famous name do not contribution to the guitar's tone and sound, it just makes it prettier and enhances the experience of ownership.
i have a FG75 i bought in a pawn shop in texas in 1976, sounds just like your yamaha, I also have a dreadnought FG160 which sounds symphonic, like the D45. I had a Aria J200 in the 70s that was a magnificent guitar, I traded a real SG for it
Cheers, thought the "Martone" had significantly more presence and a better jangle when playing chords. The Yahama sounded weak by comparison. That was about as fair as you can get in comparisons short of a real Martin ( which are quite amazing themselves)
VERU GOOD TEST SETUP. i never like the yamaha kind of sound, but i agree with you. The yamaha seems crisp, open, timbre, highs, and has better sustain. if one likes a dark mellow woody heavy mids sound then perhaps why the fake was good enough . the same as martin vs taylor - people just have an audio preference. For its price the fake is rather good, because i expected it to be tinggy and bright but it was warm and nice.
Do you think the F'artin is good enough for Pub gigs? I thought it sounded pretty good... no one could tell the difference 10 feet away, exept the trained eye and ear.. which is not most
I may have to look into buying fake...real one over 6k$, I do not hear the big diff...and i absolutely love Martin guitars, I have one, albeit el cheapo, it has sweet sound
call me crazy but reminds me of the electric diff tween Fender and Gibson...to my humble ears, like the Yamaha acoustic, top end was brighter, notes seemed more separated, crisp...the fake d-45 had deeper growl...almost muddy in some areas but that sound trips my switch...
Well, I know what you mean. But Gibsons are not that muddy compared to other humbucking guitars. Epiphones hell they are! In this example the clear winner is the Yamaha. And it is a full lam guitar! This video shows that the firm is more important than the woods(I guess fake martin has solid top)
My best educated guess on the D45 copy's top wood is Picea Asperata (aka. Chinese Spruce / Dragon Spruce). The Yamaha may be Sitka or Norwegian Spruce (which is also the title of a Beatles song :)
Fake Martin wins on bass, overall fuller sound. Yamaha has its moments, good sustain and upper midrange/treble, just a thinner sound. For the record, I have owned a vintage D18, vintage Guild D40, and played a ton of other acoustics. Yamaha makes okay guitars, but better pianos to my ears.
I much preferred the sound of the D45, it has a much fuller sound. You also seemed a lot more comfortable playing the D45 than the yammy (wow just read down through the comments and someone has said the opposite, how crazy is that?). the sustain probably didn't carry over that well through youtube so it was probably a lot more noticeable in the room with you Both nice guitars though but I would definitely go for the fake D45 Although it is subjective .. which one do you prefer to play?
Hi there, well personally I like the sound of the D 45 fake more, but that don't mean the Yamaha sounds bad it's just a matter of tast ☺thanks for the video.
I.m.o. ... the Fake Martin sounds a bit "richer" while strumming. But I guess the comment of Kurt Johnson is right... you have to hear both guitars toghether. Thank you for the clip btw. brilliant!
I may be wrong but I don't think there is such a thing as a Yamaha FG310. The Yamaha F310 is their well known student model - good bang for buck - but an all laminate guitar. The Fake Martin is probably solid, which is why it sounds fuller and with more resonance. A better comparison would be with a Yamaha FG700 or 800 series guitars, which are solid and slightly higher end.
I can't believe I'm about to say this however, the Chinese Martin actually has a fuller, richer sound... hmmmm. While I was reading the comments, every time I heard what I thought was a beautiful sound coming from the Yamaha... it turns out you were playing the Chinese Martin. Damn, now I want one lol
I think that the Martin fake is a much better guitar for the money compare to the Yamaha, but you're gambling every time you buy one, there may be errors defects problems etc, but if this guitar was made and sold by a reputable company such as Harley Benton, I would 100% recommend this guitar.
The guitars both sound ok but they both have a problem you're not aware of. The Nut is too high and is throwing the harmonics off, on both guitars. If you can get the nut adjusted to put the strings at the right height you will notice a sweet spot when you are at the correct nut height. the guitar will sing more freely. The sound will go from very nice to beautiful. I have been resetting acoustic guitars since 1968 This is a very common thing on many brands of guitars. You might be able to see the difference using a tuner. Tune the guitar to correct pitch and then with the tuner still attached play all the notes in the first fret and up to the 4th fret to see if the tuner hears the correct note or is it off by a few cents? When the string nut height is correct the pitch of each note up and down the neck will be correct, now you have your sweet spot. Nice videos.
I like the sound from the Yamaha, but I'm always more drawn to the mids and bass from acoustics. The martin fake sounds very similar to my Taylor 214ce and that is not a bad thing at all.
For fingerpicking I would choose the Yamaha, as it has a brighter tone to my ears. Flatpicking and rhythm would be the fake, as the pick would provide a more aggressive attack, but that's just me. In addition, no youtube video will reproduce the sound of any guitar perfectly, so a grain of salt is required. I would not be ashamed of playing either one.
The D45 excelled over the Yamaha. I own a Yamaha FG830 and it's an exceptional instrument. Your model I'm unfamilar with but in this comparison doesn't hold a candle to the Chinese D45. My Yamaha sounds better than my Hummingbird or Ovations. My FG830 has scalloped bracing which adds a lot of Bass and midrange and It has a loud and balanced tone. Your D45 sounds more like my FG830.
