Martin D-28 vs Collings D2H - GuitarDemo.com
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- Опубликовано: 27 ноя 2012
- Patrick Connell walks us though an objective tonal comparison between the Martin D-28 and Collings D2H. Please leave a comment and let us know what you think the differences are. The Martin is a 1999 D-28 and the Collings is a 2005 D2H. These dreadnaughts are superficially the same. Both have Sitka Spruce top, Indian Rosewood back and sides, Ebony bridge pins. Incidentally these particular guitars both have slotted bridges, bone saddles and nut (standard on the Collings, but aftermarket mods on the Martin.) Both are being played with a Blue Chip pick on D'Addario "Medium" EJ-17 strings that are about an hour old. Please visit guitardemo.com for more information on this, and other videos.
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thank you very much, this was great 10 years later
Both sounded great 👍🏼 I’ll go with the one who has 180yrs of experience and created the dreadnaught.
the intros to these videos crack me up , very enjoyable
Nice work Patrick... loved that little Irish jig! Nice playing. I'm currently thinking about a Collings over a Martin but might have to think again after this demo.
This surprised me. I expected the Collings to sound much better than the Martin, but I thought the Martin sounded more vibrant and lively, and it had way more sparkle. When the Collings came on, it sounded a bit dull until I got used to it. The big exception, and I think it is a big one, is the last example, which was higher up the neck. I thought the Collings sounded better and punchier up there. From the performances on each, it also looked like the Collings might be a bit easier to play.
I also think that a fairer comparison with the Collings would be the Martin HD-28V, which is higher end and closer to the Collings in price. But in my opinion, the plain old D-28, which is much less expensive than the Collings, held its own here.
David Rothberg it’s all about the MOJO my brother...
Great comparison, I liked them both
Thanks for the demo! For bluegrass playing, there is little comparison, in my opinion. The Martin's deep, rich tone is custom made for that style of music. To me, Collings shows it's pedigree in fingerstyle, with its bell like tone and defined notes. -Great job on the comparison! You warmed into some very beautiful and complex picking!
Yes, I thought the Martin was clearly the better guitar.
Richer, clearer tone.
Thanks for the comparison. The Collings has more clarity seems to sound more "fresh"....
Great vid! Nice playing!
What the hell Pat! Pretty cool running across this old video. 6 years later and you look not a day older. See you in Loreto Amigo!
I think the highs were very similar, the biggest difference was the low end of the spectrum. Collings was more rounded where the Martin was just straight forward. There is something to be said for the clarity of the Collings. There are definitely more overtones, but yet I find that every string comes through and almost jumps at you.. Even moreso than the Martin which seems odd. They both have their place, but Collings is one of the few brands that despite it's "modern" overtone sound can actually accomplish on a professional level what was once just reserved for "traditional" sounding brands like Martin and Gibson.
The comments are fascinating. Some people think the Martin is brighter sounding and others think the Collings is. Some people think the Martin sounds alive and the Collings dead; others the opposite.
They both sound fantastic.
I know you mention strings and string life, but the main difference my ear caught from across the room (youtube was on autoplay so I wasn't sitting next to the monitor choosing videos) was that the D-28 sounded like it had "comfortable" strings on it which had settled in after a day or two of playing, while the Collings sounded like it was strung within the last 5 minutes prior to taping. Consequently, the D-28 sounded round and full, while the Collings sounded tinny and thin. As I said, I started across the room, and eventually came over and re-started the video from the beginning. So at first, I had no idea which guitar was which and was going purely by sound alone. That difference leaves out the possibility of any pre-conceived bias toward one brand or another. Good demo. Thanks for the video.
I just spent 3 days in guitar stores trying different dreadnaughts and I walked out after I purchased a D2H Collings that was unbelievable.....I really really liked the Martin HD-28 V but I just liked the Collings a smiggin better even though it did set me back about $500 mor that the Martin....I am sure the Martin would have made me happy too but the Collings was just more powerful overall and cleaner and crisper right up the neck.
