Well Paul, you let that "secret" out on the website! Paul Decker Hometown: Bozeman, MT Position: Owner Instruments: Drums... Live Rig: Kick, snare, and a couple of cymbals ;-)
Killer contrast. (I call it a contrast since they are not identical woods) Love your collective insight. I agree the Martin sounds like a Martin and it has a little more meat on the bones for bluegrass single note runs. But for my money, I LOVE that J-200 overall. It sounds classic and wonderful. Lastly, if I really was gonna pick a Martin for Bluegrass, I'd probably chose a D-18 or a D-18 Custom with Add top. Or maybe even a Martin Authentic over the Super D.
I have Martin and Gibson acoustics and while both are great, I find the Gibson more open sounding,the tops seem a bit thinner on the Gibson, which makes them more alive and vibrating more.
Paul, Counselor .... this was a major chug Fest, and a thoroughly enjoyable video. As you know, I'm partial to the Gibsons, but this video was a lot of fun and boy those two guitars almost made you guys look small! Merry Christmas Montana!
Excellent explanation. The Martin is definitely a bluegrass canon. The Gibson sounds like something used in an old Sun Records tune. WOW!!!! Both excellent sounds. Both unique and very cool. Thank you.
I use a regular pick and sound nowhere near as good as this guy. You must be an incredible player if you think the tone on offer here is sub standard. Skype me some guitar lessons? I'll pay you good money. 🤷🏼♂️
I've used heavy picks and killed the sound (Dunlop Ultex 2.0mm) just as much as a light, very flexible pick. Now, what feels better to me? That 2.0mm pick. What do I use for the best sound? Plain old Dunlop Jazz III picks. The Jazz IIIs more cleanly "snap" from the string. Despite how much I love a heavy pick, they dampen the sound somewhat. It was an eye-opener when I stumbled onto that interesting dynamic.
@@JonnyBoss83 Quinton is a great guitar play I'm not arguing that. But playing bluegrass licks and rhythm with thumb picks makes the sound kind of harsh and uncontrolled. Something unfamiliar and extravagant it feels like
@@uvp5000 Definitely. 1.00-1.30mm picks are for me the best for basically everything except you're playing a really soft and peaceful campfire kind of thing. It's much more important than the string choice or sometimes even the body shape of the guitar.
As a luthier I'd struggle to own another Gibson. Sure they look amazing but you're paying so much for the brand on top over average build quality guitars for the most part. Of course there's examples to counter that but that's my direct hands on experience having work on many. The J200 sure does look pretty but the wood choices mean it sounds weak for the size, albeit it does sound nice. I'd take a Martin D35 over it every day of the week though - unless I was recording a video and needed to look baddass
The J200 is more harmonically rich & overall balanced. The bass is bass, the mids are mids, and the highs are highs. Just listen and you’ll hear it. The Super D is all bass. You hear bass in the mids and in the highs. It’s louder and muddier. J200 is the superior instrument.
Dear Santa: I'll take ONE OF EACH, thank you. Great job as always with Q & P. Merry Christmas (or whatever y'all do out in BigSky) J200 is def the choice for R&R - where the SuperD blows the roof off for Tony Rice licks. Great job guys.
It seems that the J-200 knows who it is (as does a Martin D-18), but the Super-D seems to suffer from something akin to an identity crisis.... Thoughts...(?)
I thought the J-200 sounded mature for being new. A thermally treated top indeed. Paul, 12 guitars?!?! Are you out of your mind? Who can work with just 12 guitars? Of these two instruments, I'd choose the J-200 to strum more, and the Super D for fingerstyle/single note work (I'd have no problem strumming as well), but, even for a loud guitar fan such as myself, it is almost too much volume. Almost (well, just right actually).
I wish Gibson would do a super j200. Some super 400 archtops have an 18.5 inch lower bout. The j200 is 17 inch. I say that as a big guy. I'm 6'10". So I appreciate not everyone is the right size and shape for such a massive guitar.
I wondered about this, and possibly the Koa Super D would be closer to the J200. I still like the Super D. It also has an easier to play (for me) neck. Thanks Paul and Quinton.
While I prefer the Martin, I’ve always loved the J-200, it’s loud and powerful. I am partial to the complexity of rosewood, but the maple is impressive! I’ve always wondered: since the top creates the main sound, does that very thick and large pick guard on the J-200, coupled with the large mustache bridge limit the J-200’s sound?
@@jed1166 maybe it needs a bigger shoulder strap then or something anyway i find it tedious to play in a normal sitting position but it does sound better than my smaller guitar
Hi Patrick… seriously, try standing. You can move freely, and change body and arm positions easily, making long practice sessions more comfortable. Most importantly for comfort, your right elbow and shoulder will be much lower, (assuming the strap is long enough). Also, you can raise and lower the neck angle while playing, to make barre chords and certain first position chords easier to fret. My jumbo is 17” across the lower bout. If I sit with it resting on my thigh, my right upper arm is almost level, certainly not comfortable. Standing, with it on a strap gets upper arm almost to 45 degrees, and it let’s my shoulder hang naturally. Also, when we stand, we breath much better, and our diaphragm is not restricted, so vocal range and power are increased… this is why we never see an opera singer sitting down. Keep strumming!
@@jed1166 thanks i appreciate the advice i think the problem is the shoulder strap its too short for a big guitar ill go buy a different one and try again
Besides both guitars sound great and outstanding, Gibson J-200 feels deeper and prodund! Suitable for lower tunings like DADGAD of below. Great comparison video.
Another thing to mention is the J200 has light strings vs the medium strings on the super D. Put medium strings on that J200 and you will get more depth and volume.
Both fantastic. Martin is a bit more compressed and woody sounding while the gibson is a bit thinner but that flat EQ vs the scoop of the rosewood martin. Both sound frigging awesome. Got to say I would have an extremely hard to choosing as they both have the sound I love. I've heard the super D in open tunings and OMG. I've never been a big martin fan until the super D.... one thing I will mention that wasn't brought up is the super D is a custom shop guitar so my guess it's at least 6k?
I would say if you owned a good D-28, get the J200. There are a lot of good used J200s out there. It is something different and excellent. If your main guitar was a Gibson J45 or a Taylor, give the Martin a try. It is not for the faint of heart when it comes to price!
In terms of bass and tonal complexity the Super D seems to have it but you guys are right not really a fair comparison maple vs rosewood. The J-200 shines in her own right and own way. Either way they are both exceptional guitars.
False. There’s nothing complex in the Super D. It’s just all volume and bass. You hear bass in the mids and in the highs. The J200 is more balanced overall just listen again. It is much more harmonically rich, sparkles, and balanced. The bass is bass, the mids are mids, and the highs are highs.
@@WysteriaGuitar Martin’s are killer guitars don’t get me wrong, but they really only excel in flatpicking bluegrass runs. Strumming chords on most Martin’s sound overly voluminous, boomy, dry, and muddy. Of course there are exceptions to this, but to me, the best martins are those which do not have those qualities.
@@ryanoconnor4279 Well aware of that I have lots of Martins, some Gibsons, Collings. and now EASTMANs which are quite good. I am pining for a J-200 - someday.
Hello, you are two good bad boys, but the guitarist whose name I don't remember, in my opinion has a bit too heavy a hand, and distorts the sound of the guitars a bit. anyway you are trying two super super guitars, congratulations to your shop. I miss when you ate those nice stuffed sandwiches.
Super D for me! That guitar would go great with my HD-28 and D-18 but I love the J-200.
im a martin guy but give me that gibson all day
Gibson sounds fantastic ❤
that historic J200 sounds so darn good
They both performed as I expected them to. It’s the J 200 for me !
I would LOVE to have 12 guitars. My wife thinks I only have room for four 😢
Well Paul, you let that "secret" out on the website!
Paul Decker
Hometown: Bozeman, MT
Position: Owner
Instruments: Drums...
Live Rig: Kick, snare, and a couple of cymbals
;-)
Killer contrast. (I call it a contrast since they are not identical woods) Love your collective insight. I agree the Martin sounds like a Martin and it has a little more meat on the bones for bluegrass single note runs. But for my money, I LOVE that J-200 overall. It sounds classic and wonderful. Lastly, if I really was gonna pick a Martin for Bluegrass, I'd probably chose a D-18 or a D-18 Custom with Add top. Or maybe even a Martin Authentic over the Super D.
I have Martin and Gibson acoustics and while both are great, I find the Gibson more open sounding,the tops seem a bit thinner on the Gibson, which makes them more alive and vibrating more.
Gibson J-200 sounds crispier and drier, Martin Super D does darker and deeper.
hot damn just realized Quentin's packing some serious firepower in those gorilla arms
Another superb review! WOW, that J-200. Paul, you're correct, maybe I do "need" one.
Paul, Counselor .... this was a major chug Fest, and a thoroughly enjoyable video. As you know, I'm partial to the Gibsons, but this video was a lot of fun and boy those two guitars almost made you guys look small! Merry Christmas Montana!
Thank you for all your wonderful videos and Merry Christmas!!!
I surely like the tone of the J200.
Just buy the both of them. The definitive Martin growl, and balanced treble, mid and Gibson bass.
hope hearing more blues like this in the future
Excellent explanation. The Martin is definitely a bluegrass canon. The Gibson sounds like something used in an old Sun Records tune. WOW!!!!
Both excellent sounds. Both unique and very cool.
Thank you.
Already bought a RainSong Jumbo from the guys at MV, so the Super-D for me!
J-200 everyone should own one.
Aaaaaw...., you're too kind. Thank you!
And a D28
They are both loud and present. I would want the J-200 since I already have an HD-28.
Love the sound of that J200... Martin Super D a bit less so.
strumming with a thumbpick… you’re killing the sound man
I use a regular pick and sound nowhere near as good as this guy. You must be an incredible player if you think the tone on offer here is sub standard. Skype me some guitar lessons? I'll pay you good money. 🤷🏼♂️
I've used heavy picks and killed the sound (Dunlop Ultex 2.0mm) just as much as a light, very flexible pick. Now, what feels better to me? That 2.0mm pick. What do I use for the best sound? Plain old Dunlop Jazz III picks. The Jazz IIIs more cleanly "snap" from the string. Despite how much I love a heavy pick, they dampen the sound somewhat. It was an eye-opener when I stumbled onto that interesting dynamic.
@@JonnyBoss83 Quinton is a great guitar play I'm not arguing that. But playing bluegrass licks and rhythm with thumb picks makes the sound kind of harsh and uncontrolled. Something unfamiliar and extravagant it feels like
@@uvp5000 Definitely. 1.00-1.30mm picks are for me the best for basically everything except you're playing a really soft and peaceful campfire kind of thing. It's much more important than the string choice or sometimes even the body shape of the guitar.
As a luthier I'd struggle to own another Gibson. Sure they look amazing but you're paying so much for the brand on top over average build quality guitars for the most part. Of course there's examples to counter that but that's my direct hands on experience having work on many. The J200 sure does look pretty but the wood choices mean it sounds weak for the size, albeit it does sound nice. I'd take a Martin D35 over it every day of the week though - unless I was recording a video and needed to look baddass
The J200 is more harmonically rich & overall balanced. The bass is bass, the mids are mids, and the highs are highs.
Just listen and you’ll hear it.
The Super D is all bass. You hear bass in the mids and in the highs. It’s louder and muddier.
J200 is the superior instrument.
Dear Santa: I'll take ONE OF EACH, thank you. Great job as always with Q & P. Merry Christmas (or whatever y'all do out in BigSky)
J200 is def the choice for R&R - where the SuperD blows the roof off for Tony Rice licks. Great job guys.
holy moly that gibson rules! i wish i was rich.
Paul I was hoping you and Quinton would compare these 2 Big guitars…both sound great, just different imhop. Enjoying the new J-200 thanks again.
Thanks for the comparison video. The j200 sounded better for the type of style played. Happy Holidays. Dean 🇬🇧
Merry Christmas guys j200 for me an amazing guitar
Love them both, but I would have to leave the store with the J200! Thanks for your great videos!
The Martin Super D is great
Both boxes pack a big bass boom!!!
Quinton your still playing like a champ👍
Thanks for the kind words as always Allan!
Jumbo Rosewood would be the Guild J55, love however I always wonder if I should get the maple Gibson J200
It seems that the J-200 knows who it is (as does a Martin D-18), but the Super-D seems to suffer from something akin to an identity crisis.... Thoughts...(?)
The Super D would most likely make a great sounding 12 string.
I thought the J-200 sounded mature for being new. A thermally treated top indeed.
Paul, 12 guitars?!?! Are you out of your mind? Who can work with just 12 guitars? Of these two instruments, I'd choose the J-200 to strum more, and the Super D for fingerstyle/single note work (I'd have no problem strumming as well), but, even for a loud guitar fan such as myself, it is almost too much volume. Almost (well, just right actually).
I wish Gibson would do a super j200. Some super 400 archtops have an 18.5 inch lower bout. The j200 is 17 inch. I say that as a big guy. I'm 6'10". So I appreciate not everyone is the right size and shape for such a massive guitar.
J 200!
What a great comparison!! I also uploaded super d play clip in my channel but this clip gave us benchmark point
I need both.
I'm 40 in April... I WILL have a J200!
I wondered about this, and possibly the Koa Super D would be closer to the J200. I still like the Super D. It also has an easier to play (for me) neck. Thanks Paul and Quinton.
While I prefer the Martin, I’ve always loved the J-200, it’s loud and powerful. I am partial to the complexity of rosewood, but the maple is impressive! I’ve always wondered: since the top creates the main sound, does that very thick and large pick guard on the J-200, coupled with the large mustache bridge limit the J-200’s sound?
