Taylor VS Martin: The Definitive Showdown ★ Acoustic Tuesday
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ต.ค. 2024
- In this video, I'm doing the MOST COMPREHENSIVE comparison of @taylorguitars and @martinguitar. I've interviewed Bob Taylor, Chris Martin IV, and Andy Powers; I've seen factory tours, played dozens of models, read tons of books, and now...I'm ready to end this debate once and for all.
In order to give you the most holistic, the most comprehensive review of these two iconic guitar companies, I've broken things down into SEVEN categories: history, sustainability, manufacturing, standard model lineup, innovation, custom shop, and artist roster.
Beyond just looking at individual Taylor guitars and Martin guitars, this definitive guide for Taylor vs. Martin will shed light on topics no-other video has discussed.
I can't wait to hear your thoughts in the comments and I do hope you let me know how I did on evaluating each category in regards to Taylor vs. Martin.
For those of you short on time, here's a quick overview of each category...
Round 1: History
Martin takes the cake on this. As one of the oldest, continuously-run, family-run businesses in America. They built instruments during the Civil War, have survived economic crashes and depressions, and innovated the entire time.
Martin: 1
Taylor: 0
Round 2: Sustainability
At first glance, Taylor seems like the clear winner. With the sustainable harvest and cutting board company, Taylor has made big strides. However, Martin hasn't been slacking off. Martin's Smartwood Series is extremely sustainable. But what separates these two is Taylor's near-zero wood waste in their manufacturing process. Hat's off to Taylor. Be sure to watch my interview with Bob Taylor!
Martin:1
Taylor:1
Round 3: Manufacturing
I've visited both the Taylor and Martin factories. The sheer level of precision and craftsmanship - on a MASSIVE scale - is awe-inspiring. I was impressed by each one of these companies for their manufacturing efforts, for their ability to produce a high volume of high-quality instruments. But, I have to say...Taylor takes the cake in this category. Be sure to catch my explanation and tour of the Taylor factory to see why...
Martin: 1
Taylor: 2
Round 4: Model Offerings
For this category, I wanted to make sure that both Taylor and Martin have a wide variety of model offerings. I want to see everything from beginner guitars to performance guitars. Now, since Martin Guitars has been around for hundreds of years, they have almost too many offerings. Meanwhile, Taylor has a much more streamlined approach to their guitar models, each one with specific appointments and tonewood specifications. For this reason...Taylor wins this category. Watch the full video to see why.
Martin: 1
Taylor: 3
Round 5: Innovation
Let's think about this one...Martin created the dreadnought guitar, made the 14-fret neck, and introduced the X-bracing pattern. Martin essentially designed the guitar that we know and love today. Meanwhile, Taylor created V-class bracing to great success, created a new neck bracing, and designed and developed the ES-2 pickup. All that being said, I think this is a tie.
Martin: 2
Taylor: 4
Round 6: Custom Shop
I've made custom guitars using both the Martin custom shop and the Taylor custom shop. Both experiences were downright amazing, and I loved each one. While I designed two guitars, one from each shop, there was only one guitar that I truly wanted...and that was the Martin. Be sure to watch the video to see why Martin won this category.
Martin: 3
Taylor: 4
To see what I have to say about the Artist Roster for Taylor guitars and Martin Guitars, watch the full episode of Acoustic Tuesday!
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Martin v. Taylor is like Ford v. Chevy....sure, one is probably favored over the other...but I'm willing to wager that either one will take you where you want to go!
Clapton, Martin
Martin vs Taylor akin to Lincoln vs Cadillac!
Patrick Ball have you forgotten about the poster of a Rolls-Royce and the Martin?
@@johnhincher3861 I don't know that I've ever seen that poster.
