Who Makes Martins Better than Martin?

[Jeff Scott]

Originally Posted by Tnfiddler

I just posted my observations I noticed yesterday wielding a Bourgeois Slope D Banjo Killer in a field of Martins, in a different thread. I love the sound of a Martin Dread and yesterday I listened carefully to every Martin in the circles I was in. What I noticed was the Martin tone was more Raw and Edgy compared to a smoother, more refined tone in my Bourgeois.

Perspective can make a huge difference in perception.

[Jaden]

Originally Posted by Tnfiddler

I just posted my observations I noticed yesterday wielding a Bourgeois Slope D Banjo Killer in a field of Martins, in a different thread. I love the sound of a Martin Dread and yesterday I listened carefully to every Martin in the circles I was in. What I noticed was the Martin tone was more Raw and Edgy compared to a smoother, more refined tone in my Bourgeois. Both brands sound great and I LOVE the tone of both of them. So I don’t think Bourgeois builds a better Martin, it’s just a different variety of the Martin tone.

Reads realistic. The factory made Martin guitars built to a set of time honoured recipes (proven over time) of specifications are pushing out raw tone, maximizing the potential output for a general application of music making, where on the other hand a good small builder will have more time to make subtle refinements that translate to smoother tone.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Originally Posted by Jaden

Reads realistic. The factory made Martin guitars built to a set of time honoured recipes (proven over time) of specifications are pushing out raw tone, maximizing the potential output for a general application of music making, where on the other hand a good small builder will have more time to make subtle refinements that translate to smoother tone.

Jaden, were these mostly D-28s? Just curious.

scott memmer

[Jaden]

Originally Posted by Charmed Life Picks

Jaden, were these mostly D-28s? Just curious.

scott memmer

Hi Scott,

Tnfiddler would have the answer to that; I’d be interested to know more specifics on that also.

[Tnfiddler]

Originally Posted by Jaden

Hi Scott,

Tnfiddler would have the answer to that; I’d be interested to know more specifics on that also.

There was a mixture of D-18's and 28's of both the D and HD configurations and a 35 too. Lots of older ones and one 2015 HD-28.

[hairpuller]

Originally Posted by Tnfiddler

I just posted my observations I noticed yesterday wielding a Bourgeois Slope D Banjo Killer in a field of Martins, in a different thread. I love the sound of a Martin Dread and yesterday I listened carefully to every Martin in the circles I was in. What I noticed was the Martin tone was more Raw and Edgy compared to a smoother, more refined tone in my Bourgeois. Both brands sound great and I LOVE the tone of both of them. So I don’t think Bourgeois builds a better Martin, it’s just a different variety of the Martin tone.

This makes sense to me. Haven't come across a guitar (YET!) that sounds like my 000-18, or to my ears sound better. And I have been searching. Maybe that true Martin tone is what fills my ears best.
scott

[Matthjs]

Pre-War guitars may come close. They are designed to look and sound like the Martins of the late 30’s and 40’s. Check out the YouTube link below.

https://youtu.be/Rcy1gaQBhU4

[JackB1]

IMO nothing else captures that unique "Martin Tone" like an actual Martin.
Yes there are many "copies" out there that do it for less and may even look nicer, but there's a reason why they are where they are today.

[Mbroady]

Old thread and I might have even responded at an earlier date. But with 13 pages ......and my attitude might have changed since then. But since the OP states cost is not the first concern. There are several luthier builders that excel at emulating, with amazing constancy the classic Martin sound.

I would name MJ Franks as one such builder. I was looking for a Martin(esq) OM style guitar. I wound up with a used MJ Franks OMs. It sounds like the best Martins I have ever played. Maybe even better.

A new OM-42 would run you around $4500 give a take a few. For a little less you can have an OM-42 style guitar built. And it would be a true Martin Style guitar that was not built on a production line.

[s2y]

Originally Posted by Mbroady

Old thread and I might have even responded at an earlier date. But with 13 pages ......and my attitude might have changed since then. But since the OP states cost is not the first concern. There are several luthier builders that excel at emulating, with amazing constancy the classic Martin sound.

I would name MJ Franks as one such builder. I was looking for a Martin(esq) OM style guitar. I wound up with a used MJ Franks OMs. It sounds like the best Martins I have ever played. Maybe even better.

A new OM-42 would run you around $4500 give a take a few. For a little less you can have an OM-42 style guitar built. And it would be a true Martin Style guitar that was not built on a production line.

My last Bob Thompson was loosely a torrified OM-41 style build with Brazilian back/sides. A quick web search showed me that a used OM-41 would be about $4k with EIR. Honestly, I paid probably less than 1/2 of what the Martin custom shop might charge.

One big reason I went with Bob Thompson initially was because a forearm bevel is highly preferred on bigger guitars since I'm small. I don't think Martin offers that. I also generally need a smaller neck profile than standard.

My shops rarely stock higher end Martins because they simply don't sell. I'd feel bad asking them to order a Martin for me to say "meh".

[hat]

no one makes a better Martin than Martin - because they are the only ones that make Martins! But a lot of independents and large shops make excellent variations of the Martin designs. Some are better, some maybe not. In fact I just finished a very nice HD-28 copy that I feel is the equal of the real deal in tone and volume - but that's just MY opinion. at the end of the day that's all that really matters - your opinion.

[M Sarad]

After recording with two 1930 OM 45s and my Merrill OM 28, I listened to the playback of a particular tune. I was convinced it was the better if the two 45s. I read the engineer’# notes and was surprised it was the Merrill.

[blindboyjimi]

M Sarad is on the money. I have vintage Martins and luthier built Martin copies. On tape, (or digital nowadays) I’d be hard pressed to tell a Sexauer, Borges, Brondel, Franklin, Merrill, Hooper, Henderson, etc from a great vintage Martin. They will all trump (ugh, I hate using that word) a modern Martin. In hand, I love my vintage Martins but I recently sold my 1933 OM-18 and kept my Borges OM-18.

[ALBD]

Originally Posted by blindboyjimi

M Sarad is on the money. I have vintage Martins and luthier built Martin copies. On tape, (or digital nowadays) I’d be hard pressed to tell a Sexauer, Borges, Brondel, Franklin, Merrill, Hooper, Henderson, etc from a great vintage Martin. They will all trump (ugh, I hate using that word) a modern Martin. In hand, I love my vintage Martins but I recently sold my 1933 OM-18 and kept my Borges OM-18.

This has been my experience as well, except I'd add John Slobod. And Pre-War guitar Co.

[DesertTwang]

Why is this thread still not dead? It was started two-and-half years ago...