I’d be proud to own any of them.

the Martin and Eastman sounded the best for me

im not a pro.. and i own an Eastman E10D. I love the guitar but I didnt even try to play a Martin because it was out of my price range. There is a huge price difference between the Eastman and the other guitars in this comparison. For me, If I wanted a D18 sound without a budget, im playing a bunch of Martins and picking my favorite D18. However I have a budget, so i searched alternatives and found a used E10D for less than $1k and it is awesome!

@georgeargon5113

2 ай бұрын

Martins are increasingly becoming a Blues Dentist brand. I own Eastman, Gibson, Martin and Takamine. American made instruments can not compare with quality and variety to Asian made brands unless the consumer is willing to shell out 2 or more times the money for an (almost) identical guitar.

I just ordered a chicken and an egg from Amazon. Waiting to see which one comes first!

@AcousticShoppe

5 ай бұрын

Let us know! 😂

@stringpicker5468

5 ай бұрын

Item not in stock

@ratwynd

5 ай бұрын

Eggs. Scrambled please with bacon.

There's no best. Only different. As a musician, there have never been more good options👍Pick one you like and play it👍

A stunning achievement by Martin. Even if my phone speakers, it sounds like the guitar that makes the most sense. It delivers across the spectrum of possibility. Like a home base. The others are great sounding, but they’re just different.

Thank you for this excellent comparison video! Your comments and conclusions are objective and very usefull, espacially the difference between a stand alone situation and a band situation. I would love to see and hear a similar comparison with the D28, the rosewood back and sides dreadnoughts.

Thank you! Nicely done.

Great Review ! Great playing ! That took a lot of editing ... Thank You !

@AcousticShoppe

3 ай бұрын

Thanks for the feedback!

I am a d18 Martin fan but out of the bunch for tone to the ear the Atkin stands out from all in this video it stood out to me when compared in your guitar review.

brilliant comparison video with nicely timed cuts and consistent playing!! Now please start a series on "Who makes the best...."! J-45, D28, etc etc =D

@AcousticShoppe

5 ай бұрын

We may have to start that series, thanks so much for the feedback!

Jeremy Chapman keeps me laughing on every video! You guys are great together!

I love martin and Atkin guitars so much but really like the tone of the Gallagher.Many thanks for this video plenty of banter between you both which is just as entertaining as listening to you play .Martin from Cambridge uk

@AcousticShoppe

5 ай бұрын

Thanks so much Martin!

Gallagher, Martin, Atkin. Great video.

They all sound great. Your posture is clearly different with the Atkins and Eastman. So much more relaxed and natural than with all the others.

When I was looking for a d18 style a few weeks ago, it came down to the Martin and the Atkin. The Atkin impressed more so I bought it. The Martin was also very nice indeed. I also tried one of the non-torrefied Eastman E10s, nice guitar for the money but was not a patch on the Martin or the Atkin.

For availability, consistency, price, warranty, playability, and the overall best sound, I’m going with Martin. Are there better sounding guitars? Probably, but I’m sure all of the markers have stand outs that the stars just aligned with. Your listers won’t be able to tell the difference anyway! :) As usual great video!!

Going by Sound alone: 1. ATKIN 2. Martin 3. Guild 4. Eastman 5. Bourgeois 6. Gallagher. Then, I would need a narrow nut (less than 1.75"). I like them all as my 1st guitar was a spruce mahogany dreadnought (Airline / Harmony Sovereign Regal H6600). Currently, my A Loprinzi LM-15 (1974 spruce mahogany, the "NJ Martin") fills the D-18 bill. Thanks

These are all great sounding dreads. What I hear here is my own personal preference for Rosewood dreads coming through. I liked the sound of all of these instruments, but I don't love it like I do from a Rosewood guitar. Great video. THe Bourgious sounded particularly clear.

Eastman's wood selection is crazy good.

I have a Circa D-18 style guitar. It’s phenomenal. I wish I lived close to your shop, I’d bring it to you for a test drive.

I was fortunate enough to meet Doc Watson after watching him perform once at Stuart Auditorium. He signed my concert ticket afterward with his own hand, in his own signature. Make of that what you will ;)

I owned a D18 and a D40 back in the day. Both great. The Martin to me had more soul. The Guild had great sustain and was very even. And that Guild sound. Better neck, but neither were as playable as some modern acoustic neck profiles.