The 200 is such a good lookin' guitar.
so you need a stool to play a full body guitar ? i bought one and i ditched it because its not comfortable at all
I have a RainSong Jumbo, and always play standing… good practice for the stage.
@@jed1166 maybe it needs a bigger shoulder strap then or something anyway i find it tedious to play in a normal sitting position but it does sound better than my smaller guitar
Hi Patrick… seriously, try standing. You can move freely, and change body and arm positions easily, making long practice sessions more comfortable. Most importantly for comfort, your right elbow and shoulder will be much lower, (assuming the strap is long enough). Also, you can raise and lower the neck angle while playing, to make barre chords and certain first position chords easier to fret. My jumbo is 17” across the lower bout. If I sit with it resting on my thigh, my right upper arm is almost level, certainly not comfortable. Standing, with it on a strap gets upper arm almost to 45 degrees, and it let’s my shoulder hang naturally.
Also, when we stand, we breath much better, and our diaphragm is not restricted, so vocal range and power are increased… this is why we never see an opera singer sitting down. Keep strumming!
@@jed1166 thanks i appreciate the advice i think the problem is the shoulder strap its too short for a big guitar ill go buy a different one and try again
Super d is a monster! Hope I will have both someday
Besides both guitars sound great and outstanding, Gibson J-200 feels deeper and prodund! Suitable for lower tunings like DADGAD of below.
Great comparison video.
Now compare them to a classic Lowden O-22 or O-35
Can you tell me where are all the serial numbers? On the 57J200 reissue?
Another thing to mention is the J200 has light strings vs the medium strings on the super D. Put medium strings on that J200 and you will get more depth and volume.
I'd like to have the Gibson and the Martin good on there own. Thanks for dimo.
Both fantastic. Martin is a bit more compressed and woody sounding while the gibson is a bit thinner but that flat EQ vs the scoop of the rosewood martin. Both sound frigging awesome. Got to say I would have an extremely hard to choosing as they both have the sound I love. I've heard the super D in open tunings and OMG. I've never been a big martin fan until the super D.... one thing I will mention that wasn't brought up is the super D is a custom shop guitar so my guess it's at least 6k?
Gibson won
I think I'd go Cubic Inches.
got to go with the Gibbie === good playing Mr. Quinton!
There isn’t a winner! It’s taste.
That super d is badass
I would say if you owned a good D-28, get the J200. There are a lot of good used J200s out there. It is something different and excellent. If your main guitar was a Gibson J45 or a Taylor, give the Martin a try. It is not for the faint of heart when it comes to price!
J200 wins. Martin for small guitars, Gibson for big guitars.
Do the johnny cash d35 vs a d 35
Martin J40?
In terms of bass and tonal complexity the Super D seems to have it but you guys are right not really a fair comparison maple vs rosewood. The J-200 shines in her own right and own way. Either way they are both exceptional guitars.
False. There’s nothing complex in the Super D. It’s just all volume and bass. You hear bass in the mids and in the highs.
The J200 is more balanced overall just listen again. It is much more harmonically rich, sparkles, and balanced. The bass is bass, the mids are mids, and the highs are highs.
@@ryanoconnor4279 Yeah, you may be right about that...
@@WysteriaGuitar Martin’s are killer guitars don’t get me wrong, but they really only excel in flatpicking bluegrass runs. Strumming chords on most Martin’s sound overly voluminous, boomy, dry, and muddy. Of course there are exceptions to this, but to me, the best martins are those which do not have those qualities.
@@ryanoconnor4279 Well aware of that I have lots of Martins, some Gibsons, Collings. and now EASTMANs which are quite good. I am pining for a J-200 - someday.
Super Dibson!!
the lower strings sound thinner on Gibson, otherwise these two Jumbo guitars sound very similar to me
Gibson for the win. And I own a Martin.
6:50 you're welcome
Never in my life have I sought a flat EQ. That’s where sterility lives.
Gibson has more balance.
The super d is more homogeneous sounding and the j 200's tight waist sounds like 2 different guitars playing at once
🎶🎵🎸🤗
For recordings, mahagony would be better, they say (less boomy)
Hello, you are two good bad boys, but the guitarist whose name I don't remember, in my opinion has a bit too heavy a hand, and distorts the sound of the guitars a bit. anyway you are trying two super super guitars, congratulations to your shop. I miss when you ate those nice stuffed sandwiches.
Super D is boomier!
Gibson hasn’t made a decent guitar since the 70’s - Gibson is overpriced firewood !