Why do Martins sound so much better?

[Mr_LV19E]

Is it an acquired taste? I guess to each his own...If like what you buy, that is all that matters!

It's like Scotch, yeah thats the ticket.

[Peter Cree]

I just love Canadian humor.

There must be so much less noise up there.   You don't need the volume and whomp of a good Martin.

Its not the guitar its the player.

[bjstrings]

Ha! Lynn, that's funny!

[Tycho]

I'm not sure I would trust a Canadian guitarist either, even if he was playing a Martin.

Especially that sneaky Gordon Lightfoot!  Or the even sneakier Neil Young!

[thistle]

Especially that sneaky Gordon Lightfoot!  Or the even sneakier Neil Young!

And what about Joni Mitchell? She's a Big Sneak if I ever saw one.

[jimmyd]

I still don't know why Martians smell so much butter but I'm relieved to know that our northern border may eventually be secured against those sneaky talented Canadians.

[Mr_LV19E]

I still don't know why Martians smell so much butter

Cuz they don't have margarine on Mars.

[ElJefe]

I still don't know why Martians smell so much butter.

Illegal alien Butter sniffers!

When I owned my 1st Martin, it made my life brighter,
my breath sweeter and childbirth a pleasure.

On the back of my "Martin Owners Card", I wrote,
"Life is too short to own a cheap guitar"

[Steve]

Getting back to the derisiveness of the first post I would say that Martin guitars sound better because they are an old American tradition, not some Johnny-come-lately Canadian wannabees.

Everybody knows that Canada is just a cheap imitation of America. So are their guitars, including guitars made in the US by Canadians. I'm not sure I would trust a Canadian guitarist either, even if he was playing a Martin.

Lynn, I was going to say the same thing but I didn't have enough Old No.7 (that's an American Whiskey eh..) in me to get my fingers to type it! 







It's just a poke at all you Canadian folks.....just sit back down a relax! 

[Guia]

No disputing that they make/made some great guitars.  However, there are other makers who sound just as good.  I believe that many think it sounds better because it has the "reputation".  I like the comfort of my Larrivee OM-10, but to be honest I have a Guild D-55 acoustic that sounds as good as anything I have ever heard in a Dreadnaught, I would not trade it for a Martin.  Of course, no law against having a Martin & a Guild.  I think that Guild is under appreciated because it is not high-end.

[bjstrings]

I think that Guild is under appreciated because it is not high-end.

Guild is a very respected brand.

[Guia]

I of course meant High End price.  Not quality.

[MissouriPicker]

I think people should play the guitars they feel a bond with and can afford.  The name on the headstock doesn't really matter that much.  I've got an awesome HD28.  Love it to death.  For me, it's what the "Martin sound" truly is.  Same goes for my Gibson Hummingbird and J150.  They sound like what I believe the "Gibson sound" is supposed to be.  Don't own any Larrys at the moment, but someday I will, and the one I pick will have the sound I like.......Couldn't care less what bashers of Martin and Gibson think.   When you read a text by someone claiming to have owned Gibson/Martins for 20 years and never played a good one....well, you can't just kind of figure that they're either lying, or they're stupid as hell to keep buying Gibsons/Martins/etc.  Whatever the answer is, they're not too good of an authority on guitars.

[iceman5868]

This post reminds me of the guy that drives a Pinto but thinks Mustangs suck!!!  Come on guys, ease up, who cares what you play, how you play it, and what it costs!!! We are all brothers and sisters so stop the hate. Personally I own a Martin OM-18V that I am crazy about

[bjstrings]

I figure that all the anti-Martin Whining says much more about the Whiners than it does about Martins.

[imwjl]

This post reminds me of the guy that drives a Pinto but thinks Mustangs suck!!!  Come on guys, ease up, who cares what you play, how you play it, and what it costs!!! We are all brothers and sisters so stop the hate. Personally I own a Martin OM-18V that I am crazy about

On your 00-18V.... I thought I was a rosewood and dreadnought guy, but I can't stop playing my 00-18V. What comes out of it defies its size and the tone and physical size make it my guitar comfort food. I noticed there was a lot of love for the model prior to my coming across the used copy I got and noticed that 00-18s have been made for all but a few of 109 years - no mystery as to why now.

;)

[woody b]

Here's what my Larrivee sounds like.
http://h1.ripway.com/woody%20b/music/Guitar%20demos/LarriveeD03MT.mp3
Here's what my Martin sounds like
http://h1.ripway.com/woody%20b/music/Guitar%20demos/1955D18.mp3
Here's what my Gibson sounds like
http://h1.ripway.com/woody%20b/music/Guitar%20demos/1964GibsonJ-50.mp3
More clips available on request.
FWIW,  I think they all sound good.   

[whiskeyjack]

Thanks for those samples.  The Gibson is by far the most different from the other two.  I would easily have confused the Larrivee D-03 for the Martin 18.

[Steve]

This post reminds me of the guy that drives a Pinto but thinks Mustangs suck!!! 

After reading this again... your saying that Larrivee is like a Pinto and Martin is like a Mustang? 

Well at least I have more Pintos then Mustangs! 

[jimcamp]

When I was looking for a higher end  guitar, a buddy and I shopped all over Nashville(lots of guitars there). We played until our fingers were sore. Tried Breedloves, Taylors, Martins and ended up buying a D-03 SP. That guitar sounded so much richer than any other we played. To be be fair, I did play a Martin that sounded as good as the Larivee, but it costs almost 5 times what I paid. 
                                                                                                                                                                                         
Larivee D-03
Alverez Jumbo
Les Paul Standard
Custom Made Strat
Custom Made Tele
ES 335 Dot