3 Guitar Comparison! Recording King RD318 / RD-328 / RD-342

Today I am doing a video demonstration and comparison of my three Recording King Guitars. The models are RD-318, RD-328, and RD-342. All of these guitars sound and play great in my opinion, but they each have a little different flavor to their tone and hopefully if you’re looking into buying a Recording King Guitar, this video can help you decide! Thanks for watching and subscribe!

[@luckyrocks1]

Wow Lincoln, what a great collection of Recording King Dreadnought guitars you have there! To be fair, I think the RD-318 would resonate better without half the adirondack spruce soundboard being covered over by the oversized pickguard. But hey, I get it. If that's what your guitar hero played then who's to judge, right? Anyhoo, I have owned and played many many guitars in my 67 year old lifetime and in today's world market, you simply cannot beat the value of these great guitars! You're a great guitar player and I hope as you become even more skilled, you continue to choose an instrument based on it's sound instead of where it is made or the name on the headstock! I wish you continued success and good health!

[@jfj794]

The 342 has more depth and projection to my ears. All three sound just as good as my D-18. Nice playing.👍

[@shawn9878]

Agreed the 342 sounds fuller like almost like it's got a deeper box ..more bass maybe?

[@markcrawford8876]

Its almost like you saved the best for last. Sound is subjective. But the 342 IMO was great. Wouldnt trade my 1973 D-28 for it, but would gladly add it to the collection! Thanks for sharing that

[@neilorahilly2467]

Great video. Three great guitars. Thanks for posting.

[@RecordingKingOfficial]

Thanks for the video! The RD-342 has 1-3/4" nut width, while the other two have 1-11/16". Really appreciate you comparing all 3!

[@lincolnhensley3501]

You bet!

[@tacratt6091]

All are great sounding guitars! The 342 was loud and bright! Are you still setting up banjos? I have a Gibson RB 250 that needs a setup!!

[@LarryPerkins78]

I don't know how big it's nut is but it's damn sure got some big uhm....well - all three sound absolutely amazing. I'm so impressed I'm going to order two of them first thing this morning. Seriously.... I got the 000 version of the rosewood guitar for a friend a couple months ago...I could not BELIEVE how awesome that guitar sounded fresh off the FedEx truck right out of the box. I sold a 1938 000-45 a few years ago - a nice, rare, super expensive guitar that sounds great - but it don't sound a bit better than that new Recording King 000, and volume? the RK has it beat by a wide margin. And it's about $80,000 cheaper

[@EastCoastLtd]

thanks for that. good job fella 👍

[@LarryPerkins78]

Damn...all three of those guitars sound incredible. Great demonstration of the three models....thank you!

[@lincolnhensley3501]

Thanks so much Perk!

[@HayesTech]

Great video. I love my RD-328 after 2 years now. It just keeps getting better every time I play it. What's crazy is they scallop the braces, just like a 40's Martin. I was going to scallop the braces my self and after putting in my light and mirror I noticed that the X bracing was already scalloped. So they did build these guitars to the way they were making them back in the 40's. And even though I will have a Martin, some day, I'll never get rid of this guitar.

[@jonathantaylor3998]

I'd like to see you do a review that compares them to some Martins, Gibson, or Taylors. Even Eastman would be a good comparative

[@petrvacek7057]

thank you, it's nice hearing all three on the same mike, I jut bought the 318 and 328, from your video I'd say the 342 has deeper bass notes

[@believer936]

Nice demo. I like them all. My dream guitar would be a 42 style dread. I need the torch peghead inlay though.....

[@thecanadianflatpicker]

Love the sound of the 342 man i think i gotta get one

[@tueseptlikha7274]

Keeps sound aside, LOOK AT THAT 😍 BEAUTY ❤ . Ahhh its been a while ive seen really beautiful acoustics.

[@thecanadianflatpicker]

Love that 318 pickguard

[@chrisgraves1054]

ALL THREE SOUND BEUATFUL . RECORDING KING IS MAKING SUM BEUATFUL INSTRUMENTS . 😊

[@cripmeister9104]

Very nice guitars! I love my 328, I put a 1 3/4 nut on it just to try it out. It works just fine. I will probably strip it and refinish it with nitrocellulose laquer. I bet it will sound even better!

[@Ravenwood82]

Seems as tho the plastic sheets on the top would negatively affect the sound....

[@vintagejake]

Thanks for the demo - they all sound great. I just bought a used -328 and I'd like to upgrade the bridge pins as well. Is there a standard size to specify or how to you get them sized right? Also, where did the get the new pins, if you don't mind saying? Thx

[@denro0]

I think #2 sounded the best.

[@jstar1000]

Seems like the double pick guard of those sizes would destroy the sound.

[@lincolnhensley3501]

I used a super thin material and to be honest couldn’t tell any difference in volume or tone when I changed them in comparison to the old guard.

[@MrStringpicker]

The RD328 sounded not as bright as others. I liked tone on it. Older strings or same age to all strings?

[@ADKWOODS]

Do you have a link to those bridge pins?

[@MrStringpicker]

Did you try any of the 000's in this series?

[@jamisonsmith9141]

Who’d you get to make the pickguard for the 318, and did you do something special to the pickguard to where it does kill tone and vibration of the guitar cause man that thing sounds good, course you playing helps 😂!

[@lincolnhensley3501]

I did it myself. I researched around and got the absolute thinnest pickguard material I could find. It didn’t change the tone or volume any at all as far as I could.

[@kenevans457]

can you get them in a natural finish?

[@ramspencer5492]

If I could pick from a series of guitars to find the right one for me... I'd be all over these guitars.

[@John-wr6yo]

If you are happy with them ,thats all you need

[@roberthale2268]

Looks like you modified the 318 to look like Earl Scruggs D-18

[@lincolnhensley3501]

Yep I did! I mention that in the video

[@pepe3675]

5:09 6:31 8:01

[@WysteriaGuitar]

Too bad they have a very sharp v-neck shape, I cannot play that without pain after a few minutes...

[@lincolnhensley3501]

I wouldn’t say they are as sharp as the new vintage series Martin D-18’s that I’ve played. Especially the 318 and 328. The 342 probably has the sharpest of the 3.