Wow! Apologies to the tree, but to my ears the MDW blows it away in all respects. Outstanding note separation and projection; perfect for fingerstyle with a slight roll off of the bass frequencies. Can't imagine what it must sound like in life, given you it sounds on my crappy laptop, even without cans. I have a Martin M68 in flame maple and it is a fab instrument for fingerstyle, although I do need to replace the ghastly undersadle piezo, Sorry of I missed this, but is the K&K the passive one? Fasinating to hear so much difference between two high end guitars from the same person. 25 ins as a scale length is hard to beat. I don't know a mass manufacturer who makes them as standard. I build mine at 640 which is just a hair above discovered by chance from an old reso guitar!
No apologies necessary! They’re both wonderful guitars but the MDW was designed for me from the ground up so it’s no real shock that it does the job so well. Maple is very wonderful! The K&K is indeed the possible version and 25” is totally where it’s at.
I was wondering about the weights of your lovely Kostals. Obviously, the larger Mod-D is the heavier guitar and you did request a chunky neck. Compared to similar sized mainstream, factory built models, how do they stack up? (I’m presupposing that lighter equates to more resonance…).
Because Jasons focus is for the most part on finger style players is there any difference in string spacing on his instruments? And beautiful playing too.
Oh my word .... the sustain. I can't tell you just how much of my envy you have. 😊 Your playing isn't too shabby either. Thank you Michael - it's quite rare to get up close and personal with instruments of this calibre - more please!!
Thank you! I first met Jason on 2009 and played his 31st guitar the following year. It was obvious even then that he was a massive talent. The rest is history!
I had the privilege of trying an MDW. It was the most expressive instrument I’ve ever laid hands upon. I could see your input clear as day! Jason is just incredible. Those guitars have a potential worth lifetimes of discovery.
What incredibly beautiful beautiful guitars, but they don’t do anything unless they are in the hands of an outright professional. You are certainly worthy of these fine instruments Michael.
Lovely guitars and playing. Both sustain beautifully, the maple being maybe a bit more focused, while 32 is a darker sound. At least that is what I'm hearing through my speakers..Both wonderful. All music in DADGAD?
Sounds good man, is there a affordable modified dreadnought for normal people like me🧐🧐😂😂 Btw how does the K&K compare to say the LRBaggs element/anthem?
Those guitars are lovely and sound fantastic, their intonation is mind boggling, something which seems only to exist in the "handmade" class. As always Love your playing.
Great choices Michael. I personally think that mahogany and maple are actually what a lot of fingerstyle players want but they just don't know it yet. Or maybe people are deterred by the aesthetics of mahogany/maple (excluding the tree ofc), but I think they are some are the best choices for woods and they record amazingly. Beautiful guitars and great video, looking forward to seeing your Casimi in the future!
Thank you so much for watching! There’s no substitute for personal experience and I would encourage any player to put aside accepted wisdom, trends and white noise and find out what really suits them.
@@MichaelWatts Agreed, I'm still learning a lot myself. So far my favorite guitar I've owned has actually been a Walnut back & sides despite me trying to convince myself that I like rosewoods haha. In the end though they are all just pieces of wood, and you gotta just find whatever works all generalizations aside. Thanks again for the video!
I always thought of Rosewood as the fingerstyle guitar wood, I would be interested to play those two and hear what the builder did with those woods. Thanks,
Both guitars are stunning! No question about it. And of course, they absolutely complement your style. To me, the "32" is ... well ... the Holy Grail. But now listening to my new favorite piece of music of yours (3 Weeks In Summer) I'm getting kind of confused about which one is better representing the tune's melody. They both sound incredible in their own ways. Two questions? I believe you have only the K&K pure pickup installed, without the mic. Because of possible feedback issues, I guess? Also, is the support you are using an Ergoplay Tappert? Great video! Long awaited tho 🤣😉🙏
Thanks for watching Ivaylo! That’s right, the pickup is mono only, no mic. I use an external mic on stage - I don’t love the internal mic sound - it’s like it’s hearing the wrong side of the soundboard…
While I love both of these... the old AGF thread on the Tree MD was epic in so many ways, and if I had to choose between the two, I'd have to give a slight nod to that one!
