brentrocks Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Since i have a Heritage and a Martin acoustic in the house...i was wondering what the difference in tone was. So here ya go... http://www.reverbnation.com/play_now/song_7618786 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilkuku Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Definitely the Heritage, it's got a great balanced tone. Real nice lows. The Martin is no slouch though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidsmoke Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Cool Brent, thanks for doing that. I saw the listing of the Martin so I know a bit about it's construction. I'm curious about the Heritage....do you have shots of the body front and back? Acoustics can really change with age, so that Heritage has a 20 year headstart on that Martin. Do you know, is your Heritage a Larrivée build? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the jayce Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 sorry but the martin is a ton louder and crisper. The heritage sounds great but that martin has a lot more sustain and volume. Give the martin another 20 years and it will be in its prime. My vote martin definetaly. Just my honest unbiased opinion. I dont have a martin or a heritage acoustic so it's purely based on sound for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halowords Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 Not sure. The Heritage seems warmer/bassier, and I'm a bass-nut so it appeals to my taste for rounder, more bass sounding instruments. The Martin sounds brighter, might cut through better, and I'd have to agree with the "crisper" descriptor. That might be less about what's "better" than preference or usage (rhythm, lead, solo, in a band, etc.) I'd be curious what the age might do to the Martin's tone and if there is any size (body or scale), wood, or string gauge difference between the two. Not to mention what better computer speakers might do for either guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidsmoke Posted March 8, 2011 Share Posted March 8, 2011 that's why I asked about construction. If the Heritage is a typical Larrivée build, it's likely a smaller box made from Mahogany, not that big Rosewood boomer we see in those photos. IF that's the case, they're INTENDED to sound different. My Larrivée doesn't take hard strumming well at all, but has no peer when it comes to fingerpicking. This is a product of construction, and that's a function of construction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 The Heritage is Spruce top with Maple rim and back The Martin is Spruce top with Rosewood rim and back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 they both have their strong points...the weak part is my playing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 Cool Brent, thanks for doing that. I saw the listing of the Martin so I know a bit about it's construction. I'm curious about the Heritage....do you have shots of the body front and back? Acoustics can really change with age, so that Heritage has a 20 year headstart on that Martin. Do you know, is your Heritage a Larrivée build? My Heritage was built by a former employee for himself back in '85....thats about all i know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbp810 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Tough call... but the Heritage seems to have more emphasis on mid and bass, which also make it seem to sound a little more balanced to my ears; the Martin leans towards being brighter, yet also louder. Heck, I'd happily own and play either any day of the week... but if I had to choose between the two, I'd lean towards the Heritage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blunote Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Wow. You're lucky to have both of them. Really different, and really good sounds. The Martin is a lot brighter. I was going to guess I would have guessed the Martin was a Mahogany D-18 and that the Heritage was spruce with rosewood b/s due to the warmer tones. But as it turns out, I couldn't be more wrong. Maybe someone who builds guitars can explain how such a bright wood like maple can sound so much warmer and bassier than another dreadnought with rosewood b/s. I'm a sucker though for the scooped sound the HFT445 had though. So if I were voting, the HFT would get mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 Wow. You're lucky to have both of them. Really different, and really good sounds. The Martin is a lot brighter. I was going to guess I would have guessed the Martin was a Mahogany D-18 and that the Heritage was spruce with rosewood b/s due to the warmer tones. But as it turns out, I couldn't be more wrong. Maybe someone who builds guitars can explain how such a bright wood like maple can sound so much warmer and bassier than another dreadnought with rosewood b/s. I'm a sucker though for the scooped sound the HFT445 had though. So if I were voting, the HFT would get mine. the funny thing is the Heritage also has a ebony board! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horace Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 I've been playing the same Gibson Dove for 40 years. Over that entire time I've played several times a year with 2 other players, one with a Martin D41 and the other with a D35. I am very familiar with those sounds and the sounds of your demo, Brent. You can always tell a Martin and you can always tell a Gibson / Heritage. The Martins are louder and brasher and great for leads and cutting through an acoustic mix. The Heritages are to me better for accompanying singers. Tal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidsmoke Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 That Heritage is a gorgeous guitar. Maple 5 piece neck. The Martin's got a Hog neck. I'm no expert on construction, but bracing and age can have a huge impact, Probably just the fact that it's opened up, and super lightly braced allows for the open sound. It's big too. Slope shouldered like a J45, not square. Beauties! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the jayce Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 wow that heritage is just awsome in appearance, lucky you are brent to own a beauty like that. They are both top notch acoustics! Great post, always love it when someone puts audio in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark555 Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Both wonderful guitars, but the Martin does it for me on a personal level. Some may not agree with this statement, and I am not saying it is fact, just what I was told by a very brilliant classical guitar player. I have a friend who owns a hand built classical guitar which would cost today approximately £10,000 to have made. It is about thirty years old. I took it to show a guy I took some lessons from way back and he said that acoustic guitars actually are at their best when they are newer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmac Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Both sounded good to me.. The Martin sounded more "Chimey" than the Heritage. But the Heritage sounded smooth with good bass and mids. Wouldn't kick either one out of bed.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LK155 Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Drawing upon my small bit of experience with a flattop (40 years' worth with a Framus Texan), I believe the newness of strings has a significant impact on the sound. But even with new strings, it's hard to imagine the Heritage matching the brightness of that Martin. I could easily make room for either one in my harem and be happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connor Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 You are a lucky man! Those are both nice guitars. My guess is that your Martin is an HD 28. I say that because of the pick guard and herring bone around the sound hole. They both sound great to me, but I lean toward the Martin. It might be because I'm a Martin player and I have grown to expect that sound. Your Heritage sounds a lot like my Gibson J-200 which also has Maple back and sides. Bottom line...... I could spend an evening playing either one and be happy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Flying Bird Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Joe has a Martin. When springtime gets here we usually play on the back deck. The Heritage and Martin acoustics complement each other very well. I prefer the more mellow tone of my HFT-475 or my old HFT-445. It sounds good to have the Martin's top end coming through on top of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jturbo77 Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 sorry but the martin is a ton louder and crisper. The heritage sounds great but that martin has a lot more sustain and volume. Give the martin another 20 years and it will be in its prime. My vote martin definetaly. Just my honest unbiased opinion. I dont have a martin or a heritage acoustic so it's purely based on sound for me. Pretty much agree with this. The Martin was a lot brighter and louder, which I personally like better. Heritage sounded good though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronalr Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Thanks Brent for the clip...(I always enjoy your clips)....both are beautiful guitars and both have great tone....the Martin sounds just a hair better to my ears...but either one is a real winner!! ..... I have 2 Martins...000-18 and a 12 string.....the 12 string always get compliments...almost sounds like a harpsichord....I would love to add a Heritage acoustic to my collection though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brentrocks Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 It's really great to hear all the feedback on this. My Heritage strings are quite old, so I have a feeling that a new set of strings might have made a difference. The Martin had new strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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