They are all very good pro quality instruments . A few years ago I, the local shop had a Collings D1 in on trade. We tried that against some other mahogany dreadnoughts and it was clearly superior , but at a much higher price. Whatever floats the boat and also leaves the credit card paid.

I'm going to go with Martin for the win guys!!🤠 Guild was definitely impressive as well!

I was not familiar with the Adkin but was impressed with its tone. I have a 14 yr old E10D that gives D-18 a run for the money. However, I’m a fan of Adi tops and my Martin Custom Shop D-18 Adi is hard to beat.

1. Bourgeois touchstone 2. Martin 3. Eastman 4. Guild 5. Atkin 6. Gallagher

My Alvarez Yairi DYMHD60 is awesome. I am saving up to go on a search for a D-18. I bought the Yairi during the pandemic, because I couldn't go in store shopping. I have seen huge inconsistencies in the D-18's. I love the DYMHD60. amazing craftsmanship.

@ralfybaby

5 ай бұрын

I'll take that over a D18

@kurt8805

5 ай бұрын

Save your money unless you're saving up for an old D-18. The Alvarez-Yairi DYM60HD is far superior to a new or recent D-18. Adirondack top, greater projection, rounder highs, better build quality overall.

@mikeelks3471

2 ай бұрын

Yairi makes dy18 awsome

That guild has some fire in it

I got an Atkin D-37 and love it. I probably would’ve loved an essential if one would’ve been in the shop. I loved my Atkin so much I bought an Atkin EOM which is their version of an OM18. People have been freaking out at how this OM sounds like a dreadnought. I’m freaking out about it too. Pretty crazy.

@ManchurianCounterweight

5 ай бұрын

How deep is that OM18?

@dennysitze6567

5 ай бұрын

I'm not ready to make a firm decision on this.. I'm gonna have to re-watch.

They all sound excellent - still favor the balance of the Martin overall. There's no wrong or bad choice here; whatever suits your own ears, and makes you wanna pick it up and play it.

What a great comparison. It’s amazing how different such similar looking guitars can sound. It’s good to hear the E10D holding its own (I own a 2012 model). What string gauge was used? I assume it would be the same on all. I wonder how much the comparison might have changed if the mic were in a somewhat different location. A guitar that might not be quite what you’d like in that mic configuration might sound great with a small change. And of course a mic’ed guitar will never sound the same as an unamplified acoustic performance. That’s not criticism, just an observation. Good job.

Guild and Atkins are my favorites. Nice dark lows, and clarity in the highs.

My top picks are the Martin and the Guild. I prefer the tone of the Martin, but I like the narrower neck width of the Guild.

Eastman sounded beautiful!😊

1. Martin, 2. Bourgeois, 3. Atkin…. Excellent video!!! Would love to see the same comparison only with Martin D28 Standard against others….

@AcousticShoppe

5 ай бұрын

That’s a great idea, hopefully one day we can!

@lilycat1694

5 ай бұрын

@@AcousticShoppe thankyou for replying. Can’t wait for that comparison!!!

@kylerevette6930

4 ай бұрын

YES this is exactly what I came to the comments for!

I found the Guild to be an interesting sound. It sounded great, but also sounded like a guitar that needs to be played a lot and open up, and then it will be incredible. But it's really got its own voice and I'm interested in trying some out.

@tomformanek3312

3 ай бұрын

With an Adi top it will need time to fully open up.

There’s still something in the overall Martin tone for me. There’s that roundness with that jangle in the high strings that all the competition here seem to lack and I heard it again in this video in the first part where the high strings were accented. And the bottom end is legendary. Next for me in this video would be the Atkin. That sounded great too.

They all had their own voice. I liked the Atkins, it sounded opened and woodie.

To me, the Atkin sounded really excellent and the Martin sounded correct. Great playing! A real joy to listen to.

The Bourgeois was easily the best sounding one, especially the treble strings! But that Martin sounded great, too. Those would be the top two for me.

I’m like the other commenter; I have an e10d as the other ones are out of my price range, at least for now, and the Eastie hangs with the US big boys. The dread I have got my eye on is the Recording King Series 11 dreadnought. I have the 000; the series is very lightly built and responsive. Interested to hear what people think about them.

