In higher end guitars every little detail matters for me. It is not unreasonable to look even at the very little things and nit pick.

Guitar A for fingerpicking and guitar B for strumming.

I have and have had many Martins (d28, hd28, d45, D1, D18, M36, J-40), Gibsons (dove, hummingbird, j45, lady, j200) a few Taylors, a couple blueridge guitars and a few other brands. If I was forced to pick one guitar and could never own another it would be my J-40. I can take this guitar and sit in with anyone with any genre. This guitar took some learning on how to approach. But you can really dig in or just relax and let it ring. Can't say enough good things about this guitar.

I realize that it has been a few months since this was posted, but would like to add a few questions and thoughts. I have a M-36 of the Standard Model redesigned configuration. I bought it used in 2020 but from the serial number, it was made in 2018, the first year of the redesigned model. The neck is very smooth but you can see the grain of the mahogany, which you would expect. The name on the headstock is completely flush with the headstock with no visible edges. So- none of the finish flaws on your “B” guitar. I had brought it to a local luthier who is a registered Martin repair person just to have a look. The action was a bit high but was easily brought in to perfect range with minor tweaks to truss rod and saddle. It has stayed excellent in that regard for over a year. He did comment that most factory made guitars are sent out a but proud of the ideal adjustment, leaving some space to play with rather than risking there being too little saddle to make an adjustment and having it be too low. I do wonder- did you check the serial numbers of these two guitars to see when they were made? It would make sense that there are minor changes in production details over time. Both Martin and Taylor have made efforts to be more ecologically aware in their production. This might include type of finish products and other details. In particular, Taylor has advocated the use of streaky ebony. The black ebony on many fine guitars is not stained that color,but is selected from the wood. By restricting the use to that which is entirely black, a great deal of wood which is technically and musically as good as the black pieces goes to waste. It may be that Martin, over time, has similarly decided to join in using wood that works rather than wasting wood with slight coloration. As far as I know, the ebony on fine guitars was never stained. Lastly, strings make a huge difference and if I had those two guitars to compare, I would put new sets of the same strings on both first. Thanks for the interesting video, though

I liked the sound of the B guitar better.

I liked the B example.

The ebony wood is all being used now for sustainability. The functionality is identical, however 70-80% of ebony wood was being wasted because of color inconsistencies. So martin is using all of it now. Some pieces are stained to accommodate the traditional look. As far as the neck texture, they're are making thousands of guitars annually, and no two pieces of wood are the same. Sometimes the hardwood has deep pores and using too much filler can be detrimental to any piece of wood. This I'm sure is in Martin specs, and some people don't want a smooth neck, especially if you play outside in the heat. food for thought.

The Ms are really great sounding. I like the smaller size of the OM, but the wider guitar does encourage a bit better sitting posture for me.

Man, you’re really killing it with the videos lately! Great job

I actually prefer the A guitar, I prefer the somewhat quieter mellower sound, the B guitar is just a bit brighter. I have a Custom Shop 0000-18 12 fret with slotted headstock that I love, the top is Sitka and the back and sides are Mahogany, fretboard bridge and headplate are all Ebony and the nut width is 1 13/16". This model is a largely overlooked guitar which is a shame because I think it's the best model Martin offers.

M36, my favourite Martin!

Another great demo thank you

Thank you. excellent review. I just toured the Martin Factory last week. It was amazing to see how they are made. I wish I had seen this video prior to the tour so I could ask them about this!

I love the look when the middle part of the back stands out from the sides.

This is a phenomenal video. You covered all of the salient bases, made excellent points concerning the attributes and drawbacks of each instrument, and your review of the workmanship and the sound of each guitar is exceptional. You are extremely adept at your craft, and videos like this are extremely helpful - especially for neophytes (such as myself) who want to learn more about how guitars are built, marketed, and how they differ from one another. Thanks for your wisdom; it's enlightening and supremely beneficial. Cheers!

My ears love the one with lower saddle and just if the fretboard a bit darker ebony great video thanks Aaron👍👍

Good review, thank you. I've had my lefty 2020 M-36 since early 2021 (purchased from Maury's Music). It really is a "best of all worlds" guitar in terms of both tone and playability. The 16" lower bout increases the bass nicely (it matches the 2008 D-28 I have), but the thinner OM/000 width body gives the tone more immediacy - it jumps out of the guitar faster, making it seem more responsive. And still the overall tone is balanced and has nice volume.

I agree, even though that guitar is not a "custom shop" still quite expensive and should not have those issues. Guitar B sounds amazing though, brighter guitar more open sounding in open strum, A sounds almost filtered in the highs with open strum but when you go to finger picking guitar A sounds sweeter, better note separation to my ears. I have a 1979 M36 and love it, it has 70's intonation problem that I rectified mostly by compensating the saddle but your video makes me want a new one! :) Thanks for doing these great Comparisions!

Great video. I love the M-36, such an underrated model.

Hi Aaron, loved your comparison of these two guitars. It's amazing how different they sound and and yet they are the same model, it also reminds me of hearing and reading several comments of how Martin guitars are inconsistent when it comes to sound.