I love Maton's as they are my local guitar manufacturer, and this side by side comparison made me love them more. I have been a Maton enthusiast since I was a youngster, and have tried most higher end acoustics side by side at some stage, and have come to the conclusion you can't do much better than Maton. OM Martin sounded fine and it had a slightly boomier low end sound, whereas I found the higher frequency response of the Maton allowed for better note separation and a slightly cleaner tone. Both are good, but it is Maton every day of the week as far as I am concernerd.
Both of these guitars sound incredible. However, I like the warmer sound of the Martin. The Maton is a little bright for my taste but but would definitely be extremely happy with either of them!
Got that exact Maton and it’s the one guitar I will never sell. Personally I find the Martin too woody but that’s the Martin sound. The Maton plugged in just blows most other guitar anyway because the AP5Pro system is just awesome.
I have a Martin HD 35 which is about 30 years old and I also have a Maton Tommy Emmanuel TE3. You can’t buy the te3 anymore and that is also over 20 years old. I’m just a good rhythm player but I love both guitars. The Martin with the 3 piece back gives a great sound with enhanced bass, whereas the Maton is just bright. They are both great guitars and I love them both. I happened to be at a music store yesterday with my son and got to play a brand new Maton and messiah. It is Maton’s flagship model and it sounds great, I’ll have to compare it to the te3 nut I’m in love with this and at $3.5k is a sizeable price but definitely worth the money. Whilst there I had to try the guitars right next to the matons and I had a play of a Taylor -652ce 12 string and what a beautiful sound. I think I’m going to have to find the $ and buy the Maton Messiah
I have two Matons. One acoustic & one electric. I've had the acoustic for 30 years & the electric for around 20 years. They're my two favourite guitars (plus they're Australian) :).
Just picked up a Maton SRS808C. the warmest most gorgeous tone in an acoustic guitar i've ever heard. it was love at first strum when i first picked it up and tried it out. have barely been able to put the fucker down since i got it.
I couldn’t really say which one I like best. What I did notice, is that the Maton was a bit brighter and more treble sounding. Very crisp and clean. The Martin on the other hand, seemed to cover all ranges equally as if a layer of honey was poured on everything. I also thought I heard a bit more in the realm of overtones. I’d be pleased to own either.
Agreed, the Maton is little stronger on the higher tones, and the Martins and warmer sounding. I actually prefer the harmonics of the Maton more than the Martin.
Fingerpicking or arpeggiato: Maton, it's a round sound. Strumming or f you want your voice coming out: Martin, it just leaves you those mid range freq needed by your voice.
The Maton has a sharper attack & sounds more brash, some don't seem to like that but I do, really comes into it's own on the blues piece. The Martin has a sweeter tone IMO & a fuller bass. They're both great sounding guitars. I'm not biased, I have both brands (not those particular models though) BTW, great playing Jon, thanks
Top comment. This is exactly it. Some things sound better on one, some on the other, and different players will prefer different ones. Most of us would be happy to own either one, or of course both. Two lovely guitars. (And a great demo!)
The Martin that seems to have a much more mellow tone and the Maton has a sharper attack and a little bit more volume. So I guess I would use the Maton for flatpicking and the Martin for Fingerstyle. Though if you're playing it through an amp, you can EQ whatever you want out of either one and so it'll just come down to who has the better pickup. So that might possibly be the Maton. They make their own pickups and they've been pretty good for the last 30 years. Prior to that I was using a Takamine because they were the only people that made a decent pickup.
I have a Maton and I love it, but there is something about the tone of the Martin that I crave more. It might have something to do with all my favourite musicians being from the northern hemisphere and play Martins so perhaps my ear has been trained to that sound.
Harmonics and tone winner: Maton. Resonance and sustain winner: Martin. Tell us about the strings used on each guitar - were they the same type and same age? I own three Martins and still must admit that the Maton sounded very desirable to me.
I own both and you can hear it in this video. The Maton is at its best plugged in. Martin sounds muddy in comparison with little clarity. Martin sounds warmer, and preferred for strumming to back up vocals. If I had no amplification, and wanted a guitar to back up vocals I would pick the Martin. Maton has much more clarity, articulation of notes, perfect for lead or finger style, cutting through the mix so it can be heard with a pleasing tone. Playing on stage the Maton will easily sound great by plugging in to almost anything. To get the martin to sound with great tone and clarity on stage is a huge challenge. Occasionally we hear an incredible sounding Martin on stage but this results from a sophisticated, high end sound system. With smaller body guitars, even when playing in the family room, I prefer some amplification, so for this purpose the Maton is also preferred.
They are both stunningly good guitars. I prefer the Maton for the finger picked section and the Martin for the strumming. Can't really go wrong with either guitar though. I will have on of each please.
It’s impossible, no, trickery. I’m a Martin owner for years and looked down on the Maton brand, but the Maton was not only more melodic and pleasing to the ear but more balanced across the octaves and would cut through any mix. What slight of hand did you use?
