Martin and Gibson are two of the most popular acoustic guitar brands on the market, but which is the best? In this article, I’ll be comparing Martin and Gibson in terms of their tone, playability, value for money, options and more so you can decide which is the best option for you.
The Quick Answer
Gibson acoustic guitars often sound fuller than Martin’s which usually sound more delicate. Martin offers guitars for all price ranges whilst Gibson only make high end guitars. Gibson mainly make dreadnought and jumbo guitars whereas Martin mainly make dreadnoughts, mid-sized and smaller shapes.
Contents
- Brand Overviews
- Comparable Shapes
- Tone Comparisons
- Comfort and Playability
- Look and Finish
- Where are they Made?
- Comparing the Ranges
- Which Should You Choose?
Brand Overview
Before we jump into the comparisons, I wanted to take a quick look at how both brands organise their ranges so you can get to grips with which models are comparable.
Gibson
Gibson are well known for their dreadnought and jumbo/ super jumbo models. They start at around $1500 but can range up to well over $5000 for very high-end guitars.
- Hummingbird: dreadnought shape with square shoulders, usually with a spruce top and mahogany back and sides.
- The Dove: dreadnought with square shoulders, usually with a spruce top and maple back and size. Longer scale length than the Hummingbird.
- J-45: dreadnought shape with rounded shoulders, usually with a spruce top and mahogany back and sides.
- J-35: dreadnought shape with rounded shoulders, with a rounder neck than the J-45.
- J-15: dreadnought shape with rounded shoulders, usually with a spruce top and walnut back and sides.
- Songwriter: dreadnought shape with rounded shoulders, usually with a spruce top and rosewood back and sides.
- SJ-200: super jumbo shape, usually with a spruce top and either maple or rosewood back and sides.
- J-185: jumbo shape.
- L-00: parlour shape, smallest acoustic guitar available.
Martin
Martin divide their range into several “series” which are grouped according to the price. Here is the list from the most affordable to most expensive options:
- Junior Series
- X-Series
- Road Series
- 15-Series
- 17-Series
- Standard Series
- Modern Deluxe Series
- Authentic Series
- Custom Series
Within each series you can find several different shapes. Here is the list starting with the smallest guitar shape.
- 0
- 00
- 000 (Auditorium)
- OM (Orchestra)
- GP (Grand Performance)
- M (Grand Auditorium)
- D (Dreadnought)
- J (Jumbo)
Here are images (all link to Amazon) of some of the different Martin shapes.
Dreadnought
GP
0
00
000
Comparable Shapes
Martin and Gibson both specialise in dreadnoughts but call them different things. Martin keep it simple and call all models in this category “dreadnought” but Gibson have many variants called: Hummingbird, The Dove, J-45, J-35, J-15 and Songwriter.
Other Models:
- Gibson also have a super jumbo (SJ-200) and a jumbo shape (J-185) and Martin have a J model (jumbo shape).
- Gibson’s smaller body guitars (parlour) are called L-00. Martin’s are called 0 and 00.
- Martin also have many mid-sized models called: 000 (Auditorium), OM (orchestra), GP (Grand Performance) and M (Grand Auditorium).
Check out my in-depth comparison between the Gibson J-45 and Martin D-28 and my comparison between the J-45 and D-18.
Tone Comparisons
It’s quite difficult to make comparisons between the tones of two entire ranges, particularly when those ranges are as large as Gibson and Martin. However, in this section I’ll make some generalisations and provide some specific examples so you can hear the differences.
- Gibson guitars tend to sound louder and fuller than Martin guitars
- Martin guitars sound more “scooped” in the midrange
It’s important to consider specific models though as things can vary massively depending on the shape and tone wood used, and even identical models in the same range can sound different.
My best recommendation is to narrow down which models you are interested in and try them in the store back to back so you can figure out what you like the tone of. More on how to narrow down your choice later later in this article!
Example #1 Gibson Hummingbird vs Martin D-18
- The Gibson sounded much fuller with more sustain than the Martin
- The Martin sounded more scooped than the Gibson
Example #2 Gibson J-45 vs Martin D-35
- The Martin sounded more scooped and brighter than the Gibson
- The Gibson sounded fuller and the Martin sounded more delicate
Check out my in-depth comparison between the Gibson J-45 and Martin D-28 and my comparison between the J-45 and D-18.
Comfort and Playability
Playability is very subjective so there isn’t really a winner here, just personal preferences. It also varies massively between guitars, so you might find one Gibson a dream to play and another a nightmare. Here are some points to consider:
- The very popular Gibson J-45 has a short scale length which reduces string tension making it easier to bend strings and often easier to play for a lot of guitarists. Martin guitars tend to have standard scale lengths.
- The Gibson J-45 model usually has a SlimTaper neck which feels comfortable for most hand sizes, but may be too slim for players with larger hands. The Hummingbird has a ’50s rounded neck which feels much thicker. Martin produce a wide range of neck shapes from tapered oval to V-shape.
It’s really best to try the guitars in the store and figure out which is the most comfortable to you.
Look and Finish
Gibson guitars tend to have more ornate and bold finishes looks than Martin guitars which look a lot simpler. Many Gibson guitars are quite dark in colour and have fancy pickguards whereas Martin guitars tend to look a bit lighter and opt for more traditional detailing.
This is all personal preference, some prefer the bold Gibson look and others want a more understated Martin model. There are of course exceptions as well!
Where are they Made?
All Gibson acoustic guitars are made in the USA. Martin guitars are made in the USA and Mexico. Martin make most models under $1300 in Mexico and produce their high-end lines in America (over $1500), so when comparing models of the same price, they are very likely to both be made in America.
Check out this guide to where Martin guitars are made to learn more.
Still not sure which brand to go for? Check out my comparison of Taylor and Martin acoustic guitars so you can weigh up your options.
The Ranges
In this section I wanted to take an in-depth look at the ranges. I’ve made some tables to compare pretty much every currently available Gibson and Martin acoustic guitar on the market. The prices are all from Guitar Center at the time of writing but are subject to change. The tables are ordered from the lowest to the highest price within each category.
Guitar Center are always the first place I look at when I’m interested in a new acoustic guitar because have a huge range of models for sale and always have some excellent deals on. Here’s a link to take you directly to Guitar Center’s acoustic guitar range so you can see all the offers available at the moment.
Categories:
- Dreadnought (under $2000)
- Dreadnought ($2000-$4000)
- Dreadnought (over $4000)
- Jumbo and Super Jumbo
- Smaller body/ parlour
- Mid-Sized Guitars (Martin-only)
Don’t feel like you need to look at everything here! The tables are huge so just use them to identify which models are in your price range and sound appealing to you to help you narrow down the selection. Keep scrolling as well because there’s more to this article after all the tables!
Dreadnought (under $2000)
| Guitar | Acoustic-Electric | Origin | Top Wood | Back and Sides | Price |
| Martin D-X1E HPL | Yes | Mexico | Mahogany/ Spruce/ Koa | Mahogany/ Koa | $500 |
| Martin DJr-10 Sitka | No | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $500 |
| Martin Custom X1AE | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Rosewood | $600 |
| Martin D-X2E | Yes | Mexico | Spruce/ Sapele | Rosewood/ Mahogany/ Ebony | $600 |
| Martin DC-X2E | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Mahogany/ Ebony | $700 |
| Martin D10E-01 Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Sapele | Sapele | $800 |
| Martin D-10E Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $850 |
| Martin Special 11E Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Mahogany | $1000 |
| Martin Special D | No | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $1000 |
| Martin D-15M | No | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1300 |
| Martin D-12E | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $1300 |
| Martin D-13E Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Siris | $1300 |
| Martin D-13E Ziricote | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Ziricote | $1350 |
| Martin DC-13E Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Mutenye | $1400 |
| Martin D-15M StreetMaster | No | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1400 |
| Martin DSS-15M StreetMaster | No | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1400 |
| Gibson J-45 Studio | Yes | USA | Spruce | Walnut | $1499 |
| Martin DSS-17 | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $1600 |
| Martin Special D/ DC Ovangkol | Yes | USA | Spruce | Ovangkol | $1600 |
| Martin Special 16 Style | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $1700 |
| Martin D-16E | Yes | USA | Spruce | Mahogany/ Rosewood | $1750 |
| Gibson J-15 | Yes | USA | Spruce | Walnut | $1799 |
| Martin Special Carpathian | Yes | USA | Spruce | Blackwood | $1900 |
| Gibson Hummingbird Studio | No | USA | Spruce | Walnut | $1999 |
Dreadnought ($2000-$4000)
| Guitar | Acoustic-Electric | Origin | Top Wood | Back and Sides | Price |
| Gibson J-45 Studio | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $2149 |
| Gibson Hummingbird Studio | Yes | USA | Spruce | Walnut | $2149 |
| Gibson ‘60s J-45 Original | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2499 |
| Gibson Songwriter Modern EC | Yes | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2499 |
| Martin D-18 | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2500 |
| Gibson Songwriter Modern EC | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $2699 |
| Gibson ‘50s J-45 Original | Yes | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2699 |
| Gibson J-45 Standard | Yes | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2749 |
| Gibson Hummingbird Studio | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $2799 |
| Martin Special 18 Style VTS | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2800 |
| Gibson Southern Jumbo | Yes | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2999 |
| Martin D-28 | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3000 |
| Gibson Songwriter Standard | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3049 |
| Gibson Songwriter Standard EC | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3149 |
| Martin HD-28 | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3200 |
| Martin D-35 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3200 |
| Martin Special 28 Style Adirondack | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3300 |
| Gibson 1960’s J45 Red Spruce | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $3499 |
| Gibson J-45 Deluxe | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3499 |
| Martin Custom Dreadnought | No | USA | Spruce | Dreadnought | $3500 |
| Martin HD-28E-Z Standard | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3600 |
| Gibson Hummingbird Standard | Yes | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $3849 |
| Gibson Hummingbird Original | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $3845 |
| Martin D-18E Modern Deluxe | Yes | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $4000 |
| Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4000 |
Dreadnought (over $4000)
| Guitar | Acoustic-Electric | Origin | Top Wood | Back and Sides | Price |
| Martin Special 28 Style Bearclaw | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4095 |
| Gibson Dove Original | No | USA | Spruce | Maple | $4299 |
| Martin Special 35 Style Bearclaw | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4435 |
| Gibson Hummingbird Deluxe | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4499 |
| Martin D-28E Modern Deluxe | Yes | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $4700 |
| Gibson 1942 Vanner J-45 | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $4799 |
| Gibson 1936 J-35 | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $4799 |
| Gibson 1960 Hummingbird | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $4999 |
| Martin D-41 | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $5000 |
| Gibson Firebird Mastershop | No | USA | Spruce | Maple | $5299 |
| Gibson Firebird | Yes | USA | Spruce | Maple | $5299 |
| Martin D-42 | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $6200 |
| Martin D-18 Authentic 1939 Aged | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $6800 |
| Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $6900 |
| Gibson Hummingbird Custom Koa | Yes | USA | Spruce | Koa | $7499 |
| Gibson Doves in Flight | No | USA | Spruce | Maple | $7499 |
| Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 VTS Aged | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $8000 |
| Martin D-45 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $9500 |
Jumbo and Super Jumbo
| Guitar | Acoustic-Electric | Origin | Top Wood | Back and Sides | Price |
| Gibson J-185 EC Modern | Yes | USA | Spruce | Walnut | $2449 |
| Gibson J-185EC | Yes | USA | Spruce | Bhilwara/ Mahogany | $2699 |
| Gibson J-185 EC | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $2849 |
| Gibson SJ-200 Studio | Yes | USA | Spruce | Walnut | $3149 |
| Gibson SJ-200 Studio | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3649 |
| Gibson J-185 Original | Yes | USA | Spruce | Maple | $3649 |
| Martin J-40 Jumbo | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4200 |
| Gibson SJ-200 Standard | Yes | USA | Spruce | Maple | $4649 |
| Gibson SJ-200 Original | Yes | USA | Spruce | Maple | $4649 |
| Gibson 1934 Jumbo | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $4799 |
| Gibson 1939 J-55 | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $4899 |
| Gibson 1936 Advanced Jumbo | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4999 |
| Gibson 1952 J-185 | No | USA | Spruce | Maple | $4999 |
| Gibson 1942 Southern Banner | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4999 |
| Gibson 1957 SJ-200 | No | USA | Spruce | Maple | $5999 |
| Gibson SJ-200 Deluxe | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $5999 |
| Gibson SJ-200 Western Classic | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $6499 |
| Gibson Pre-War SJ-200 | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $6499 |
Smaller Body/ Parlour
| Guitar | Acoustic-Electric | Origin | Top Wood | Back and Sides | Price |
| Martin 0-X1E HPL | Yes | Mexico | Mahogany | Mahogany | $500 |
| Martin 00X1AE | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Mahogany | $600 |
| Martin 00-15M | No | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1300 |
| Gibson L-00 Studio | Yes | USA | Spruce | Walnut | $1649 |
| Gibson L-00 Studio | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $2149 |
| Gibson L-00 Sustainable | Yes | USA | Spruce | Walnut | $2299 |
| Gibson ‘50s LG-2 | Yes | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2499 |
| Martin 00-18 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2500 |
| Martin 0-18 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2500 |
| Gibson L-00 | Yes | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2699 |