BOTH sound great !
I'm wearing headphones and the D-28 sounds better. The Collins has a lot of base and scooped mids, the D-28 just sounds better all around. I would go with the D--28.
After playing a number of Dreadnaughts I played my first Collings D2H. And that's what i walked out with.
Martin did use micarta on saddles for quite a long period and corian on nuts but 2005 marked the year all the standard series were again using bone nut and drop-in bone saddles. Likely because some pretty good Asian imports such as Blueridge were using bone nuts and saddles since at least the late 90's.
I don't care for the bright forward guitar sound, which is why I sold my Taylor 710. Like the Martin sound much better than the Collins or Taylor
Don't get me wrong , they're both excellent guitars, but Martin sound so beautiful in every step of the way, The clarity of sound Martin produces is absolutely wonderful .
They both sound great.
"Bill Collings does them the way Martin use to. ;-)" You hit the nail on the head! He is the original owner and is very involved with his company. That makes a huge difference in something as craft-oriented as making musical instruments. Martin still makes a great guitar, but the Collings is made in a more traditional manner which not only shows, it costs more.
I think the Collings has a more complex tone going on in there. The Martin a little more open sounding with a little more bottom end. I like them both. They'd both cut thru just fine in a group setting.
100%
Wow - I thought the Collings would be clear winner and they each had their highs ... very tough to pick .. That is a great D28 you have there ... no loser in that pairing
both excellent!
I listen to these comparisons all the time. I rarely can tell the difference when the guitars are of similar construction and quality. I would have to be in the same room as these gems in order to discern which I preferred.
There is a big difference. The D-28 has standard x bracing. The Collings has forward scalloped bracing.
That's the tech/build....did you HEAR a "big" difference? I didn't....through my iMac and Sennehiser headphones. :) If there was it was negligible
Sometimes we WANT tthe more expensive product to sound better or drive better. Because it cost so much more. Has a better rep as a "hi-end" brand maybe... III tthought the differene here would be night and day....
nice playing and good comparison video... i love collings when i play them, and they sound prettier and hi-fi, but i think the martin tone is more meaty and i like that more... what does the player think?
I’d say that the Collings sounds higher end, but the Martin sounds more familiar. The way I hear it in my head is that the Collings sound like I’m listening to the original performance of a song from way back in the day, but like I’m in the past and listening to it live (not recorded). Meanwhile the Martin sounds like the actual recorded sound of the same song that everybody grew up listening to and so has the sound that people expect.
The Martin sounds tighter, the Collings is a little more open sounding. But an HD-28 or HD-28V would have been a fairer comparison to the D2H because of the pre-war style top bracing.
1. Ya can't tell tonal differences for nothin' over a youtube vid.
2. These guitars are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! They are 2 separate classes entirely.
The D28 is 2K. The Collings D2H is 4K. There are SO MANY reasons for this. Find your local EXPERT and talk to them!
The D28 has a standard X-bracing. The D2H has a scalloped, forward-shifted X-bracing. This makes a MONUMENTAL difference in the sound!! The D28 is "focused" and "directional." The D2H is more "open," harmonically rich and "booming."
Though each set of ears hears differently, these descriptions are overwhelmingly agreed upon by folks in the biz, and are totally obvious to the vast majority of ears.
3. The proper Martin to compare to the D2H is the Martin HD28-V (NOT an HD28). This 4K guitar
lmao idk where u saw a 2k d28 but ur lucky cuz that’s a hell of a deal m8
Both guitars sound fantastic. The Martin has more of the classic old-timey Bluegrass tone. The Collings has a more balanced tone and great clarity. However, I'd be happy with either one.
I’ve never tried a Collings as nobody around here sells them. But the numerous videos I’ve watched of Collings haven’t caught my ear. I have played many Martins and haven’t really gravitated to them. In this video at least, I would cast my vote for the Martin.
