I really had difficulty distinguishing between the two. Your comment that there was slight differences is accurate, I think. I would probably prefer the Mahogany, however if the Maple was available I would certainly be hard pressed to turn it down!
The Maple sounds incredible. That Maple definitely wins the strumming, hands down. They both shine with the fingerpicking… *Caveat - I recently ordered a Martin with Pacific Big Leaf maple back & sides & Italian Spruce front.
Thanks for the comparison. I agree with your assessment. I think I would select maple for a more pronounced picking style and mahogany for rich, full rhythmic strumming.
Mahogany always. I actually now prefer it over Rosewood. I’ve grown to appreciate its tone. Especially in vintage. I’ve got a 1930 L-1 and a 74 D-18 but have had a D-28, 2 ( one 1950 and one new 000-28s) and a 36 AJ custom shop and I’ve kept the mahogany guitars and sold the rest. Maple sounds nice as well but sticking with mahogany.
Would be cool, if you started doing these again :) Especially A-B testing of more OM models by Collings, Boucher, Santa Cruz, Lowden (guess the S is like an OM?), Bourgeois. Cheers
They both sound clean and good first if all But the mahogany for my taste is better more responsive with cleaner punchy The maple is clean but not so punchy
I agree 100% with your conclusions but It's a little more complicated than that for cutting through a mix. Body shape counts a lot for loudness as it should. Try playing any Gibson jumbo in maple and you will know. The good fortune of today is using a preamp like a Grace Felix to EQ exactly what you want, even to the point of blending the same instrument with itself as electrified and microphoned at the same time. Even so, I wish I had two of every guitar I ever played--- one in each wood. Now you have me wondering how your model would sound in rosewood.
They both sounded great to me. The maple example sounded more balanced, great for fingerpicking, while the mahogany would be a great accompaniment for singing as you noted. Oddly, I tend to prefer mahogany back & sides over the other tonewoods for my own fingerpicking. Having said that, my favorite guitar of them all in terms of recorded sound is Russ Barenberg's original banner J45 in maple (one of those extremely rare ones you spoke of). Though I believe the maple used in those original banner guitars is actually of laminate construction. I have no idea if Gibson replicated this particular detail for you guys.
Thanx for a fine test. They both sound magnificent. I wanna say M because it's so alternative, but the grounded med picks M. Would have to try them both live before pressing any button. Lucky you had the opportunity. Keep the winds high ^
As much as the Mapel sounded absolutely fabulous, to me it didn't sound like a Gibson, the Mahogony was perfect, and compliments to the tech guys cause both sounded amazing. Thanks for the video.
I wonder if that unique sound of a Gibson J45 slope shoulder dreadnought is due to the large body and the short scale length? In this video I preferred the mahogany instrument based on the fingerstyle portion of the video.
Those things definitely help! Of course every builder has their own little tactics, so a boutique slope shoulder with the same design will still sound slightly different.
For me also the J45 mahogany back & sides version sounds the best. More articulate and louder than the maple back & sides. I expect that the mahogany is the top seller of the two.
Now it's strange, both are very nice, but overall I prefer the mahogany and yet though the hummingbird is usually a mahogany I prefer the quilted maple version tone wise. Is it a slope shoulder thing vs square shoulder? one favouring one wood and the other body shape favouring the other? Probably just a personal taste thing. I have a Gibson J100 extra that's maple and an SJ100 that's mahogany and though there's a difference tonally I like them both as much just maybe play a few different tunes on each I believe the Maple J45 is an Adi top, what about the mahogany j45 ? Nowadays they tend to be sitka but I guess the banner model is a reissue and adi too, both sound bright so I'm guessing both are adi
I am Team Maple 🍁
It just sounds brighter ..and shimmers a little more.
Both are beautiful sounding, but I would take the mahogany.
Great comparison! Love both, but I think the warmth of the mahogany is my preference.
Thanks Scott!
The maple one sounds close to a J15, which is one of my favorite acoustics.
I really had difficulty distinguishing between the two. Your comment that there was slight differences is accurate, I think. I would probably prefer the Mahogany, however if the Maple was available I would certainly be hard pressed to turn it down!
They both sound amazing! I think the maple in this case is the better fingerstyle choice and mahogany with a flatpick.
I like the quick decay & clear note separation of the maple.
The Maple sounds incredible. That Maple definitely wins the strumming, hands down. They both shine with the fingerpicking…
*Caveat - I recently ordered a Martin with Pacific Big Leaf maple back & sides & Italian Spruce front.
That sounds like a lovely guitar!
Thanks for the comparison. I agree with your assessment. I think I would select maple for a more pronounced picking style and mahogany for rich, full rhythmic strumming.
I love a guitar with a bigger bass, and the mahogany has that although the maple is very lovely
The one which I would choose is the one which starts with the letter “M”! 😉
I would be happy with either but if I had to pick only one it would be the mahogany. But I agree with Milo’s conclusions.
Mahogany always. I actually now prefer it over Rosewood. I’ve grown to appreciate its tone. Especially in vintage. I’ve got a 1930 L-1 and a 74 D-18 but have had a D-28, 2 ( one 1950 and one new 000-28s) and a 36 AJ custom shop and I’ve kept the mahogany guitars and sold the rest. Maple sounds nice as well but sticking with mahogany.
Great that you special ordered the Maple to enable this demo.
And for that fact that it's a great guitar! ;)
Maple sounds clear and good fingering. Nice projection and response.
Would be cool, if you started doing these again :) Especially A-B testing of more OM models by Collings, Boucher, Santa Cruz, Lowden (guess the S is like an OM?), Bourgeois. Cheers
These kind of video's are definitely on our list, so you might see them return soon! :)
They both sound clean and good first if all
But the mahogany for my taste is better more responsive with cleaner punchy
The maple is clean but not so punchy
I agree 100% with your conclusions but It's a little more complicated than that for cutting through a mix. Body shape counts a lot for loudness as it should. Try playing any Gibson jumbo in maple and you will know. The good fortune of today is using a preamp like a Grace Felix to EQ exactly what you want, even to the point of blending the same instrument with itself as electrified and microphoned at the same time. Even so, I wish I had two of every guitar I ever played--- one in each wood. Now you have me wondering how your model would sound in rosewood.
They both sounded great to me. The maple example sounded more balanced, great for fingerpicking, while the mahogany would be a great accompaniment for singing as you noted. Oddly, I tend to prefer mahogany back & sides over the other tonewoods for my own fingerpicking. Having said that, my favorite guitar of them all in terms of recorded sound is Russ Barenberg's original banner J45 in maple (one of those extremely rare ones you spoke of). Though I believe the maple used in those original banner guitars is actually of laminate construction. I have no idea if Gibson replicated this particular detail for you guys.
Both guitars sound great! For me it’s the Mahogany J45
They both sound great, I think I prefer the mahogany, it is slightly warmer, deeper bass.
What an epic side by side. Love the idea. Thanks for making this video demonstration and sharing your thoughts!
Glad to! Thanks for commenting :)
Great video and great sound recording. Thank you !
thank you for the vid! I think the difference between the hog and the maple is as big as one between two individuals with same tone woods
Maple for finger style but Mahogany for everything else
Thanx for a fine test. They both sound magnificent. I wanna say M because it's so alternative, but the grounded med picks M.
Would have to try them both live before pressing any button. Lucky you had the opportunity.
Keep the winds high ^
As much as the Mapel sounded absolutely fabulous, to me it didn't sound like a Gibson, the Mahogony was perfect, and compliments to the tech guys cause both sounded amazing.
Thanks for the video.
Thanks for commenting Peter :)
Both great guitars, but for me also the Mahogany. It’s just that brighter sound which I prefer.
Do you mean maple? Maple gives a brighter tone!… Or do you mean that you prefer the deeper tone of mahogany?
I wonder if that unique sound of a Gibson J45 slope shoulder dreadnought is due to the large body and the short scale length? In this video I preferred the mahogany instrument based on the fingerstyle portion of the video.
Those things definitely help! Of course every builder has their own little tactics, so a boutique slope shoulder with the same design will still sound slightly different.
Thank you! Very insightful!
For me also the J45 mahogany back & sides version sounds the best. More articulate and louder than the maple back & sides. I expect that the mahogany is the top seller of the two.
Mahogany usually is indeed, it does a lot of things pretty good ;)
both are good
I really appreciate this comparison thanks a million
Not a problem Danny! Thx for watching & commenting :)
Now it's strange, both are very nice, but overall I prefer the mahogany and yet though the hummingbird is usually a mahogany I prefer the quilted maple version tone wise. Is it a slope shoulder thing vs square shoulder? one favouring one wood and the other body shape favouring the other? Probably just a personal taste thing.
I have a Gibson J100 extra that's maple and an SJ100 that's mahogany and though there's a difference tonally I like them both as much just maybe play a few different tunes on each
I believe the Maple J45 is an Adi top, what about the mahogany j45 ? Nowadays they tend to be sitka but I guess the banner model is a reissue and adi too, both sound bright so I'm guessing both are adi
When you have two greater wood doing they beautiful job is so difficult to pick up one .I will No make same to pick up one they both beautiful
Always maple #thebandPOV ✌🏻
Can anyone share tutorials for the three songs played for the demos? Thank you!
I want a maple one!
I prefer the Mahogany version due to its warmth and woody midtones
The maple is more articulate. The mahogany is warmer. So, you need one of each (ha).
That is the conclusion that we all came to as well! Thanks Bob for pointing it out ;)
Mahogany
Mahogany for me
I think I prefer the mahogany it is more dimensional to my ears.
Mahogany sounds better to me although the maple looks nicer.
The Mahogany sounds more compressed.
1 votes for Mahogany!!!!😊
Thanks for voting!
Damn, cut to the A/B already
Don't bore me! Get to the A/B!
Mahagony is better
Mahogany