Martin D-28 Marquis -vs- Ovation Adamas - Round 2

[OleBlues]

Plug the Adamas in when you play it. I really don't know of any Ovation made product that would or could stand up to to a Martin Guitar in the test setting which you have created. Ovations were made to be plugged in, they sound their best when amplified. They are primarily stage guitars. They can sound pretty darn good as they stand but on stage their superb. Of course, playing as long as you have you already knew this......Right?

[sandryushka]

The Martin sounds very traditionally acoustic, and the ovation sounds a bit worse but still quite good. Thanks for the video.

[73allain]

Martin are prety good and probly beet the adamas but im a huge fan of ovation so i love the adamas bether!!! I just love the feel of Ovation!!!

[SDevante]

Love your playing skills

[Greg0ire2002]

Both guitars sound quite good - that being said, it seems to me there is more joy when you are playing the Adamas (ie. like it is the guitar for you).

[cattnipp]

I'm confused at the point here - there is no way to hear any difference through youtube on a typical computer. So, that leaves us with the player's opinions. Since he gives none, I feel like I have heard some cool picking rhythms without learing a thing about either guitar.

[carvinrigged]

I'm voting for the Ovation ! It is a long way from the old Ovation Celebrity I had years ago ! The Martins serve well for Bluegrass etc. ,but I just don't care for the booming bottum end . I much prefer my Larrivee over martin and I have owned the D-15 ,DX1 and a D-28 ,mine was not the marquis. My friends all play either Martin or Taylor ,but I still prefer the Larrivee D-05 or L-05 or perhaps even the older Tacomas"pre Fender" or Alvarez Yairi . Thanks for sharing .

[clueworm82]

I like the mid range punch from the adamas. Very nice. I was actually considering a marquis but ended up with the custom. Amazing guitars!

[JPX7NGD]

Wow, the recent comments on this video are stupid.

[bluegrasssingingman]

Adamas is a piece junk. All Ovations are junk. Fiberglass comp. designed. I should just put strings on a plastic bucket.

[Taud]

@edmunk the price tho! martins are so expensive i wouldnt take it out to the campfire, hell, it wouldn't even leave the house

[robmanizno1]

In terms of instrument size and price this is like pacquiao vs margarito, but the Adamas comes out on top. Decision win with the Martin unable to see straight lol

[rayka]

Ovation Adamas sounds a little bit like my Blackbird Super OM Carbon Fiber Guitar. Your Adamas sounds good. Your an Excellent guitar player.

[pezman1963]

If they are tuned differently its not a fair comparison.

[bluegrasssingingman]

Hey Ovation lovers stop making excuses of unfair claims. Ovation is a fiberglass piece of junk. Ovation sounds like a little kids toy, and always will. The only unfair thing is that Ovation had to go up against A real guitar. The king of all guitars Martin.

[mymartind35]

@bluegrasssingingman Plugged in the Adamas will kick the Martins butt. I own both. I use the Martin for acoustic and the Adamas for electric gigs. It's like Nascar and Formula One.

[bluegrasssingingman]

@mymartind35 It's not even a real guitar. It's fiberglass junk. They will never have the great sound of a Martin,or any other wood guitar.

[mymartind35]

@bluegrasssingingman Mine is carbon fiber. It has a preamp that is great and it also has a low-z out. It sounds better electric than any acoustic I've ever played. It has an ebony fretboard and a 5 piece wood neck. It plays better than my Martin and it was set-up by the same luthier. Martin makes the best acoustic there is. But, the Adamas W597 CVT kicks any acoustic/electric guitars butt. Do your homework on the guitar before you disrespect it. It's American made and it's awesome.

[bluegrasssingingman]

@mymartind35 Yeah carbon fiber, other wise fiber glass. Your the one that needs to do their home work. It's only good for country and rock. As far as American doesn't make it a great guitar. Stop smoking what your smoking. Your ovation will never come close to a Martin. Ovation will never come close to any wood Acoustic/Electric. Yeah they have a small neck, but it doesn't make it great. It will never out play my 73 D-35. It will never have the sound either. Age makes sound.