One thing to keep in mind is that nearly every acoustic guitar maker out there is one way or another indebted to Martin for that traditional design, and to some degree, the tone as well. Though there may be better sounding guitars than Martins, out of fairness they deserve a feather in their cap, for they started it all with this design, the rest only elaborated. A Martin does have a distinct "vibe" due to its huge popularity over the years. I have owned several Martins, and found them to be very inconsistent in their tonal qualities from one guitar to the next. Some sing like a bird, others sound like strings on a cigar box. This is particularly true when comparing HD-28's.
Ive owned 2 hd-28s one from 97 and one i still own from 2012 and even though it had 15 years on it to open up, the '97 still wasn't louder nor did it touch the '12 in tone. It just goes to show that a good guitar shines regardless of age. Collings are amazing guitars, the next guitar i own will be one. They don't have the boom of the hd-28, but they have explosive mids and are freakin cannons. I played a late '80 D2h a few days ago and it was by far the best sounding guitar I have ever played. I played it side by side with some of martin's best and the ol' bird just had something they didn't. Thats whats cool though, each company is unique in that they dominated a certain tonal range. Martin with bass and Collings with the mids.
It would be interesting to know the ages of the two. They both look fairly new. Like them both, but preferred the D28. I may be partial to the Martin as I still own the D28 I bought in 1967. Of these two test guitars the D28 sounds fuller and "rounder" to me and the D2H sounds brighter. My old D28 adds a mellowness that age brings. But both of these new ones sound great!
As everyone else says, a better comparison would be with the Martin HD-28V. Martin makes a wider variety of models. The Collings D-2H is an excellent guitar and I owned one, as well as a Collings D-1A. Some prefer the Collings chime and shimmer. For others, the Martin sounds "woodier" and more traditional. I just couldn't get use to the different sound and went back to Martin. Both are great guitars. We live in an age where you can find the guitar of your dreams..........if you can afford it!
Extraordinary instruments..., the D-28 has a slightly deeper sound. The Collings sounds like a Taylor.
Both are beautiful guitars, but I think I prefer the Martin. I do think the Collins is a bit on the bright side with not quite as much bass as the Martin. The Martin just sound "right".
Nice playing and both sounded very nice. For strumming, as demoed between 1:00 - 2:25, I would pick the Collings which has a stronger bass and sounded a bit more mellow and less twangy.
This satisfied D-28(1994) owner had a slight preference for the Collings, with it's zingier trebles.
I thought the Martin sounded brighter, sharper, clearer. BUT, so importantly. How did you think they played against each other. Action etc. ?
,
Are there any plans for a US tour?2017?
Bass/low mids seem a bit more pronounced on the Collings. Maybe a bit more clarity and note definition too? Martin sounds more compressed too, though I don't know if that's the mic/recording or the guitar itself. (I've never found my D28 to sound compressed). I'd be happy with either guitar.
I think the neck joint has an influence on the tone.
I agree the neck reset will be much easier if bolt on.
The Collings has quite a bit more headroom and punch. The Martin has a warmer sound. Can't go wrong with either. My ear is more drawn to the Collings sound, but neither sound is better, just different.
Martin good character
I'd like to know exactly what your audio set up is. It sounds good. When listening to a comparison like this you have to remember the obvious: you are not listening to guitars, you're listening to recordings made in a corner of a particular room that went through a particular set of mics, etc. Very useful for an idea of what good-quality recordings of these instruments can sound like. These both sound beautiful but there is something really thrilling about the sound of that Martin in these recordings.
I can't believe how many people like the Collings. IMHO there's no comparison. The Martin kills it.
According to the production schedules of each guitar, the Martin takes about 9 hours to make start to finish, while each Collings is at 55 hours. Collings will be the 'fit and finish' king in this shootout hands down, and I know of several Luthiers that have had dozens of these guitars pass through their hands, and no flaws were found on any of them.