★☆★Unlock the guitar fretboard with a free pdf copy of Jon's book "Melodic Expressions" plus get exclusive bonus blues training (total worth $50): bit.ly/2XjrPHe ★☆★ You're stuck on a desert island and you get to pick just one which would you choose? Comment below!
They are both excellent but the Martin honestly is my favorite, I heard you play the second round and I heard such a rich tone you could put yourself in a classical piece, blues, country or Jazz and it would excel. Nice job of the different style mix too! Gonna start saving to get the Martin, really fantastic, thanks
I'm really impressed by the Maton. A lot of demos I've heard make them sound 'tinny', but that's not the case really, they're just brighter and clearer. I think overall I prefer the Martin sound for fingerstyle, but the Maton has a great tone too, and would really slice through a mix or as a part of a larger band. Martin for solo guitar imo, Maton for strumming in a group. The Maton has more high harmonic content, and the Martin has fuller mids and bass.
definitely doesn't sound tinny at all in real life. It is very bright but has some crazy punch in the lows and mids. I play an EBG808C Michael Fix Signature for Church Worship and it cuts right through. It's amazing. For what's in the Maton you get a lot more. Martin, you get a Martin. Maton, has their own pickup they make with an inner sound hole aim-able microphone, wood bindings, tone woods proprietary to Australia, just very unique. Martin is Boring.
I’ve always thought of Martins as being quintessential Americana. Taylors are a touch more “European” (or international?) sounding. Maton are massively into blackwood. I’ve got a Taylor & a Furch (European guitar). Maybe a Maton next? (Would like a Lowden but out of my price range...)
I have an EBG808 Nashville so I was wanting the Maton to come out best but the Martin is so well balanced its the better sound to me. I think my Nashville has a sweeter tone than the 808 your'e playing but each guitar is slightly different no matter what make. Still thats a sweet sounding 808 nevertheless. No mention of which strings you are using on both.
well l think it depends on the version of both brands ....jus like cars , there is always a competition in every business...but on these two l think the Maton was sounding brighter across the mids and highs ...martin was like having a little bit low sound on the low strings ..thanks
Cracking demo Jon. Loved both - I actually own a Maton Messiah and love it - still looking at picking up a smaller bodied Martin in the near future. I guess in your demo the Maton is brighter and the Martin more mellow - but, hey - both sound lovely. One of each please!
Jody O'Dell, that is a great comment. I wondered about the age of the strings and I'm glad Jon came back with the answer. I've never played a Maton, but I'm thinking I'd like to own one. No doubt about it.
The Martin is like a watercolour where the notes sort of bleed into each other. On the Maton notes sound more distinct. Presumably this is because the body of the Martin is resonating more.
I've owned (and still own) a couple Martins, Gibsons and Guild, never owned a Maton. After sitting in the 6th row dead-center at Colin Hay's concert 2 nights ago in San Francisco, in which he played all Matons, I was blown away at how amazing these guitars sound. I'm sure these are all custom shops made for Colin, but it sure changed my guitar wants. I'm now looking hard for a Maton, not many options here in the states, and nowhere to demo a few. Just sold my Rickenbacker 660 so the money's burning a proverbial hole in my pocket. Now I'm researching.... and waiting for my real life to begin.
Your a great player so you can really here the difference between the two .the Martin has a deeper sound ,sounded better on the bluesy stuff but the maton has a lovely bright sound great video👍
Thanks for this video, both are nice of course but maybe need to test a custom shop Maton against this Martin as price is not the same at all. Anyway, just plug any Maton and here is the big difference; just fantastic. Maybe the best pick up system.
One thing I have notices is the Maton acoustics age really well after a playing in period. Also they are very stable with changing climatic conditions. The neck is particularly good. In the old models, it was possible to adjust the neck tension without loosening the strings. (A through the body truss rod adjuster). I don't know if you can still do this. Thanks for the video
What about the Maton with some years on it? The Martin sounds too mellow, and probably mellows out even more over time. If you didn’t own the Martin already, you’d like the Maton better.
As a guitar player of 45 years having owned numerous acoustics and models none of which have ever been from either of these two maker's guitars I'd be perfectly happy with either to be honest with you! However to my ear there is simply no comparison at all! As a Bavarian from the southern parts of Germany maybe my ears are different than yours but the Martin embraces every note in a way the Maton cimply can't reproduce! I'd buy the Martin hands down.
I'm a huge fan of Maton guitars (and have one). Both sound great, but I honestly think the Martin OM28V has the edge over this particular Maton. Martin is richer & smoother in sound - particularly in "Close to you'. good job doing that BTW.
Nice playing. I own a very well played in 1999 om28v with slotless ivory bridgepins and it would be the last of my 14 guitars to go. Balanced, clatity, note articulation ,piano like and beautiful cyrstalline treble. Plus I love the 1 3/4 v neck. Not everyones cup of teas but I love it.
Good sound for both maybe more brilliant Maton. But I have a doubt have two guitars the same strings ? If not the differences in sound should be more difficult to ear. Good play !
To be honest, it would be nice to have a mixture of the two sounds, the brightness and punch of the Maton and the warmth of the Martin. I don't think one sounds better but they do have their own sound. At times the Maton could use more bass and at other times the Martin sounds dull in the low end. A kind of Modern vs vintage sound.
Fingerpicking Maton with my ears. Martin sounds nice strumming. The Maton has a fantastic pickup matched with a microphone inside, not sure of the Martin. I have an old Maton from 1985 and she sounds so sweet. Anyway, I'd be happy with either.
The Maton is a little more open and I prefer it. The Martin is a little “nasal” in a nice way, a bit more constrained in the treble and bass. I think the Maton would age really well - the way spruce gets a little sweeter with age would suit it.
Not just because I'm Aussie but Maton guitars have a warmth that Martins do not have. The shoulders are too square on Martins producing too much treble. I have a Taylor. Gibsons also have rounded shoulders. Sorry, no put downs bur Martins have been that way for so long. Some , like Don McLean uses are great and suited to fingerpicking or " folk" sound- great instruments. However a Maton OM can do it too. The Maton EGB8-8 is hard to beat by ny manufacturer especially the Tommy Emmmanuel model and their Blackwood B/S and cedar top. Bliss to the ears.
I have an OM-28, but I like the Maton here a lot. Though, I find with mine that it's worth putting on some brighter strings compared to my dread. Here it would probably make these two guitars sound a lot more similar.
The Maton is half the price of the Martin here in Australia. In $Aus it's around $5600 vs $2700 at street prices. Acoustically I prefer Martins but I just can't justify the price difference in my country.
@@tdunster2011 Ohhh, that's an awfully big price difference, haha. I live in Japan and they're much more similarly priced. A standard serious Martin is about 400,000 yen, and a nice Maton is usually 350,000ish. At least the ones I was looking at when I bought the OM-28.
Nice comparison!! Once I tried Maton EBG808 artist at a shop. I own OM-28 standard, and I have tried many OM-28 at shops so far. I think OM-28 is louder than EBG808 even if EMG is deeper body. But in this video EMG is louder and more clearer than OM. I know each OM-28 is different tone including loudness, so EBG is the same. You own an excellent EMG and OM. Many thanks for super cool performance!!
@@jonmaclennan I thought the Maton was a bit cleaner stronger. Just my opinion, Love to have Either One,Thank You,Got GREAT VIDEO'S ,KEEP THEM COMING, WALTER B,MEMPHIS
Maton was sharper, cleaner and far more enthusiastic if that's the right word. More exciting and inspiring whereas the Martin sounded a little tired and breathless. Great comparison and playing! Cheers Jon.
I actually have the sigma copy of the martin and have had 3 Matons now, both great. The matons do really well live, cut through, rich on harmonics and overtones but id always play the sigma at home later at night when it was quiet, it seemed more pleasing on the ear.
Ich war in den letzten Wochen auf der Suche nach meiner Traumgitarre. Und habe sie in der Maton EBG 808 Artist gefunden. Die Martin klingt sicher etwas wärmer und ist auch sonst eine wunderbare Gitarre. Für die Techniken die ich einsetze, und die variablen Anforderungen, die ich an eine Gitarre stelle, ist die Maton für mich genau richtig.
Really fun to find this video. I have both of these guitars and they are absolutely mind blowing both of them. but in such different ways. i wouldnt strum the 808 at all. it just sounds wrong. but the harmonics when you pick something is to die for. The Om28v is a really wonderful allarounder with so much personality and warmth to its sound. You just get lost in what you play when you sit with it. the only negative is that it can be a little harder to tame than the 808.That one practically plays itself. :D i am curious what strings and mic you are using when recording these guitars. the low strings on the 28v sounds a lot crisper on mine than they do in the video. :)
@@docdoc Yep I sure did. That's how i cottoned onto the Matons in the first place. At my local store they have a dedicated room just for their high end acoustics and they have all their Matons, Martins, Gibsons and Takamine acoustics all in this one room and i just started playing a whole heap of them one day. But i picked up this Maton road series 808C and it just felt and sounded absolutely perfect to me. The martins have a long standing history and reputation but just none of them quite had that tone i was looking for... If anything they probably just need a few years for the wood to open up a bit.
maton is brighter, more agressive and cheeky. Martin seems to be adult, darker and more balanced. But Maton is my pick despite this. I bought it for my christmas. Can you share the action setting on both please ?
You didn’t mention the retail cost of each. Were they similar in price? I’m partial to Martin, but open to looking at others. But help me out here. What is the current price of these two guitars?
I own a Maton 808 custom shop and a Maton TE2 as well as a ‘76 Martin D35. The one disappointment for me of the 808 (as in this video) is the unplugged glassy Piano-like Bass sound...it just doesn’t compare to the beautiful D35 Bass Tone (I know it’s a dreadnought) The Bass of the Martin OM28 sounds great in this video. However , live The Maton 808 with the AP5 Pro pickup system sounds glorious plugged in to my AER amp. I haven’t heard better, although the Cole Clark (another Australian Guitar) certainly gives it a run for the money plugged in that is.