I agree with Trushack & others .. over my soundcard & headset ... the Yamaha seems to lack the bass the chartin D45 has .... BUT the chartin I think sounds "scooped" & as others say doesnt sustain as long as the yamaha does. To me the yamaha has the clairity, sustain & abit of a dare I say " mid boost " to it .... to me i'd sacrafice bass for those atributes any day !! Great job as always on this.
The Fartin has a nice sound, which is pretty funny! It seems that the counterfeiters have gotten really good at replicating a good generic acoustic sound, not sure if it could get anywhere near the sound of a real D45 but it looks pretty good apart from that glaring line down the middle of the top
The fake Martin does have Fuller, warmer tone. But the Yamaha might actually have more projection. The Chartin certainly doesn't have the projection, resonance and sustain that a high end guitar would offer. It's not a Martin, but it's a decent guitar.
Ya so the Yamaha has 80/20 bronze stings on it (gold color), and the Martin copy has phosphor bronze strings on it (copper color) so you used completely different alloys of strings, with phosphor bronze sounding warmer and less tinny then the 80/20
hi great review. I have to say I like the sound of the faked45 the best and my guitars are Yamaha. I have an lj6 model solid top it would be interesting to hear how it compared thanks.
I would change the nut and saddle to bone and fix the intonation on each string I would play music to the D-45 24/7 as it will take a long time to break in.
I checked my two Chartins for sustain. The one with real abalone inlay has fabulous sustain. The one with fake abalone (vinyl?) inlay has a dampened sound (less bright) and it has lower sustain. I suspect that the fake inlay has a dampening effect on sound. The guitar played in this video is like my fake D-45. My other fake is the small OOO-45S model (which may also makes it brighter).
Wow that's really interesting my friend, that could well be the case with less resonance of plastic vs shell. Thank you for the great engagement on the channel recently and I am so pleased to have you subscribe too.
I own three real Martin guitars and two Chartins. One Chartin is like the one here (except mine has matching top sides). The abalone inlay on the head stock competes well with a real Martin on both of my Chartins. The inlay around the sides and the back is totally fake on one of my Chartins. The inlay on the other one is spectacular all around and the inlay work on that one is actually brighter and SUPERIOR EVERYWHERE to any of my real Martins (I was stunned). The woods used on both Chartins are all top quality (Indian Rosewood, Red Spruce) and the guitars are well constructed. The Chartin like the one shown here has less clarity of tone than a real Martin, and disappointing inlay, but it is an excellent guitar. My other Chartin is a 1930 Martin OOO-45S replica. It is a WOW guitar in looks and in sound and in playability and I am delighted with it. If you special order one of these, find a supplier that will do a torrified top (like on my OOO-45S) - I think they go all out on the other details when you are that demanding. I paid more than double what he paid, so maybe, that is another factor in what you get. I had to separately order a custom case for the OOO-45S and it is a perfectly fitting hard shell case with five latches (better lock down). One must factor in the costs of a quality case as an essential part of any decent guitar purchase. I got my disappointing Chartin and my delightful Chartin from the SAME supplier! They cannot be trusted to supply consistent quality. They did say that they had no more in stock like the OOO-45S that I got - mine was the last of the well-made old stock. They went to cheap inlay instead of real abalone and that guitar lacks a bit in clarity of tone compared to a real Martin (but still great tone compared to other brands). Too bad, because, otherwise, I would have had no major complaints and I would have had two for two delightful guitars in appearance (and one of them delightful in both look and sound). The set-up on both Chartins was perfect. They are well worth the money, but they are NOT real Martins and who knows how well they will age (glue quality, finish, warping, etc.) - one can be certain any real Martin will improve and increase in value with age. Now you have an unbiased analysis from one who owns multiple examples of Chartins and Martins.
I would like to first say; Thank you for this it was very informative. it would be great if you had a Real D45 to compare it to. I like the sound of both guitars Both made in other countries. after having the D45 for a couple of years would you say that the actual craftsmanship is as good as the Yamaha?
+Jeffrey Cox sadly I would say that they are in a par in build quality and in direct contradiction with prediction and assertion of many other, both continue to mature in sound as you would expect from an acoustic. It pays me to say it but the fake is actually a nice guitar that I still enjoy too play.
the fake martin sounds way better
totally agree. More core sound on the Chartin
No doubt about it. I've owned the Yamaha and I own a genuine M D41 . . . that knock off sounds fantastic. The Yamaha sounds like Yamaha's do . . nice . . but a bit on the "tinny" side.
He never actually says where he got the guitar. I still believe as long as it's solid wood. Add a bone nut and saddle and it should really open up a lot more. I would actually like to try that myself and see...
Matt·Dylan I have one I’m wanting to sell/trade. If you’re interested reply to this. I’m very serious it’s a great guitar but I’m a bass player.
I agree and i own a real Brazilian Rosewood D-45
Overall, if I had to choose 1 to be my only guitar, I'd choose the fake. I thought overall it was smoother and I really liked the richness of the full chords. And in the areas where I did like the Yamaha better, I didn't think the Chartin was bad at all.
Of course if you were actually recording songs you'd experiment with mic placement because it could be the Yamaha would benefit more with the mic closer to the sound hole for fuller chord playing, whereas it benefited with the neck placement for higher tones more than the Chartin did.