Patrick Ball Seeing that I’m about to turn 66 years old the poster was probably printed in the early 70s. Guess I’m a dinosaur. Lol
I am 67 years old & have played guitar for 55 years. (Yes...and boy are my hands tired!) I felt privileged, as my first acoustic was a Gibson J-50. Years later, while in my early 20s, I got ahold of a nice Martin & decided that if I ever had some money, I would buy a Martin HD-28. For about 35 years, I have had the pleasure of helping many people find the ideal guitar for their expressed needs & wants. In some cases, I have felt honored to help to find the guitar of their dreams. About 25 years ago, at the request of a retiree who related that they wanted to purchase a great guitar, I went to check out Taylor guitars. At that time, I was relatively unfamiliar with Taylors. At the end of this experience, in 1998, while searching for a Taylor guitar for an individual, I found an incredible Taylor K-14C. This guitar (Grand Auditorium cutaway w/premium highly-figured Hawaiian Koa, 3-piece back & a Western Red Cedar top) felt great in my hands & sounded very sweet & balanced. It has become & remains, my number one acoustic. That being said, I have an appreciation for Martin guitars & see why many guitarists play them. I believe it really is a Ford/Chevy kind of rivalry. I feel that the best guitar is the one you like/love the best! I agree that Taylor owes a bit to Martin & has compared & contrasted their guitars to Martin's. Also I feel that Martin's innovations in recent years have been a bit of a reaction to Taylor's developments & success in the guitar market. I propose that this has benefited millions of guitarists in recent years. "Then play on..."
Absolutely well said.💞 My Taylor
Martin is the American standard we all grew up listening to, woody, rich, complex. Taylor is like the slick new kid on the block. Glassy, chimney, and clear. The Taylor's sound more like a soft synth emulation...maybe too clean. I like the Martin sound personally.
Perfectly said.
Exactly
I’m totally aware Martin is the older maker, back in 1969 I longed for a Martin, however at that time I lived only a few miles from a small guitar shop near the corner of College and El Cajon blvd in San Diego, it was The American Dream which was the starting point or Taylor Guitars and Deering Banjos , a lot of fine talent emerged from that shop.
I have a D-28 and 000-15. Martin always will win.
I guess no one round here can afford my martin anyway
Tony, I sincerely thank you so much for being Tony and Acoustic Tuesday being Acoustic Tuesday. In a time when there is so much fear, sadness and uncertainty, it is so very refreshing to tune in every Tuesday and just geek out on such a wonderful instrument. It definitely one of those things that help keep so many of us sane (such as it is). The show, the studio, the hockey jersey and your engaging presentation, it is a wonderful and familiar refuge for so many of us. Please keep it up and stay safe.
Of course Martin wins the "history round". That's a no-brainer
Jim Bingham yeah that’s like a by default thing cause well. You know. 1. 8. 3. 3. Duh!! Lol
Taylor. When it came time to buy a new acoustic, I tried Martin, Taylor and Gibson and wound up buying the Taylor. For me it just came down to tone and playability. Oh, I also have two PRS acoustics.
I have a Martin HD 28 and a Taylor 710ce. Having big hands, I've found the wider Taylor neck to be easier to play. So, for several years, I've favoured the Taylor. When I finally came back to the Martin, I was surprised to hear that the sound had changed noticeably and for the better. So, now I play both regularly, as each one draws out different songs from my repertoire. Of course, that is also true of my Guild F 47 , my Yamaki, and my Seagull. Every one of my guitars were bought used and at really great prices. I am always on the lookout for more at thrift shops, auctions, and Marketplace.
@@jennilee2809 You can get a pretty good deal sometimes on Larrivee's. They are a great guitar too. And I own or have owned just about all. I won an auction recently on a Guild that I would have never bought if I had known it was so narrow. Was a F-30 if memory serves me. It was only 1 9/16 at the nut but was an early Guild. My hands are way too big and fingers fat lol.
It’s Martin by a landslide for me. The day I bought my first Martin was the last day I even considered buying another Taylor. Both make great guitars and are designed to sound differently from each other. For me, that Martin sound is the best there is. Thanks for the episode, it was great as always.
agreed
Agree.. I want to like and own a Taylor, but I own three Martins now, and I’ve tried many Taylors, and none have “spoke” to me, and in fact, I’ve never liked the what feels like to me is their “baseball bat" necks. Would love to have one in my stable, but have not found one I like. Martins on the other hand, I have to decide which ones I want.
Martins seem to sound more rich and have more character to me
By a landslide lol. Taylor is so perfectly made that to say one guitar is better than another is very hard. But a landslide is hilarious. You might want to go play a Taylor CE or higher end. They are every bit as good or better than Martin.
@@R.L.Humpert I’ve owned and played many high end Taylor guitars. I don’t prefer the tone. It’s personal preference.
As the son of a man born and raised in the Ozark mountains, I was indoctrinated to believe that Martin guitars were the pinnacle of acoustic guitars. The day came when I actually saw them, felt them, played them, and finally bought one. My dad was right. We bought them together, he got a D28v and I got an OM18v.
@james david
James, your father taught you well and thankfully you paid attention. My father was raised in Morgan County Missouri and I play a D18GE. His people came from Virginia in the mid 1800s, what else could I choose. (Two great grandparents named Martin and Washburn and I have one of each guitar as well).
@@johnwashburn3793 I love it. That's very cool.
I've been to the Taylor factory and have seen all of the engineering that goes into their guitars. I own a Taylor 214ce and a Martin LX1E (my travel guitar). I'm usually playing my Taylor. Taylor also produces more guitars by a large margin. I fell in love with sound of a Taylor. I've only been playing for 7 years and didn't start playing until my late 40's.
Taylor
The Taylor is $1100 and your Martin is $500 so not a fair comparison
I have 3 Taylor’s (322e & 316 - both V class, and a mahogany GS Mini) and 2 Martins (HD28 & 000-28), although I love them all, if I had to choose, it would be Martin hands down. Great episode Tony!
MARTIN
Taylor v Martin is a win/win scenario. Tony, I love how you pulled this whole thing together. My heart belongs to all things Martin, though, I recognize the amazing things Taylor do as a company. Competition is good, but there is only one Martin.
I went to Taylor's facility in June of last year with my daughter. I too was awestruck by the commitment to craftsmanship shown from all the employees there. It was like a temple of manufacturing and efficiency excellence.
I tend to like the styles of the Taylor, but I love the sound of a Martin Dreadnought.
My Grandfather left me his 1926 018K when he passed in 1969. I was 8 years old. I'm nearly 62 years old now and I still have that guitar, along with an OM42 , a beautiful D45 and a 00028EC. They are all fine sounding guitars. Incidently I also own a pre NT 712, a great little guitar for very different reasons, Martin and Taylor are so different they are almost impossible to compare
I learned to play the acoustic guitar at age 12, in 1963. I learned on and played, for many years, a Harmony Sovereign acoustic. The aspirational guitar brand for me growing up was Martin. It was the king. All others were chasing Martin. Alas, until I was well into my 30s the idea that I might own one was absurd. Fortunately, as my career and life situation changed my ability to splurge did as well. I bought my first Martin in 1990, a D28. Eventually I replaced it with an HD28. As my playing preferences changed from strumming and flatpick to finger style I sold the Bone and bought a Santa Cruz OM. That was, and is, a lifetime instrument and will always be in my family.
I’ve owned more than a dozen guitars since acquiring the Santa Cruz, some hand built, some factory made. All have been superb, high end guitars. My favorites are still Martin and Taylor. I could never pick one as better than the other. They are different flavors for tastes, different playing styles and musical purpose. Martin holds a special place in my heart because of their awesome unmatched history and stellar reputation. Taylor is so special because of the astonishing success story they represent and the constant innovation they bring to the guitar world. I could give you chapter and verse regarding the pluses and minuses of each brand. They are not perfect! But what’s the point of that? The point to me is that they are unassailable as factory high volume guitar makers. Hundreds of thousands of musicians, pros and couch players, make beautiful music with these instruments. How lucky are we to have these superb American guitar companies to choose from! Thanks for the video, Tony.
Randall Harris what an insightful take!
I will get round to watching this. Before I do though, can I just use this space to say how devastating it is to lose the great John Prine. What a sad loss for our close knit community.