Both nice guitars, obviously, but I kind of like the more understated sound of the Martin. It’s such a personal thing, sound is only part of the equation, how it plays it equally as important. Always play before you buy. Nice video 👍
I’m wondering what strings are on the Maton. Any Maton I’ve tried in a shop has had elixirs which are too bright for me. I’d like to know how the Maton goes with warmer sounding strings
John. Mate. Just a shout out to Henry here. How about you do a lesson on "How to Make Gravy". There are a few other Kelly tunes that go well when played on a 808. Hey Henry.
Seishi Unuma ❤️😃 what do you like to play mainly? If your more on the fingerstyle side of things I would recommend the Maton. If you want a more classic sound like Clapton or Zeppelin go with the martin. Can't really go wrong though with either.
@@jonmaclennan Thanks, Jon. I ordered a Maton, today, five minutes ago! Whoooo! I can't wait! Your video and comments are very helpful. Thank you again!
yes yes yes... well as my opinion ,the maton might be good for fingerstyle picking coz l just like its brighter tone.....also good for harmonics..and on martin guitar l just like it for bluegrass flatpicking where u dont need any of classic things as compared to finger picking classic music
Both Guitars sound great! I guess it boils down to personal preference. I listened without looking at the video. The Martin has a sweet tone with a little more low end than the Maton. Would love to have either one!
If you had to choose would you pick Matan Artist, Matan JR, Matan TE or Matan MF? Which is the best all rounder. Opinions please. Curious if the LR Baggs Duet when it comes out will challenge the Matan pickup system. I want to buy a Matan 808 type guitar soon but cannot find anywhere to demo them locally. I like the Martin OM a smidgen better acoustically but I need it to be plugged in too so it is Matan for me.
The harshness of the maton is way more pronounced while strumming with a pick. I feel like if I were a producer I would far prefer to work with the maton since it's more balanced while the martin has a recognizable warm tone. Playing unplugged and just for fun, the martin is probably what I would pick since it has that iconic nick drake/elliott smith/clapton/a million other people tone that makes it easy to sound like them.
abc Wong I've only played one messiah 808. It was great. It was a custom shop. It would be really similar to the artist though. Maybe a little more bass on the messiah I played. Both great guitars. The messiah is more money though. 😃👍
I love Maton's as they are my local guitar manufacturer, and this side by side comparison made me love them more. I have been a Maton enthusiast since I was a youngster, and have tried most higher end acoustics side by side at some stage, and have come to the conclusion you can't do much better than Maton. OM Martin sounded fine and it had a slightly boomier low end sound, whereas I found the higher frequency response of the Maton allowed for better note separation and a slightly cleaner tone. Both are good, but it is Maton every day of the week as far as I am concernerd.
Both of these guitars sound incredible. However, I like the warmer sound of the Martin. The Maton is a little bright for my taste but but would definitely be extremely happy with either of them!
Got that exact Maton and it’s the one guitar I will never sell. Personally I find the Martin too woody but that’s the Martin sound. The Maton plugged in just blows most other guitar anyway because the AP5Pro system is just awesome.
Noice! 🎸✌️
ap5 no.1
I have a Martin HD 35 which is about 30 years old and I also have a Maton Tommy Emmanuel TE3. You can’t buy the te3 anymore and that is also over 20 years old. I’m just a good rhythm player but I love both guitars.
The Martin with the 3 piece back gives a great sound with enhanced bass, whereas the Maton is just bright. They are both great guitars and I love them both.
I happened to be at a music store yesterday with my son and got to play a brand new Maton and messiah. It is Maton’s flagship model and it sounds great, I’ll have to compare it to the te3 nut I’m in love with this and at $3.5k is a sizeable price but definitely worth the money. Whilst there I had to try the guitars right next to the matons and I had a play of a Taylor -652ce 12 string and what a beautiful sound.
I think I’m going to have to find the $ and buy the Maton Messiah
I have two Matons. One acoustic & one electric. I've had the acoustic for 30 years & the electric for around 20 years. They're my two favourite guitars (plus they're Australian) :).
Just picked up a Maton SRS808C. the warmest most gorgeous tone in an acoustic guitar i've ever heard. it was love at first strum when i first picked it up and tried it out. have barely been able to put the fucker down since i got it.
I couldn’t really say which one I like best. What I did notice, is that the Maton was a bit brighter and more treble sounding. Very crisp and clean. The Martin on the other hand, seemed to cover all ranges equally as if a layer of honey was poured on everything. I also thought I heard a bit more in the realm of overtones. I’d be pleased to own either.
Agreed, the Maton is little stronger on the higher tones, and the Martins and warmer sounding. I actually prefer the harmonics of the Maton more than the Martin.
Fingerpicking or arpeggiato: Maton, it's a round sound. Strumming or f you want your voice coming out: Martin, it just leaves you those mid range freq needed by your voice.
The Maton has a sharper attack & sounds more brash, some don't seem to like that but I do, really comes into it's own on the blues piece. The Martin has a sweeter tone IMO & a fuller bass. They're both great sounding guitars. I'm not biased, I have both brands (not those particular models though) BTW, great playing Jon, thanks
Top comment. This is exactly it. Some things sound better on one, some on the other, and different players will prefer different ones. Most of us would be happy to own either one, or of course both. Two lovely guitars. (And a great demo!)
