3 Dread shootout Who won? Maple, Rosewood or Mahogany

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by Kh1967

As usual, a wonderful comparison. Thank you for sharing it with us!

My two favorites were the Dove and the Collings and by a fairly wide margin. The HD28 is no slouch, but my ear just prefers the clarity and ‘woodiness’ of the other two.

The Dove sounded great in your hands. It could be a worthy add to your collection.

Good luck with your decision!

Thanks Kori! I am as shocked as everyone else with this Gibson Dove, ...including the guitar shop owner! Maple might make a great stage guitar amplified as well. I am strongly leaning to making it "family." It just speaks to me. (although I might source a plain tort pick guard. I'm not a 'bling' guy. But I can overlook that for now. My wife thinks the guitar looks too 'ornate' for me. I get it.

The Martin HD 28 Cutaway is great but it has always been my back-up cutaway. Right now it's been getting a lot of playing time because my D-18 Cutaway is due for a refret. The action is very low and I can't play 'into it' like I used to. That is why I decided to not include the D-18 in this shootout. As you and many others know, the Martin D-18 cutaway is my "go-to/number one". My fiddleback D-18 is on loan with a very close friend right now. Bad timing for the shootout.

Originally Posted by slimey

I hate to tell you this, but your guitar face is far more pronounced when you're playing the Dove, I can hear your wallet quaking from here.....

HA!! Am I that transparent. Yeah, the Gibson Dove and I really 'connected'.

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by jjbigfly

The Dove might be a string change away from greatness, but it sounds fine now. The Martin was quite nice. While I have never played a Martin I would buy, yours is one I would want (just never picked one up that I liked is the issue).
The Collings is, of course, a Collings.
But the Dove with a SLIGHTLY WARMER string choice might be the ONE.

Nice playing

You make a very interesting point. I'll expand. I just realized the Dove has Light gauge strings .12 - .053! All my other guitars have Mediums. So I'm thinking maybe a set of Daddario EJ17's (Mediums) might warm things up a little more. (after they break in for a few hours) Really good point.

I've play a lot of Martins in stores that were sort of "Blah". D28's just don't do it for me. HD28's however offer 'more'. The other factor with Martins or test driving guitars in stores is the age of the strings and the action. I lucked out with this Gibson because it is very new, the action is ideal and the strings are perfectly fresh.

[Groberts]

FYI - I made a new and perhaps overly long comparison to include my D-18 Cutaway. It has super low action so I had to play lightly but it still sounds killer. It is being re-fretted this week.

I wish I didn't do the capo and finger style at the end of this video, its not my strong suit. This capo was making everything go out of tune things got a bit buzzy. For those interested, the video below includes the Gibson Dove Original, D-18 Cutaway, Martin HDC-28 and Collings D1 Traditional.

I may delete the video below at some point since I don't think it's my best effort. It does however include the D18 which was an important data point to include.

I am appreciative for all the comments and feedback about these guitars. Thank you! AGF is an awesome place.

[docwatsonfan]

You make a very interesting point. I'll expand. I just realized the Dove has Light gauge strings .12 - .053! All my other guitars have Mediums. So I'm thinking maybe a set of Daddario EJ17's (Mediums) might warm things up a little more. (after they break in for a few hours) Really good point

.

Nice comparisons.... and nice playing!

I wonder what pick you are using?

I find a Dunlop Ultex .73 large triangle will make a guitar pretty bright, and
OTOH... a John Pearse Fast turtle will warm it up immensely....not just a "little more "

It would be interesting to see a comparison with ...say...the Dove, using two completely different picks ........

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by docwatsonfan

.

Nice comparisons.... and nice playing!

I wonder what pick you are using?

I find a Dunlop Ultex .73 large triangle will make a guitar pretty bright, and
OTOH... a John Pearse Fast turtle will warm it up immensely....not just a "little more "

It would be interesting to see a comparison with ...say...the Dove, using two completely different picks ........

Great point. I actually thought about changing picks but it was challenging enough with all the guitars. I used a Dunlop Primetone .96mm pick. I think it strikes a nice balance of detail and warmth. I also have Dunlop Primetone .73's. I use those for electric guitar but sometimes they get thrown into the mix.

I'll plan a pick comparison soon.

FYI - I BOUGHT the Gibson Dove today. Officially mine. :-)

[slimey]

Originally Posted by Groberts

I'm not a 'bling' guy.

HA!! Am I that transparent. Yeah, the Gibson Dove and I really 'connected'.

