J45 vs D18 Blindfold Test - Which Guitar Sounds Better??

Today might be the ultimate battle… the Gibson J-45 vs Martin D-18 - two of the most iconic guitars of all time! Both mahogany, both dreadnought shape, similar price points, and easily two of the most popular acoustic models ever! AND, today we not only blindfold Quinton to see which he prefers, but at the end is a chance to blindfold yourself to see which sound YOU prefer! Let us know which one you prefer… leave a comment. And don't forget to SUBSCRIBE for more videos like this!

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[danmaguire]

Did not peek, but was not trying to ID the guitars. It seem like Guitar 1 (the Gibson) had a bright crisp, "ringy" sound where each string could be heard clearly whereas Guitar 2 (the Martin) had a deeper more "mixed" sound a "richer" sound where the notes melded together into a common sound. That is my take.

[briang]

I was able to correctly guess the guitars. Thirty years ago I was a "Martin guy." Not only was I incredibly biased toward Martins and vociferously against Gibson, but I was a committed Rosewood back and sides for the tonewoods. Over the years my ears have led me toward the slope shouldered Gibson mahogany dreadnoughts like the J-35 and the J-45. I still appreciate the D-28s, HD-28, OMs, & 000's but it is interesting where one's ears will take you and how different other people's ears and tastes are.

[EC-svns]

I own a J45 I guessed it right. It has a warmer tone on the low e and a strings and at the same time a brighter clarity on the high strings. The 18 sounds crisp and tight but i prefer the 45 by alot. Just a great sounding guitar. im very happy with it.

[thomasnettleton]

Correctly id'd both. The J-45 projectes a bit fuller when strumming, but the D-18 has the pure musicality of a Martin playing single notes. If I was playing a rhythm gig, I'd take the J-45 with me. Solo gig I would take the D-18.

[jeffhayes]

I think for me, the more my playing advanced the more I became a huge mahogany fan. I guess I appreciated the rosewood overtones covering up my mistakes and filling in the empty space. I love how clear and dry everything is on a mahogany guitar and the balance makes for some spring on the strumming. Same thing that over time I appreciate a good Gibson with red spruce and mahogany.

[maxwellfan]

I'm a Gibson guy, and identified each correctly. On the basis of this (taking into consideration Quinton's pick and string technique), sound wise I would choose the Martin, but prefer the look and feel of the Gibson which I would probably pick up and play more. Basically, I can't win!

[phyfts]

I love these kind of videos! Please add some Guilds too (Martin hd28 vs Guild d55 maybe)

[peachcurls]

I got it right! They both sound extremely similar with single notes as opposed to strumming. Strumming makes the differences more clear.

[jimmyonguitar]

Recently played a D18 2020 limited edition, and a J45 standard (both were brand new), and I ended up buying the J45. It seemed to project more, and had a little more low end. I was pretty sure I wanted the Martin when I first walked into the shop (because I love my D16r), but the Gibson got me. Happy with my choice.

[ia]

I own the D-18 and it's my favorite sounding acoustic guitar, but the bright liveliness of the Gibson J-45 really surprised me. Had great single note definition.

[russfitzgerald]

I got it right - mostly because I picked up on the more prominent mid-range of the J-45 in the strumming. The Martin has more low end, with what feels to me like a scooped mid-range, but I've been playing the same J-45 for nearly 16 years, and my sense of mids vs. lows is suitably biased. I can appreciate the Martin as a very fine guitar, but the music I play and the way I play it just works better on a J-45.

[socksgratecheese]

What a great comparison! I thought the Gibson was slightly preferable because it was more balanced across the strings (against my expectations). If between the two specific samples, i'd choose the Gibson because I usually find them more comfortable.

[Jam-mm]

At 7:39 you can tell the Gibson is a White Label Standard and not a custom shop Red Label....one thing to take note of is all Gibson’s are now made with hide glue on the neck joints which as the guitar ages it’ll just keep getting louder and crisper and better sounding this is my experience with all Bozeman Montana Gibson

[livelifewithmusic]

You guys are my favorite interenet show. Keep up the good work

[patrickd]

I really enjoy the blindfold comparison tests. I would love to see some comparisons of budget ($300 to $700), middle($800 to $1500) and higher end Martins, Taylors and Gibsons. That is, comparing Martin to Martin, etc. It would also be fun to see some comparisons of similarly priced guitars from less well-known makers with these top brands.

[worldwide]

If your ears are that bad that you can’t hear a difference, then save yourself a load of cash and buy that $399.00 special on eBay.

[tlove]

I will be honest. I did not get it right. Love what you guys do! Great chemistry!!

[texhaines]

I liked guitar 1 more than #2. But guessed incorrectly. I OWN a J45 and a D-28. Glad I liked the one I own. Good video. What about a video that compares a 12 fret slotted head with a solid head?

[trobmj]

I guessed wrong. And I have an 18 with Adirondack top. They are close and both sound great.

[SteveAtkinsonFineArt]

The single-note playing towards the end definitely was where the difference lay for me. I guessed it right, but not sure if it was bc of my ear or the fact that I had a 50/50 chance of getting it right. J-45 is what sounded better to me. For my taste, Martins tend to be more muddled on the top end and I like a little more sparkle up there. Thanks for the comparison!