The Martin that seems to have a much more mellow tone and the Maton has a sharper attack and a little bit more volume. So I guess I would use the Maton for flatpicking and the Martin for Fingerstyle. Though if you're playing it through an amp, you can EQ whatever you want out of either one and so it'll just come down to who has the better pickup. So that might possibly be the Maton. They make their own pickups and they've been pretty good for the last 30 years. Prior to that I was using a Takamine because they were the only people that made a decent pickup.
You are assertive
I have a Maton and I love it, but there is something about the tone of the Martin that I crave more. It might have something to do with all my favourite musicians being from the northern hemisphere and play Martins so perhaps my ear has been trained to that sound.
Harmonics and tone winner: Maton. Resonance and sustain winner: Martin.
Tell us about the strings used on each guitar - were they the same type and same age?
I own three Martins and still must admit that the Maton sounded very desirable to me.
I own both and you can hear it in this video. The Maton is at its best plugged in. Martin sounds muddy in comparison with little clarity. Martin sounds warmer, and preferred for strumming to back up vocals. If I had no amplification, and wanted a guitar to back up vocals I would pick the Martin. Maton has much more clarity, articulation of notes, perfect for lead or finger style, cutting through the mix so it can be heard with a pleasing tone. Playing on stage the Maton will easily sound great by plugging in to almost anything. To get the martin to sound with great tone and clarity on stage is a huge challenge. Occasionally we hear an incredible sounding Martin on stage but this results from a sophisticated, high end sound system. With smaller body guitars, even when playing in the family room, I prefer some amplification, so for this purpose the Maton is also preferred.
Is Maton good for strumming when it's plugged in?
do you have a pickup in the martin? if so, which one?
@@pawebogdan7875 yes
@@coopr168 no
They are both stunningly good guitars. I prefer the Maton for the finger picked section and the Martin for the strumming. Can't really go wrong with either guitar though. I will have on of each please.
Maton has more spring in it`s step, but the Martin sounds more bluesy too me...I`ll take both!!!
2:37 Paul Kelly would approve. Maton of course!
It’s impossible, no, trickery. I’m a Martin owner for years and looked down on the Maton brand, but the Maton was not only more melodic and pleasing to the ear but more balanced across the octaves and would cut through any mix. What slight of hand did you use?
★☆★Unlock the guitar fretboard with a free pdf copy of Jon's book "Melodic Expressions" plus get exclusive bonus blues training (total worth $50): bit.ly/2XjrPHe ★☆★
You're stuck on a desert island and you get to pick just one which would you choose? Comment below!
Which one was easier to play?
Maton all the way!
@@jonmaclennan That's what I thought Tommy E said the same.
the one that floats the best
dave pearce 😂
They are both excellent but the Martin honestly is my favorite, I heard you play the second round and I heard such a rich tone you could put yourself in a classical piece, blues, country or Jazz and it would excel. Nice job of the different style mix too! Gonna start saving to get the Martin, really fantastic, thanks
I'm really impressed by the Maton. A lot of demos I've heard make them sound 'tinny', but that's not the case really, they're just brighter and clearer. I think overall I prefer the Martin sound for fingerstyle, but the Maton has a great tone too, and would really slice through a mix or as a part of a larger band. Martin for solo guitar imo, Maton for strumming in a group. The Maton has more high harmonic content, and the Martin has fuller mids and bass.
definitely doesn't sound tinny at all in real life. It is very bright but has some crazy punch in the lows and mids. I play an EBG808C Michael Fix Signature for Church Worship and it cuts right through. It's amazing. For what's in the Maton you get a lot more. Martin, you get a Martin. Maton, has their own pickup they make with an inner sound hole aim-able microphone, wood bindings, tone woods proprietary to Australia, just very unique. Martin is Boring.
This is easy. The maton has an Australian accent while the martin sounds american
😂
😁@@guitardude4700 I guess I’ll just have to have both. Have a Martin. Would love a maton diesel
I’ve always thought of Martins as being quintessential Americana. Taylors are a touch more “European” (or international?) sounding. Maton are massively into blackwood. I’ve got a Taylor & a Furch (European guitar). Maybe a Maton next? (Would like a Lowden but out of my price range...)
Yeah gidday cobber beauty.. sweet as.. throw another Martin on the Barbie!
🤣
I have an EBG808 Nashville so I was wanting the Maton to come out best but the Martin is so well balanced its the better sound to me. I think my Nashville has a sweeter tone than the 808 your'e playing but each guitar is slightly different no matter what make. Still thats a sweet sounding 808 nevertheless. No mention of which strings you are using on both.
Martin guitars touch hearts
well l think it depends on the version of both brands ....jus like cars , there is always a competition in every business...but on these two l think the Maton was sounding brighter across the mids and highs ...martin was like having a little bit low sound on the low strings
..thanks
I did too YOU Got good ears Ha,Think it also depends on song,Later Walter B,Memphis Tn,
Dont tell me thats How To Make Gravy at 2:37! Fitting Aussie song for a great Aussie guitar. Awesome vid dude, keep it up!