[mymartind35]

@bluegrasssingingman Well if I just played 3 chords all the time like you do it might be easy to play a Martin. Take a look at Slat Key Soquel rag by the Doobie Brothers played on OVATIONS. Harder than anything you will EVER play. As far as smokng something. I'm a blood bought Chtistian and I don't smoke anything and accuse others of stupid things like that. I am through with this conversation.

[bluegrasssingingman]

@mymartind35 Well Bluegrass pickers use more then 3 chords. First of all, you couldn't do what we do in one chord. LOL Doobie Brothers. Go check out Tony Rice,Marty Stuart, Ricky Skaggs, or any other Bluegrass picker. If you all learned to play. You wouldn't have to play 5 chords for one song. Just to look like your doing something. As far As being a Christain why are you listening to the Doobie Brothers. Their name says it all. So your a Christian that listens to Stonier Music.

[ZOMBIELANDakaUSA]

@mymartind35

right on,'bluegrasssingingman' sounds like an obtuse ford vs chevy guy who probably never touched an Ovation.To each his own,but to play an Adama caliber(deep bowl) Ovation and say it's trash is obviously borderline obtuse.Ovations are stellar guitars,used by some of finest guitarists in the world,and plugged in rise above damn near all.If you get the chance to try the Ovation Elite DS778TX(baritone),incredible guitar.Ovations are hard to beat for all around guitar.

[mymartind35]

@ZOMBIELANDakaUSA thanks a lot. It's always nice to have an advocate. I have a Martin D-35 and an Adamas W597 graphite. I love guitars. I just don't like guitar bigots. Guitars are like people. Some are great and aothers are trash..

[ZOMBIELANDakaUSA]

@mymartind35

right on.There's so many,and i would love to try them all as each guitar has it's own character(i say who wouldn't want to try them all,but we know some aren't open minded,lol).I seem to be a little more biased lately towards the Ovation just because i play mostly percussive/tapping style and to me the Ovation is best so far plugged in.I just scored the 2078TX,and that sucker has some low end,easily rivaling some jumbo's(especially dropped tunings)

cheers,a brew to you

[shaundegracia]

it still isn't a fair fight, drop tuning an identical martin would sound totally different. i totally agree, I would feel a lot safer with the adamas because of it's durability and materials

[JuanDeSoCal]

I've found elixirs -- indeed, any coated strings -- to be tone killers. They're like putting a sock over each string. But hey, you get longer-lasting dull sound!

[Guitar1hero23]

@JuanDeSoCal dude that is so true. you are 100 percent correct. i personally use martin medium strings, what about you

[JuanDeSoCal]

@Guitar1hero23

I've been using Martin 80/20 bronze custom lights, 11-52. I like these even better than the popular Martin phosphor-bronze strings.. Do you bend strings on your acoustic at all? I do, and that's why I use the custom lights. Heavier strings tended to brutalize my hands.

[Guitar1hero23]

@JuanDeSoCal i play a lot of dave matthews, but yes i do bend strings, my hands are just very used to it

[lukatherknopfler]

Which tuning are you using on your ovation adamas?

[lukatherknopfler]

great playing!!!, and very nice guitars. Can you tell me which songs are you playing?

[VSNROCKS]

Martin blows it away.

[kaptenmax]

man elixirs kill that guitars sound

[mymartind35]

I own a D-35 Martin and an Adamas W597 Graphite. They are made for 2 seperate things. Apples and oranges.

[TMDJ18]

@Craig you just made no sense whatsoever. The martin is crisp, loud and very clear. It sounds better strummed than any ovation. BUT the ovation was made for plug-in and the, i dont know what it is, plastic bowl makes it sound better plugged in. Martin - better unplugged and has legendary intonation. Ovation - better plugged in and has crazy action. Point is, different guitars for different guitarists.

[SidestreamThinker06]

what a waste of time if you don't tune them the same. Ovations are meant to sound good plugged in, so putting a mike at a position that favours the martin also doesn't do the Ovation justice.

[tomtbon]

It's obvious that you are inthralled with your D28. The sound your getting out of it is just that the sound of a D28 Martin. But, be advised thats the only sound it will ever make. The Adamas is a totally different animal, more harmonically balanced, able to produce various sound shapes and structures when amplified. Which by the way is another difference between these guitars, one designed to be used acoustically and the other to be amplified. Everybody knows that...