@@MichaelWatts Outstanding material that sounds voluminous, warm, and crisp. My favorite passage is 2:10 to 2:30, brilliant playing. BTW I followed your recommendation bought a pair of matched Microtech Gefell mics and they are incredible, as this video demonstrates. Cheers mate
Jason’s work represents a significant investment to any player. If you’re interested then I suggest getting in touch with him directly - I don’t know his current pricing though
I can't afford one i was just curious, because I recently play a Michel Pellegrin that cost $14,000 so I was wondering if that's a good ballpark figure these days.@@MichaelWatts
As gorgeous as these guitars look and sound, It continues to shock me how out of touch these prices are. How can a real player regular person afford to commission a guitar at $20k entry level price? It’s ridiculous. “Guitars for the player” 🙄
Well, these guitars are truly handcrafted, made with meticulous attention to detail. They can literally take months to build. I’m not saying I necessarily disagree, they are out of reach for most players, but if you can do it why not? It is unspeakable how the quality an instrument like translates through an iPad and airPods, and I cannot imagine the experience I would have with it in your lap. I would play one in a New York minute even if I could never afford it. For some it is houses, cars or boats (or horses), fine clothing and watches. Weird people like me like guitars.
I get where you’re coming from but these are handmade instruments by one of the world’s finest luthiers. They are also cheaper than a half decent orchestral cello bow. I agree that in some cases the prices in the luthier made guitar scene are massively inflated for what you actually get. That does not apply to Jason’s work however.
I definitely understand where you’re coming from. I could never justify spending that much unless I was a multimillionaire. On the other hand these modern luthiers like Jason Kostal, Ben Wilborn, and others are the modern guitar equivalent of Stradivarius so in that light they are actually fairly priced for what they are. I personally play a Furch Yellow Master’s Choice Gc-CR and it’s all the guitar I could ever want or need so we are lucky there are companies like Furch, Larivee, and others creating guitars at a very high level that are by no means inexpensive but at least within reach for musicians!
While I can respect this opinion. Complaining about a price point won't make the guitars any cheaper. Considering these are world class builders that probably put in 200+ hours into these builds I can completely see the price point being justified. Comes down to simple supply and demand. As a person who is not rich I had to weigh the want/need vs cost when considering wanting a high end quality luthier built instrument. I decided it was worth it. I worked many extra hours and shifts for many many weeks and found the journey actually very rewarding! Especially at the end of my self imposed mountain climb. So hey regular people if you want it bad enough it can be done.
What car or truck do you have in your driveway? $30K for a guitar that will last longer than an average vehicle is my point. It's not ridiculous. It is a musicians tool that with care can hold its value.
No comparison between this and a Martin. Martin makes great guitars but this is a completely different level! Would I pay 20K for any guitar even if I had the money? Probably not, I have a beautiful Furch guitar that does everything I could ever hope for and more, however a guitar like this Kostal is like getting a modern day guitar version of a Stradivarius! Which in that case, 20K is actually a great price!!
Mike's collection made me order to one full body 14f mahogany, one small body 12f maple!!
Grateful for inspiration, Mike!!
@@geolsohn5711 glad to help!
@@MichaelWatts Thanks, Mike!! They are Ryan nightingale and Circa 000 12 fret!! Hope can show you although in the internet!! Take care!!
I got an Irvin reaction from a player over one of my guitars . You made this .....wow . Hence my now unbreakable addiction. .... Peace ✌
Yeah man!
Incredible guitars! Incredible playing!! You along with Carl Miner are the two best guitar salesmen to be found! :)
Thank you Curt!
Agreed!!
Wow! Apologies to the tree, but to my ears the MDW blows it away in all respects. Outstanding note separation and projection; perfect for fingerstyle with a slight roll off of the bass frequencies. Can't imagine what it must sound like in life, given you it sounds on my crappy laptop, even without cans. I have a Martin M68 in flame maple and it is a fab instrument for fingerstyle, although I do need to replace the ghastly undersadle piezo, Sorry of I missed this, but is the K&K the passive one? Fasinating to hear so much difference between two high end guitars from the same person. 25 ins as a scale length is hard to beat. I don't know a mass manufacturer who makes them as standard. I build mine at 640 which is just a hair above discovered by chance from an old reso guitar!
No apologies necessary! They’re both wonderful guitars but the MDW was designed for me from the ground up so it’s no real shock that it does the job so well. Maple is very wonderful! The K&K is indeed the possible version and 25” is totally where it’s at.
I’m lucky to have played that guitar of yours (with the Tree) and it was an amazing instrument in every way.
It was a great day! Let’s do it again soon!
Quite impressive workmanship and materials. They both sound quite nice.
Thank you for listening!
Lovely video Michael. I don't think I could separate them in terms of sound.
Thank you Phil! Yeah, they are obviously by the same maker - and played by the same player! Similar but different
Bravo Michael!
Thank you Francis!
I was wondering about the weights of your lovely Kostals. Obviously, the larger Mod-D is the heavier guitar and you did request a chunky neck. Compared to similar sized mainstream, factory built models, how do they stack up? (I’m presupposing that lighter equates to more resonance…).