I'm not a bling guy either, but there's no doubt the Dove sounded super.
I am, much to my surprise, a big fan of maple guitars . I love the fundamental punch they have without having too many overtones.

[docwatsonfan]

Great point. I actually thought about changing picks but it was challenging enough with all the guitars. I used a Dunlop Primetone .96mm pick. I think it strikes a nice balance of detail and warmth. I also have Dunlop Primetone .73's. I use those for electric guitar but sometimes they get thrown into the mix.

I'll plan a pick comparison soon.

FYI - I BOUGHT the Gibson Dove today. Officially mine. :-)

Congrats!
if you don't own a John Pearse Fast Turtle pick, I strongly suggest checking one out...it has been a game changer for me...

it makes my Cort Gold D6 torrified dread Gold sound like a million bucks

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by docwatsonfan

Congrats!
if you don't own a John Pearse Fast Turtle pick, I strongly suggest checking one out...it has been a game changer for me...

it makes my Cort Gold D6 torrified dread Gold sound like a million bucks

I'll order a John Pearse Fast Turtle Pick. Thx for the suggestion.
I just realized you live in Chandler. I'm gigging at Culinary Dropout in Gilbert this Sunday, June 11 from 11am - 2pm. Swing by if you can and say hello. Gary

[docwatsonfan]

Originally Posted by Groberts

I'll order a John Pearse Fast Turtle Pick. Thx for the suggestion.
I just realized you live in Chandler. I'm gigging at Culinary Dropout in Gilbert this Sunday, June 11 from 11am - 2pm. Swing by if you can and say hello. Gary

omg.....5 miles from home.... I'm stoked.... BiG thanks for the headsup! and I can bring a JP pick!

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by Groberts

FYI - I made a new and perhaps overly long comparison to include my D-18 Cutaway. It has super low action so I had to play lightly but it still sounds killer. It is being re-fretted this week.

I wish I didn't do the capo and finger style at the end of this video, its not my strong suit. This capo was making everything go out of tune things got a bit buzzy. For those interested, the video below includes the Gibson Dove Original, D-18 Cutaway, Martin HDC-28 and Collings D1 Traditional.

I may delete the video below at some point since I don't think it's my best effort. It does however include the D18 which was an important data point to include.

I am appreciative for all the comments and feedback about these guitars. Thank you! AGF is an awesome place.

Wow, that D-18 sounds great! Really excellent comparison—even better than the first one (although I’d love to hear a rematch after the D-18 is re-fretted so that you can dig into it while strumming).

Honestly, they all sound excellent. The D-18 is so warm and mellow when played lightly—as you say, like a favorite pair of worn jeans. The Collings is much more “sparkly,” which, as you point out, can be a good thing in a mix. The HD-28 has that classic “built in reverb,” and rich overtones. To me, the Dove sits somewhere between the Collings and the HD-28—it has the sparkly fundamentals of the Collings, but more of the natural reverb of the HD-28. It sounds so good when strummed.

You could probably do that all day!

[brencat]

Hi Gary Congrats on buying the Dove! I have to say that to me, your DC-18 even with worn frets was the clear winner for all around best guitar of the bunch. The Dove also did very well this time, especially with that opening riff in the first 10 minutes. Other highlights for me were the HDC-28 at the ~16:30 mark, and again at the ~23:00 mark. I didn’t care much for the Collings at all anywhere in this shootout.

Thx for taking the time!

[Peter Z]

Originally Posted by Groberts

FYI - I BOUGHT the Gibson Dove today. Officially mine. :-)

Congrats Gary & many thanks for your videos.
With a Dove you have something very different and special in your collection. Only a Dove sounds like a Dove!

[drtedtan]

Originally Posted by Groberts

Great point. I actually thought about changing picks but it was challenging enough with all the guitars. I used a Dunlop Primetone .96mm pick. I think it strikes a nice balance of detail and warmth. I also have Dunlop Primetone .73's. I use those for electric guitar but sometimes they get thrown into the mix.

I'll plan a pick comparison soon.

FYI - I BOUGHT the Gibson Dove today. Officially mine. :-)

Congrats!

HNGD!

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by drtedtan

Congrats!

HNGD!

Oh yeah! It is happy NGD isn’t it? Woohoo!

[gibpicker]

Congrats on the new Dove! I'm also not a bling person, but I would not change out that pick guard no matter what. Lots of famous people have played Dove's on stage, and if it's good enough for them... well, you know.
Also the Gibson Gods might just come down on you.