I'm just watching this video about 6 years after it was posted. Yes, I liked the sound of the Martin also. I had my picks for each blind and changed my pick on the first round, had I not overthought it, I would have nailed all of them. Eh, 7 out of 9 blinds is pretty good considering I don't even play.
In the first two tests I guessed them all 100% correct. The carbon is less natural sounding because of the tinniness around 800Hz, no warmth and less crisp highs. Surprisingly, the HPL caught my attention in spite that it lacks naturally organized wooden fiber, because it's got warmth of a wooden guitar and presence in the high mids. The wooden Stonebridge is the most natural sounding anyway. However, the HPL guitars are worth buying.
So, as a sound engineer I just don't understand why people might like the carbon guitar. Just because it's louder due to its tinniness? Is it a trend nowadays that louder is better? HPL guitars sound equally loud and even more present because of the more naturally distributed frequencies across the "sensitivity" range of the Fletcher-Munson's diagram. And they've got warmth of a wooden guitar as well.
I agree. A quite surprisingly warm tone from the laminate, I think I preferred it over even the Stonebridge on a test or two. I also think in every test the carbon fiber was easily recognized and certainly was behind the other two
probably because people like different tonalities with instruments? O: The carbon fiber sounded far more pleasing than the wooden instrument to my ears.
DrDizzleFrizzle Very interesting how preference of sound works, isn't it? I did prefer the carbon fiber in the middle test, I think it was. I can see how they work best under different circumstances
I was able to pick out the wood, HPL, and carbon fiber on the 2nd and 3rd test. On the fingerstyle test, the HPL Martin had surprisingly great tone and warmth - probably because of the dreadnought size.
Picked the Stonebridge for test 1 and 3.....Martin for test 2 for fav's. Could hear the composite on all 3.....that was easy to hear. Especially when you tap the guitar with your fingers.
Carbon fiber definitely had more volume maybe a bit better sustain, but i picked the HPL over all for tone, 2 out of the 3 times. I guess i'll be saving money too. I wonder how many will will be cheating on these tests, casting their votes after seeing which guitar was which?
@@satriasamudra306 HPL stands for High Pressure Laminate. Basically, in order to be more environmentally conscious in the wake of woods like Rosewood and Mahogany being overharvested to the point of Government bans on their exportation, Martin n Co. decided to look at alternative methods of constructing a guitar that was more affordable, yet produced a good tone. They came up with the idea for utilizing 3 elements: 1. Stratabond (layers of wood that are glued together, and then carved into a neck shape, for a guitar neck) 2. Richlite (recycled paper and resin that are formed into a smooth material for use on a guitar's fingerboard and bridge) Richlite is FSC Certified (Forest Stewardship Council) and made from sustainable materials. and 3. HPL (High Pressure Laminate is pieces of wood chips and other leftover woods used in construction. They compress them under extreme pressure and bake them into sheets of wood. Extremely durable and tough. Used for the Top, Back and Sides of a guitar). The Martin X-Series uses these 3 elements in some aspect or another. The nice guitars in this lineup are the ones with a Solid Spruce Top, and HPL for the back and sides, with a Stratabond neck and a Richlite fingerboard and bridge.
I picked two favorites each time and the rain song was one of the two each time. The all wood tied two out of the three, but the Martin tied for the second one along with the rain song. Having heard your previous video, I was always able to detect the rain song. I will say that it has the most even tone of them all, but is also slightly metallic or brighter sounding. Great demo! Blind is the true test.
I'm a music lover, but i'm a novice at guitar, i know nothing about it, what it should sound like etc. Which gives me a fresh opinion, and first of all, after hearing the three guitars of the first test, i was able to determine in the second and the third test, which guitar had made what sound, which i'm pretty happy about. I thought the sounds of the HPL were warm but short, as if the guitar was somehow smaller if that makes sense, or as if the wood didn't vibrate as much.It sounded compact. The Wood guitar was probably my favorite since it sounded much fuller, as if played in a big room with echo, which gives sounds that i enjoy. The Carbon fiber's sounds were clear and cold, notes were impactful and gracious, but the lack of vibration didn't create as much of a bridge between notes, so it was cool and beautiful but not melodious, again, if that makes any sense. Wood is definitely best for those percussions.
Great vid, i confused the Stone and the Martin for the strumming. After this though, I do like the crisp sound of the carbon fiber, I might just pick one up.
I voted 3, 3, 2. I could easily hear which one was the cheap Martin laminate guitar though, quite deep and dull sounding. The other 2 had a much wider range of tone, and it would be very hard for me to consitently tell which one is the carbon fiber guitar, and which one is the Stonebridge guitar, they both sound very good
Sweet. I really wanted one of those Martins and I chose it twice. I didnt like it on test 2(strumming) but IMO was the clear winner on 1 and 2. It is cool to see how many other peeps thought the opposite. Different strokes I guess. I really love your channel. Keep it up and more will surely come.
1st Carbon all three times - clean clarity, steady boost of sustain with volumeric punch! 2nd all wood smooth rich tone with warmth and sustain but not as clean and crispy. 3rd laminate held it's own as it is a Martin making the most of what it is, gave you less sustain less crispy but all the same held up to it's high end brothers. Key thing here is Carbon is very accurate in thickness and surface, gives treble punch with volume presence of sustain is outstanding. If you ever had a sample of carbon plate drop it on a hard surface and listen to it's sound do the same for wood and laminated wood. You will be a believer if not from this video. Carbon is only as good as it's strings, if not fresh the carbon gives what input it gets. String selection is everything as always, if the gauge is too light you will expound the treble.
Best to listen with headphones or a good set of speakers! The order of the guitars are switched for each playing comparison, so see if you can pick each one out :) Enjoy!
Good stuff. Enjoyed watching. One suggestion: I'd be interested in hearing some commentary from you, like some sort of short analysis of relative performance, or even just observations playing the different instruments.
+Michael Bürge Thanks! While my videos are generally tone comparisons, I'll see if I can add some general observations on playability too. Thanks for the suggestion :)
I picked out the Carbon Fiber every single time. Once I knew what the pressed wood one sounded like, I got it the second and third times. The traditional one has the fullest tone of the three, and the carbon fiber one is a little bit brighter on the high tones, and shallower on the mid tones. I think I'm also hearing a very distinct string hit compared to both of the wood guitars. The laminate one sounds a little bit muddled in the mid and high tones, but overall is pretty similar to the traditional guitar.