I recently purchased a Martin D18, satin finish. To me, the sounds that this guitar produce are absolutely stunning! But when it arrived it was nearly unplayable. Martin ships these out with a high action, and with what they call medium gauge strings! I think you could suspend a bridge with those strings! Anyway, I ordered a string action tool, and a truss rod wrench, and made a few minor adjustments, and also switched to light action Elixir strings! Hugh difference in playability, especially finger picking! Martin gets my vote, but they all sound great! Would like to hear a Yamaha in this mix! The FG9, or the FG5! Next time. Thanks!

You should have included the Blueridge. They're amazing.

To me the Martin just has an all around "Brighter" tone with the Bourgeois Is a very close second place! I have always said that whoever invents ANY product whether it be a guitar or a ball point pen etc, the only thing an inventor can do is IMPROVE their product! Martin falls into this "Rule" clearly because the one from 100 years ago sounds the same everyone else can imitate but their guitar will never be the same! No one has the great tonal qualities of an American made martin from Nazareth PA! I am so happy that you are using the @Ear Trumpet Edwina because they are the only Microphone that very closely matches the Neumann U67 at 1/5 the price! I have a band and I'll be using those mics for every acoustic instrument (guitar, fiddle, resonator guitar, Mandolin and banjo) just because of that!

Would be interesting to see a comparison of spruce top guitars created for fingerstyle players, like the Gallagher G-60 and the Martin 000-28.

Friend of mine bought a new D-18 in 1965. It was fine then, and I'm sure it is magnificient now.

I wouldn’t say no to any of them❤

That Doc Watson Herringbone joke was amazing. HAHA

1. Martin 2. Gallagher 3. Atkin 4. Bourgeois touchstone 5. Guild 6. Eastman

I like them all.

Guild - Westerly, RI all the way. I've had mine since 1986. It rings.

@jacobwillis4937

4 ай бұрын

I have a 1975 d35 thats a banjo killer

@jacobwillis4937

4 ай бұрын

Cool comparison the guild sounded more like a martin than the martin. Would have liked to hear the fg5 in the mix even though its half the price

My picks would be: 1. Martin, 2. Eastman, 3. Atkin, 4. Bourgeois, 5. Guild, 6. Gallagher

My mahogany guitars are a 1971 J50 and a 1963 Epiphone Cabellero. My Martins are either rosewood or ovangkol. I also own a 80's vintage Vantage 12 string MIJ guitar with an ash back and sides. They are all VERY different in their sound profile. No such thing as a 'best' guitar. Find the instrument with the voice you want and you have found YOUR best guitar. The guitar I play out most often is a 1977 Takamine F400 12 string I bought for $100 in a pawn shop and restored fully. I have 5 12 strings in total including a D12-28 and Cole-Clark Fat Lady 2 12 string. I just love the voice and playability of the Takamine and I get a LOT of positive comments from audience and other players on its tone.

Love them all, but loved the deep full sound of the Guild.

Yes maybe do the different Martin dread comparison please! Do a comparison of the -d18, D28 and the hd28 addi top, and the d28 etc… that would be amazing to hear since Martin really remains supreme. Can you do this? Thanks 😊

@AcousticShoppe

5 ай бұрын

A full Martin line comparison would be awesome and we do really hope to do it one day. It’s just a matter of getting the guitars in!

@R.L.Humpert

5 ай бұрын

@@AcousticShoppe yea that’s quite a load of expensive guitars. Maybe people could Lend their Martin for the show locally. Hehe 😉

I am with most, they all sounded great. To me though, I still liked the Martin, then the Guild, then the Gallagher.

My Collings D1A seems to hold its own in the mix.

I like the Guild D-40 - it's beefy.

@bleufishtv

3 ай бұрын

I’m waiting for my d40 to arrive!

@Magnum_Opus_Music

3 ай бұрын

D40 is a great guitar! Love mine. Great overtones and neck plays great ❤ *Guild for the win*

@bleufishtv

2 ай бұрын

@@Magnum_Opus_Music so much better than martin

@larrydunn4626

Ай бұрын

D18 sound isn't supposed to be beefy, but if you prefer beefy, then great.

@chrisperyagh

Ай бұрын

@@larrydunn4626 Descriptions and perceptions are purely personal - if I perceive it as beefy, then I'll say it sounds beefy as that's my perception of it compared to the others and there's nothing wrong with that. How would you describe how it's 'supposed' to sound? Is it 'supposed' to sound a specific way?

I bought a Bedell 1964 special edition square shoulder from the acoustic Shoppe back in October. Ive never heard a d18 anything with as much volume or midrange cut. Ive owned all the d18s from standard to custom shop sinker. No comparison.

@AcousticShoppe

5 ай бұрын

That’s a great model!

@user-lz9xz6lu3u

5 ай бұрын

I want a Bedell Coffee House Dreadnought so bad !! I am jealous of you!!

@thomasknapp7236

4 ай бұрын

​@user-lz9xz6lu3u someone just listed for sale here in Idaho for 2800 bucks! Killer deal. Immaculate shape

When evaluating guitar price must be considered as well as tone quality. I now own two Eastmans. The best sounding guitar I ever owned was a Santa Cruz dreadnaught. Have two different players play the same instrument and it will not sound the same. The players talent is the key to playing well.

#1 Gallagher #2 Atkin #3 Guild #4 Bourgeois #5 Eastman #6 Lyle oh Martin

I really like the Boucher BG-42 personally.

@AcousticShoppe

5 ай бұрын

Definitely a contender.

I think I like the Atkins the best

I've owned a bunch of Martins, still have a late 90's D-41. My Eastman 10D easily holds its own.

Will you be doing this for rosewood dreads as well? I'd love to see that.

@AcousticShoppe

5 ай бұрын

We would totally love to!

My 3 favourites in order are #1 Atkin #2 D18 #3 Eastman The Atkin is something else, amazing!

@larrydunn4626

Ай бұрын

we voted the same.

1. Martin for sure 2. Bourgeois 3. Atkin believe it or not 4. The rest were ok just random order. They all sound great but I’m always putting my money on the Martins. This was totally an awesome show. Do this with the other body styles and compare please. Super cool.

@AcousticShoppe

5 ай бұрын

We’re always trying to do more comparisons! Thanks for watching!

Love the vid, but why not just keep everything sitka and mahogany and demo the E6D?

I think the Martin sounded best, and then the Guild. I have a D-40 Natural and they have a great tone, but I still prefer the Martin out of all of these. I also have an Alvarez DYM60HD and I think it sounds better than all of these, but maybe I’d feel different if I was listening to it recorded in this video with the same equipment. You’re lucky if you own any one of these fine instruments in the video though.

Martin for sure

Collings needs to be in any best d-18 conversation, they make the best among Martin/Bourgeois/Huss and Dalton/Santa Cruz etc

Out of the bunch, I'll take the Eastman. I think once they are played in the Eastman is going to be the best. The addy top will make the difference

@Paulcarlinmusic

5 ай бұрын

Chinese junk!

@susanroycroft89

5 ай бұрын

Good point, highlighting Adirondack, I'm from NZ and there's only been 1Eastman Iv'e played played was the equal (soundwise) to the Martin, I forget which model, BUT I didn't forget the price, it was very similar, whereas the cheaper Eastman's, to my ears ,are just nice guitar's that's all ,But just my opinion 😊😊😊

@R.L.Humpert

5 ай бұрын

I’m not bagging on your opinion. They are all great I know. But if the ones here I just don’t see how the Eastman isn’t last. Martin and the Bourgeios are clearly better to me. Just to me. I liked the Atkin actually surprisingly. Maybe the Gallagher was last but Eastman to me is nice but I dunno I just don’t see how anyone would thing the Eastman sounds better than the 2 I Mentioned. I’m not a big Taylor fan myself but they have some models that are very good like the 414 and 914 series. I sold My Taylor’s though and bought a Martin HD 28 custom addi top and it’s just completely amazing. Bro I am Not putting down your opinion. I’m not the world’s expert on sound. I’m Not even that great of a player but am I missing something? I just don’t hear anything better than the first 2 they just seem to separate themselves from the rest. 😅 🤷🏼😊

@richardstones6445

5 ай бұрын

Which Eastman? The one that says “Eastman” or the one that says “Bourgeois” on the headstock?

@joepayne7843

5 ай бұрын

@R.L.Humpert it's just a name, that addy top once it has been played in, or broken in, it's probably going to be the best. I'm not taking anything away from bourgeois, they build some amazing guitars, Dana Bourgeois has collaborated with Eastman, and even before, they were building awesome stuff, but now there as probably as close to bourgeois as you can get. So do you want to pay 6 grand or 2 grand for a great acoustic guitar.

Please include Larrivée as well!

@AcousticShoppe

5 ай бұрын

They would definitely be in the mix, great guitars!

I have a Collings and it's really nice...also Zager 900 that's close to the Collings

There all good guitars . I have owned 3 Martin D18 standard series one modern deluxe D18 , a custom shop sinker hog D-18 and a 2023 1937 Authentic D-18 of these my authentic sounds the best but each person has there own opinion

@ronuyeyama4020

5 ай бұрын

I like you guitar choices! I have a standard d18 and would love an authentic. I have a d28 that never gets played.

The Martin and the Atkin for me please.

Thank you for the video. I was surprised how good all sound. For me, The Martin and Eastman would be my picks. Yes, more sparkle on the guild. Thank you.

I don’t think we think of how a guitar sounds in a room full of nice guitars. The sound goes into, bounces around in, and comes back bigger. We rarely get to play alone in a room. These videos are all utilizing nice microphones a couple feet from the instrument. While that levels the playing field it doesn’t seem like it represents real world conditions. I’d also like to hear a Yairi Alvarez in this mix.

Great review and playing guys! What is the name of the song starting ~9:10?

@jeremychapman7243

4 ай бұрын

That's Blackberry Blossom.

Which guitar had the most comfortable neck or the fullest feel, I’m not too sure about the MLO on the D-18, I hear some people feel some cramping on the first three frets. Thanks!

I would buy another Martin D18. It's so good. The Borgeois is really nice. It's a little more open. I still like the dry tone of a Martin

As a nearly blind man who has an actual affinity for light coloured binding (no joke) I find your doc Watson comment 51% hilarious and 49% borderline offensive lol so I demand a free Gallagher guitar :-)

Larivee make nice guitars and herd some good things about orangewood guitars. It would be interesting to do a video on how to make your own (Willie Nelson)Trigger and what guitars are available to do so. I see prismatonepickups now sell the pickup and a guitar w the pickup.

Was hoping for a big upset- but the Martin takes it here. Especially on the higher notes- much better tone.

Could you test smaller body guitars, guild OM 240 and a like please ?

Man that Atkin I loved its sound and then looked up its price 😅

I agreed with some of the points. Yes D18 can sound a bit bass heavy especially for strumming (I have one in the studio as well) and because of that, for recording purposes it gets tricky at times... Atkins sounded a lot like a Gibson than a Martin to me or at least/maybe more like a Mahogany top Martin?... Guild was certainly the most identical to the D18 you guys used in this video. I wish the action was set better or strings weren't as new. Eastman was OK overall. but it almost doesn't sound like a "dreadnought". Not on this recording at least... Bourgeois to me had the least balanced voice. It has more low-mids, lacked some mid frequencies and highs during fingerpicking. Surprisingly it wasn't as good as I imagined it would be as normally I like them. Galagher has some upper-mid strangness. Almost sounds like a phase issue at times. Would be tough to get a good strumming out of this. Anyways fantastic comparison regardless. Appreciated!

Atkin, Gallagher, Bourgeois, Martin, Eastman, Guild

My choice for best professional grade dreadnaught for the money is the Seagull S6. and no, I don't own one, only because dreads are too big for me. So I play a Seagull Amber Trail Folk model. Adirondack spruce top maple back and sides made in Canada.

I’d pick the Guild with a 1” 19mm nut width

The Martin seems like it is better through the mid range…every other one sounded scooped to me

...Never heard of Atkin before !! I have a Martin D-18 GE my self. The Atkin is way above them all at my opinion.

@reghacksaw1258

5 ай бұрын

I replaced my d-18 ge with an Atkin essential 18 custom 45mm nut, mod v neck and relic finish. I loved the Martin but the Atkin is just somehow better, sweeter sounding, better intonated and has incredible sustain.

It sounds like John is talking through Jeremy's mic for the first several minutes of the video. Sound check!😂

Saved twenty minutes...Martin. Gooooooood day.

'41 D18 with c.2000 Jeff Traugott euro spruce re-top/rebuild --Oh My, you better believe it.

Lol you guys are hilarious! Warning: don’t try to eat a sandwich while watching the banter portion of this video! Haha

@AcousticShoppe

5 ай бұрын

Lol thanks!

That's some nice pickin

Listening with headphones and not looking, when I heard one that really struck me I looked and apparently it was the Atkin

I was impressed with how good the Eastman and Guild sounded at their individual price points. Nevertheless my choice in this comparative selection would be the Martin followed by the Bourgeois. So where was the Boucher?

@AcousticShoppe

5 ай бұрын

I don’t think we had a Boucher in at the time, tough to fit them all in!