Compared to traditional instruments double side guitars tend to be heavier - lightness can be important but it depends where!
Everything about this video is wonderful and inspiring.
Thank you very much Scott - I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Because Jasons focus is for the most part on finger style players is there any difference in string spacing on his instruments? And beautiful playing too.
There is - in that I believe I’m right in saying that measurements are taken from the edge of the string not the centre.
Oh my word .... the sustain. I can't tell you just how much of my envy you have. 😊 Your playing isn't too shabby either. Thank you Michael - it's quite rare to get up close and personal with instruments of this calibre - more please!!
Thank you Carl! Glad you enjoyed it!
Fantastic Michael, as always!
Thanks for listening!
👌
Wonderful video Michael! The sustain on those things are amazing. I must ask what convinced you to decide upon Jason? A good choice indeed.
Thank you! I first met Jason on 2009 and played his 31st guitar the following year. It was obvious even then that he was a massive talent. The rest is history!
I had the privilege of trying an MDW. It was the most expressive instrument I’ve ever laid hands upon. I could see your input clear as day!
Jason is just incredible. Those guitars have a potential worth lifetimes of discovery.
Thank you for watching Gianfranco! Yes, Jason is a massive talent!
What incredibly beautiful beautiful guitars, but they don’t do anything unless they are in the hands of an outright professional. You are certainly worthy of these fine instruments Michael.
Thank you so much!
Lovely guitars and playing. Both sustain beautifully, the maple being maybe a bit more focused, while 32 is a darker sound. At least that is what I'm hearing through my speakers..Both wonderful. All music in DADGAD?
Thank you for listening! Yes, DADGAD has been my standard for around 15 years now
Would love to see another
Kostal/Watts road-trip...
Ha yeah that was fun!
That Mod D is really rich sounding!
It really is…
Bravo Barvo thanks for the music All the best from Denmark
Thank you for watching Svend!
on the 12 fret model at 10:50 point you hit open chord with just A string held down. that sound I could not believe .What a guitar.
It can be quite intense… it’s a privilege to play.
Sounds good man, is there a affordable modified dreadnought for normal people like me🧐🧐😂😂
Btw how does the K&K compare to say the LRBaggs element/anthem?
Thanks for watching Joshua! Yeah, that’s kind of like asking for a cheap Lamborghini…
I much prefer the K&K to the Baggs. But that’s my taste.
@@MichaelWatts great analogy😂😂😂 thanks for sharing, gotta try the k&k soon
More tabs of your arrangements please good sir, will gladly pay for them as I did for the 5 Vetiver pack. Keep doing amazing work, God Bless.
Thank you so much for your support! There will be tabs when album 2 is recorded
Wow x2!
Thank you x3!
Both beautiful guitars.
Thank you for watching!
Those guitars are lovely and sound fantastic, their intonation is mind boggling, something which seems only to exist in the "handmade" class. As always Love your playing.
Thank you! I’m very lucky to look after these instruments for the next generation
@@MichaelWatts Yes we're all just custodians. Happy care-taking!
Nice Comparison. By the way, any update on your Casimi C1? It has been a while from your last video...
Not long now - I’m flying out in the new year!
Very nice creations. What kind of strings do you prefer on those guitars?
Thanks for watching! I use Elixir 12-53 PBs
Great instrument unaffordable to many😢
That’s true of a lot of great instruments
Great choices Michael. I personally think that mahogany and maple are actually what a lot of fingerstyle players want but they just don't know it yet. Or maybe people are deterred by the aesthetics of mahogany/maple (excluding the tree ofc), but I think they are some are the best choices for woods and they record amazingly. Beautiful guitars and great video, looking forward to seeing your Casimi in the future!
Thank you so much for watching! There’s no substitute for personal experience and I would encourage any player to put aside accepted wisdom, trends and white noise and find out what really suits them.
@@MichaelWatts Agreed, I'm still learning a lot myself. So far my favorite guitar I've owned has actually been a Walnut back & sides despite me trying to convince myself that I like rosewoods haha. In the end though they are all just pieces of wood, and you gotta just find whatever works all generalizations aside. Thanks again for the video!
@@roscoe2311back in the day Petros guitars made an FS model in walnut and redwood that was completely gorgeous!
By the way, what Kind of Guitar Stands do you use? With your Logo in it.
Those are custom made by Standmade in the U.K. and they are wonderful! Tell them I sent you!
I have to admit that I prefer the MDW! 12 fret guitars are right up my street and your's is about perfect.
Glad you approve! Thanks for watching!
I always thought of Rosewood as the fingerstyle guitar wood, I would be interested to play those two and hear what the builder did with those woods. Thanks,
Thanks for listening David! So much depends on the individual set of woods and the intent and execution by the luthier of their design.