I have a hard time enjoying instruments that have distinct self-resonance at specific tones, and he pressure laminate guitar had a lot of these resonant sounds which made it sounds really bad in my opinion. For the same reason I think the carbon-fiber guitar sounded the best, closely followed by the traditional wood which still, due the woods lesser stiffness, causes it to self-resonate at lower frequencies. Great video, there is so much subjective opinions within musical business so it is nice to find a video where there is a real objective comparison for once :)
I would be interested in knowing how the experience of playing each guitar was. As a player a guitar might sound great, but if it doesn't feel right or requires a heavy hand it can impact the experience. I have played acoustic guitars which sound great but don't feel "alive" and so they were not as fun to play.
Thanks for the comparison video. For all three tests I picked the Stonebridge guitar. It seems to have a slightly mellower sound. The other two have sounds that are a little harsher (more treble) or more punch. For at least 2 of the 3 tests I could also tell which one was the fiber and which the PDL.
This was a great blind test and made me trust my ears. I could pick out which guitar was which in all 3 tests, what surprised me was how close the laminate was to the carbon fiber but the CF had a more pleasing sound even though it was very bright. I liked how crisp everything sounded. With that said, my favorite sound was the Stonebridge, it had the depth and richness that I expect from a good acoustical guitar. I have a Koa/Rosewood guitar and I hate to put it down. Second favorite was the CF, I wouldn't mind having one but not for two grand. I would just buy the laminate guitar...maybe. naah, I'd buy an electric guitar, if I wanted something that didn't sound like a real guitar.
Sounds like there is some reverb on these recordings? That would muddy up the differences between the guitars quite a lot. Or maybe your room could use some treatment. You can hear it clearly during the first comparison around 3:54
Thanks for this comparison also. It's interesting that I picked the cheap Martin on test 1, the Rainsong on test 2, and the Stonebridge on test 3. They sound different, but it's hard to choose. They all sound decent. May come down to looks and playability as much as anything. I have done the same thing in the past at stores and still been confused. I bought a $1,500 Martin and used it for a couple weeks, went back and traded it for a similar Taylor 314CE. Wound up keeping the Taylor, but still wasn't sure which one I liked the best.
That Carbon Fiber Sounds Awesome IMO I almost picked it for all 3 but the second test 3 sounded a bit different not better . I like Carbon fiber guitars now for sure.Sound says it all. I knew Guitar #1 was the Cheapo. You could tell the Resonance was not there at all.
I just played the Martin X laminate guitar at a local music store. I can’t get it out of my head. Listening to your video blew me away because now I have to try a carbon fiber. Thank you for such a wonderful video and enlightening me further.
@@ArthurHau It has to do with the density. Which completely shuts down any argument that wood/material type wouldn't affect tone. Even two guitars made the exact same way from the exact same tree will sound differently. Just physics.
I liked the traditional the best on all. It's cool you didn't make it a guessing game, but just asked which we liked the best haha. Obviously I tried to guess, but had the wooden ones mixed up on the riff. Super interesting video, thanks!
Great channel Darrell, I am a bit confused considering I have obsessed over the Rainsong since hearing a 12 string in person so much so that Carbon Fiber is now my favorite colour. The family got me a 6 string for my Birthday and I thought for sure I would no doubt be able to single it out from these other two. WRONG! I only caught it on the last set. I will say that as far all three go they sound really good through the Bose speaker that I'm playing it through but that makes me wonder if the experience is still different live and in person vs recorded. When I wander through guitar stores and tap the odd string I can tell differences that seems more feeling than hearing alone. As far as the HPL, I think I was perceiving a deeper/fattish tone and the Carbon a more echo/harmonic tone where the wood is a benchmark flawless reference to all tones. If I had to choose, I would say "Just one more".
Carbon Score: 1st, 2nd and a 3rd HPL: 1st, 3rd, 3rd Wood: 1st, 2nd, 2nd The overall impression from me is pretty balanced. I preferred the HPL for fingerpicking, the Carbon for strumming and the wood for riffs. Although, the sounds were eerily close for all the tests. Looks like I'll be expanding my guitar testing at the store!
I picked the HPL in two comparisons. I'm not surprised. I have a Mini Martin that I bought as a traveling guitar and I love it. That guitar went with me from Chicago to the Rockies and back, on the luggage rack of my Harley, and never went out of tune. It was carried in the gig bag that came with it.
3/3 on fingerpicking, 1/3 on strumming. Originally had strumming correct but changed as I wen't, after listening to #1 after #3 again it was more clear. Lots of people seem to like the carbon here, the downside of carbon for me is that it feels a little odd, the carbon Martin I played was also extremely quiet. I'd be curious how loud these were compared to each other in the room.
Great video. I was completely thinking the original video needed a blind test. :) The carbon fibre is easy to pick, but I only picked the laminate 2 out of three. Great work.
+bitshuffler Thanks! Yeah, I think the blind test really helps people focus in on the tone without visual bias :) I'm glad people suggested I do a blind test!
Great Stuff Darrell, thanks for teaching us that the molecules of the modern world are transforming everything around us. Great Riff had a little Walking in Memphis thing going for a bar or two.
That's what I got as well. Finger style was very in favor of the wood though, no contest. Given that, I was actually surprised when I thought the same on test #2 but it turned out to be the carbon the one that stood out. I need to play one of these in person and see how it sounds live and how it feels to play it.
Very interesting and informative....thanks for the test. I liked the traditional wood on finger style. Toss up on Riff but like the carbon fiber on chords.
Happy that I could always identify which one was the one played. The Stonebridge was the easiest one to identify, but I love the balance, clarity and consistence of carbon fiber.
Great idea and presentation. I could easily tell which same was the HPL Martin. The carbon fiber and trad had definite tonal differences, but both sounded clearly fuller with clearer tonality and less boxiness to my ears. Still, the inexpensive Martin sounded a lot better than expected.
thanks for the video,good comparison..i picked the wood three times,.i prefer it more,there is a very big difference in tonal value,.it produces big /whole sound unlike the the other two,..my second choice is the hpl,..i think it is a little more up than the carbon fiber. all my hunch is correct prior to the blind test,.carbon fiber having the most crispier sound,middle for the hpl.Still going for the wood.
I'm starting to think we're all saps for buying super expensive guitars. I totally got these guitars mixed up in this blind test. To be fair, I listened through so-so speaker monitors, not a quality headset. In the 1st wood vs carbon fiber guitar video, I naturally preferred the Stonebridge traditional wood guitar. But in the blind test, I actually preferred the carbon fiber. And to my complete embarrassment, I mixed up the Stonebridge (which likely costs as much as my car) with the "cheap" Martin laminate! Doh! Love these videos! Keep up the good work.