But for testing, it's really only fair in my mind to place the mic the same on both guitars as you did, unless you really go all out and compare each guitar with multiple mic placement positions.
You are a legend mate!! Keep the new vids coming buddy..
Always look forward to your new content!
Thanks so much buddy :-)
Biggest difference I hear is that the Yamaha's sustain is more even, both in decay and tone. It also sounds like the Yamaha is little more mids-forward tone-wise than the fake Martin, and that usually bodes well for recording and playing in a band setting without too much need to mess around with EQing and things like that. All that said, I'd like to hear both with the strings broken in a little bit. I think once the new string "zing" wears off a little bit the true voice of the instrument starts coming through.
This is a cool comparison! I want to say Yamaha was best but truthfully the fake martin
+Randy Schartiger it's certainly fuller in the low and mid tons isn't it.
Curious to hear comparison of fake - versus - real D-45. But considering how good the fake sounded in this test I am worried that such a comparison might make me regret spending my life savings on my real D-45.
dsrekjw
No way, no comparison what’s so ever, believe it. Martin hands down the best mass, produced, American made or any place made guitar going.
I agree with Randy Shartiger, they both sound great, the fake Martin has a fullness that I am more attracted to. Thanks for the video. Randy probably has a dozen real Martins ! I like his videos too !
@@Chinaguitarsceptic It sounds like a Martin. (full low and mid)
Steve here - First time commenting, but long time watcher, and have to agree with the consensus. The D45 faker is fuller, more balanced, but lacking in the high end sparkle that the Yamaha has. The Yamaha is definitely thinner, as you pointed out, but both are nice sounding acoustics. The D45 faker would be really interesting if you upgraded the saddle and nut to the similar corresponding items on the real D45. I would suggest that perhaps the bone saddle upgrade would help your sustain. Of course, I am assuming that the D45 faker is still stock, and you haven't already upgraded those components. I wouldn't mind one of these, as a test subject, and then do those upgrades - nut, saddle, tuners, etc, to see if the sound, tuning, and sustain improves at all. Is the pickup in the fake D45 an under saddle type? If that wasn't installed correctly in China, and isn't perfectly flat, that would transfer to your saddle, and could be a huge reason why you aren't getting the tonal transfer and sustain between saddle, bridge, and top on the D45 faker. Might be worth your while to have a look under the saddle to see how well the slot for the USP was cut.
I've bought a couple of chinese "knockoffs" in the past, but not the D45. I bought a Rickenbacker 325 faker, and the Gibson J160e faker, and to be fair, both weren't too bad. I do get a lovely full sound out of the J160e, but the electronics are of no use whatsoever. Of course, build quality is nothing compared to the originals, but the Chinese are upping their game, and making people think twice about spending a fortune on the originals. I do have real Gibsons and Rickenbackers as well, but was as curious as you obviously are, to see what the fuss was about.
Love the site, and really enjoy your videos. Thanks mate, for taking the time to do all of this. It is greatly appreciated!! Cheers from a Geordie exile in Canada!!! (BTW.......those are my REAL Rickenbackers in my avatar)
Hey brother thank you for the kind encouragement and support it means a lot to me.
You are spot on the consensus with the fake being favourite with most people.
I haven't done any work on the guitar other than install the b band electronics myself. I may try a bone but and saddle at some point as I agree it will likely result in the tone improving especially in the top end. It would also make for an interesting video and comparison test.
Thanks again and happy new year to you my friend. 😊👍
Try pointing the mic at the body of the guitar and not the fretboard, you'll get a better sound.
I agree with anyone who say's the Fake Martin makes the Yamaha sound Tinty and cheap.
been playing since 82' and quite honestly, I'm kinda blown away by how good the Chartin sounds...
Thanks a LOT for this comparative demo! The chinese Martin replica clearly outperforms the Yamaha as others also noted. It would be more interesting to compae with a real Martin D-45?
Great comparison, thank you. My ear prefers the "sounds cleaner" sound of the Yammy. After having my Aldi Livingstone acoustic correctly set up, it sounds really good for the money. Mind you the setup cost of $100 (inc. new strings) was nearly as much as the Aldi unit cost a few years ago. I used to own a sunburst with rosewood neck, Fender L Series Stratocaster (Serial No. 10,900)... parting with that nearly 40 years ago was one of those... "I don't like to think too much about that" moments in life.
Thank you friend, I prefer the Yamaha to play as well. It's a very 'comfortable' guitar and every 310 I've touched seems set up the same and feels right. Glad you got your AL set up just how you like it. It's a big difference hey? Things we let go of will come back to us if it's meant to be so no point dwelling man :-)
Greetings! You said it upfront...as much as I like 70s Yamaha acoustics I have to agree the fake Martin has better bass response and richer tone by far. Its much more pleasing whilst the Yamaha even though articulate, is thin sounding in comparison. Great video as usual!
Lol, dude, they're either 80/20 or phosphor bronze - can't be both at the same time!
He can have both. On the way to work he drives his electric hydrogen car. Then he feeds his pet liger.
I realize that I am talking (almost) apples and oranges here... I have enjoyed owning a 12-string Yamaha FG-230 since purchased new in the early '70s. Aside from the obligatory string replacement, the only work done to the guitar has been a saddle replacement (Elk horn), and tuner replacement on the outermost high "E" string.
The new Elk saddle changed the character of the instrument completely. The lower end resonance was resoundingly improved, while the sustain gained nicely at both ends of the performance spectrum. Whilst I realize that your main focus is on electrics, these two acoustics would probably enjoy a gain in performance, when the time comes, with a newly crafted saddle.
This eval was more than fair in my view, and I must also say that I enjoy your videos immensely!
I agree with the Yamaha being "brighter",crisper , cleaner but they are as individual as can be across the board.
Would love to hear them being played together.
Thanks for sharing
+Kurt Johnson cheers Kurt, I may do that for you mate. If I get a moment.
wow fake Martin (Fartin) sounds so much better. I am shocked
Coz that's one of the cheapest Yamaha he's got, which is made in China or Indonesia. That's why no artists really plays a Yamaha unless a really good one. Unlike Takamine or Taylor which are good even the cheapest models.
How can you guys even think that the fake sounds better? It sounds muddy and way too dark for a dreadnought. The Yamaha sounds way better to me even if it is laminate top. With tusq nut and saddle the fake would probably sound better than the Yamaha , but right now it doesn't.
I've owned a real Brazilian Rosewood Martin D-45 since 1990, These Knock off's sound pretty darn close.
What year is your D-45?
@@AndrewHank1 yamaha sux a55 period, they are made in China
Am with you, I hear it the same. The Yamaha also sounds a bit more balanced in the chords to me. You seem to have some minor hassle with the D45-Fake at times, is the neck sticky or anything uncomfortable about playing it?
Still that fake is one sweet sounding thing. Which is a pitty: Some Chinese company could be making a name of their own with a very nice instrument there. The way it goes, they don't.
Hi! I didn't pay attention on the sustain, but I do agree on the Yamaha having a higher or brighter tone and the fake having a more darker/mids type of tone. With that being said, I preferred or liked the fake more than the Yamaha. Then again everyone has different tastes, and may choose otherwise. For that matter there isn't or shouldn't be a judgement on which is better. It's all in the eyes or ears of the beholder. LOL. Thanks for the review. Always a pleasure and a new experience watching your videos. Cheers!
+Gil Lamb (Embeleko) as always I love your kind and so balanced response mate. I couldn't agree more.
D45 IS MORE WARM SOUND
The fake Martin sounded better to me, but does it stay in tune? How’s the playing action feel?
I would lower the action on the Yamaha and turn it into a flamenco with nylon strings. It has a good bright tone. The fake Martin is bright on the top end and deep on the low end. Definitely a better sound on the Martin. Now I want one of both guitars.
Very accurate assessment buddy. 😊👍
How does the action / play-ability compare on these? Also, what kind of pick/size were you using? Thanks for the demo's you do!
Action is much higher on the fake. I use 60' gauge picks 👍😁
Nice, thanks for the info.
Cheap fix on the high action
Not a real comparison, as the two guitars fulfil very different purposes, as was stated earlier. I have an old 1973 Guild 6 string and I've recently bought a Chinese Martin D45 and I'm really impressed by it. It has a more amber colour to the wood top and is solid spruce. The build quality is amazingly good for the price! I would say that it really depends who you buy these from as they vary widely in quality. I love the D45 so much I bought a second with the pick-up fitted. Since Customs Officers are now impounding the replica Martins from China, I've got my own custom logo inlayed on the headstock, otherwise the guitars are identical to the Martin D45S! I would recommend them as you cannot buy this quality of guitar in the UK for less than £700 off the shelf, imho!
I wish I had my logo on the Martin copy. This was the last guitar I ordered before putting my logo on. I really don't like the ones I have with trademark infringements on them. Good call buddy.
TBH I like having the first one around it's like having a little shadow of the 'dream' which is as close to a 'real' Martin D45S I'm ever going to get. But I'm happy to be able to get a quality custom guitar for my friends at a good price. I wouldn't try to get another with the Martin name on it but I'm glad I found these excellent guitars and can get more of them, legally. But now I have the only 'Orion' Guitar on the planet! LOL! :)
@@theopenconspiracy and you got this where? Lol I have no issue at all using my name in place of the Martin logo.
I feel, to my ears, the Chinese Martin copy sounds the fullest and most responsive....which is what I'd want in my acoustic (74 Ovation)
You're in good company here my friend 👍😎
When you cut the bridge pin hole for the pickup plug did you examine the wood to see if the back and sides of the fake D45 are solid?
Okay, Here it is April 2019, Got my D-45 from China for $305.00, I have a real Martin D-45, Brazilian Rosewood to boot. This Chinese D-45 Sounds, Plays outstanding, Nice well balanced Tone, Can't beat it for the price. Received it in about 2 weeks, Outstanding !!
I own a Martin DX1ae great guitar, I do not agree that a company copies another companies name (period). That said the D-45 copy sounded good, but for $200 you can get a Yamaha FG800s which is cheaper than the D-45 copy and sounds great. I have been playing for 30 years, great hobby ~ great video. I might buy a China guitar if the changed the name, they also are faking Taylor guitars. Shame on them :-(
I could not agree with you more Gary, well said. Please know that I only bought these to prove that they are not great and certainly not ethical.
Honestly the Yamaha sounds really good, the fake D45 as you said has very little sustain compared with the D45. Personally i would use the D45 for rhythm and the Yamaha for leads and harmonics. Kinda curious if you ever had the chance to play a Maton. Greetings for Australia keep up the good work, can't wait for the Explorer unboxing.
*Yamaha
+WARCHIEFf93 thanks mate. I couldn't agree more. Recording in studio I'd use the ake for strumming and the Yammy for articulate work.
The Faux martin was better in the lows and mids as you said and a bit less jangly than the Yamaha. I don't know that this comparison gets to a real point. I think the Yamaha does what the higher end Yamaha's do and it sounds very well doing it. martins are going for a whole different thing with a booming bass that they are known for which Yamaha's are not known for. Some like the booming bass others do not. I've played with people who play either one. While this is a comparision is between apples and apples I will say one is a Honeycrisp and the other is a Fuji.
Obviously the fake blows the Yamaha to the moon in every way in regards to sound but the Yamaha is a $129 guitar here in the states. I'll give you credit for being the only one doing a comparison but why not compare your fake Martin to an authentic Martin? Maybe even one of the entry level Martins with a solid spruce top but laminate back and sides. Thanks for the videos!
Short bursts great for comparisons. Recommend headphones or earbuds. The Yamaha sounds sadly, toylike. It’s clear but void of any richness or depth. The string idea was good idea and you should add a link for the brand. Glad you revisited your previous review. Well done.
I went back and forth, depending on what was played. Probably in the studio I'd have to try each one for a particular part then decide for that song. Both have their strong points. To my ear, the Yamaha had more "right" sounds but it was very close.
you need to provide specs on that (older) Chartin/Fartin you're using. Does it have a solid neck, for example, like the newer ones.
Solid neck top and back as far as I can tell. Could be sides too but it's harder to be sure. Looks a similar grain.
LONG PAUSES, makes me forget the sound to compare to.
paulj0557 that’s an eltimers pause
The fMartin is brighter with clearer sound projection (is it a solid top?) but the sound is more raw (incomplete wood cure?).
The Yamaha is mellower (having a laminated wood). The F310 doesn't have (IMO) good tone woods.
I agree with all of this! 👍
I have an F310 and I put grover machine heads on it. Sounds utterly amazing!
Nice buddy
Both guitars are made in China now. If you ask specifically for a bone saddle and nut on the Chartin guitar they will throw that in. Also you can upgrade your fret board and bridge to Ebony for 35.00 U.S. more. And even add a solid rosewood back and side for 250.00 U.S. more and be pretty close to a real Martin D45. Which cost 12,000. U. S. Vs 600.00 U.S. for the Chartin D45 and that’s with all the upgrades including the Fishman Presys EQ.
it sounds good.. did it need much set up ?
Shame you can't do a comparison test against a real D45 then we could really see how good or bad the fake is. Having said that, I much prefer the sound of the fake to the Yamaha, It's more woody, folky & percussive sounding to my ears & that's my personal preference. I'm not a fan of bight new strings on an acoustic anyway unless recording. Give me a grungy well used set for a good old camp fire strum any day.Keep up the good work. (P.S. Any plans to review a Chinese Gretsch semi in the near future).
+Woody444 yes I wouldn't mind trying a real d45 if and world like to bring one over someday. Also quite interested in the Gretsch idea too 😆
I think the point to me is who can afford the real Martin? And just because the Martin is so costly does it REALLY warrant that cost when the sound is compared in an unbiased controlled test? People spend a fortune on Italian cars, yet cars that cost a tenth the price can be as fast and even last longer over time....go figure
To my ear the Yammy has a hard sound with a muffled sustain, but the knock off sounds really bright n happy and the sustain rings out beautifully, but i would like to do this test myself because i think your Yammy bias has colored some of your conclusions. So how much was the knock off and where can i get one ?
The China D-45 is an awesome guitar for a lead singer to come out on stage , wear, play a little rhythm during the lead breaks on a couple of up tempo tunes, then hand it off to their "Charlie Hodge".
Perfect except the logo ip theft
Spot on accuracy with describing the difference in tones. I wonder if the difference in the tops plays a part in how different they sound. I would wager the Yamaha has a spruce top.
I would like to see comparison between a Yamaha FG830($300). Which is a guitar made closer to a Martin than the Yamaha FG310($70). The FG830 has a spruce top, rose wood back/sides, and scalloped bracing. The FG830 is similar to the price of the Chinese fake. But I suspect the FG830 will sound much better especially on the low end.
I don´t do acoustics, well not yet, but the only thing I can tell is that both guitars sound different because they are from different companies. Both are pretty good. It´s a question of taste.:)
Isn't everything in music? Very good point my friend. 👍
Martin Fake45 far way better in the Mid and Low ...
The Chartin D45 actually sounds better - I have a pretty insane audio setup in a man cave garage with computer powering the media (seperate amps for each speaker, crossovers for each speaker , way beyone home stereo setups, and i really cranked it for this sound test - The Chartin d45 just sounded better, i got distracted and was doing other things and i would hear something, turn my head and see oh its the yamaha thats why its dull. I wasnt even paying attention because it was on a loop and other people came in and were here for about an hour or so and after they asked me to put something else on because it looped for a few times, I asked which one sounded "better" (people who have no idea what a D45 is) they described the beautiful chinese chartin and confirmed what I heard - sounds quite nice - Please do a Chartin 000-28ec unboxing and test out- I am really courious about this one
Ok thank you, Good job! I can't argue with that. You're easily in the majority here too. Thanks for letting us know buddy 👍😎
Your mic favors the fake D45
Would love to hear a real D45 vs the fake one though - that would be the best test ever imo
Fake Martin (Fartin D45) Sounds like a great deal. Where do they sell them?
You have 80/20 bronze on your yamaha and phosphor bronze on the fake Martin very different strings in terms of sound 80/20s are very bright n punchy. Phosphor bronze are very mellow but good sustain
I personally preferred the fake D45 sound but guitars always sound different on video than they do in person; as well as sounding much different to a player and to a listener.
With that said...did you use phosphor bronze strings or 80/20 bronze strings? I haven't seen any 80/20 phosphor bronze tho I could certainly be wrong.
Both are pleasing sounding guitars. In my opinion the fake D45 holds a small advantage.
Ok, first of all I'm a bass player, I've been playing about 26 years, which includes acoustic. Here are my considered observations. The Yamaha and Martin shouldn't really be pitted against each other as they are different types of acoustic one is modern and the other classic in style. Therefore yes the Martin is more mid woody folkish and organic and the Yamaha more contemporary trebleish studio you can see it in their build as they are different beasts but not by a lot sound wise. I would put bronze strings on the Martin and see what happens then. Plus you might not notice this but sub consciously your playing on the Yamaha to Martin is different, you might not see this as you are too involved with the guitars, but as a outsider your playing is more comfortable and relaxed and confident, where as your holding back a little on the Martin, it's quite subtle but play the video back to yourself a few times open minded and you will see your playing differs slightly. Just my opinion, but I can see it. Maybe the first demo is still in the back of your mind. Hope this helps. More Bass videos please.
+Richard Scott Oakes cheers man. I tried really hard to play evenly. I even continually swapped between the two for each phrase to keep it as close as I could and I was trying to watch the mic placement too. I did my best to make this as fair a test as I could. But hey I'm human and I can hear what you're pointing out. However II think it's more to do with the response of the instrument than you think even though it's pretty subtle. :-)
I bought a fake Martin about five months ago and was blown away at the volume and sustain. It is hard to compare it to my high end guitars because the Martin copy is an 00 shape and my other guitars are jumbo shapes. The copy lacks some depth and warmth but that is more due to the body shape, which is smaller and shallower, and the top wood.....it sounds remarkably like a good parlor-size guitar. I picked the body shape exactly for that reason.
In this comparison I thought the FD-45 (Fake D-45) sounded richer and warmer by far than the Yamaha but lacked high end projection. But when fingerpicked, the FD-45 wins out clearly at least to my ears. This comparison makes me feel more confident that the 000-45 copy I am considering might surprise me as well. My real concern is that the 000-45 I am looking at has a cedar top and I am wondering how well the Chinese work with that top wood. Cedar is warmer than spruce but has less projection making it better when fingerpicked.
Thanks for your work on this....it helped.
I'm very glad my videos helped. I just hope you are having your own logo or on so as not to infringe the trademark of Martin. I so wish I had because I would now have a custom personalised instrument that would be a talking point for all the right reasons instead of having to explain my demos of Chinese fakes. God luck with your new order and I'd be very keen to know how you get on and see some photos or video. All the best 👍😎
It's not a custom order, it is an eBay offering. The instrument in question does not have the Martin logo on it (it has the simulated torch inlay) and I would never claim it to be anything other than a Chinese reproduction. Besides, the early 20th century 45-style ornamentation is no longer patented or a trademark because the CF Martin name does not appear anywhere on it. If it used the Martin name, it would be an infringement and I would avoid that.
The 00 model I recently bought is a Crafter guitar, which has its logo/name incorporated into the headstock inlay, so I'm never concerned about explaining it. I am considering this new purchase largely because it is an affordable reproduction of a guitar so rare I couldn't afford it even if I could find one.
To me, a fancifully ornamented guitar that sounds good is simply that.....a nice-sounding pretty guitar. Having played hundreds of guitars in my 54 years of playing, brand names mean little to me. It's the instrument that counts......pearl inlay, fancy trim, a famous name do not contribution to the guitar's tone and sound, it just makes it prettier and enhances the experience of ownership.
i have a FG75 i bought in a pawn shop in texas in 1976, sounds just like your yamaha, I also have a dreadnought FG160 which sounds symphonic, like the D45. I had a Aria J200 in the 70s that was a magnificent guitar, I traded a real SG for it
Cheers, thought the "Martone" had significantly more presence and a better jangle when playing chords. The Yahama sounded weak by comparison. That was about as fair as you can get in comparisons short of a real Martin ( which are quite amazing themselves)
Never played a fake D45 or Yamaha but both sound good. It’s like choosing on minor nuances. Both are winners.
The fake has a truly professional full sound compared to the Yamaha.
Like the fuller deeper sound of the D-45
VERU GOOD TEST SETUP. i never like the yamaha kind of sound, but i agree with you. The yamaha seems crisp, open, timbre, highs, and has better sustain. if one likes a dark mellow woody heavy mids sound then perhaps why the fake was good enough . the same as martin vs taylor - people just have an audio preference. For its price the fake is rather good, because i expected it to be tinggy and bright but it was warm and nice.
Do you think the F'artin is good enough for Pub gigs? I thought it sounded pretty good... no one could tell the difference 10 feet away, exept the trained eye and ear.. which is not most
Yes it's not a bad guitar for the money other than the trademark infringements making it illegal to sell.
I may have to look into buying fake...real one over 6k$, I do not hear the big diff...and i absolutely love Martin guitars, I have one, albeit el cheapo, it has sweet sound
call me crazy but reminds me of the electric diff tween Fender and Gibson...to my humble ears, like the Yamaha acoustic, top end was brighter, notes seemed more separated, crisp...the fake d-45 had deeper growl...almost muddy in some areas but that sound trips my switch...
Well, I know what you mean. But Gibsons are not that muddy compared to other humbucking guitars. Epiphones hell they are! In this example the clear winner is the Yamaha. And it is a full lam guitar! This video shows that the firm is more important than the woods(I guess fake martin has solid top)
My best educated guess on the D45 copy's top wood is Picea Asperata (aka. Chinese Spruce / Dragon Spruce). The Yamaha may be Sitka or Norwegian Spruce (which is also the title of a Beatles song :)
Fake Martin wins on bass, overall fuller sound. Yamaha has its moments, good sustain and upper midrange/treble, just a thinner sound.
For the record, I have owned a vintage D18, vintage Guild D40, and played a ton of other acoustics. Yamaha makes okay guitars, but better pianos to my ears.
Why not tell us where we can buy the fake Martin, and how much it costs?
I much preferred the sound of the D45, it has a much fuller sound. You also seemed a lot more comfortable playing the D45 than the yammy (wow just read down through the comments and someone has said the opposite, how crazy is that?). the sustain probably didn't carry over that well through youtube so it was probably a lot more noticeable in the room with you
Both nice guitars though but I would definitely go for the fake D45
Although it is subjective .. which one do you prefer to play?
What song is 3:48? Is that hammer to fall?
Probably I love playing that
How is the fake Chinese martin holding up to date ? Is there anything you had to do to it ?
I recently did a 4 years on video you would probably like :-)
Hi there, well personally I like the sound of the D 45 fake more, but that don't mean the Yamaha sounds bad it's just a matter of tast ☺thanks for the video.
I.m.o. ... the Fake Martin sounds a bit "richer" while strumming.
But I guess the comment of Kurt Johnson is right... you have to hear both guitars toghether.
Thank you for the clip btw. brilliant!
I may be wrong but I don't think there is such a thing as a Yamaha FG310. The Yamaha F310 is their well known student model - good bang for buck - but an all laminate guitar. The Fake Martin is probably solid, which is why it sounds fuller and with more resonance. A better comparison would be with a Yamaha FG700 or 800 series guitars, which are solid and slightly higher end.
is the yamaha rosewood? that would be a fairer comparison. maybe an fg350w
sounds better AGAIN,,
I can't believe I'm about to say this however, the Chinese Martin actually has a fuller, richer sound... hmmmm. While I was reading the comments, every time I heard what I thought was a beautiful sound coming from the Yamaha... it turns out you were playing the Chinese Martin. Damn, now I want one lol
So amazing how the sustain of the "martin" is nearly absent. For that alone the Yamaha.
I think that the Martin fake is a much better guitar for the money compare to the Yamaha, but you're gambling every time you buy one, there may be errors defects problems etc, but if this guitar was made and sold by a reputable company such as Harley Benton, I would 100% recommend this guitar.
Me too but better quality can be had at even more commodity price these days.
The guitars both sound ok but they both have a problem you're not aware of. The Nut is too high and is throwing the harmonics off, on both guitars. If you can get the nut adjusted to put the strings at the right height you will notice a sweet spot when you are at the correct nut height. the guitar will sing more freely. The sound will go from very nice to beautiful. I have been resetting acoustic guitars since 1968 This is a very common thing on many brands of guitars. You might be able to see the difference using a tuner. Tune the guitar to correct pitch and then with the tuner still attached play all the notes in the first fret and up to the 4th fret to see if the tuner hears the correct note or is it off by a few cents? When the string nut height is correct the pitch of each note up and down the neck will be correct, now you have your sweet spot. Nice videos.
Thank you for this I will look into the nut
I like the sound from the Yamaha, but I'm always more drawn to the mids and bass from acoustics. The martin fake sounds very similar to my Taylor 214ce and that is not a bad thing at all.
For fingerpicking I would choose the Yamaha, as it has a brighter tone to my ears. Flatpicking and rhythm would be the fake, as the pick would provide a more aggressive attack, but that's just me. In addition, no youtube video will reproduce the sound of any guitar perfectly, so a grain of salt is required.
I would not be ashamed of playing either one.
These two guitars should have a baby. Then you could capture the low rich tones and the crisp treble all together in one guitar.
Lol
On my cheap phone speaker the fake sounds bright while the Yamaha sounds warmer and carries on longer.
I agree
The D45 excelled over the Yamaha. I own a Yamaha FG830 and it's an exceptional instrument. Your model I'm unfamilar with but in this comparison doesn't hold a candle to the Chinese D45. My Yamaha sounds better than my Hummingbird or Ovations. My FG830 has scalloped bracing which adds a lot of Bass and midrange and It has a loud and balanced tone. Your D45 sounds more like my FG830.
They are pretty different sounding but not too dissimilar in construction
I think the Yamaha is a bit louder... but they both have nice tone! The Martin has a softer top end and less ring.
great job! I also have one of these chimartin's I Love it, as I could not ever justify or afford one from the U.S. the prices are too crazy.
I agree with Trushack & others .. over my soundcard & headset ... the Yamaha seems to lack the bass the chartin D45 has .... BUT the chartin I think sounds "scooped" & as others say doesnt sustain as long as the yamaha does.
To me the yamaha has the clairity, sustain & abit of a dare I say " mid boost " to it .... to me i'd sacrafice bass for those atributes any day !!
Great job as always on this.
Agree! ......The Fake D45 is both richer and louder...While Yamaha has more sustain.
The Fartin has a nice sound, which is pretty funny! It seems that the counterfeiters have gotten really good at replicating a good generic acoustic sound, not sure if it could get anywhere near the sound of a real D45 but it looks pretty good apart from that glaring line down the middle of the top
As far as I know, Yamaha f310 has laminated top.
Very different guitars. I prefer the Yamaha, but the martin sounds good for the price to be honest. I would be happy playing either of them.
I liked the Martin sound the best I would love to hear a comparison of the 2 being played figure style side by side .
The fake Martin does have Fuller, warmer tone. But the Yamaha might actually have more projection. The Chartin certainly doesn't have the projection, resonance and sustain that a high end guitar would offer. It's not a Martin, but it's a decent guitar.
Ya so the Yamaha has 80/20 bronze stings on it (gold color), and the Martin copy has phosphor bronze strings on it (copper color) so you used completely different alloys of strings, with phosphor bronze sounding warmer and less tinny then the 80/20
Oops!
hi great review. I have to say I like the sound of the faked45 the best and my guitars are Yamaha. I have an lj6 model solid top it would be interesting to hear how it compared thanks.
ps. I thought 2nd guitar was deeper .. keep up the good work pal 👍
What is the source of this D45 replica please?
I would change the nut and saddle to bone and fix the intonation on each string I would play music to the D-45 24/7 as it will take a long time to break in.
I have a yamaha Fg700s and it sounds thin just like yours. Nice highs, but no bottom/Thump
I checked my two Chartins for sustain. The one with real abalone inlay has fabulous sustain. The one with fake abalone (vinyl?) inlay has a dampened sound (less bright) and it has lower sustain. I suspect that the fake inlay has a dampening effect on sound. The guitar played in this video is like my fake D-45. My other fake is the small OOO-45S model (which may also makes it brighter).
Wow that's really interesting my friend, that could well be the case with less resonance of plastic vs shell. Thank you for the great engagement on the channel recently and I am so pleased to have you subscribe too.
I own three real Martin guitars and two Chartins. One Chartin is like the one here (except mine has matching top sides).
The abalone inlay on the head stock competes well with a real Martin on both of my Chartins.
The inlay around the sides and the back is totally fake on one of my Chartins. The inlay on the other one is spectacular all around and the inlay work on that one is actually brighter and SUPERIOR EVERYWHERE to any of my real Martins (I was stunned).
The woods used on both Chartins are all top quality (Indian Rosewood, Red Spruce) and the guitars are well constructed. The Chartin like the one shown here has less clarity of tone than a real Martin, and disappointing inlay, but it is an excellent guitar.
My other Chartin is a 1930 Martin OOO-45S replica. It is a WOW guitar in looks and in sound and in playability and I am delighted with it. If you special order one of these, find a supplier that will do a torrified top (like on my OOO-45S) - I think they go all out on the other details when you are that demanding. I paid more than double what he paid, so maybe, that is another factor in what you get. I had to separately order a custom case for the OOO-45S and it is a perfectly fitting hard shell case with five latches (better lock down). One must factor in the costs of a quality case as an essential part of any decent guitar purchase.
I got my disappointing Chartin and my delightful Chartin from the SAME supplier!
They cannot be trusted to supply consistent quality. They did say that they had no more in stock like the OOO-45S that I got - mine was the last of the well-made old stock. They went to cheap inlay instead of real abalone and that guitar lacks a bit in clarity of tone compared to a real Martin (but still great tone compared to other brands). Too bad, because, otherwise, I would have had no major complaints and I would have had two for two delightful guitars in appearance (and one of them delightful in both look and sound). The set-up on both Chartins was perfect.
They are well worth the money, but they are NOT real Martins and who knows how well they will age (glue quality, finish, warping, etc.) - one can be certain any real Martin will improve and increase in value with age. Now you have an unbiased analysis from one who owns multiple examples of Chartins and Martins.
I’ve this comment of yours now twice from a different video, you must be a flexer 💪🏼
Hi! The fake sounds better by its owner, but i believe the Yamaha cuts better in a mix
I would like to first say;
Thank you for this it was very informative.
it would be great if you had a Real D45 to compare it to.
I like the sound of both guitars
Both made in other countries.
after having the D45 for a couple of years would you say that the actual craftsmanship is as good as the Yamaha?
+Jeffrey Cox sadly I would say that they are in a par in build quality and in direct contradiction with prediction and assertion of many other, both continue to mature in sound as you would expect from an acoustic. It pays me to say it but the fake is actually a nice guitar that I still enjoy too play.
It pays you, or it pains you?
Well said