And just so you know, there is One Single Guy at the Collings shop who does quality control on all Collings acoustics electrics and mandos and ukes. One guy. When he goes on holidays, Collings stops shipping instruments. THEN there is the whole 250 guitars a day Martin factory thing VS Collings 160 instruments A MONTH. Those numbers are mindboggling when you think about it. 75,000 instruments a year VS 20 thousand. All this said, I have played some amazing Martins, but my cash goes with the Newbee on this one, though one day I would LOVE to own a 50s D18.
So stop talking about it- don't increase the demand for Collings : P
***** Hahahaha, poor guy, man there was a time I couldn't afford a Collings either but that's no reason to dog em... You get there one day lil guy.
kerry krishna ,
your statistics balance perfectly. Collings spends 6 times the time on each guitar, and Martin ships 6 times as many. Martin would probably disagree, but it implies that Martin is bottom-line driven, where Collings is driven by quality / reputation. For that reason I would choose the Collings, and my accountant would advise me to pick the Martin. 😀
Just a little joke folks. Don't start an internet battle.
Great reply David. I have never owned a Martin just to be clear, and I do own both a cheap and an expensive Collings. I have only played a few Martins that I would like to own. Also, I live a 10 hour drive from my nearest 'real' guitar store, which is in Myhre's Music in Edmonton, so I do not get around quality guitars that much.
kerry krishna ,
Ah, anther Canuck, Eh? I started out as a Trawna boy, then got smart and dragged the family to Vancouver.
I don't give Martin any undue deference either. I do NOT care for the Dreadnaught sshape, nor the sound of a Sitka Spruce top. That rules out nearly all of them. Still, I do play one of their X models if I'm anywhere harm could happen. It's nearly indestructible and relatively cheap for a full-throated sound. For the safe zone, I have a vintage Laskin. No Martin, Collings or Taylor will ever be able to touch it.
The Collings sounds a bit more refined/round. The Martin is a bit rougher round the edges, but has more mojo.
even though the d28 does not have scalloped braces it still cuts through the middle and out basses the collings
Martin has a lot more bite; makes the Collings sound tinny.
i like them both
@ James Strange. You are wrong. The neck joint makes a big difference with the sound. A dovetail neck will be more warm and fuzzy vs a bolt on being more crisp and treble-y. I have two Martin guitars ( both of which are dovetailed ) and the sound of the guitar compared to a Taylor of comparison is way more warm. I love it as opposed to a treble sound. Anything in a Martin that is the 18 series or above is going to be dovetailed. (D-18, d-28, 000-28, etc)
They both sound good. I can hear the difference... But not sure which one I like better
Thought the Martin was louder, but the Collings had a greater variety of tones like more mids where the Martin only had highs and lows in a scooped fashion
Not enough difference in sound character to matter.
They both sound equally fine. Nice mic setup.
It would come down to which fretboard plays smoother and easier.
If i had to have a dread,.. i would go get a Santa Cruz Tony Rice.
+JamesCarieCody I owned a Collings D2H. It never sounded as good as my Martin HD-28. I traded it for a Santa Cruz Tony Rice. The Collings looked great but in my experience it didn't measure up to the GREAT tone I get out of the Santa Cruz!
+JamesCarieCody It depends on the particular piece, not just model. If the tone woods, measurements and overall details are similar, the guitars wills till sound different due to different manufacturer and age and quality of the wood.
Both are awesome instruments and both sound great, I doubt anyone could say neither sounds great but which one is better is really subjective. The Martin really held it's own. I mean, it's a mass produced off the shelf guitar that you can find at any large chain music store such as GC, SA as well as smaller mom & pop stores. The Collings seems to be over $3000 while the D-28 is about a $1900-2000 guitar. Seems like it's a Ferrari or Porsche comparison vs. a Corvette there. Both will more than get the job done, can't go wrong with either. I have a D-28, can't afford a Collings, though. LOL.
They both sound terrific for factory made instruments.