Well... I had to listen to each test a few times to decide. Usually the one I disliked the most was out the door pretty quickly. First test... Had trouble between the Martin and the Solid Wood. Actually chose the Martin on that one, but I am not sure if I would have chosen it, had I listened a bit more carefully (and the fact that I am really wiped, and it is 3:00am). Second and Third test... I chose the Solid Wood both times. The wood just seemed to have better, and cleaner dynamics overall. However, that being said, I have only wood guitars, so my mindset is geared in that direction in terms of sound. I think I would actually have to play each for an extended period to really make a decision that was fair. Just my .02.
Best comparison video I've seen - must search others - i ranked all 3 tests consistently: I happen to favor the Carbon as a clear #1, HPL as #2, and a tad sorry to say the superb-looking Trad as a very close #3....nothing like a blind test - Thanks to Darrell!
I picked the Stonebridge for blind test 1 and 2, and the Martin for test #3. I actually had to listen to the 3rd test several times as I thought guitars 1 and 2 sounded very similar. I had a tough time picking between 1 and 2, but in the end liked the Martin better for test 3.
So I listened with open back, reference class, studio headphones. I picked the HPL twice and the solid wood once. I never picked the CF. I was thinking about purchasing a CF for playing out because I am frequently in environments that are not exactly climate controlled. I may opt for an HPL instead. Only fair to say that all the tones are usable depending on what one is looking for on a particular song and how it will fit into an overall mix. My choice was based upon a solo guitar for a singer/songwriter application. Thanks for the blind challenge!
Well, I picked the Stonebridge every time (through Mackie Studio 8s). All 3 were nice but it has a special openess and a little extra air on top. The Carbon fiber was my second favorite, and perhaps overall a better choice because of the stability and toughness of the carbon.
All three sound great! I guessed all three right and liked the #3 best. Never had a carbon fiber guitar. Had laminate-wood, laminate-composite, wood-composite and full wood. I prefer the Taylor full wood one which rings like a bell with full bass.
Thanks for this. You've done a great job producing this video. I consistently preferred the carbon fiber guitar. Can't say I'm completely surprised, but the blind nature of the test allows me to say that my preference among your three is unbiased. Great stuff!
Ha! Three-way tie. I liked the HPL for number 1, the carbon fiber for number 2, and the traditional wood for number 3! My personal favorite guitar to play is a Rain Song (carbon fiber), which is a nice, stable guitar in the dry New Mexico climate. I honestly don't think I'll purchase anything but carbon fiber guitars from this point forward.
I pick the carbon fiber One correct every time it's not as full and it's kind of boxy sounding.. like I said you can't compare the full-bodied even if it's HPL to a cutaway acoustic.. the frequency response is even if it was a wood guitar.. it goes by how big is space is inside and how big the body is..
Great video. I love these comparison tests. I didn't like the mic/recording setup as much on this video as on the first video. Seems like it was a bit over-driven. I voted 3-2-1, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, which means I liked the all-wood guitar best in the first 2 tests, but chose it last in the last test! I don't quite understand that last one. From my experience and from reading the comments, I think that results for each person are significantly influenced by what type of audio you are listening on, combined with personal preferences (i.e., subjective). Overall, I would definitely go with the traditional wood. Not surprisingly, I would rate them (in descending order) traditional wood first, graphite second, and HPL third. Finally, I would remind everyone that the Stonebridge(?) and graphite guitars appear to have a very similar body style, whereas the Martin has the traditional (rather ugly) dreadnaught body (more of a strummer).
Interesting video! I chose a different guitar for each test. I preferred the HPL in the first test, the carbon fibre model on test 2 and the solid wood guitar on the final test!
Hallo Darrell, in all three Tests I liked most your traditionell Wood Guitar. But it doesn t matter what Kind of guitar you play, it allways sounds Great! A.
Guessed dead wrong for the first samples, got the second and third series right. It seems my favorite sounds are the solid wood guitar, although the carbon is very nice, too. Carbon sound very nice on the fingerstyle audio and also on the riffs at the end.
I went 2, 3, 2 which proved to be the HPL, Carbon, Carbon. What won me over with the HPL in the first one was the warmth of the tone. It felt very campfire-y which is where fingering shines, I think. For the last two it was carbon's mix of brightness and resonance that won it for me. Just my opinions, seeing as I've never picked up a guitar in my life.
That's pretty much what I thought as well. However, I think if I was listening live it might add another dimension. Overall, if I was to pick in order, I would go Carbon, HPL, then the wood. Carbon definitely for strumming! I was surprised!
I thought the same for strumming before i read your comment. Other than strumming though I liked the HPL better. Who am I to judge. All 3 sounded fine. My best guitar is an Epiphone AJ 220s and although I am fond of it, they all sounded better than my best. If i had any problem with any of the three, the wood had less volume, which is no problem because volume can always be amplified.
Using good headphones, I picked the Stonebridge all three times, although the carbon fiber guitar pushed it in the strumming portion. The Stonebridge sounds fantastic. I'm in the market for an acoustic and will be shopping for all wood, probably a Yamaha in my price range.
I could always pick the carbon but I had trouble with the traditional and HPL. But I did manage to pick them apart. Can't decide the best between the traditional and HPL. Still not very fond of the carbon fiber.
I liked all 3 of these guitars. Some slight differences you could notice but I wouldn't kick any of them out of my guitar collection. It would come down to price. My picks ended up being the traditional wood in the 1st and 3rd by slight margin and the 2nd ended up being the laminate by a slight margin. Its about price now.
I tried to guess which was which and got the carbon fiber right each time and only mixed the other two up on the first one. the carbon fiber just has a more resonating sound and I think slightly higher pitch. I can't say if I like it more but it's definitely different.
I got it right every time, but found the riffs at the end interesting, because there the Martin didn't sound too bad compared, IMHO. For finger style the Stonebridge was the clear winner for me, for strumming it tied with the CF one.
Dunno if anyone mentioned this, but theoretically a natural wood guitar body will become more resonant over time as the water evaporates, and supposedly the vibration of the strings and such will alter the phase relationship between the body and strings.
great video, found real wood easy to distinguish but carbon and laminate takes experienced ear to tell apart. still real wood is my fav, doesn't sound harsh and especially sounds great in mids and low
Left a Martin X series in a hot car and the resin softened and string tension split the top. When it cooled the top could not be rejoined or the body repaired. Scratch one guitar.
originally I preferred the wood in the non blind vid as this seemed brighter, but then in the blind comparison preferred the carbon each time! lovely tone :)
in the three tests I guess the sound of the martin ( which I like most ) . in fingerstyle carbon fiber heard a little deaf (like a toy guitar of my daughter), but in strumming and riff i almost not distinguish the difference between CF and natural wood.
