Difference between Taylor and Martin acoustics?

O

OandAkid1027

New member
Hey all, im pretty new to the acoustic guitar scene, but I have been playing electric guitar for about 5 years now. I have my original ?korean? strat copy, jackson dkmg, and gibson custom shop 1960 LP, but i still do not own an acoustic guitar. My birthday is coming up soon and I have decided to go with an acoustic guitar this time after playing my friend's yamaha acoustic. My price range is about $800 US max - depending on the features the guitar has. I have been looking at acoustics, both regular and electric, and will play many hopefully this week when i visit guitar center's acoustic dept. I know that some big names in the acoustic guitar world include martin, taylor, guild, ovation, takamine, breedlove, etc, but i am puzzled by the sounds that a martin and a taylor produce in particular. What make these guitars so special? Is there any difference in sound, as well as in workmanship? Also for my budget, which guitar would you recommend out of those 6 companies that i have mentioned above, and why?

If you have any suggestion, comments, im open to anything :dance:

Thanks in advance!
 
Re: Difference between Taylor and Martin acoustics?

Both of course are very good. I really like Taylor though because the sound a lot sharper whereas the Martins sound to me a little warmer. With electrics, I prefer warmer, but with acoustics I prefer the brighter sound. I also felt like the neck and action of the Taylors was a little closer to an electric making it easy for an electric player like me to get used to. Just my .02
 
Re: Difference between Taylor and Martin acoustics?

+1 to tattooed carrot. Taylors are typically a bit brighter, martins a bit darker. Both are of comperable workmanship, except for the "compressed wood-fiber" martins...I'd suggest to stay far away from those. A few of my friends have picked those up...Its all marketing if ya ask me. Tone like a rotting mouse.

Ok, maybe not that bad, but /rant.

But...both are great guitar makers. I personally prefer taylor.
 
Re: Difference between Taylor and Martin acoustics?

I purchased a Taylor to replace a Martin that I wanted to stop playing and keep that Vintage vibe (Ebay = 2011 = $$$)

Taylor guitars can be had for as little as $350 and sound and play good.
 
Re: Difference between Taylor and Martin acoustics?

I played both before buying and I must say I too liked the livelier tone of the taylors better. Not to say Martins are not great guitars but for me, there's something I love better about Taylors...
 
Re: Difference between Taylor and Martin acoustics?

Martins sound better

Taylors are easier to play
 
Re: Difference between Taylor and Martin acoustics?

Curly said:
Martins sound better

Taylors are easier to play
Click to expand...


Gary, you crack me up...I see things the same way but lots of people argue with me!

I'll take the harder to play Martin anyday!
 
Re: Difference between Taylor and Martin acoustics?

I prefer a cutaway acoustic, and I liked the sound and feel of the Taylor's better. I could not find a Martin that really made me go "wow", either visually or sonically.

Taylor did it for me all the way, and I don't regret it.
 
Re: Difference between Taylor and Martin acoustics?

the guy who invented fire said:
Gary, you crack me up...I see things the same way but lots of people argue with me!

I'll take the harder to play Martin anyday!
Click to expand...

i agree too! i still don't own my own acoustic (no need for one yet) but when you spend every saturday with a luthier and a bunch of guitar junkies you get to play, and hear other play some amazing guitars in general. bludave is my acoustic go to guy when i need info and he agrees with the both of you as do i now after hearing and playing several martins and taylors. taylors are BRIGHT (in general) and made for electric guitar players who want an acoustic since they play like an electric. martins (in general) are big room filling warmer sounding guitars (the good ones, not the cheap crap). for me, i'll take a martin over a taylor since i found the taylors i have played and heard being played in front of me to be a bit too bright and lacking that big room filling kick.

-Mike
 
Re: Difference between Taylor and Martin acoustics?

Rid said:
Martins have that piano quality, same with some of those Gurians:D
Click to expand...
not surprising, since he was a wood buyer for Martin

a little off topic, but ...
An Interview With The Illusive Michael Gurian
From American Lutherie #44/Winter 1995

"Most of the techniques I learned were developed upon traditional techniques, pretty much unlike what's goin on today. Today everyone needs the table saws, the bandsaws, every kind of power equipment under the sun. But I could go out and be a gypsy, head out with a little valise, and in that valise I would have all the tools and woods necessary for three guitars. A couple planes, some good chisels, some rope..."

That's all you need!

"That's all! And its the same thing with the lutes and everything else. In my shop on Carmine Street in New York I built 175 classical guitars just like that, and 75 lutes as well. Did very well by it, without any of the fancy machines and equipment. I got to a point where I never made mistakes on the instruments, and I truly believed I could build the instruments blind. It became automatic, and then so boring that I just didn't want to do it anymore. The conceptualization and the sound were all that still interested me at that point."
Click to expand...
 
Re: Difference between Taylor and Martin acoustics?

Yeah I knew that, borrowed a 70's Gurian once for 3 months, I still wish that I have had any money at that point, it was so sweet and full sounding, used it for a recording, I do not even have the tapes anymore:(
My other mate has a 69 Martin Dreadnaught, it has been arouind the world, it is beat up, some pieces of the deck has been changed due to bigtime damage(like a giant hole straight into the guitar) it has been turned from right into left, and then back again...hehe, survived an illsounding Buzzy Feiten setup(ugh did that sound like pooh???)
Back again to normal, and it still plays like a dream, it is a hard guitar to play, you have dig in with authority or you will struggle alot, but the sound...ah piano bass and airy sweet full highs.
Gods why do I not have an acoustic??
:(
 
Re: Difference between Taylor and Martin acoustics?

Curly said:
Martins sound better

Taylors are easier to play
Click to expand...

+1

It all comes down to what feels good to you and sounds right for what you want to do. I've always said that Taylors are acoustic guitars made for electric guitar players. They have very low action and very thin necks and have a bright tone. Martins usually have a thicker neck and tend to play better with higher action. My preference are a Martin style guitras.
 
Re: Difference between Taylor and Martin acoustics?

Both are great but in my opnion i prefer the sound of a martins as most of the acoustic guitar recordings i love are made with these. They are however hareder to record, the dreadnoughts at least because of the present low end. I think a mahogany martin sounds sweeter than a rosewood one. taylors sonud beautiful too but the martin is that classic tone. tacomas are also sweet and are somewhare in between, very responsive and reallly sound like neither one.
 
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Re: Difference between Taylor and Martin acoustics?

I agree with Curly, Christian, and RID. I give the nod to Martin. They sound better, and both Taylors and Martins can be setup to play beautifully.
I like Taylors too, and would always be open to buying another one. When it comes to mass produced acoustics, Martin and Taylor are the two best. The only exception is when you're paying $2000+ for a handbuilt guitar like a Collings, Goodall, or Santa Cruz. You get what you pay for with acoustics, every step of the way.
 
Re: Difference between Taylor and Martin acoustics?

I would go case by case, but in general, I don't think that a Taylor can't beat a high quality Martin.

Because of the way they're built, some Martins require breaking in, but sound matures after a while. A lot of Martins are built with heavier bracing, which means that they can handle heavier strings.

I don't know if that last point is true for the lower end models though.
 
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