It sure would be fun to jam, pick and play these guitars for 6 months. Put them thru they paces. Get the feel, projection and sustain. See how they match up with my vocals! I do have a Martin guitar that is a Forever Guitar. 🎶🎵🎶
p.s. I still have the original hang tag from 1967 somewhere. As I recall, it was $388 then. :-)
The Collings seems to have more fullness to the tone and it's a bit richer. It manages to be clearly defined, but also full and not as much treble.
I think for a rhythm guitar, the lows and warmth of the Martin sound better, but for flat-picking I prefer the volume of the Collings.
For me, I guess I can't hear any irreconcilable difference between one and the other. As he mentioned, they are nearly identical. I would easily go for the the Martin because it is at least $1,000.00 cheaper. However, I do care about feel, and could understand anyone spending more on an instrument that felt noticeably different from the other
I think that the Collings has the edge, but not enough to justify the price difference.
Thank you, Patrick. The Collings just has a wonderful clarity. The Martin is a good sounding guitar, but a more fair comparison might be an HD-28 to this Collings. Martins, to my ears anyway, have always lacked midrange character. The Collings makes up for that in spades, and has considerably more overall tonality. I prefer the slightly rounded headstock edge of the Martin. I'd be worried stiff about dinging the corner of that sharp headstock! Probably nothing more than just a psychological fixation...
xtc1957,
pardon my ignorance, but what is the.difference between an HD-28 and a D-28?
There are several cosmetic differences, but also some physical differences inside the guitar. Externally, they look similar, but the HD-28 model number denotes "herringbone" which is herringbone trim running around the binding, rather that the white-black-white striped trim. The pickguard on the D-28 is black plastic, while HD uses a faux-tortoise pickguard. Inside, the bracing on the HD-28 is "scalloped", or carved out to lessen weight and let the top vibrate more freely for better overall sound, volume and tonal balance. Personally, I prefer scalloped bracing because I believe it creates a lighter handling feel, more bass response, and better sound overall. It's really all down to what you like. Both of these guitars are legendary, and have been used in countless recordings.
Martin is not as pronounced or powerful as Collings, but Martin just has the quintessential guitar sound.
Is the action higher on the martin? Sure sounds like it ,Martin has a bit more volume, the Collins seems to be buzzing a bit against the frets
I prefer the Collings here (I have the slope-shouldered 12-fret version myself) but if you put it up against an HD28, the ranking may change.
I have a Martin D-35 and a Collings D2H. I find the Collings a wee better better for cutting through a mix and leads and the Martin a bit better for rhythm. They are both fine guitars that can do it all however you really cannot go wrong with either brand.
Good video. The Collings sounds a bit out of tune?
Ill take both
I should mention that Collings guitars are built with impeccable quality in woods, construction, finish and setup. I wish Martin could equal it, but they have a different type of business and build many more guitars. They build a high quality instrument, but they don't have quite the perfection in quality control that Collings has. But...you get what you pay for! Collings are generally much more expensive, but not always. Some Martins are priced in the stratosphere. Both are worth it.
song please
It is important to note the Martin D-28 has straight, non-advanced braces, while the Collings D2H has scalloped advanced braces. The more apples-to-apples comparison would be a Martin HD-28 to the Collings.
Personally, I have yet to find a Martin-even vintage- with the depth and nuance of a Collings. It all has to do with the different ways these two guitars are built at their respective workshops. Every Martin D-28 is built to the same spec...same top thickness, same brace heights, etc. What you get is a bell curve...a small number of good ones, a small number of dogs and a bunch of "average" guitars. Collings, on the other hand, builds each guitar individually. Decisions on top thickness, brace carving, etc., is made based on the particular pieces of wood being used. Collings also spends much more time on every step, including choosing wood sets individually for each guitar, on critical steps like setting the neck (according to Frank Ford, Martin now has a totally automated neck setting process), fretwork, and final setup. And you pay $1,000+ more for the Collings. It is simply a higher quality guitar. Whether or not you prefer the tone of a Collings to the Martin is totally subjective.
An hd-28 isn't even a good comparison, as the hd-28's braces are standard placed and scalloped. The true comparison is an hd-28v. It is the one with forward shifted braces.
mark shuler
I appreciate the correction. I thought that HDs were forward shifted.
I did too. I even owned one for a year till I was told different haha.
mark shuler …or the D28 Marquis…also forward shifted
very true. and a D-18 golden era if I'm not mistaken. plus some of the authentics before the year 1941.
I don't thing the neck joint has any effect on the tone. Both have a tenon which engages the neck block. It's just a matter of whether your want a wedge fit or bolts to provide the structural integrity.
And...let's see who is happier 15-20 years down the road at neck reset time. ;)
I have a cousin who owns a Collings D2H, and his is much better than my HD-28, but, there are more than one D2H models. In this comparison here, the Martin outshines the Collings big time to my ears.
A better comparison would be a D2H against a Martin that has the same bracing pre-war stlyle scalloping as the D2H, which I believe would a forward shifted golden era bracing.
All solid wood martins make other solid wood guitars sound like toys
Collings for me.
As a novice, I think that the Collings is louder and more bright. As far as tone, I thought they were the same. Perhaps for an unplugged bluegrass band, the Collings is the King, but save two grand and get the Martin. Just my two cents
At the end of the day it's all about personal preference. These things are always subjective so to my mind neither is better or worse than the other. I own both Martin and Taylor guitars and love them both, although they are very different animals, and I use them depending on the type and style of song that my group plays. There are even songs where I switch to the Yamaha FG180 that I've owned for over 40 years because it has a particular sound which suits the song - how subjective is that!
Collings is out of tune so that doesn't help.
To each, their own. For me the Collings hands down. A pre war Martin with the magic will usually kick butt in almost every instance but for an off the shelf brand new guitar, overtime I have A/B'ed therm the Collings wins out. The reason the Collings cost more is that they are simply made better. Just my opinion though, everybody gets to like what they like!
Both are great. Based on my speakers, I'm going to give the Martin the edge.
Collins definitely fuller sound!! I love my Collins! It just RINGS! Thanks for this!
Agree. The Collings is clear and it would be easier to record!
I am a Martin owner and think the Collings sounds much more "natural" (for lack of a better word). It is quite a bit more buzzy, it seems, though.
This is not a fair comparison should have used a HD28 for the bracing Martins are hit and miss but the consistently is getting better . Collins's are very consistently the same with nothing really special about them like a Taylor but when Martin makes a good one it's a home run
Both guitars have pretty good sounds! Martin has a nice balance. Collings has more low, wide and deep sound! Therefore, I like D2H.
Thank you for the comparison! Anyone hear the baby at 5:09!!! :)
The Collings has a richer less metallic sound sound down the neck and up the neck it gives the impression that it is easier to play. I say this because I have been a Martin person all my life. I like to own either but if I had to buy I would strongly consider the Collings.
***** Bull shit. There's also metal frets and tuners on every guitar neck. Do you hear those, too?
without a doubt, the Martin has the more powerful bass, and would appeal strongly to country flatpickers. The Collings mid-high range is substantially cleaner and brighter. It grabbed my attention from the first notes. As a fingerstyler, I find that much more attractive than the more powerful bass of the Martin.
D28 for sure sounds deeper as the D2H sounds in the nose
Both nice but the Martin sounds the better all round guitar.
Martin takes this one. Often imitated never duplicated.
Although I just ordered a martin HD28MP, lefty, I think collings is a bit brighterm perhaps more substain, but over, pretty close to the same, price wise, I would assume collings is a few hundred more, I'd take collings first, all things be equal, if they were both free, ha personally the mad die martin I think, blows them both away.
Both great guitars! I'll take them both!😂❤
Martin hands down.
Martin much more powerful thanks to dovetail neck joint.
Collings more elegant but if gently played,If not,they distort.
Very good video ! +1
Paolo from Italy