Great video! love the way you laid out the examples and the voting etc. on my laptop speakers, I chose the traditional wood 3 out of 3 times, but in two of the examples it was a very close call. I'm gonna go buy myself a High Pressure Laminate Guitar and stop putting my expensive guitars at risk by taking them gigging!
Bam! New subscriber. I got the laminate and the carbon fiber mixed up when you were strumming, other than that I got them all. I didn't hate the tone of the two not-wood guitars, but I've always loved cedar top. Really stands out from the crowd.
wow the carbon guitar was my fav each time ..... then the cheaper laminate and then the stone bridge ........ same order in each test , I really like the brightness of the carbon guitar and the laminate guitar had the warmest sound of the 3 ........ great video .
Very nice demo and thank you for doing this. I preferred the wood guitar on all three and was able to tell which was which in each round. That said, the other two both sounded great and the convenience and durability of the CF combined with such good sound is certainly a nice option.
Either a good ear or good guesser, eh? Either way, it was fun and I have had my eyes (and ears) opened to CF guitars. I'm going to have to try one out in person and see how it sounds. I've subbed to your channel. Thanks again.
I tried some CF guitars over the weekend and was impressed with the sound on a couple of them (the same thing happened with wood ones, BTW). I liked a Rainsong (can't remember the model) the best, while the Composite Acoustics Legacy Raw impressed me with its bass and volume, but was a little too metallic or hi-fi sounding on the treble side of things. Too much zing. It's such a subjective thing to say whether a guitar sounds better or worse, so I'll only say that I prefer the sound on my J-45 to the composites I've played so far. That said, I could see that Rainsong being a lot of fun. The no-worries side of composites combined with good sound seems like a win-win situation.
I got the first challenge all correct, second half correct (figured out the stonebridge), last one none. This was one interesting video! As an idea I would like more videos like these. Try and do blind comparisons with "beginner" guitars (acoustic and electric), especially from Yamaha, Epiphone and Squier. Could be fun?!
All three I picked the same order, Carbon Fiber, Traditional, Martin. Surprising to me, in the other video I preferred the Traditional. I am not certainly not a person that is influenced by prestige or price. I've always believed there is a difference in tone based on material in acoustic guitars. I have yet been swayed in electric. Nice videos and fantastic playing.
I picked the Rainsong first two out of three times (it was my #2 pick for the other one), and I find it interesting that the "gold standard" turned out to be my least favorite in each of the tests. The Rainsong just sounds so much clearer than the other two -- almost piano-like. Great video.
yay got all of em RIGHT :D you can totally tell the fiber guitar has this sharper kind of tangy sound while the other classical guitar type has a full tone sound and the cut guitar has a more natural type guitar youre used to hearing, the hardest though was the riff part
I thought we were supposed to ID them in each test. The first test I got all correct, 2nd test I swapped the HPL and Carbon, last test I missed all three. They sound good, very similar. I'm a believer in much of the tone comes from the player. Neat test and well done.
Amazing video! I listened through average headphones and while I am in no way a music instrument or guitar expert, I got all three correct with the first and third run, mixed them up in the second. Very interesting stuff!
Darrell Braun Guitar Haha, thank you, I might have been just lucky though. The main point being that these kinds of videos are really great to listen to the distinctive differences in sound and that's what they are all about. So, great job!
I'm surprised at how good the Carbon Fiber sounded. It just had a lot of clarity.
Chose the traditional wood on fingerstyle and riff, but liked the carbon fiber for chords!
I agree on that one
Same! On chords you can hear better every single string, but like wood also.
However on figerpicking I do not like the carbon fiber
Yeah I got the same answer, I was surprise!
I do agree ,we have the same in choices.
Same answer here, quite surprising.
I Love how you get to the point and stay on track! Great info!
Is it only me or anyone else chose the Martin every time?
Despite being laminated, the Martin always has it's distinctive tone!
I think its just the martin sound, I wouldn't buy a laminated guitar. I would just spend more for a wood martin
I'm just watching this video about 6 years after it was posted. Yes, I liked the sound of the Martin also. I had my picks for each blind and changed my pick on the first round, had I not overthought it, I would have nailed all of them. Eh, 7 out of 9 blinds is pretty good considering I don't even play.
I liked the pressed wood one the best each time.
Picked wood every time! Love the sound of that Stonebridge
In the first two tests I guessed them all 100% correct. The carbon is less natural sounding because of the tinniness around 800Hz, no warmth and less crisp highs. Surprisingly, the HPL caught my attention in spite that it lacks naturally organized wooden fiber, because it's got warmth of a wooden guitar and presence in the high mids. The wooden Stonebridge is the most natural sounding anyway. However, the HPL guitars are worth buying.
So, as a sound engineer I just don't understand why people might like the carbon guitar. Just because it's louder due to its tinniness? Is it a trend nowadays that louder is better? HPL guitars sound equally loud and even more present because of the more naturally distributed frequencies across the "sensitivity" range of the Fletcher-Munson's diagram. And they've got warmth of a wooden guitar as well.
I agree. A quite surprisingly warm tone from the laminate, I think I preferred it over even the Stonebridge on a test or two. I also think in every test the carbon fiber was easily recognized and certainly was behind the other two
probably because people like different tonalities with instruments? O:
The carbon fiber sounded far more pleasing than the wooden instrument to my ears.
DrDizzleFrizzle Very interesting how preference of sound works, isn't it? I did prefer the carbon fiber in the middle test, I think it was. I can see how they work best under different circumstances
Reverend Evan I actually much preferred it for fingerpicking.
I was able to pick out the wood, HPL, and carbon fiber on the 2nd and 3rd test. On the fingerstyle test, the HPL Martin had surprisingly great tone and warmth - probably because of the dreadnought size.
I liked the HPL over the other two.
Martin does it best
Agreed pick it each time.
+Brandon exactly
Great video! Let's have more of this type of comparo please.
I picked the HPL Martin every time. Illuminating.
I am shocked at how much I like the sound of the CF over the Stonebridge
Picked the Stonebridge for test 1 and 3.....Martin for test 2 for fav's.
Could hear the composite on all 3.....that was easy to hear. Especially when you tap the guitar with your fingers.
