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UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45

Comparison between Santa Cruz OM and Martin OM-18e

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danishbacondanishbacon Frets: 2588
in Acoustics
Put this video together last night, a bit amateur but I think shows the difference in tone between two fairly different instruments of similar design.


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  • LodiousLodious Frets: 1896
    Nice video and comparison. For what it's worth, both sounded great but I preferred the Martin.
    My Feedback Thread here: http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/63317/ 
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  • danishbacondanishbacon Frets: 2588
    Lodious said:
    Nice video and comparison. For what it's worth, both sounded great but I preferred the Martin.
    Cheers @Lodious. To be honest I don’t think I prefer one or the other, they’re distinct enough that they feel like completely different types of guitars and lend themselves to different styles. I think the Santa Cruz has a charm that is difficult to convey in a video or recording and that is how it resonates when it’s being played. The Martin does not do that, not nearly as much at least. 
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  • LodiousLodious Frets: 1896
    Yeah, I re-watched and I think I might like the SC better. Nice to have options :-)
    My Feedback Thread here: http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/63317/ 
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  • NibulniblinNibulniblin Frets: 183
    Informative demo, Fred. SC for me.
    The Future is simply time waiting to become History.
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  • danishbacondanishbacon Frets: 2588
    Nibulniblin said:
    Informative demo, Fred. SC for me.
    Thanks Barry :)
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  • TforTeleTforTele Frets: 33
    danishbacon said:
    Lodious said:
    Nice video and comparison. For what it's worth, both sounded great but I preferred the Martin.
    Cheers @Lodious. To be honest I don’t think I prefer one or the other, they’re distinct enough that they feel like completely different types of guitars and lend themselves to different styles. I think the Santa Cruz has a charm that is difficult to convey in a video or recording and that is how it resonates when it’s being played. The Martin does not do that, not nearly as much at least. 
    Hi Fred

    Is that difference in "resonance" maybe down to one being mahogany and one rosewood?

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  • danishbacondanishbacon Frets: 2588
    TforTele said:
    Lodious said:
    Nice video and comparison. For what it's worth, both sounded great but I preferred the Martin.
    Cheers @Lodious. To be honest I don’t think I prefer one or the other, they’re distinct enough that they feel like completely different types of guitars and lend themselves to different styles. I think the Santa Cruz has a charm that is difficult to convey in a video or recording and that is how it resonates when it’s being played. The Martin does not do that, not nearly as much at least. 
    Hi Fred

    Is that difference in "resonance" maybe down to one being mahogany and one rosewood?

    @TforTele Possibly, but there's also the 14 year differential between the two, as well as a bone saddle/pins on the SC and definite variations in construction. I think it's a case of 'sum of the part's'. The SC is also a bit richer on the lower end of things whereas the Martin seems to have a more prominent midrange. That may account for 'feeling' the SC a bit more than the Martin but they are both lively.
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  • fretfinderfretfinder Frets: 4636
    Nice video Fred. I like the sound of them both, possibly leaning more towards the Martin, which sounds great on the video and also in the flesh!  ;)


    Trading feedback: http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/57830/
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 10961
    danishbacon said:
    TforTele said:
    Lodious said:
    Nice video and comparison. For what it's worth, both sounded great but I preferred the Martin.
    Cheers @Lodious. To be honest I don’t think I prefer one or the other, they’re distinct enough that they feel like completely different types of guitars and lend themselves to different styles. I think the Santa Cruz has a charm that is difficult to convey in a video or recording and that is how it resonates when it’s being played. The Martin does not do that, not nearly as much at least. 
    Hi Fred

    Is that difference in "resonance" maybe down to one being mahogany and one rosewood?

    @TforTele Possibly, but there's also the 14 year differential between the two, as well as a bone saddle/pins on the SC and definite variations in construction. I think it's a case of 'sum of the part's'. The SC is also a bit richer on the lower end of things whereas the Martin seems to have a more prominent midrange. That may account for 'feeling' the SC a bit more than the Martin but they are both lively.

    That might be the mahogany vs rosewood.  In my experience, rosewood tends to have more low and high while mahogany tends to push the mids a bit more.
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  • danishbacondanishbacon Frets: 2588
    crunchman said:
    danishbacon said:
    TforTele said:
    Lodious said:
    Nice video and comparison. For what it's worth, both sounded great but I preferred the Martin.
    Cheers @Lodious. To be honest I don’t think I prefer one or the other, they’re distinct enough that they feel like completely different types of guitars and lend themselves to different styles. I think the Santa Cruz has a charm that is difficult to convey in a video or recording and that is how it resonates when it’s being played. The Martin does not do that, not nearly as much at least. 
    Hi Fred

    Is that difference in "resonance" maybe down to one being mahogany and one rosewood?

    @TforTele Possibly, but there's also the 14 year differential between the two, as well as a bone saddle/pins on the SC and definite variations in construction. I think it's a case of 'sum of the part's'. The SC is also a bit richer on the lower end of things whereas the Martin seems to have a more prominent midrange. That may account for 'feeling' the SC a bit more than the Martin but they are both lively.

    That might be the mahogany vs rosewood.  In my experience, rosewood tends to have more low and high while mahogany tends to push the mids a bit more.
    This makes sense and it is a similar experience to a Maton I have at the moment, which is mahogany (sapele) and Sitka. It’s like the Martin, focused on the mids, albeit with a bit more girth on bottom end as it’s a Dreadnought sized body. Have learned a lot from comparing these different instruments, namely in that I think my inclination towards a strummer would be choosing mahogany. That being said, the Santa Cruz has its place. 
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  • danishbacondanishbacon Frets: 2588

    fretfinder said:
    Nice video Fred. I like the sound of them both, possibly leaning more towards the Martin, which sounds great on the video and also in the flesh!  ;)


    Thanks Nigel, I’m inclined to say the same :)
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  • TrevinDevonTrevinDevon Frets: 28
    Very nice, thanks. If asked blind, I'd have got the rosewood and mahogany entirely the wrong way round. Shows how much I know.
    Personally, I prefer the mellower sound of the SC.
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