| Martin CEO-7 00 | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2700 |
| Martin 00-28 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3200 |
| Martin 00L Fly Fishing Parlor | No | USA | Spruce | Alves | $3400 |
| Gibson L-00 Deluxe | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3499 |
| Gibson 1942 Banner | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $4299 |
| Martin 00-17 Authentic 1931 | No | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $4800 |
Mid-Sized (Martin Only)
| Guitar | Acoustic-Electric | Origin | Top Wood | Back and Sides | Price |
| Martin 000 Jr-10 | No | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $500 |
| Martin Special 000 X Series | Yes | Mexico | Rosewood | Rosewood | $500 |
| Martin Special C Series Style 000 | Yes | Mexico | HPL | HPL | $550 |
| Martin OMC-X1E HPL | Yes | Mexico | HPL | HPL | $550 |
| Martin GPC Special Koa X Series | Yes | Mexico | Koa | Koa | $600 |
| Martin Custom 000-X1AE | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Rosewood | $600 |
| Martin 000-X2E | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Mahogany | $600 |
| Martin Special 000 X1AE Style | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Mahogany | $600 |
| Martin 000 Jr-10E | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $650 |
| Martin GPC-X2E | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Rosewood/ Ebony/ Mahogany | $700 |
| Martin Special 000 Cutaway X Style | Yes | Mexico | HPL | HPL | $750 |
| Martin 000-10EL Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Sapele | Sapele | $760 |
| Martin Special GPC 10 Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Sapele | Sapele | $800 |
| Martin Special 000 All-Solid | No | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $1000 |
| Martin GPC-11E Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $1000 |
| Martin Special GPC All-Solid | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $1000 |
| Martin 000-12E Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Koa | $1300 |
| Martin 000-13E Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Siris | $1300 |
| Martin 000-15M | No | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1300 |
| Martin GPC-13E Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Mutenye | $1400 |
| Martin GPC-13E Ziricote | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Ziricote | $1400 |
| Martin StreetMaster 000-15M | No | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1400 |
| Martin Special OMC USA Performing Artist | Yes | USA | Spruce | Ovangkol | $1500 |
| Martin OMC-15ME | Yes | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1600 |
| Martin 000-17 | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $1600 |
| Martin 000-15SM | No | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1600 |
| Martin Special GPC 15ME | Yes | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1600 |
| Martin Special GPC Performing Artist Ovangkol | Yes | USA | Ovangkol | Ovangkol | $1600 |
| Martin GPC-16E | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $1800 |
| Martin 000-16E | Yes | USA | Spruce | Granadillo | $1800 |
| Martin 000-17E | Yes | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $1800 |
| Martin OME-Cherry Orchestra | Yes | USA | Spruce | Cherry | $2000 |
| Martin OMC-16E Ovangkol | Yes | USA | Ovangkol | Ovangkol | $2000 |
| Martin 000-18 | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2500 |
| Martin OM-21 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $2800 |
| Martin 000-28 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $2850 |
| Martin 000-28 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3200 |
| Martin OM-28 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3200 |
| Martin OM-28E Standard | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3600 |
| Martin OM-28 Modern Deluxe | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4000 |
| Martin 000-28 Modern Deluxe | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4000 |
| Martin 000-28E Modern Deluxe | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4700 |
| Martin OM-42 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $6200 |
| Martin 000-42 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $6200 |
| Martin Authentic Series 1919 000-30 | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $6900 |
| Martin Authentic Series 1919 000-30 | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $11700 |
Which Are the Best?
This brings us to the ultimate question, should you go with a Gibson or a Martin? I’ve mentioned it quite a few times but I do think it’s really important to try the guitars in the store to really figure out which is the best for you. However, I understand that’s not possible for some players, so here are a few points I wanted to round off this article with:
- Gibson guitars tend to sound more full and be louder, making them very popular for strummers.
- Martin guitars sound more delicate and scooped, lending themselves well to many styles of music, particularly things like Bluegrass.
- Gibson guitars often have bolder finishes and use darker colour than Martin guitars which are often lighter and more understated.
- Martin offer options for those looking at low-mid range options, whereas Gibson only make high-end models.
- Gibson focus on dreadnought and jumbo/ super jumbo models and whilst Martin also offer an extensive range of dreadnought models, they have fewer jumbo/ super jumbo guitars and offer a larger choice of mid-sized and small body guitars.
Here are some more articles you might find useful: