Expensive vs. Cheap Martin Acoustic Guitars | 000-X1 vs. 000-42

As a retired 'soundman' (and I prefer that name as opposed to the more grand sounding sound engineer), I have found that sound is very subjective, in concert audio systems and in guitars. I have travelled the world producing live sound for many top artists with a variety of different cheap to expensive instruments. It was my job to make them all sound as pleasing and as good as possible. In this video I actually prefer the brighter sound of the cheaper guitar for my own personal use and it being better to add into a mix with other instruments. Many will prefer the more mellow tones of the more expensive one. Both sound great and it is your personal choice. Do I think the most expensive is worth 10 times more...definitely not. In a live sound mix or studio I could make either sound great, the same or entirely different. I think there may be a playability difference but that would be personal again and of course there is pride in ownership for some with all the fancy inlays etc. of the more expensive guitar which may persuade some. However do not be fooled by the most expensive or the most complex being the best because often it isn't.

AFTER A FEW GLASSES OF WINE EVERYTHING SOUNDS GREAT REGARDLESS OF PRICE

My dad bought a Martin New Yorker for around $200 in 1959 when I was 13 and had proved I loved to play guitar on the Stella it replaced. Loved it even after someone fell on it at Ocean Beach and had to have it completely repaired in 1972. It was stolen from the trunk of my car in 1992. Still Miss it

I picked up a D42 and strummed one chord. I’m sure my jaw dropped when I heard the wonderful tone and resonance I then pu it back on the wall. I couldn’t afford $6995 and I already had a $4200 Taylor. Once you have heard and felt the D42 or 00042 you will be plagued by the desire to own one even if you only play that one chord after you have it. Thanks Cooper.

you know the topic is of importance when jesus himself has to explain it on youtube.

I'm a retired musician, life time Martin player. Price is more about woods, craftmanship, appointments rather than the more you spend the better a guitar sounds. My favorite guitar is not my most expensive, a first year OM-18 Authentic. I have others 3-5 times the price, I don't expect them to be 3-5 time better. My lifetime experience is different tone woods for a variety of voices. I have 3 OM's with 6 different woods (OM-18 Authentic Adi/Mahogany, Custom Shop OM-28 Alpine/Madagascar, 2005 OM-45 Engelmann/Tasmanian Blackwood w/alternate torch). 50 years of playing and 37 Martins has shown me personally that different tone woods in different body sizes gives a wonderful variety. Don't get hung up on just rosewood, or just mahogany, try tweener woods like Koa/Tasmanian Blackwood. FWIW my high enders were not closet queens, they went on gigs, carefully monitored, and I never had a problem, "play your best to sound your best".......

I bought a Martin D10e to upgrade my cheap used Yamaha I had been learning on. I absolutely love it. It’s a solid wood Martin dreadnaught for under $1000. You can't beat that.

A Martin GPC-X2E owner here. I love it and enjoy playing it day in day out :) And even though it has HPL back and sides, I still noticed it sounded better after months of playing, probably its solid top has opened up. Its resonance is beautiful. Would love to have an all-solid Martin one day, maybe an all-solid mahogany, but I am happy with my GPC-X2E.

All of these videos you guys have been putting out the last 6 to 8 months have been awesome.Keep it up!

I bought a £130 guitar when I first started, I handed it to my guitar tutor and it sounded amazing. I believe, a £500 guitar can sound like a £5000 in the right hands.

The 000-42 sounded warmer and more resonant to me. I kind of felt like you played better on 000-X1 though, maybe because you were more warmed up. They both sound great anyway! Thanks for the cool demo 👍

The 42 had a more full bodied sound for lack of a better way to describe it. the x1 had a certain constraint to it. But each sounds good in it's own way. I would probably eq each one to it's own voice so to speak, but I assume you recorded them both with the same setting. Only way to get a fair comparison of how each sounds unadorned so to speak.

Martin guitars, to me, have always sounded well balanced with crisp, clear overtones. But, from the first chord on the expensive Martin I heard the mid tones project with a brilliance that I could not believe. Without hearing it live I still believe it may be one of the most beautiful sounding guitars I have ever heard. The less expensive Martin sounded muted an dull by comparison although still with a good Martin sound.

Your noodling is much different than my noodling lol... Great demo, young man! I look forward to seeing more in the future.

I appreciate the series you have been doing on cheap vs. expensive guitars. It is important that guitar players know what they are paying for and how it will affect their satisfaction with their purchase. As a long time part time guitar player that does not practice enough and does not play in public, I have purchased a few guitars. When we had a family and limited funds, I bought a Martin DX1AE. It had the craftsmanship and design that made it easy to play, which naturally made me feel more fulfilled with my playing. The DX1AE had the Sitka Spuce top, the easy to play neck and finger board. The laminant body had good sound, but was dull, not crisp. When the kids were out of college and we had more funding for hobbies, I bought a Martin D28E. The D28E had very good sound, deep, rich, and balanced. The DX1AE was about $500. The D28E was about $2,600. Was the D28E worth $2,000 more? If you have an extra $2,000 to spend on your hobby, then YES!, it was worth it. If you only have $500 for a guitar, the DX is great! In the comparison video for the 000-X and the 000-42, you play both very well and they both sound amazing. Honestly, listeing and watching, it seemed like you had to work a little harder on the 000-X to make it sound as crisp and clear as it did. Be sure to tell people , as a player, how they are to play.

Nice review, I have a Taylor 714ce Vclass and it has such a nice tone as well. One thing I notice right away with the more expensive guitars vs the cheaper ones is the feel of the neck and overall quality of craftsmanship. I would like to get a nice Martin one of these days, I just love that warm tone they have.

Great demo man. I’m amazed at these Mexico made guitars. I have some nice standard Martin’s. I love them. But I find myself often picking my south of the border Martin. It’s a great time for owning great sounding guitars. The technology that goes into them is the reason they sound so good. Thanks for the great demo. It’s great that in these hard times most anyone can own a Martin.

Yes, I agree there's a difference in the tonal quality of each guitar. The more expensive one has a lighter overall precise sound while the less expensive one has a deeper flat sound that more, or less resonates along with each chord as you play it. To me it's like the difference between mono and stereo. Both are excellent instruments.

Congratulations on both the 100k subscribers and the 700k views on this one! Great review, headphones make the difference

I bought a guitar because of you guys and I couldn’t be happier with it.excellent job fellas.thank you