Both guitars are stunning! No question about it. And of course, they absolutely complement your style. To me, the "32" is ... well ... the Holy Grail. But now listening to my new favorite piece of music of yours (3 Weeks In Summer) I'm getting kind of confused about which one is better representing the tune's melody. They both sound incredible in their own ways. Two questions? I believe you have only the K&K pure pickup installed, without the mic. Because of possible feedback issues, I guess? Also, is the support you are using an Ergoplay Tappert? Great video! Long awaited tho 🤣😉🙏
Thanks for watching Ivaylo! That’s right, the pickup is mono only, no mic. I use an external mic on stage - I don’t love the internal mic sound - it’s like it’s hearing the wrong side of the soundboard…
While I love both of these... the old AGF thread on the Tree MD was epic in so many ways, and if I had to choose between the two, I'd have to give a slight nod to that one!
Ha ha that’s a blast from the past! Thank you for watching Louie!
I'm turning on the tube amplifier for this one
I hope you enjoy it!
@@MichaelWatts Outstanding material that sounds voluminous, warm, and crisp. My favorite passage is 2:10 to 2:30, brilliant playing. BTW I followed your recommendation bought a pair of matched Microtech Gefell mics and they are incredible, as this video demonstrates. Cheers mate
@@natemink572thank you so much and congratulations on your mics!
Very smooth....great sound and playing.....just curious, how much did they cost?
Jason’s work represents a significant investment to any player. If you’re interested then I suggest getting in touch with him directly - I don’t know his current pricing though
I can't afford one i was just curious, because I recently play a Michel Pellegrin that cost $14,000 so I was wondering if that's a good ballpark figure these days.@@MichaelWatts
@@dietersdawgsMichael Pellerin makes nice guitars!
really enjoy your playing and videos....something too about a calm British accent speaking the King's english lol!@@MichaelWatts
@@dietersdawgs ha ha thank you!
As gorgeous as these guitars look and sound, It continues to shock me how out of touch these prices are. How can a real player regular person afford to commission a guitar at $20k entry level price? It’s ridiculous. “Guitars for the player” 🙄
Well, these guitars are truly handcrafted, made with meticulous attention to detail. They can literally take months to build. I’m not saying I necessarily disagree, they are out of reach for most players, but if you can do it why not? It is unspeakable how the quality an instrument like translates through an iPad and airPods, and I cannot imagine the experience I would have with it in your lap. I would play one in a New York minute even if I could never afford it.
For some it is houses, cars or boats (or horses), fine clothing and watches. Weird people like me like guitars.
I get where you’re coming from but these are handmade instruments by one of the world’s finest luthiers. They are also cheaper than a half decent orchestral cello bow. I agree that in some cases the prices in the luthier made guitar scene are massively inflated for what you actually get. That does not apply to Jason’s work however.
I definitely understand where you’re coming from. I could never justify spending that much unless I was a multimillionaire.
On the other hand these modern luthiers like Jason Kostal, Ben Wilborn, and others are the modern guitar equivalent of Stradivarius so in that light they are actually fairly priced for what they are.
I personally play a Furch Yellow Master’s Choice Gc-CR and it’s all the guitar I could ever want or need so we are lucky there are companies like Furch, Larivee, and others creating guitars at a very high level that are by no means inexpensive but at least within reach for musicians!
While I can respect this opinion. Complaining about a price point won't make the guitars any cheaper. Considering these are world class builders that probably put in 200+ hours into these builds I can completely see the price point being justified. Comes down to simple supply and demand. As a person who is not rich I had to weigh the want/need vs cost when considering wanting a high end quality luthier built instrument. I decided it was worth it. I worked many extra hours and shifts for many many weeks and found the journey actually very rewarding! Especially at the end of my self imposed mountain climb. So hey regular people if you want it bad enough it can be done.
What car or truck do you have in your driveway? $30K for a guitar that will last longer than an average vehicle is my point. It's not ridiculous. It is a musicians tool that with care can hold its value.
Your guitar is taking tooooo long :( im longing to ear it
Ha ha I know the feeling!
20 grand plus for a guitar that really doesn't sound any better than a TWO grand Martin???? No, thanks.
You’ll be relieved to learn that they’re not obligatory. Probably just as well, not everyone can appreciate them
No comparison between this and a Martin. Martin makes great guitars but this is a completely different level!
Would I pay 20K for any guitar even if I had the money? Probably not, I have a beautiful Furch guitar that does everything I could ever hope for and more, however a guitar like this Kostal is like getting a modern day guitar version of a Stradivarius!
Which in that case, 20K is actually a great price!!