[1too12]

@tomtbon That's the most ignorant thing i ever heard, tone will always change venue to venue unless your venue is maybe a card board box you stand and play in duufus, harmonically the 28 wipes the ovations. it is just as versatile as ovation in the right hands in front of various mics, and guess what ? you could even slap a pup in there. trust me, oh knowledge king, after 30yrs of gigs and hell of a lot of miles one thing is obvious, some people talk out of their arses

[tomtbon]

@1too12 Yea, some people do! go screw yourself...

[tjprivate1]

Besides using the same tuning, I'd also be curious about having the mic pointed at the same kind of point for both guitars: either both at the soundholes, or both between the tail and the bridge. It looks like the mic is pointing at the center of the body for each, which is the soundhole for the Martin but not for the Ovation. Or, point the mic at the upper bout on both, so we get the soundholes of the Ovation and the wooden top of the Martin.

[Craigglenfoster]

the adamas is so much cleaner and more crisp....martin=great for blue grass...hummel is right

[bullybeef123]

You should do a "Round 3" with both guitars plugged in an Amp. I'm rooting for the Adamas on that one! Keep up the good work :)

[MRBABAR]

Dude - seriously. If you really want to do a comparison play the same tune using the same tuning. Your in standard with the Martin and in a dropped open tuning with the Ovation. With that said, in my opinion the Martin just sounds like a full woody guitar and the Ovation sounds like a compressed plastic one.

[Josephummel]

both for different purposes - martins are great for certain styles. i prefer ovation for recording and live stage and that is what they were made for originally. adamas is a roadworthy guitar you wont have to baby too much, both are great - keep playing!

[bluegrasssingingman]

fiberglass against all wood guitar, what a joke.

[bluegrasssingingman]

all ovations are shit

[bluegumma]

whts the name of the song u played with the martin? also ur a very talented guitarist

[bluegrasssingingman]

try martin med sp strings or the sp + best strings made

[vanityfairisnotmybag]

I'm gonna have to go with the Adamas on this one. The martin was just too twangy for my taste.

[tony59able]

Played a d28 Marquis in a store the other day. Best guitar to ever rest on my right thigh. Amazing.Fitted like a glove. It is now my dream guitar. Just have to convince myself i deserve it.Thanks for your enthusiastic review.

[Scarlett4Zanzibar]

I don't know how you can compare a wooden Martin to an Adamas, but in any event, they are both incredible guitars! I prefer the Adamas, myself ...

[lucas777444]

I am selling the D28 for $3000. Send message if interested.

LP

[jdmarcus59]

iam just wondering why are you selling your D28?

[lucas777444]

I am playing jazz and funk now and prefer a smaller neck. The D28 is not a good gigging guitar anyhow, to risky and a $200 guitar sounds just as good through a PA system. Could use the money for studio time as well.

[jdmarcus59]

yea I can understand that, to bad tho, that martin is a real keeper, and as years go by its only going to be worth more then what you paid for it...and yes I agree I would not take a penny less the 3,000..good luck with your music.

[pezman1963]

@lucas777444

The better guitar should and will sound better even through the PA.

If your afraid to hurt the Martin is not the Adamas the better guitar?

[jdmarcus59]

@lucas777444 did you get 3000 for your martin???

[stargazer1437]

Nice playing Lucas. Got my D28 Marquis a little over a year ago. I love it! I experimented with different strings & found that I didn't like the coated strings. The best strings for me so far are either the medium Martin FX Phosphor Bronze or Custom GHS Phosphor bronze wound with Cryogenic steel trebles. To say the guitar is a canon is an understatement but it's also fun to watch people's jaw drop when you play her fingerstyle! They, and I still can't get over the awesome tone.

[rblaclewell]

Cant compare a guitar not made of wood!!!

[monkeysbum999]

how about this,i owned an adamas and a marquis ,sold the adamas ,but you sound better on your  adamas!!!they,ve all got their uses.

[redrock505]

i don't care for elixers personally....

[morgicimo28mj]

my chorus teacher plays a Martin, but my dream guitar is an Ovation!

[nukem858]

i personally think i liked the ovation's sound more... a bit more subtle sound and almost more melancholy... thats just my two cents though

[rlta04]

martin sounds much better.

i really didn't cre for the adamas

[xrom109x]

Probably an obvious comment but... apples and oranges.

