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Yamaha CG182C
Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged
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Playability
73
Sound
79
Build
62
Value
76
Score
71
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Playability
73
Sound
85
Build
84
Value
66
Score
81
FIND IT ON:
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Yamaha CG182C vs Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged

Reasons to Get
Yamaha CG182C over Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged

Neck Profile
Acoustic C vs Acoustic Authentic 1937
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Nut Width
2.047'' (52mm) vs 1.75'' (44.5mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Body Shape
Classical vs Dreadnought
Compact body with soft nylon strings
Paint Finish
Poly vs Aged
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.6'' (650.2mm) vs 25.4'' (645.2mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
Flat vs 16'' (406.4mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
76 vs 66
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged over Yamaha CG182C

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs China
Built with higher quality standards
Release Year
2019 vs 2013
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Acoustic Authentic 1937 vs Acoustic C
Thick neck that gives you a better grip
Nut Material
Bone vs Plastic
Good quality nut with rich tone
Sides Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Back Wood
Solid vs Laminated
Helps with richer tones and louder volume
Nut Width
1.75'' (44.5mm) vs 2.047'' (52mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Body Shape
Dreadnought vs Classical
Prominent low-end tones in a large body
Paint Finish
Aged vs Poly
Paint has been artificially aged
Scale Length
25.4'' (645.2mm) vs 25.6'' (650.2mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs Flat
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Yamaha CG182C vs Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged

Saddle Material
Plastic vs Bone
Different Saddle Material
Bridge Material
Rosewood vs Ebony
Different Bridge Material
Body Wood
Cedar vs Spruce
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Nato vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Nut Material
Plastic vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Yamaha CG182C vs Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged

Back Material
Rosewood
Same Back Material
Sides Material
Rosewood
Same Sides Material
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Hollowbody
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
0
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Number of Frets
20
Same maximum octave
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Type of Frets
Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Solid Top Wood
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged is probably the better product overall with its final score of 81 compared to the Yamaha CG182C's 71 score, which is a significant difference.

The Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged wins when it comes to sound, build quality. On the other hand, the Yamaha CG182C has the upper hand when it comes to value for the money.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Yamaha CG182C is the better choice.

The Yamaha CG182C meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged meets only 3. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

Yamaha CG182C
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Soft Strings
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Yamaha CG182C Overview

  • From Yamaha's 2013 CG & CGX Classical Guitars series
  • Made in China
  • 6 strings
  • 25.6"'' scale
  • Flat Fretboard Radius
  • Solid western red cedar top
  • Rosewood back
  • Rosewood sides
  • Nato neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • Rosewood bridge
  • Acoustic C Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Gold tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged Overview

  • From Martin's 2019 Authentic series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.4"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Adirondack Spruce with VTS top
  • Solid Madagascar Rosewood back
  • Solid Madagascar Rosewood sides
  • Genuine Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Authentic 1937 Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Aged Waverly Nickel Open Back tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The most important thing that will determine the tone of an acoustic guitar is the wood. Let's take a look at the differences between both .

Woods Used in Both

Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Woods Used in the Yamaha CG182C

Nato wood pattern used for guitar building
Nato
Cedar wood pattern used for guitar building
Cedar

Nato a hard and dense wood similar to Mahogany, but cheaper and not quite as hard. Tone-wise, it's also similar, but it doesn't have quite the same attack as Mahogany.

This is a softwood that is commonly used for acoustic guitars. It's known for its warm tone with strong overtones. However, there are many species so the tone and look can vary a lot.

Woods Used in the Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Spruce has a light color with tight grain patterns. It's very stiff but relatively light. It's known for producing a well-rounded tone with a broad dynamic range. Find out more about Spruce.

Winner: Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged.

Electronics

Neither of them come with electronics that allow you to connect them to an amp. This makes them completely acoustic, so you'll need to use an external mic to record with them or play live.

Winner:Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Yamaha CG182C
Sustain 70
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 79
Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged
Sustain 90
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 85

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Yamaha CG182C compares to the Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Yamaha CG182C is built in China while the Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged is made in United States.

China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Yamaha CG182C has a Plastic nut. This is a low-quality nut that you might want to consider upgrading soon. Bone and TUSQ nuts are the best for guitars with a fixed or simple tremolo bridge.

On the other hand, the Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged comes with a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

Winner: Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Yamaha CG182C's are Gold while the Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged's are Aged Waverly Nickel Open Back

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Yamaha CG182C
  • Expensive Wood
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in China
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Electronics
  • Low-Quality Material Saddle
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • Laminated Back Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Electronics
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Yamaha CG182C
Quality of materials 61
Features 65
Quality Control 60
Build Quality 62
Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged
Quality of materials 86
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 84

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Yamaha CG182C Nut Width
Yamaha CG182C Nut Width
Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged Nut Width
Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Yamaha CG182C has the wider nut with 52mm (2.047'') vs 44.5mm (1.75''). This is a 7.5mm (0.297'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Yamaha CG182C, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Yamaha CG182C's Scale Length
Yamaha CG182C's Scale Length
Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged's Scale Length
Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged's Scale Length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

The Yamaha CG182C has the longest scale: 25.6". The Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged is only 25.4" long. This is a 0.2'' (5.1mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Yamaha CG182C Neck Profile
Yamaha CG182C's neck profile
Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged Neck Profile
Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Yamaha CG182C has a C type of neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

The Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged, on the other hand, has a Vintage neck. This means that it's thicker than most modern necks, and makes it a better fit for playing chords and slow solos. Some people prefer this type of neck because it gives them a better grip thanks to the extra mass. Still, the vast majority prefer a thinner, faster, and more ''modern'' neck.

Fretboard Radius

Yamaha CG182C Fingerboard Radius
Yamaha CG182C's Fingerboard radius
Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged Fingerboard Radius
Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Yamaha CG182C's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Yamaha CG182C.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison are balanced for most hand sizes.

Yamaha CG182C:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Yamaha CG182C and Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium fret size

Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.

Final Playability Scores

Yamaha CG182C
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Yamaha CG182C vs Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged
General Yamaha CG182C Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged
Brand: Yamaha Martin
Year: 2013 2019
Strings: 6 6
Made in: China United States
Series: CG & CGX Classical Guitars Authentic
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid western red cedar Solid Adirondack Spruce with VTS
Sides Material: Rosewood Rosewood
Back Material: Rosewood Rosewood
Bridge: Rosewood Ebony
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Gold Aged Waverly Nickel Open Back
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: Nato Genuine Mahogany
Decoration: Abalone 1937 Diamonds and Squares Long Pattern
Scale Size: 25.6" 25.4"
Shape: Acoustic C Acoustic Authentic 1937
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: Flat 16"
Nut: Plastic Bone
Nut Width: 52mm (2.047'') 44.5mm (1.75'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: