I gifted my '73 D35 tp my nephew, and my '95 D28H to my son, and bought a new Collings OM1 about 15 years ago. Love the Collings, and have something to play when I visit the guys.
Re hide glue change- I didn't do that JUST for the hide glue. For a long time, Martin stuck the bridges on with anywhere from 1/8" to 1/4" of finish underneath them. Most of the time this is fine but sometimes, it'll result in a gap around the bridge. In any case, the bridge isn't stuck smack to the wood. I removed the bridge and cleaned that finish off. Then, well, I had to glue the bridge back on, right? So, I used hide glue. Re: the braces. X braces and T bars were not touched.
I love how you set up this comparison. I hope you do more in the future. Both of these guitboxes sound amazing. I like the sound of your GE slightly better. To me, it sounds like it has more character. I'd be curious to hear a comparison that includes a GE that is not midified. Nice pickin' by the way!
I imagine that D-18GE would sound even better today, now that it has 10 more years on it. Do you still have it? I love mine that I bought about '04. I recently bought a CEO 7 and I hope to live long enough to break it in.
I sold it. Remember all of these guitars are "models" and I wanted to get some Authentics to study. I've had 4 GE-18's and the '07 was my favorite one.
I picked up a Custom Shop D18 from My Favorite Guitars. It has Adi top and Ge bracing. It also has the mlo performance neck which I prefer. It is my DREAM guitar. She's the one! Also, you can get one like it for a lot less than the Ge standard.
Man,that was an excellent comparison video,some of the very best i've seen here.Both guitars sound pretty amazing,so it's kind of hard to choose one from another.But i think that the D-18A has a bigger sound than the D-18GE,although the GE sounds like it has a more flexible top and more versatile. Thanks for sharing, Y.
I have a custom randy wood 38 recreation d18 with Hyde glue adi top built on spec's of my father in laws 1938 Martin d18 built in 2014 absolutely killer guitar Love it love the big 1 3/4 neck love me some 38 d18s
I set the A up and the action was the same or very close. Here's the GE stock "NTW5Mex3Msg" and fully modified "Sf431TdKKM8". Open them up in different windows and you can toggle back and forth.
I gotta say, from here I prefer the Authentic, but since the Authentic has higher action it will sound a little louder and possibly brighter. That's what I hear. I personally have a great D18GE and when I played the Authentic, I preferred my GE. But that's what I was used to., I thought the particular Authentic that I played was too stiff,. My GE is unmodified, except for top sanded and refinished after it was damaged. I'm tempted to modify it. How much does it change it? What do you gain?
hey bryan you mentioned the top reflecting light differently I have a D28 thats like that and it sounds great and it's just a plane straight brace it's 2011 sounded like it was an old vintage guitar since the day i got it!
Your demos, not just this one, combine single double and several strings really often, and your style is clean. I don't get much out of typical guitar demos, but your's are excellent. Your D-18 has character and spank. I'll take the spanky guitar any day. It's easier to get a bright guitar to sound mellow, than it is to get a mellow guitar to play bright. The other one just sounds like a Martin should, which aint bad. Thanks for your demos.
Can you tell me a good pickup to install in my d18ge? I'll be gigging a lot with the guitar mainly in busy bar type scenarios. I love the guitar and it deserves to be played..I have another with electronics but it doesnt even compare to the GE...great guitars!
I have a GE and a Marquis. Possibly going to buy a Gruhn spec D18 Sinker with Adi. My Marquis is a great guitar, but my GE is my favorite. I've never played an Authentic that I liked as well as the GE. I have heard D28 Authentics that I like as well or b better than my Marquis
Excellent post. Not a whole lot of difference for except for the price difference. How did it sound before you modified the GE? Have you cleaned up and hide glued bridges to other guitars you've owned? If so, do you think that makes a big difference? Believe it or not, I'm not following you, "Y"! : )
This is a great comparison. Bryan is eliminating as much “bias” as possible by not telling us the model before he plays. Beautiful playing and custom work.
Authentic sounds fuller with more bass. Notes roll off more but still cut through. Thicker. GE is more midrangey and a little harsher. Both sound great Edit. Now that I listened again, idk. That GE is dam nice. I think I like it more
Your comparisons are EXTREMELY helpful. Also fun! Thank you for that. You even look the same from 11 years ago!
My hair's a lot whiter now!! But thanks.
I gifted my '73 D35 tp my nephew, and my '95 D28H to my son, and bought a new Collings OM1 about 15 years ago. Love the Collings, and have something to play when I visit the guys.
Re hide glue change- I didn't do that JUST for the hide glue. For a long time, Martin stuck the bridges on with anywhere from 1/8" to 1/4" of finish underneath them. Most of the time this is fine but sometimes, it'll result in a gap around the bridge. In any case, the bridge isn't stuck smack to the wood. I removed the bridge and cleaned that finish off. Then, well, I had to glue the bridge back on, right? So, I used hide glue.
Re: the braces. X braces and T bars were not touched.
I love how you set up this comparison. I hope you do more in the future. Both of these guitboxes sound amazing. I like the sound of your GE slightly better. To me, it sounds like it has more character. I'd be curious to hear a comparison that includes a GE that is not midified. Nice pickin' by the way!
I imagine that D-18GE would sound even better today, now that it has 10 more years on it. Do you still have it? I love mine that I bought about '04. I recently bought a CEO 7 and I hope to live long enough to break it in.
I sold it. Remember all of these guitars are "models" and I wanted to get some Authentics to study. I've had 4 GE-18's and the '07 was my favorite one.
I bought my D18 today! its awesome! :)
I picked up a Custom Shop D18 from My Favorite Guitars. It has Adi top and Ge bracing. It also has the mlo performance neck which I prefer. It is my DREAM guitar. She's the one! Also, you can get one like it for a lot less than the Ge standard.
Man,that was an excellent comparison video,some of the very best i've seen here.Both guitars sound pretty amazing,so it's kind of hard to choose one from another.But i think that the D-18A has a bigger sound than the D-18GE,although the GE sounds like it has a more flexible top and more versatile.
Thanks for sharing,
Y.
I have a custom randy wood 38 recreation d18 with Hyde glue adi top built on spec's of my father in laws 1938 Martin d18 built in 2014 absolutely killer guitar Love it love the big 1 3/4 neck love me some 38 d18s
Really nice video - nice A/B comparison.
Your personal ge sounds fantastic
I set the A up and the action was the same or very close. Here's the GE stock "NTW5Mex3Msg" and fully modified "Sf431TdKKM8". Open them up in different windows and you can toggle back and forth.
I gotta say, from here I prefer the Authentic, but since the Authentic has higher action it will sound a little louder and possibly brighter. That's what I hear. I personally have a great D18GE and when I played the Authentic, I preferred my GE. But that's what I was used to., I thought the particular Authentic that I played was too stiff,. My GE is unmodified, except for top sanded and refinished after it was damaged. I'm tempted to modify it. How much does it change it? What do you gain?
👍👍
Thanks for your videos on Martin guitars and the compairisons with other bluegrass guitar cannon ! Which string & picks do you usually use ?
hey bryan you mentioned the top reflecting light differently I have a D28 thats like that and it sounds great and it's just a plane straight brace it's 2011 sounded like it was an old vintage guitar since the day i got it!
Your demos, not just this one, combine single double and several strings really often, and your style is clean. I don't get much out of typical guitar demos, but your's are excellent. Your D-18 has character and spank. I'll take the spanky guitar any day. It's easier to get a bright guitar to sound mellow, than it is to get a mellow guitar to play bright. The other one just sounds like a Martin should, which aint bad. Thanks for your demos.
See my other videos for the GE when it was stock. "NTW5Mex3Msg"
Hide gluing the bridge made probably the least difference of all the modifications.
4:12 Love the technical lingo regarding the action.
Can you tell me a good pickup to install in my d18ge? I'll be gigging a lot with the guitar mainly in busy bar type scenarios. I love the guitar and it deserves to be played..I have another with electronics but it doesnt even compare to the GE...great guitars!
I have a GE and a Marquis. Possibly going to buy a Gruhn spec D18 Sinker with Adi. My Marquis is a great guitar, but my GE is my favorite. I've never played an Authentic that I liked as well as the GE. I have heard D28 Authentics that I like as well or b better than my Marquis
I prefer the authentic. Maybe because I own one but both are excellent Martins.
I prefer the A too, but it's also 2x the $$$.
Excellent post. Not a whole lot of difference for except for the price difference. How did it sound before you modified the GE? Have you cleaned up and hide glued bridges to other guitars you've owned? If so, do you think that makes a big difference?
Believe it or not, I'm not following you, "Y"! : )
This is a great comparison. Bryan is eliminating as much “bias” as possible by not telling us the model before he plays. Beautiful playing and custom work.
Great video. My D-18GE sounded a LOT better after you performed some "golden era" modifications. I wish Martin would just make them that way.
You're a hell of a good picker.
choc-choc talk-talk ironically he is also a Pastor.
Authentic sounds fuller with more bass. Notes roll off more but still cut through. Thicker. GE is more midrangey and a little harsher. Both sound great
Edit. Now that I listened again, idk. That GE is dam nice. I think I like it more
Not me. I need the work! :)
I think the latter guitar sounds better.