Cream City Music: How To Spot A Counterfeit Martin D45
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- čas přidán 1. 10. 2017
- Ron Jones, head luthier at Cream City Music ran across a forgery of a Martin D45 guitar and shows us how to detect and determine the differences in appointments and construction between the quality American Martin brand and a forgery. He also uses a real Martin Triple 045 as a comparison.
- Hudba
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This video is great. It's shocking how every single thing is wrong on it. Thanks for helping inform buyers.
Ok, I admit it- I did a fair amount of research before buying my latest guitar. I ended up buying a guitar from overseas, that listed its attributes as solid rosewood back and sides ( not laminate!!), spruce top, mahogany neck, ebony fretboard, and mother of pearl inlays. The company actually sent me photos of the guitar they were going to ship. This one cost me 800.00. Sure, I was a bit nervous, but a few weeks later when it arrived, I was shocked at how gorgeous it was. This guitar had none of the defects this video describes, the neck is stained dark, not light like this one. The sound hole is smooth as can be, and it had a real bone nut and saddle. The inlays on the neck are not the tree of life at all, they are the correct versions. It smells like real lacquer too, its not poly. Best of all, once I set it up the action properly ( it was just a hair too high), it plays just great. I changed the strings to 8020 12/54 ( it came with phosphor bronze) . So how does it sound? It sounds great- Sustain is quite extended, clarity is superb, and overall balance is very good- not too bright or too heavy. It sounds better than a 3,500 Taylor or my Guild D-25 ( which has a mahogany back and sides so its not a fair comparison. )
My only regret is that I opted for the version that had the Fishman electronics. The pickup is the type that has the under saddle braided copper piezo sensor. I took that out and threw it away. No matter what anyone says, the under saddle pickups detract from the sound. Once you take that out and reset the bone saddle, it cleans up the sound. The string vibrations are much more effectively transmitted to the top if they don't have to go through that l stupid braided wire.
As far as that guitar in this video is concerned, I agree with the author- That one is junk, but that doesn't mean all foreign built guitars are like that. I am quite happy with mine.
Kurt Hoffmann Which website did you purchase it from, Sir? May I know? I would like to own one.
very informative and well delivered
Thanks for taking the time to make this video - I guess you can always hang this guitar on a wall :-)
are there any martin models with the truss rod hole access like the one showed here? I have encountered a martin J40 which I am not sure wether is it original or not? and it had the truss rod access higher up like showed in this video. Thanks! very informative vid!
Thank you. I almost bought a fake one thinking it's a good deal.
2019 I sent back 4 Martin D-41s for most of these problems with fit and finish. Damn near cut my hand on the edge of the bridge.
This video is 2 years old, Now the Chinese make them with Solid Rosewood back and sides, It cost's about $400.00 more and they now use real Mother of Pearl. They even use real Ebony fretboards.
I've had a real Brazilian Rosewood D-45 and the new Chinese sound pretty darn close.
The only thing that bothers me is they don't use a dark stain on the back of the neck.
They have $350.00 D-45's and $750.00 D-45's, I think they are great if you don't want to ruin your real Martin D-45 !!
that's the same reason I have a girlfriend, I don't want to ruin my wife!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me too.....iown a real martin 018 from 1926 and a Chinese martin d45.....i went to guitar center to compare my d45 with the originals ....and let me tell you mine sound better........how that happends?..... I simple don't know.....
This is very informative, and useful! Thanks. I'm curious though... I have been offered a Made in Japan D-45. It has the CF Martin logo (so not a Morris, etc). Could this be a genuine guitar? It also has the Fishman PUP. Thank you!
That's a great question. To our knowledge, Martin has never had a D-45 that was built in Japan
A Martin D45 costs about $9000+. I got D45 copy on Aliexspress for $269. I have to say it only sounds like $7000 guitar. I knew it was a risk.
It would've been a risk if u had spent $7k for that. I gss it's a fair deal. Enjoy mate. Sound n affordability is everything.
Yeah we get it. Its not $10,000. So how does it sound for couple hundred bucks?
Luthiers and guitar shops should turn down work on fakes. Integrity is something to be said for. They should simply say, if you want a Martin, Gibson or Taylor buy one. We do not repair non-authenti lc instruments. Sweetwater and other online retailers sell them on payment plans as low as $49 a month.
Very interesting. I'm a hack guitar player - I would ever spend the money on a Martin, or any other expensive guitar. I heard one of these Chinese Martins...they don't sound too bad.
wish the chinese would just put 'china' on all headstocks instead of ripping the customers off. Trade war with China over the billions they steal in intellectual goods. The way they are acting it won't be long before full on war. China sea they steal. they have infiltrated Hollywierd, universities and media already. Arseholes.
I have one and I LOVE IT I ALSO HAVE A REAL GIBSON J 200 CUSTOM VALUED AT 9000 DOLLARS AND I PREFER THE SOUND COST OVER WHAT MY J200 DOES AND IT JUST ISN'T WORTH THE DIFFERENCE, AND REMEMBER THIS GUY IS A DEALER AND ALL THIS FANCY INLAY HE IS TALKING ABOUT AS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SOUND OF THE INSTRUMENT
You said it yourself, you are a hack player. You don’t have the ears to tell that this sounds like shit.
AND IT DOESN'T COST 1/20 TH OF WHAT A MARTIN COST SO WHAT IS YOUR POINT FOR THE MONEY ITS A DAM GOOD GUITAR I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU EXSPECT
i seen the guy had one 5 years had to adjust truss a bit then sounded great again.so they do last.i'm poor could never afford a real nice one.i am new started with new rogue 90.$65 nice for price but told mysel if i got better and planned to keep playing i would get me a nicer guitar.so i am looking at the new little martin LX1 or the d45 chartin.about same price...having hard time choosing but may buy a nice yamaha...we'll see soon
Yamahas are great! We highly recommend them. We see quite a few at our shop! What model are you thinking about?