Mate. Well picked.
Cracking demo Jon. Loved both - I actually own a Maton Messiah and love it - still looking at picking up a smaller bodied Martin in the near future. I guess in your demo the Maton is brighter and the Martin more mellow - but, hey - both sound lovely. One of each please!
The Maton really "Sings" making the Martin sound like it is kinda humming along. Curious if the strings are the same brand and age?
Same strings, pretty close string age. Martin may be slightly older.
Jody O'Dell, that is a great comment. I wondered about the age of the strings and I'm glad Jon came back with the answer. I've never played a Maton, but I'm thinking I'd like to own one. No doubt about it.
The Martin is like a watercolour where the notes sort of bleed into each other. On the Maton notes sound more distinct. Presumably this is because the body of the Martin is resonating more.
Martin for sure, but I heard a busker with a Maton the other day and it sounded wonderful
Martin is like pilsner urquell of the guitar, just gold standard. and sound almost like it has build in compressor. but i like them both.
Two very good guitars. I prefer the brighter sounding Maton. The Martin has a gorgeous warm mid to it.
I've owned (and still own) a couple Martins, Gibsons and Guild, never owned a Maton. After sitting in the 6th row dead-center at Colin Hay's concert 2 nights ago in San Francisco, in which he played all Matons, I was blown away at how amazing these guitars sound. I'm sure these are all custom shops made for Colin, but it sure changed my guitar wants. I'm now looking hard for a Maton, not many options here in the states, and nowhere to demo a few. Just sold my Rickenbacker 660 so the money's burning a proverbial hole in my pocket. Now I'm researching.... and waiting for my real life to begin.
Artisan Guitars in Nashville is a Maton dealer.
@@guitarlessonssouth thanks, I've been purveying their guitars on their website, much appreciated
maton.com.au/dealers/the-usa
Loved the Maton till you played the Martin both as you stated so very nice. Just the Martin is a more full and rich and complete balance.
has the wood
Your a great player so you can really here the difference between the two .the Martin has a deeper sound ,sounded better on the bluesy stuff but the maton has a lovely bright sound great video👍
Thanks for this video, both are nice of course but maybe need to test a custom shop Maton against this Martin as price is not the same at all. Anyway, just plug any Maton and here is the big difference; just fantastic. Maybe the best pick up system.
Great playing. Nice to hear a bit of Paul Kelly in there too!!
It’s also the start of Melissa..Allman Bros.. me thinks..
@@klauscapeotway definitely twin intro's haha
One thing I have notices is the Maton acoustics age really well after a playing in period. Also they are very stable with changing climatic conditions. The neck is particularly good. In the old models, it was possible to adjust the neck tension without loosening the strings. (A through the body truss rod adjuster). I don't know if you can still do this. Thanks for the video
Being the owner of a Martin OM-28V with some years on it that's my fav' but the Maton is also awesome!
Stephen Kennedy you’ve got a great guitar there! 👍🎸 Keep pickin’!
What about the Maton with some years on it?
The Martin sounds too mellow, and probably mellows out even more over time.
If you didn’t own the Martin already, you’d like the Maton better.
As a guitar player of 45 years having owned numerous acoustics and models none of which have ever been from either of these two maker's guitars I'd be perfectly happy with either to be honest with you! However to my ear there is simply no comparison at all! As a Bavarian from the southern parts of Germany maybe my ears are different than yours but the Martin embraces every note in a way the Maton cimply can't reproduce! I'd buy the Martin hands down.
I'm a huge fan of Maton guitars (and have one). Both sound great, but I honestly think the Martin OM28V has the edge over this particular Maton. Martin is richer & smoother in sound - particularly in "Close to you'. good job doing that BTW.
Yeah he did do a great comparison, But like the Maton,Also think depends on the song,Take Care Man,Walter B, Memphis Tn,
Nice playing. I own a very well played in 1999 om28v with slotless ivory bridgepins and it would be the last of my 14 guitars to go. Balanced, clatity, note articulation ,piano like and beautiful cyrstalline treble. Plus I love the 1 3/4 v neck. Not everyones cup of teas but I love it.
Good sound for both maybe more brilliant Maton. But I have a doubt have two guitars the same strings ? If not the differences in sound should be more difficult to ear. Good play !
To be honest, it would be nice to have a mixture of the two sounds, the brightness and punch of the Maton and the warmth of the Martin. I don't think one sounds better but they do have their own sound. At times the Maton could use more bass and at other times the Martin sounds dull in the low end. A kind of Modern vs vintage sound.
Um... i think the hybrid you're after is called a Gibson J-45
Fingerpicking Maton with my ears. Martin sounds nice strumming. The Maton has a fantastic pickup matched with a microphone inside, not sure of the Martin. I have an old Maton from 1985 and she sounds so sweet. Anyway, I'd be happy with either.
I have the EBG808TE and the Martin D16RGT...they each have their own voice and I enjoy each on equally......
Bob LeBlanc totally! 😃
Lovely sound of the Maton
The Maton is a little more open and I prefer it. The Martin is a little “nasal” in a nice way, a bit more constrained in the treble and bass. I think the Maton would age really well - the way spruce gets a little sweeter with age would suit it.
