Got 8 minutes? Wanna rank 5 guitars?

kenny · Mar 15, 2016

To skip his talking just fast forward to 6:00.
He plays a few moments of the first piece on each guitar.
Then on to the next piece.

Headphones or earbuds are best.

Here are the 5 guitars in the order he plays them:

1 HD28 custom (1996)
2 Martin D28S (Original 1971)
3 Martin D45V (2007)
4 Martin D41 Special (2004)
5 Martin D28 Authentic 1937 (2014)

(Your check is in the mail.

)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtFYj-m3r58

This video is particularly unique because it's professionally produce yet there is no agenda.
It's not an ad for the manufacturer, Martin.
It's not an ad for a vendor and none of these 5 guitars are for sale.
He owns them all, plays well, and records well.

kenny · Mar 15, 2016

BTW, if played often guitars sound better with age.
Time and the vibration does something to the wood down at the cellular level.

That's great for people like me who bought a fine guitar 40 years ago, but what about someone who wants a new guitar but loves the sound of old ones?
Should they be happy to buy one and wait 40 years?

Manufacturers are doing science and detective work.
The disassemble and analyze 80 year old guitars (some now worth hundreds of thousands of dollars) to identify what exactly happened to the wood.

Whatever that is, they want to do that to new wood for new guitars.
One thing is a process called torrifaction.
They heat up the wood SUPER hot in a kiln, but they suck out all the oxygen so the wood doesn't burst into flames.
New guitars made with torrified wood sound more like old guitars.
They can even adjust the process to target certain ages, like 40 years or 80 years.

Also glue matters.
Modern mass-produced guitars are all made with synthetic glues.
Old guitars were made with hide glue ... yes made from animals ... not very PC.
Hide glues are a pain in the butt to work with but they make the guitar sound better.

One of the 5 guitars in the above video is one of these new guitars that hopefully copies the old.
It is #5 the "Martin D28 Authentic 1937 (2014)".
It's a new guitar made to be like a 1937 guitar ... except instead of costing a couple hundred dollars it has a street price of $7000.