Not my original thought, but true still... "if it seems to good to be true"...
100%
Sound and affordability is everything. Unless u don't spend thousands of bucks for fake it's never a risk . Ppl spend few hundreds and get decent instruments. What's wrong in that ?
instablaster
I've been thinking about getting one of these copy guitars for cruise ship gigging..... rather than take out a $2K Gibson or even a $1K something else... as long as it sounded as good as say,... a $500 or $600 acoustic electric... I think it would work, and it would look cool from 3 feet away and beyond and you won't have to worry about it if it got thrashed... just a thought, but I've never played a copy acoustic....I have played a Japanese copy of a Les Paul that my buddy acquired for like $200 and I have to say that it played decent and had some OK tone,,,, kind of scary because to the untrained eye it would be very hard to spot that it was a fake
I've got one of these getting shipped to me atm. Looking forward to it. As long as its as good as the Harley BentonCld41 I've got I ll be happy. 👌
Pause at 7:42 that looks like crap on the back of the real Martin guitar on the right side. It looks like someone did not add enough stain on that section!!!!. That looks very poor for the real Martin.
You can tell immediately that the shape of the headstock (underside) is totally off....
I mean you are comparing $300 to a $8000 .I understand the point of counterfeit.But who gives a c… about real abalone,as soon as it sounds decent.But does it really sound $8000 times better,of course not.And you can’t expect to sound as good as original,but for $300 sounds pretty good to me.
I work Chinese factory. Now I no how to make perfect Martin replica guitar. Thankyou
Says the factory worker 😆😆😆 does it sound alright though? Say u swap the nut and saddle and a proper set up
I'm watching this in 01/2021 it's hard times, I would love to own a real Martin D45, can't afford it, I do have an Series X Made in Mexico it's beautiful, now just an hour ago I found out I can get a copy of a Chinease made D45 for $325 shipped. I will know it's not a real thing but in my mind I will not really care. sorry...............
All good! :)
I pretty much believe that Martin doesn't worry about these cheap knock offs, because in the end they don't compete in any way with their actual honest products. Now if someone were actually building a solid Rosewood body guitar that played and sounded like a D45 and selling if for under $300.00, (with or without a name on the headstock) Martin would have something to worry about.
You got that right! :)
They’re doing those now 🤣
Just like the False Gospel that cannot save the soul from sin. Jesus will say to many depart from me ye workers of iniquity I never knew you.
If the Chinese would only put another name on these guitars , it would solve the problem .
Just call it a " Woo Chin " or whatever and start building their OWN legacy for an affordable guitar .
Yeah but they have a saying in China ~ "If you can cheat...then cheat." (Not kidding. They really live by that if it can make them a few extra bucks...short sighted people.) I agree with what you are saying...if they just put in some real effort instead of trying to make a cheap knockoff...who knows with a little quality control they could compete and hold their heads high.
👍
Harley Benton seems to be trying to make a go of just that though...they have knockoffs that are damn cheap but in truth...you get what you pay for. I grabbed a solid mahogany from them a few years back and it sounds great but I had to do quite a bit to get it to play right and it's still wobbly on the bass end...but ya so cheap nothing I'd cry about and I keep it around in an alternate tuning to grab once in a while...not the worst thing I ever played but certainly no Martin like they are trying to push it as...not even close. I'm no Martin die hard but I sure the hell know the difference and people saying they are close are nutty.
Come on... play the damn thing , sound is everything, we understand the parts are not the real article
Not on this one. It will sound like a $300 import acoustic with a solid top. I hear where you're coming from, but these guitars need to be removed from the market, in my opinion. Similar to fake Rolex's, these are rarely kept by people and often used to defraud buyers.
its wrong on every level and a blatant ripoff. thats why its illegal how are they getting away with selling fakes?
If he does play the fake one, he will be sure it's out of tune, so what's the point?
not all of us can afford 10k for martin
If you don't want it send it to me that way my real one can stay at home while I go for CHINESE😁😁😁
martin has some issues. the fakes are branded on the spine inside with martins logos and warning of using light gauge strings. IMHO they are assembled with martin parts, maybe seconds. knock off grovers are the only thing I can wrong with the one I got. for 300 bucks.. my son did his usual clean up on it and he says its better than a real martin. I got the dreadnaught with no cutaway. abalone inlays look good. its a shame so many slugs get on here to cut down the guitar, as if it cuts into their action. who cares. ever dated a fake female?
It's not "vinyl"... it's Mother of Urinal!
Anyone buying one of the bootlegs is just sorry. You buy from liars, cheats, and thieves. What does that make you? Would you buy a stolen bicycle from someone you knew stole it from your neighbor?
We've found often times that the buyers aren't aware. :(
A fancy guitar isn’t Martin period
True
all those points do not really affect play ability...i bet it sounds great! martins are overrated & over priced IMO poor mans martin great for around the fire or gig gtr
It won’t sound anywhere near great with laminate back and sides. And the poor attention to detail means it will have many problems in the future. Real Martin’s sound amazing, there is no comparison anywhere and they age beautifully.
Thank you. Im sick of seeing these fake martins passed off as real. And if thats not enough, those that buy them think they got something special. Its junk.
Very true, Morgun!
Probably Chinese
Morton doesn’t have inlays on the frets board , you are so behind fake Chinese guitar
Yup, this one is a fake!
Fake no fake long as sound good not like Martin brand it cost you over $3000 and these a lots of guitar are made from China and other country
It all depends on what you're looking for :)