Not just because I'm Aussie but Maton guitars have a warmth that Martins do not have. The shoulders are too square on Martins producing too much treble. I have a Taylor. Gibsons also have rounded shoulders. Sorry, no put downs bur Martins have been that way for so long. Some , like Don McLean uses are great and suited to fingerpicking or " folk" sound- great instruments.
However a Maton OM can do it too. The Maton EGB8-8 is hard to beat by ny manufacturer especially the Tommy Emmmanuel model and their Blackwood B/S and cedar top. Bliss to the ears.
Thanks, great playing
Both are great guitars, i guess it's all about what you're playing
Maron Wajter B,No Doubt,But ALWAYS A BUT.Depends on the song to as someone else said,Great lessons Jon keep on Rollin Man.Love this sht ha ha yea
Brilliant John..!..👍
My ear would take the Martin all day long.
Martin has more resonant, “gourdy” bass and slightly better sustain. Think these two could work together, Martin as a rhythm, and Maton as more lead.
I have an OM-28, but I like the Maton here a lot. Though, I find with mine that it's worth putting on some brighter strings compared to my dread. Here it would probably make these two guitars sound a lot more similar.
The Maton is half the price of the Martin here in Australia. In $Aus it's around $5600 vs $2700 at street prices. Acoustically I prefer Martins but I just can't justify the price difference in my country.
@@tdunster2011 Ohhh, that's an awfully big price difference, haha. I live in Japan and they're much more similarly priced. A standard serious Martin is about 400,000 yen, and a nice Maton is usually 350,000ish. At least the ones I was looking at when I bought the OM-28.
Nice comparison!! Once I tried Maton EBG808 artist at a shop. I own OM-28 standard, and I have tried many OM-28 at shops so far. I think OM-28 is louder than EBG808 even if EMG is deeper body. But in this video EMG is louder and more clearer than OM. I know each OM-28 is different tone including loudness, so EBG is the same. You own an excellent EMG and OM. Many thanks for super cool performance!!
Only Maton. Perfect
I agree,Walter B,
Martin 💯
The artist is my favourite 808, I like the spruce/Blackwood combo. Will be my next 808 👍
Robert Lennox great choice! 😃👍
@@jonmaclennan I thought the Maton was a bit cleaner stronger. Just my opinion, Love to have Either One,Thank You,Got GREAT VIDEO'S ,KEEP THEM COMING, WALTER B,MEMPHIS
Maton all the way! They make the best guitars you can buy.
I have not musical training and can not even play any instrument, but I love the Maton sound or is it tone?
Maton was sharper, cleaner and far more enthusiastic if that's the right word. More exciting and inspiring whereas the Martin sounded a little tired and breathless. Great comparison and playing! Cheers Jon.
Thank you!
Your playing is excellent
I actually have the sigma copy of the martin and have had 3 Matons now, both great. The matons do really well live, cut through, rich on harmonics and overtones but id always play the sigma at home later at night when it was quiet, it seemed more pleasing on the ear.
Ich war in den letzten Wochen auf der Suche nach meiner Traumgitarre. Und habe sie in der Maton EBG 808 Artist gefunden. Die Martin klingt sicher etwas wärmer und ist auch sonst eine wunderbare Gitarre. Für die Techniken die ich einsetze, und die variablen Anforderungen, die ich an eine Gitarre stelle, ist die Maton für mich genau richtig.
would make a great pair. both have their place :)
With the song choice I can see what you prefer 😉 TE all the way
Came for the comparison, stayed for the playing!
Nice guitars..Close to You is nice also.
Really fun to find this video. I have both of these guitars and they are absolutely mind blowing both of them. but in such different ways. i wouldnt strum the 808 at all. it just sounds wrong. but the harmonics when you pick something is to die for. The Om28v is a really wonderful allarounder with so much personality and warmth to its sound. You just get lost in what you play when you sit with it. the only negative is that it can be a little harder to tame than the 808.That one practically plays itself. :D
i am curious what strings and mic you are using when recording these guitars. the low strings on the 28v sounds a lot crisper on mine than they do in the video. :)
To my ear the Maton sounds clearer with more sparkle. Also, I checked the prices and the Martin was considerably more expensive.
Both were outstanding. The Maton was warm but I prefer the brighter sound of the Martin
?? you have that backwards.
Great guitars "both"...but have to go with the Martin :) By the way, GREAT PLAYING!
Maton is obviously a more responsive instrument. The Martin has a warmer sound but sounds somewhat restricted by comparison.
Ive played a whole heap of martins at my local store and none of them have that crisp warm tone that i always look for in an acoustic.
@@foxhound5702 what was the price range ?
@@docdoc 1400 right up to one that was 8 grand. I live in Australia so my prices here will be alot different to yours if your in the US
@@foxhound5702 Did you get to compare them to Maton?
@@docdoc Yep I sure did. That's how i cottoned onto the Matons in the first place. At my local store they have a dedicated room just for their high end acoustics and they have all their Matons, Martins, Gibsons and Takamine acoustics all in this one room and i just started playing a whole heap of them one day. But i picked up this Maton road series 808C and it just felt and sounded absolutely perfect to me. The martins have a long standing history and reputation but just none of them quite had that tone i was looking for... If anything they probably just need a few years for the wood to open up a bit.
maton is brighter, more agressive and cheeky. Martin seems to be adult, darker and more balanced. But Maton is my pick despite this. I bought it for my christmas. Can you share the action setting on both please ?
You didn’t mention the retail cost of each. Were they similar in price? I’m partial to Martin, but open to looking at others. But help me out here. What is the current price of these two guitars?
I own a Maton 808 custom shop and a Maton TE2 as well as a ‘76 Martin D35.
The one disappointment for me of the 808 (as in this video) is the unplugged glassy Piano-like Bass sound...it just doesn’t compare to the beautiful D35 Bass Tone (I know it’s a dreadnought)
The Bass of the Martin OM28 sounds great in this video.
However , live The Maton 808 with the AP5 Pro pickup system sounds glorious plugged in to my AER amp. I haven’t heard better, although the Cole Clark (another Australian Guitar) certainly gives it a run for the money plugged in that is.
Both are awesome guitars of similar quality. It’s really just personal taste.
Both nice guitars, obviously, but I kind of like the more understated sound of the Martin. It’s such a personal thing, sound is only part of the equation, how it plays it equally as important. Always play before you buy. Nice video 👍
JoesGuitar lessons 😃👍
Warmer tones of the Martin does it for me.
One question: how close can you come with the maton sounding more mellow like the Martin by using an eq?
I’m wondering what strings are on the Maton. Any Maton I’ve tried in a shop has had elixirs which are too bright for me. I’d like to know how the Maton goes with warmer sounding strings
Martin, 'ordinary' very good sound. Maton, celestial sound.
Maton for the blues
Maton, for sure. More dinamic. Crispy. Organic.
Martin is darker, no mid, maybe for singers,good for struming and sing.
I agree with Tosko Ov that the Martin was a bit muted.
i will take my d35 any day
John. Mate. Just a shout out to Henry here. How about you do a lesson on "How to Make Gravy". There are a few other Kelly tunes that go well when played on a 808. Hey Henry.
Hi John, if you're talking about the 3rd tune it could also be Allman Bros "Melissa". Starts the same as How to make Gravy.
and l also wonder why Tommy used the Maton ....l think its good in finger picking coz every sound of each string is exposed
Augustine Foromani He’s always used them..........he’s Australian after all.
I really appreciate your video! But now., I really don't know which one I should buy. It's probably because you played REALLY good the both of those.
Seishi Unuma ❤️😃 what do you like to play mainly? If your more on the fingerstyle side of things I would recommend the Maton. If you want a more classic sound like Clapton or Zeppelin go with the martin. Can't really go wrong though with either.
@@jonmaclennan Thanks, Jon. I ordered a Maton, today, five minutes ago! Whoooo! I can't wait! Your video and comments are very helpful. Thank you again!
Seishi Unuma nice 👍😃! Enjoy. send me a video when you get it if you want! Best
Love for you to to Close to you with those sweet jazz chords ... Please
yes yes yes... well as my opinion ,the maton might be good for fingerstyle picking coz l just like its brighter tone.....also good for harmonics..and on martin guitar l just like it for bluegrass flatpicking where u dont need any of classic things as compared to finger picking classic music
Same strings and action?
Martin all the way. Sounds more sophisticated and elegant with that base...
Maton
Both Guitars sound great! I guess it boils down to personal preference. I listened without looking at the video. The Martin has a sweet tone with a little more low end than the Maton. Would love to have either one!
Well said!
What's the second song starting at 1:30? It's such a familiar tune and I'd love to learn it but can't remember the name!
Aaron Cheong Close to You - Burt Bacharach
If you had to choose would you pick Matan Artist, Matan JR, Matan TE or Matan MF? Which is the best all rounder. Opinions please. Curious if the LR Baggs Duet when it comes out will challenge the Matan pickup system. I want to buy a Matan 808 type guitar soon but cannot find anywhere to demo them locally.
I like the Martin OM a smidgen better acoustically but I need it to be plugged in too so it is Matan for me.
It's MatOn
The harshness of the maton is way more pronounced while strumming with a pick. I feel like if I were a producer I would far prefer to work with the maton since it's more balanced while the martin has a recognizable warm tone. Playing unplugged and just for fun, the martin is probably what I would pick since it has that iconic nick drake/elliott smith/clapton/a million other people tone that makes it easy to sound like them.
Hello, thanks for the video. What do think about the Messiah 808 (rosewood back and sides) compared to Artist? Thanks!
abc Wong I've only played one messiah 808. It was great. It was a custom shop. It would be really similar to the artist though. Maybe a little more bass on the messiah I played. Both great guitars. The messiah is more money though. 😃👍
Jon MacLennan Thanks for your advice!
I have the Messiah 808, JIC you're in the market for one.
sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/msg/d/san-francisco-maton-messiah-natural/6797747662.html