Same choice 👍
i liked the hpl. i guess that i need not spend too much money😁
The full size on is $600 the little martin is $329 the one he is playing looks like a full size one, so a bit more than you're thinking
Carbon fiber definitely had more volume maybe a bit better sustain, but i picked the HPL over all for tone, 2 out of the 3 times. I guess i'll be saving money too. I wonder how many will will be cheating on these tests, casting their votes after seeing which guitar was which?
What is hpl?
@@satriasamudra306 HPL stands for High Pressure Laminate. Basically, in order to be more environmentally conscious in the wake of woods like Rosewood and Mahogany being overharvested to the point of Government bans on their exportation, Martin n Co. decided to look at alternative methods of constructing a guitar that was more affordable, yet produced a good tone.
They came up with the idea for utilizing 3 elements:
1. Stratabond (layers of wood that are glued together, and then carved into a neck shape, for a guitar neck)
2. Richlite (recycled paper and resin that are formed into a smooth material for use on a guitar's fingerboard and bridge) Richlite is FSC Certified (Forest Stewardship Council) and made from sustainable materials.
and
3. HPL (High Pressure Laminate is pieces of wood chips and other leftover woods used in construction. They compress them under extreme pressure and bake them into sheets of wood. Extremely durable and tough. Used for the Top, Back and Sides of a guitar).
The Martin X-Series uses these 3 elements in some aspect or another. The nice guitars in this lineup are the ones with a Solid Spruce Top, and HPL for the back and sides, with a Stratabond neck and a Richlite fingerboard and bridge.
D Mar thank you very much guys..
I picked two favorites each time and the rain song was one of the two each time. The all wood tied two out of the three, but the Martin tied for the second one along with the rain song. Having heard your previous video, I was always able to detect the rain song. I will say that it has the most even tone of them all, but is also slightly metallic or brighter sounding. Great demo! Blind is the true test.
I'm a music lover, but i'm a novice at guitar, i know nothing about it, what it should sound like etc.
Which gives me a fresh opinion, and first of all, after hearing the three guitars of the first test, i was able to determine in the second and the third test, which guitar had made what sound, which i'm pretty happy about.
I thought the sounds of the HPL were warm but short, as if the guitar was somehow smaller if that makes sense, or as if the wood didn't vibrate as much.It sounded compact.
The Wood guitar was probably my favorite since it sounded much fuller, as if played in a big room with echo, which gives sounds that i enjoy.
The Carbon fiber's sounds were clear and cold, notes were impactful and gracious, but the lack of vibration didn't create as much of a bridge between notes, so it was cool and beautiful but not melodious, again, if that makes any sense.
Wood is definitely best for those percussions.
+Kavryel Good observations!
Great vid, i confused the Stone and the Martin for the strumming. After this though, I do like the crisp sound of the carbon fiber, I might just pick one up.
I voted 3, 3, 2. I could easily hear which one was the cheap Martin laminate guitar though, quite deep and dull sounding. The other 2 had a much wider range of tone, and it would be very hard for me to consitently tell which one is the carbon fiber guitar, and which one is the Stonebridge guitar, they both sound very good
I picked out the wood guitar each time, but consistently mixed up the other two. Interesting---Thanks for doing this.
+Brian Skinner 😀👍
This was excellent! Surprised myself by picking the graphite 2 out of three times as my favorite!
Sweet. I really wanted one of those Martins and I chose it twice. I didnt like it on test 2(strumming) but IMO was the clear winner on 1 and 2. It is cool to see how many other peeps thought the opposite. Different strokes I guess. I really love your channel. Keep it up and more will surely come.
1st Carbon all three times - clean clarity, steady boost of sustain with volumeric punch!
2nd all wood smooth rich tone with warmth and sustain but not as clean and crispy.
3rd laminate held it's own as it is a Martin making the most of what it is, gave you less sustain
less crispy but all the same held up to it's high end brothers.
Key thing here is Carbon is very accurate in thickness and surface, gives treble punch with volume
presence of sustain is outstanding. If you ever had a sample of carbon plate drop it on a hard surface
and listen to it's sound do the same for wood and laminated wood. You will be a believer if not from this video.
Carbon is only as good as it's strings, if not fresh the carbon gives what input it gets.
String selection is everything as always, if the gauge is too light you will expound the treble.
I got carbon fibre for all three I thought it had a richer sound. Kind of annoyed that I got that answer to be honest.
Darrell Braun Guitar Haha. Which carbon fibre guitar was it that you used again?
+The amazing sexy ear rapist It is a RainSong H-OM1000N2 :)
Darrell Braun Guitar Thanks :)
+The amazing sexy ear rapist Anytime :)
Your profile pic broke my screen
Thank you
Best to listen with headphones or a good set of speakers!
The order of the guitars are switched for each playing comparison, so see if you can pick each one out :)
Enjoy!
+OriginalNameIsOriginal Thanks, I appreciate it!
Good stuff. Enjoyed watching.
One suggestion: I'd be interested in hearing some commentary from you, like some sort of short analysis of relative performance, or even just observations playing the different instruments.
+Michael Bürge Thanks!
While my videos are generally tone comparisons, I'll see if I can add some general observations on playability too. Thanks for the suggestion :)
I picked out the Carbon Fiber every single time. Once I knew what the pressed wood one sounded like, I got it the second and third times. The traditional one has the fullest tone of the three, and the carbon fiber one is a little bit brighter on the high tones, and shallower on the mid tones. I think I'm also hearing a very distinct string hit compared to both of the wood guitars. The laminate one sounds a little bit muddled in the mid and high tones, but overall is pretty similar to the traditional guitar.
I have a hard time enjoying instruments that have distinct self-resonance at specific tones, and he pressure laminate guitar had a lot of these resonant sounds which made it sounds really bad in my opinion.
For the same reason I think the carbon-fiber guitar sounded the best, closely followed by the traditional wood which still, due the woods lesser stiffness, causes it to self-resonate at lower frequencies.
Great video, there is so much subjective opinions within musical business so it is nice to find a video where there is a real objective comparison for once :)
I would be interested in knowing how the experience of playing each guitar was. As a player a guitar might sound great, but if it doesn't feel right or requires a heavy hand it can impact the experience. I have played acoustic guitars which sound great but don't feel "alive" and so they were not as fun to play.
Gotta love blind tests. :)
I liked the carbon fiber guitar which I thought was going to be the wood one.
Thanks for the comparison video. For all three tests I picked the Stonebridge guitar. It seems to have a slightly mellower sound. The other two have sounds that are a little harsher (more treble) or more punch. For at least 2 of the 3 tests I could also tell which one was the fiber and which the PDL.
This was a great blind test and made me trust my ears. I could pick out which guitar was which in all 3 tests, what surprised me was how close the laminate was to the carbon fiber but the CF had a more pleasing sound even though it was very bright. I liked how crisp everything sounded. With that said, my favorite sound was the Stonebridge, it had the depth and richness that I expect from a good acoustical guitar. I have a Koa/Rosewood guitar and I hate to put it down. Second favorite was the CF, I wouldn't mind having one but not for two grand. I would just buy the laminate guitar...maybe. naah, I'd buy an electric guitar, if I wanted something that didn't sound like a real guitar.
Sounds like there is some reverb on these recordings? That would muddy up the differences between the guitars quite a lot. Or maybe your room could use some treatment. You can hear it clearly during the first comparison around 3:54
Thanks for this comparison also. It's interesting that I picked the cheap Martin on test 1, the Rainsong on test 2, and the Stonebridge on test 3. They sound different, but it's hard to choose. They all sound decent. May come down to looks and playability as much as anything. I have done the same thing in the past at stores and still been confused. I bought a $1,500 Martin and used it for a couple weeks, went back and traded it for a similar Taylor 314CE. Wound up keeping the Taylor, but still wasn't sure which one I liked the best.
That Carbon Fiber Sounds Awesome IMO I almost picked it for all 3 but the second test 3 sounded a bit different not better . I like Carbon fiber guitars now for sure.Sound says it all. I knew Guitar #1 was the Cheapo. You could tell the Resonance was not there at all.
I just played the Martin X laminate guitar at a local music store. I can’t get it out of my head. Listening to your video blew me away because now I have to try a carbon fiber. Thank you for such a wonderful video and enlightening me further.
Wow, I picked Carbon Fiber all three times.
Yess..me too..incredible sound..
yup. it is louder, brighter, more precise, ... Maybe he should have used a spruce top and rosewood body guitar for comparison next time.
@@ArthurHau It has to do with the density. Which completely shuts down any argument that wood/material type wouldn't affect tone. Even two guitars made the exact same way from the exact same tree will sound differently. Just physics.
I liked the traditional the best on all. It's cool you didn't make it a guessing game, but just asked which we liked the best haha. Obviously I tried to guess, but had the wooden ones mixed up on the riff. Super interesting video, thanks!
I sadly have to say I really prefer the full, deep sound of the Laminate^^ Your brother has a beautiful piece!
man I love your channel. keep up the great work sir!
+Jeed Thanks! Will do 👍
Paul from Guitar Slinger TV here. Darrell, these videos are fantastic. Best of luck to you and keep up the great work!
+Guitar Slinger TV Thanks so much, I really appreciate it!
Great channel Darrell, I am a bit confused considering I have obsessed over the Rainsong since hearing a 12 string in person so much so that Carbon Fiber is now my favorite colour. The family got me a 6 string for my Birthday and I thought for sure I would no doubt be able to single it out from these other two. WRONG! I only caught it on the last set. I will say that as far all three go they sound really good through the Bose speaker that I'm playing it through but that makes me wonder if the experience is still different live and in person vs recorded. When I wander through guitar stores and tap the odd string I can tell differences that seems more feeling than hearing alone. As far as the HPL, I think I was perceiving a deeper/fattish tone and the Carbon a more echo/harmonic tone where the wood is a benchmark flawless reference to all tones. If I had to choose, I would say "Just one more".
For me 1 traditional 2 fiber 3 pressure laminate
Carbon Score: 1st, 2nd and a 3rd
HPL: 1st, 3rd, 3rd
Wood: 1st, 2nd, 2nd
The overall impression from me is pretty balanced. I preferred the HPL for fingerpicking, the Carbon for strumming and the wood for riffs. Although, the sounds were eerily close for all the tests. Looks like I'll be expanding my guitar testing at the store!
I picked the HPL in two comparisons. I'm not surprised. I have a Mini Martin that I bought as a traveling guitar and I love it. That guitar went with me from Chicago to the Rockies and back, on the luggage rack of my Harley, and never went out of tune. It was carried in the gig bag that came with it.
+Charles Strauch Ha! Awesome!
Very informative. enjoy watching your VDO. Looking forward for your next one
+Santiphap Janu Thanks!
I'm glad you are enjoying the channel :)
3/3 on fingerpicking, 1/3 on strumming. Originally had strumming correct but changed as I wen't, after listening to #1 after #3 again it was more clear. Lots of people seem to like the carbon here, the downside of carbon for me is that it feels a little odd, the carbon Martin I played was also extremely quiet. I'd be curious how loud these were compared to each other in the room.
Great video. I was completely thinking the original video needed a blind test. :) The carbon fibre is easy to pick, but I only picked the laminate 2 out of three. Great work.
+bitshuffler Thanks! Yeah, I think the blind test really helps people focus in on the tone without visual bias :)
I'm glad people suggested I do a blind test!
Great Stuff Darrell, thanks for teaching us that the molecules of the modern world are transforming everything around us. Great Riff had a little Walking in Memphis thing going for a bar or two.
Wood - carbon - carbon. I was a bit surprised at that.
That's what I got as well. Finger style was very in favor of the wood though, no contest. Given that, I was actually surprised when I thought the same on test #2 but it turned out to be the carbon the one that stood out. I need to play one of these in person and see how it sounds live and how it feels to play it.
@@thefelix7767 only a slice is the sound. The feel and connection from the instrument to player is the other proof.
Very interesting. I picked HPL - Carbon Fiber - HPL :S
Very interesting and informative....thanks for the test. I liked the traditional wood on finger style. Toss up on Riff but like the carbon fiber on chords.
Darrell fun video...I chose the Stone bridge on all 3 tests. It's just much richer and full bodied sounding all the way around.
Happy that I could always identify which one was the one played. The Stonebridge was the easiest one to identify, but I love the balance, clarity and consistence of carbon fiber.
Great idea and presentation. I could easily tell which same was the HPL Martin. The carbon fiber and trad had definite tonal differences, but both sounded clearly fuller with clearer tonality and less boxiness to my ears. Still, the inexpensive Martin sounded a lot better than expected.
+Jon Komatsu Good observations, spot on!
My friend, that was quite the experience! Thank you for sharing!
+Valentin Tamas No problem, glad you liked it :)
thanks for the video,good comparison..i picked the wood three times,.i prefer it more,there is a very big difference in tonal value,.it produces big /whole sound unlike the the other two,..my second choice is the hpl,..i think it is a little more up than the carbon fiber. all my hunch is correct prior to the blind test,.carbon fiber having the most crispier sound,middle for the hpl.Still going for the wood.
I'm starting to think we're all saps for buying super expensive guitars. I totally got these guitars mixed up in this blind test. To be fair, I listened through so-so speaker monitors, not a quality headset. In the 1st wood vs carbon fiber guitar video, I naturally preferred the Stonebridge traditional wood guitar. But in the blind test, I actually preferred the carbon fiber. And to my complete embarrassment, I mixed up the Stonebridge (which likely costs as much as my car) with the "cheap" Martin laminate! Doh!
Love these videos! Keep up the good work.
+ron bZoom Hahaha, we might be suckers!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video :)
Well... I had to listen to each test a few times to decide. Usually the one I disliked the most was out the door pretty quickly. First test... Had trouble between the Martin and the Solid Wood. Actually chose the Martin on that one, but I am not sure if I would have chosen it, had I listened a bit more carefully (and the fact that I am really wiped, and it is 3:00am).
Second and Third test... I chose the Solid Wood both times. The wood just seemed to have better, and cleaner dynamics overall. However, that being said, I have only wood guitars, so my mindset is geared in that direction in terms of sound.
I think I would actually have to play each for an extended period to really make a decision that was fair. Just my .02.
Best comparison video I've seen - must search others - i ranked all 3 tests consistently: I happen to favor the Carbon as a clear #1, HPL as #2, and a tad sorry to say the superb-looking Trad as a very close #3....nothing like a blind test - Thanks to Darrell!
+ExcaliburBahrain Glad you enjoyed the video - and good ear!
I picked the Stonebridge for blind test 1 and 2, and the Martin for test #3. I actually had to listen to the 3rd test several times as I thought guitars 1 and 2 sounded very similar. I had a tough time picking between 1 and 2, but in the end liked the Martin better for test 3.
So I listened with open back, reference class, studio headphones. I picked the HPL twice and the solid wood once. I never picked the CF. I was thinking about purchasing a CF for playing out because I am frequently in environments that are not exactly climate controlled. I may opt for an HPL instead. Only fair to say that all the tones are usable depending on what one is looking for on a particular song and how it will fit into an overall mix. My choice was based upon a solo guitar for a singer/songwriter application. Thanks for the blind challenge!
The Martin is quite easy to pick out but the other 2 are very similar in certain ways
Well, I picked the Stonebridge every time (through Mackie Studio 8s). All 3 were nice but it has a special openess and a little extra air on top. The Carbon fiber was my second favorite, and perhaps overall a better choice because of the stability and toughness of the carbon.
All three sound great! I guessed all three right and liked the #3 best. Never had a carbon fiber guitar. Had laminate-wood, laminate-composite, wood-composite and full wood. I prefer the Taylor full wood one which rings like a bell with full bass.
Thanks for this. You've done a great job producing this video. I consistently preferred the carbon fiber guitar. Can't say I'm completely surprised, but the blind nature of the test allows me to say that my preference among your three is unbiased. Great stuff!
+zplapplap I'm glad you enjoyed the comparison! 👍
Ha! Three-way tie. I liked the HPL for number 1, the carbon fiber for number 2, and the traditional wood for number 3! My personal favorite guitar to play is a Rain Song (carbon fiber), which is a nice, stable guitar in the dry New Mexico climate. I honestly don't think I'll purchase anything but carbon fiber guitars from this point forward.
I pick the carbon fiber One correct every time it's not as full and it's kind of boxy sounding..
like I said you can't compare the full-bodied even if it's HPL to a cutaway acoustic.. the frequency response is even if it was a wood guitar.. it goes by how big is space is inside and how big the body is..
Traditional in 2 of 3, Carbon Fiber on the last one. The Martin sounded lifeless, lacking the top end of the other 2
Totally agree
Tapping the body od the guitar gave it away :)
+Jimtik kzeus Hahaha! Good ear :D
+Vatras771 Good ear!
Great video. I love these comparison tests. I didn't like the mic/recording setup as much on this video as on the first video. Seems like it was a bit over-driven. I voted 3-2-1, 1-2-3, 1-2-3, which means I liked the all-wood guitar best in the first 2 tests, but chose it last in the last test! I don't quite understand that last one. From my experience and from reading the comments, I think that results for each person are significantly influenced by what type of audio you are listening on, combined with personal preferences (i.e., subjective). Overall, I would definitely go with the traditional wood. Not surprisingly, I would rate them (in descending order) traditional wood first, graphite second, and HPL third. Finally, I would remind everyone that the Stonebridge(?) and graphite guitars appear to have a very similar body style, whereas the Martin has the traditional (rather ugly) dreadnaught body (more of a strummer).
Interesting video! I chose a different guitar for each test. I preferred the HPL in the first test, the carbon fibre model on test 2 and the solid wood guitar on the final test!
That's how I picked also, but could have changed my mind for all three if I listened to the test again.
Phenomenal video. Great job!
+Jason Bridges Thanks Jason!
WOW. What an interesting test and outfall. My votes were actually a rather mixed and somewhat startling bag. Keep up the good work :-)
Hallo Darrell, in all three Tests I liked most your traditionell Wood Guitar. But it doesn t matter what Kind of guitar you play, it allways sounds Great! A.
+Andreas Metz Thanks man!
Weirdly I chose the carbon fiber as every choice. There's so much clarity in it.
Guessed dead wrong for the first samples, got the second and third series right. It seems my favorite sounds are the solid wood guitar, although the carbon is very nice, too. Carbon sound very nice on the fingerstyle audio and also on the riffs at the end.
I went 2, 3, 2 which proved to be the HPL, Carbon, Carbon. What won me over with the HPL in the first one was the warmth of the tone. It felt very campfire-y which is where fingering shines, I think. For the last two it was carbon's mix of brightness and resonance that won it for me. Just my opinions, seeing as I've never picked up a guitar in my life.
That's pretty much what I thought as well. However, I think if I was listening live it might add another dimension. Overall, if I was to pick in order, I would go Carbon, HPL, then the wood. Carbon definitely for strumming! I was surprised!
me too, 2, 3, 2
I thought the same for strumming before i read your comment. Other than strumming though I liked the HPL better. Who am I to judge. All 3 sounded fine. My best guitar is an Epiphone AJ 220s and although I am fond of it, they all sounded better than my best. If i had any problem with any of the three, the wood had less volume, which is no problem because volume can always be amplified.
Using good headphones, I picked the Stonebridge all three times, although the carbon fiber guitar pushed it in the strumming portion. The Stonebridge sounds fantastic. I'm in the market for an acoustic and will be shopping for all wood, probably a Yamaha in my price range.
I could always pick the carbon but I had trouble with the traditional and HPL. But I did manage to pick them apart. Can't decide the best between the traditional and HPL. Still not very fond of the carbon fiber.
I picked the wood 3 out of 3 but the Martin sounded pretty close until I heard the chord ring out at the end just didn't seem to resonate like wood.
Just saw the video. Really like this one and couldn't pick just one that I liked, but I got a tie between the Rainsong and HPL Martin all three times.
I liked all 3 of these guitars. Some slight differences you could notice but I wouldn't kick any of them out of my guitar collection. It would come down to price. My picks ended up being the traditional wood in the 1st and 3rd by slight margin and the 2nd ended up being the laminate by a slight margin. Its about price now.
I tried to guess which was which and got the carbon fiber right each time and only mixed the other two up on the first one. the carbon fiber just has a more resonating sound and I think slightly higher pitch. I can't say if I like it more but it's definitely different.
I got it right every time, but found the riffs at the end interesting, because there the Martin didn't sound too bad compared, IMHO. For finger style the Stonebridge was the clear winner for me, for strumming it tied with the CF one.
Dunno if anyone mentioned this, but theoretically a natural wood guitar body will become more resonant over time as the water evaporates, and supposedly the vibration of the strings and such will alter the phase relationship between the body and strings.
great video, found real wood easy to distinguish but carbon and laminate takes experienced ear to tell apart. still real wood is my fav, doesn't sound harsh and especially sounds great in mids and low
+Rafal Soboczynski Glad you enjoyed it!
Left a Martin X series in a hot car and the resin softened and string tension split the top. When it cooled the top could not be rejoined or the body repaired. Scratch one guitar.
originally I preferred the wood in the non blind vid as this seemed brighter, but then in the blind comparison preferred the carbon each time! lovely tone :)
in the three tests I guess the sound of the martin ( which I like most ) . in fingerstyle carbon fiber heard a little deaf (like a toy guitar of my daughter), but in strumming and riff i almost not distinguish the difference between CF and natural wood.
this is the first I've heard of carbon fibre and completely hpl guitars ... so thank you !!
+Karunya Sharma Glad you enjoyed the comparison!
Great video! love the way you laid out the examples and the voting etc. on my laptop speakers, I chose the traditional wood 3 out of 3 times, but in two of the examples it was a very close call. I'm gonna go buy myself a High Pressure Laminate Guitar and stop putting my expensive guitars at risk by taking them gigging!
+Aaron Chase Nice! I think that will be a great choice!
Bam! New subscriber. I got the laminate and the carbon fiber mixed up when you were strumming, other than that I got them all. I didn't hate the tone of the two not-wood guitars, but I've always loved cedar top. Really stands out from the crowd.
+Challis Venstra Thanks for subscribing! I hope you enjoy the channel!
wow the carbon guitar was my fav each time ..... then the cheaper laminate and then the stone bridge ........ same order in each test , I really like the brightness of the carbon guitar and the laminate guitar had the warmest sound of the 3 ........ great video .
+cookie bear Thank you!
Very nice demo and thank you for doing this. I preferred the wood guitar on all three and was able to tell which was which in each round. That said, the other two both sounded great and the convenience and durability of the CF combined with such good sound is certainly a nice option.
+Jack DePoe Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it :)
And good ear!
Either a good ear or good guesser, eh? Either way, it was fun and I have had my eyes (and ears) opened to CF guitars. I'm going to have to try one out in person and see how it sounds. I've subbed to your channel. Thanks again.
+Jack DePoe It's definitely worth trying one out. Thanks for subscribing :)
I tried some CF guitars over the weekend and was impressed with the sound on a couple of them (the same thing happened with wood ones, BTW). I liked a Rainsong (can't remember the model) the best, while the Composite Acoustics Legacy Raw impressed me with its bass and volume, but was a little too metallic or hi-fi sounding on the treble side of things. Too much zing. It's such a subjective thing to say whether a guitar sounds better or worse, so I'll only say that I prefer the sound on my J-45 to the composites I've played so far. That said, I could see that Rainsong being a lot of fun. The no-worries side of composites combined with good sound seems like a win-win situation.
I got the first challenge all correct, second half correct (figured out the stonebridge), last one none. This was one interesting video! As an idea I would like more videos like these. Try and do blind comparisons with "beginner" guitars (acoustic and electric), especially from Yamaha, Epiphone and Squier. Could be fun?!
+Fragmatic I'm glad you liked it!
I'll see what's I can do :)
All three I picked the same order, Carbon Fiber, Traditional, Martin. Surprising to me, in the other video I preferred the Traditional. I am not certainly not a person that is influenced by prestige or price. I've always believed there is a difference in tone based on material in acoustic guitars. I have yet been swayed in electric. Nice videos and fantastic playing.
+Charlie Bryant Thanks so much!
This video proves one thing. You can get incredible sounding guitar for cheap that will also work as a cutting board and a lunch table.
el34superlead good point
I can hear all of it, and i can know what guitar that you play in 1,2,3 change, and i know truly.... Greattt...
I picked the Rainsong first two out of three times (it was my #2 pick for the other one), and I find it interesting that the "gold standard" turned out to be my least favorite in each of the tests. The Rainsong just sounds so much clearer than the other two -- almost piano-like. Great video.
+Nicholas Kann Thanks Nicholas. It has a nice bright and balanced sound :)
yay got all of em RIGHT :D you can totally tell the fiber guitar has this sharper kind of tangy sound while the other classical guitar type has a full tone sound and the cut guitar has a more natural type guitar youre used to hearing, the hardest though was the riff part
+Malfurion Hellscream Well done!
I thought we were supposed to ID them in each test.
The first test I got all correct, 2nd test I swapped the HPL and Carbon, last test I missed all three.
They sound good, very similar. I'm a believer in much of the tone comes from the player.
Neat test and well done.
+Clark Griswold Thanks Clark!
Especially on the third test, it's apparent he made adjustments to the amp or pickup settings.
Amazing video!
I listened through average headphones and while I am in no way a music instrument or guitar expert, I got all three correct with the first and third run, mixed them up in the second. Very interesting stuff!
+MainesOwn Nice! Good ear :)
Darrell Braun Guitar Haha, thank you, I might have been just lucky though. The main point being that these kinds of videos are really great to listen to the distinctive differences in sound and that's what they are all about. So, great job!