Played mic'd in a living room... that's but one of a hundred scenarios and each scenario may simply require different settings or a whole different guitar to acheive the individual's preferred sound.

Which is better? I think most guitar players will agree, personal preference and style will vary as greatly as guitar brand and quaity, thus making the question irrelevant to the degree that each individual has to find his/her "voice".

[Cobainst]

Are 2 guitars with diferent styles... very good!

[jdmarcus59]

martin sounded better!!

[Randy22123]

dude your pro! you can tell that he enjoys to play i mean look at him hes having a ball. thats a guitar player

[ce002163]

it is ovation cc44 isit?

[pedalsteel1953]

I have a D28 sunburst marquis. The Martin is the best guitar I have ever played.

My Martin makes me want to be a better player.

[MarchRunner]

Excellent job!!!

[Dodgibishi]

I think the Martin is too bright to me, but the Ovation is fantastic.

[wholeshotouT]

Two great sounds from two great guitars.

[oconnaugh]

Great playing. I like the Martin. I got 2 Ovations and still not a fan of ribbon p/u's. That martin with a K&K would be the perfect guitar for any gig.

[mastamef00]

the martin kicks ass. don't get me wrong they both sound cool and frankly i think you played the cooler song on the ovation but how can your mic setup not favor the center sound hole guitar? by the way, the part of the song where you hit two slides nearly back to back reminds me of an instrumental zeppelin song (title eludes me at the moment).

[TwinkYzzz]

what song are you playing with the adamas guitar? it sounds cool!

and i love the adamas better o.o

[lucas777444]

Thanks. It just something I made up.

[nutmegger1957]

At least you are using my favorite strings!!

[eXaner94]

You kick ass at that! Nice job :D

[forevergrounded]

i ike the ovaton way better than the martin. i've played both kinds, ovation just fits the way i play better.

[flatpikinguitar]

try the nanoweb phosphor bronze

[JohnRockwell]

Nice picking!

[kitsinni]

The Ovation is more suited to those strings and style of play. I think the ovation actually sounds good played that way with elixers. The Martin sounded great as well, but I don't think Martin dreads and elixers are a great combo. Some D'Addario Flat Tops or EJ17s would bring more out of it. The Martin just has more complexity and more range and a much fuller broader sound. The Martin will also only sound better as time goes on.

[skate5580]

OVATION

[WhiteLakeDan]

What model Adamas ???

[Ragpicker81]

Ovation are guitars made to be amplified by pickup, they'll never acoustically play well as a wood guitar.

[rickartj]

That audio is very compressed... not hearing all there is I'm sure

[ryan06105]

What happened to the goatee?

[jimmythefish]

PS - are you placing the mic facing the soundhole (on the Martin)? It sounds really boomy, compounded by the fairly significant reverb you've got going. I'd use the more classic 12th fret mic technique and dial downt he reverb. You'd get much less boom from the mic and get some string separation on the low end.

[jimmythefish]

Being a (standard) D-28 owner myself I'm biased towards the Martin. The Marquis has that classic Martin dread sound out of the box, what with its scalloped bracing and adirondack top.

The Ovation is a different creature altogether, to the point where I'm not sure this comparison is useful. Nobody in the market for a rosewood dread would even consider one...and, in my opinion, neither works well with this fingerstyle method you're using. A smaller-body Martin OM-XX would do much better.

[arielcardona]

Also, we need to think that with different styles of music, both guitar would work differently. The Martin's "rich bassy" sound will work the best with traditional folk, with fingerpicking (like on this video) and blues. The Adamas, with more trebly and less bassy sound, will work the best with jazz-influenced tunes, neo-classical music and others. Both guitars are great, just different. I have a thing for Ovation-made guitars, so I prefer them over Martins, but this Martin is really great.

[coderblues]

I like the D28 sound better. Great playing by the way.

[lucas777444]

It was tuned as follows: CGCGCC. Great tuning. I have a handful of songs on my page in the tuning. Very emotional tuning.

[arielcardona]

Yet again, a matter of taste and ears. Let's not confuse "rich dynamic sound." This Martin, like most good Martins, tend to sound with more bass, and a very fat one; but like Part 1, lacks definition on the highs. The Adamas sounds more compressed than the Martin and has better definition in the highs.

BTW, was the Adamas tuned in Open C?