I've owned both, along with Collings, Santa Cruz, Bourgeois, Guild, Yamaha, Yairi, you name it. If it's the Martin you love (me!) then get a Martin, nothin' else will suffice.
I 100% agree with this. There's just a certain frequency in the tone that I can only describe as a 'sparkle'. Other guitars sound great but nobody else has the Martin sound.
When you're right, you're right. And that sparkle you speak of.... That's where it's at. It's a crisp sparkle.
Not even that yairi? I have an 83 DY-85A
@@younkinjames8571 Liked my Yairi a lot, but no, it was beat out by my 000-18 GE.
Which did u like more
TAYLOR - I grew up playing a Martin D-28. I had never heard of or played a Taylor as my home was a Martin household through and through. Once I got through college and started my career and life I decided to go research guitars to buy my first guitar as an adult. I went to a local music store looking for a Martin HD28 but stumbled across Taylor.... I couldn't put it down. It was motivating to play. The sound was amazing! The model was a 2007 FLTD Koa 714ce. I spent hours trying to convince myself the Martin was the guitar for me. I knew if I walked out with a different guitar than a Martin I was going to be disowned by my family (lol).However, by the time the store needed to close, after some very sore fingers, I walked out with that Taylor!! Now I own 5 Taylors including a mahogany GSmini-e, the 714 Koa I bought that day, an 814ce with expression 2 (which is my swiss army knife, I gig with it, it's what I typically pick up at home), a K66ce fully koa 12-string and finally a fully custom deep body dreadnought with sinker redwood top, cocobolo back, sides, and headstock, koa binding and armrest. My customization experience was sadly all virtual but it was still amazing! I got to pick out my wood while video chatting with Bob Taylor himself ( I obviously went with his suggestions). When I go home I still like to play my dad's D-28 but I look forward to getting back to my Taylor family!
Taylor’s are great if you need an acoustic to stand out in a busy live mix. A Martin tends to have a more boomy sound. Tricky for sound engineers both live and in the studio. However if you need an acoustic to play the first part or as the only instrument to accompany a singer, I think the Martin wins. I own both btw. So I think a draw is a perfect result 😎
It's not hard at all to eliminate a martin's boomy bass. Do a parametric bass cut at 35Hz with a moderate Q. I do that EQ cut with any acoustic. I want to say one thing here. I reach Godlike recorded tones from my Martin HD-28, almost too perfect. I never have liked Taylor's tone, too brash. The earthy balanced tones I get from my Martin on recordings are like candy. It takes both the gentle touch, and the heavy hand.
I used to live close to an outlet that had a sizable dedicated acoustic guitar room with quite a selection of Taylors and Martins. After months of visiting on weekends and many hours of playing, I decided Taylors sounded, played, and were better crafted, specifically the necks. I ran across some Martins that were really nice, but the "omg" moments were more frequently, Taylor.
I have had the same experience
I’ve owned a bunch of Martins over the years. (Several I so should NOT have sold ie D18 from 1975) and two Taylors. I favor Dreadnaught shape. I’ve never quite been able to get that big rich sound from a Taylor that comes with Martin. Each time I played my Taylors I kept thinking “where’s the beef?” It is simply some magic Taylor can’t seem to bring. I found, fell deeply in love, and bought a custom Martin dread with Adi top and tiger wood back and sides. It is simply stunning to look at. The big selling point was that the shop owner in Orem Utah had it hanging on the wall collecting about half inch of dust and discounting many times until he finally accepted my offer of less than half retail. I am not now nor ever expect to be worthy of it. Irrespective of which guitar you play, one must consider the influence of playing in a room full of great guitars which allow sound to enter, resonate and come back to your ears. You get a different experience alone in a room and/or listening to another player from the POV of the listener. Do both before you buy.
Agree. Dreads, Martins. although also love my Gibson J-45 and like the Taylor GS Mini best in its class.
I have both. Taylor is brighter and that has its uses. I can play the Taylor without having to prep my nails but the Martin needs the nails for fingerpicking. Both are great, + the Taylor Mini is a fantastic guitar. My next purchase will probably be an 000-28
While I'm a Martin man myself, I'm a firm believer that the guitar finds the player, much like the wand finds the wizard. Both are tremendous instruments and worthy of the title. Might give Martin a slight edge for history and distinctive tone.
Jerry Boyle, yes. Well said!
"the guitar finds the player, much like the wand finds the wizard" Well said sir!!! SOOOO TRUE ! ! !
Tony Rice (RIP) would have been a great showcase for the final category. He actually included the serial number of his Martin D-28 (58957) in his Bluegrass Guitar Collection album. Fantastic Video!
I am a Martin girl.. I enjoy both but there is something about my Martins that really capture my heart.
Sharon Tiano does that make you a martian?:)
Me too
Pretty sure this was the first ever episode of Acoustic Tuesdays I watched. Such an awesome, on depth look at both companies! I am very fortunate to have a dreadnaught Martin and a grand auditorium Taylor. They are easily a couple of my favorite guitars I’ve ever owned or played! Sad to see acoustic Tuesdays end, especially since I’ve only been watching a short time. Excited for the next part of the journey, and considering becoming a part of the TAC fam to build on my guitar skills. Good luck in this new chapter of your life tony! Take care
Martin
I own an HD-28 and I've tried a Taylor and I prefer the Martin. Also the historical part is very important for me.
And their love for instruments is astonishing.
So definitely Martin!
Martin, I keep trying Taylor’s , I love how they feel and look but the tone is all martin in my mind
Definitely a vote for Martin from me. I understand why "sound", or "tone" wasn't among your criteria, Tony, (too subjective), but I'm sure that that is the basis of most people's opinions on both sides of the argument. I much prefer Martin's low end to Taylor's higher pitch (if that's the right term).
I bought a (barely) used Martin SWOMGT in 2004 for $1000, and since then I have owned two Santa Cruz OOO-sized guitars, a high-end Martin OOO, a 1941Martin O-17, and currently, a 1993 Bourgeois OM, among other, lesser brands. My favorite is still the SWOMGT. I know, it makes no sense, but it's true; the Bourgeois is in the closet, and the Martin is on its stand within reach at all times.
Martin vs. Taylor is kind of like humbucker vs. single coil. Is one better than the other? It depends on the tone you're looking for.
Martin I own 2 of them, Taylor's are nice but not the tone that appealed to me.
Taylor guitars rarely sound as good as a Martin of the same build/shape. Taylor just comes shipped with low action, great QC and has an easy to adjust neck due to being bolt on.
Both are fantastic. Both sound great. I love the idea of a Martin. I have played both. Taylor just plays better and more comfortable for me. I love the neck profiles, the way the bodies melt into mine, and so on. And the more comfortable the guitar, the more you play.
I'm kind of with Colorado Kyle on that: Martin was always the gold standard to me. My only real experience with either, though, is playing them in stores or borrowing them from friends. I do love the tones from both.
He’s right though , I’ve literally never heard an amazing guitarist that used a Taylor
Patrick Tearney - My $400 dollar Martin D12X1 sounds better than a $4,000 Taylor. I tried both, and there was no comparison. The Taylor was tinty sounding, and didn’t have any bass. Try the more affordable X series. They have a solid spruce top, and sound amazing.
@@chesterswingjr9796 I think my "gut" is with you on this. As I mentioned, I don't have much experience with either, but every time I have played a Martin, I have come away wanting one.
Patrick Tearney - Always go with your “gut” instinct!!! I don’t have anything against Taylor, or anyone who swears by them. To each their own, but for my ears, Martins always seem to sound better. When I tried both 12 string guitars in the store, I played the same song, so it would be a fair comparison for my ears. I tuned both of them up(I bring my own tuner) and when I played the Martin, my wife, and other people in the room both looked with that WOW look on there face!!! You can get lucky with other brands as well. Once in a blue moon, you can find that “ONE” guitar that stands out above the others. That’s kind of the fun of it!!! Happy playing!!!
dmcrisp - Richie Sambora played them for a couple years. He’s back with Ovation again. He played Martins, and had a signature series out. I think the only reason he went with Taylor, is because Martin couldn’t build him a double neck. The Ovation sounds better than the Taylor anyway IMO.
Question: if you like the playability of the Taylor, but the more mid/low tone of the Martin (Taylor’s high eng sticks out a bit to me) .. would a Koa Taylor like a 224K be a happy medium?
Hea Tony, i believe when it comes to production guitars, its pretty even. But if you go to the custom shop, hands down Martin. And life time warranty.
I'm convinced this could've been a 30 minute video. This dude loves to bloviate.
Bloviate and circumlocute. I would go ten minutes lower.
Savage 🤣🤣🤣
Ye
I skipped through 98.6% this video could have had legroom under 5 minutes at best.
Agreed, but some people like the hour+ conversation. Like he said, lots of bland Martin vs Taylor comparisons. He wanted to make this a big thing lol
Taylor: Martin is the far and away winner on history. Taylor is the hungry new alpha that won’t receive proper credit for decades because they don’t have the same historical impact.
I don't care about the history thing.. I just don't think Taylors sound that great.. I know it is subjective, but i've played cheap to very expensive Taylors and i just couldn't find a single guitar i liked.. Each to their own, i guess..
well do me a favor. Go to TH-cam and watch “Alejandro” audition for American idol. If you’re not just hopelessly biased it will change your mind. Also watch Alejandro performance with Ben Harper.
@@drewsy I did! Great musician, wow! Still, if you like it or not, I prefer Martin and Gibson.. A J45 for instance, gives me way more in tone and feel than any Taylor could. It is all subjective..
Andi Schmidt It’s not all subjective. There are objective truths about each one. I wasn’t objecting to your preference, I was objecting to that you didn’t “like” a single one-which sounds super dismissive and insulting. Saying you prefer another brand is way more respectful and understandable.
@@drewsy I've never said, that Taylor builds bad guitars, have I? I just don't like their sound that much... Get over it... And if you feel insulted by that, i can't help you, honestly! I did not say they were shit.. If you feel better with it: I prefer guitars from other brands ;)
Such a great video. Tony, I have to say that you're such a thoughtful guy. I also appreciate how adept an interviewer you are- you let the subject speak without constant interruption to prove you know the topic(s) at-hand.
I just love the Deep, rich, mellow tone of Martin's. The brighter tone of a Taylor surely has it's place for sure. But for me looking at lower level guitars, Martin's are just amazing. I have a D-10E and couldn't be happier. The Taylor's in the same price range just didn't hold a candle. Upper end models though I really don't know as I've never had the pleasure to play any.... yet lol
Martin!! Important to mention that I did own both! There is just something about the Martin craftsmanship and tone. Hard for me to explain but easy to express: Martin takes it home :)
I have 4 Martins and 2 Taylors. Also own 3 Larrivees, Breedlove, Eastman, Gibson, Alvarez, Seagull, and more. Push come to shove, my Martin D-28 is the King Dog Daddy.
How do you feel about your Eastman?
Ever look into Lowden?
@@kurtlindsaysongs - Love my Eastman E8OM, it's a great guitar. But I just got a Martin Custom Shop OM-28 that is my new favorite of all, even over the Custom Shop D-28. Almost as loud as the D-28 (both have rosewood bodies), but is more to comfortable to hold and play. Haven't played a Lowden, but I'd like to.
Both. I own a Taylor and a Martin and enjoy them both. Of course there are slight differences, but because they are so close I chose to have both. Now that's a win win!
Almost 20 years ago I bought an 814 Taylor (on ebay). About 5 years ago I felt the need for a change. I went shopping thinking I wanted a Martin. I tried a bunch but kept coming back to Taylor. Long story short I ended up adding a 12 fret Taylor, GS Mini, GS mini bass and a v-class 614 special edition! I guess my vote is Taylor!
We had opportunity to visit the Taylor guitar factory back in 2011. My wife did not want to go but went reluctantly.....well...she loved it! I am the proud owner of a sweet built to order, custom made Taylor that was built for the 2012 Taylor Road Show! I bought it in 2014! It is amazing that no one bought it and that I now own it. With that being said, I would also love to own a Martin D18 one day. 😊😊
My battle between the Martin vs Taylor comes down to tone/sound. I love the Martin sound so Martin gets my nod. Absolutely nothing against Taylor, it's a great guitar.
"Good ol' boys play Martin
Bad boys play Gibson
Choir boys play Taylor"
As per one Stephen Boyle on the Acoustic Life channel
I was having a conversation with a friend who owns a shop local to me. He was commenting on how Taylor is popular among P&W, like an entire market owned by Taylor guitars. I thought he was going to laugh uncontrollably when I said "Wouldn't it be ironic if they found out Jesus played a laminate Ibanez."
I didn't think it was that funny, but he did LOL!
About the Taylor v brace? Results speak volumes. To my ear, it’s doesn’t have any volume or tone improvement over the X brace, and I’ve tried a lot of them.
Martin - Tony, Did I dose off or did you not mention the most famous Martin of all? Trigger - Willie's Martin N-20! Let's talk tone and durability!
Wanda Adams-Maroo I have to respectfully disagree with the most famous Martin, yes Trigger is a big deal and very valuable but Tony Rice's 1935 D-28 is beyond legendary owned by Clarence White before Tony and Clarence was great but Tony has no equal on acoustic guitar. Tony's Holy Grail Herringbone is magical and one of the reasons is that it was owned by 2 guitar geniuses and playing Tony's style of guitar for 48 years I can tell you that when Stephane Grappelli called Tony a "flaming virtuoso " he hit the nail on the head. A collector might value Willie's guitar slightly higher but people that know guitar would pick Tony's because it's been in the hands of a musical genius and that's not Willie Nelson.
Martin wins, but my favorite acoustic guitar that I’ve ever played is my 2019 Gibson Sheryl Crow Country Western Supreme. I’ve owned several Martins, Gibson’s and Taylor’s over the years. All 3 make great acoustic guitars but Martin makes the overall best acoustic guitars
Nicest and friendliest guitar I ever played was a '61 Gibson Country Western. It was a friend's. It didn't have the sweetness of my '70 Martin D18 but, man, did I love playing that guitar. Short scale, wide frets, and an incredible midrange. In '75 he offered to sell it to me for $160. Oh well......
The D-18 is one Martin’s best guitar, I have played a D18, D28 Modern Deluxe ,HD28
,D35, HD35 and D41 and the D18 was best sounding guitar. Martin is my favorite guitar maker, Gibson make great sounding guitars but their quality control is horrible.
Re Standard models, yours is an interesting take and matches my own guitar shopping experience. Let’s take the D 28. There are several versions of the D-28. I don’t want to list the various D28 versions, but trying to sort through their characteristics could be confusing. When shopping for a Taylor 12 string recently, the numbering system helped me quickly and clearly to learn what was available and the differences between them.
Regarding innovation, I think the jury is still out on the V class innovation. I like their advanced performance bracing with relief route, an innovation Taylor used to build some great guitars and almost immediately abandoned for the V class. It makes me wonder if V class will have the same fate. Innovations must be lasting to be significant and impactful. An innovation must also become an inspiration to other makers. When many makers turn to a version of the V class bracing, then the innovation has impact. One Taylor innovation that has had wide influence is the cutaway grand auditorium body.
You also avoided tone and playability as categories. Both, I suppose, are categories that are largely personal / subjective. I think if these were categories, Taylor would win on playability and Martin on tone.
Observation...obviously this segment was engineered to produce a foregone conclusion...a tie. But it did highlight the strengths of each maker and that is a good thing and your clear intention.
Playability seems to me to be something that we as players , assuming a good set up all around, compensate for. I have a 000, a D-35, a strat and a resonator, the playability is wildly different but 3 minutes in and I’m equally bad on any of toys. :)
Ugh.... this debate always baffles me. I just spent 3 months going back and forth between the two and ended up settling on a Martin. Wish I could afford one of each though! Was a tough decision which is why it took so long.
Both Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle both now play Preston Thompson guitars. Just saying. So I'm not sure how valid the last two comparisons are. Also, a lot of the great historical players were playing before Taylor was around. Just for transparency, I own both Taylor and Martin guitars.
Name one really good bluegrass picker playing a Taylor , go ahead I’ll wait
dmcrisp I never claimed a lot of bluegrass players played Taylor guitars. Taylor is not known for dreadnought style guitars. Also, not all historical country players played large body instruments. Many played, (and continue to play) smaller body guitars where Taylor is very competitive.
@@2Gandalf1 ok, I’ll go a step further. Name one incredible lead guitar player that plays mainly Taylor , whether it be jazz,blues,bluegrass, country. You can’t name anyone they don’t exist
@@dmcrisp Do a Google search for Taylor artists. There is a pretty good list. Also, as a side note, there was a Willy Nelson tribute special on the other night. Lots of big country stars. While I expected most to be playing Martin. They were not. Most were playing Gibson guitars. Even Vince Gill. Not sure it means anything, but interesting. If not Gibson, there were a lot of luthier guitars. There were several Boucher guitars (maybe my next instrument).
@@2Gandalf1 yeah there’s nobody on that list that I would consider incredible. And the willy Nelson tribute was sponsored by Gibson so yeah it would make sense they would all be playing them. Vince Gill has a huge collection of vintage martins so that was a bad example lol. Boucher, bourgeois, Collings, etc those are all just variations/copies of what Martin created
If I had to pick between the two, Martin would be my choice by a long shot. But when it comes down to it I sure do love my Larrivee acoustic.
I have gone to the music store twice to purchase a Taylor. The first time in 2002 when I left with a Martin HD28, which I still own. I went back this February to finally purchase the Taylor guitar of my dreams and left with a Martin M-36. I have incredible respect for Taylor but the bottom line for me is Martin is the guitar of choice.
I'm 68 and have played since age 12. I had never had a high end acoustic guitar. I found a Tak I liked and know Garth does Tak. While at guitar center Fayetteville AR. I played the 200 series Taylor, I was not impressed. I'm from San Diego and know where the Taylor guitar factory is located. Some time went by and one day back at guitar center, I played another Taylor. Without doing my homework I bought it. After my research I discovered I had purchased a Taylor 314ce grand Auditorium. To me the difference in the sound and action was eye opening. It was an ahha moment. It sat on my lap without requiring a strap. The sound was just embracing. I know guitar players who play country that won't play anything but Martin. It boils down to it for me, the way this guitar attached itself to me and it sounding like rich tone I believe I made the rt decision. If you find a guitar that becomes a part of you like this one has. Buy It !!!!
❤ My Taylor
Sound: Martin (my personal preference). Plus I also care about where the money I spend finally ends up. So, again: Martin.
Explain your caring about where the money ends up.
Thank you for your work. Love your videos. Martin is my vote. The D-18 is on my wish list.
I’ve played and owned all the big players in acoustic guitars Martin , Taylor and Gibson. hands down if you want the true dreadnought sound then Martin is the way to go. I just bought a d18 last week and it’s just so amazing. With adding the performance necks to the standard line it plays like a dream . Nothing beats a Martin .
On the first day, God created Martin. The end.
Steve Poole Then on the second day God realised there could be better and made a Guild D55... 😂🤣 The End! Or was it? You live and learn... and you buy all of them...
@@CoolCat11 guild? come on man
hahaha thats a good one!
I think you need to brush up on your Bible studies.
Haha
Clearly Martin. On terms of non-amplified sound they simply more resonate and touch my soul. But I also own Taylors for certain uses.
Boat oar?
I must qualify as a guitar geek because of where this story will go. I was lost and looking for guitar knowledge and found Tony, so I have to have all the right answers. I have been watching Acoustic Tuesday regularly this year and recommending it to friends as well, but because it only comes once a week I have been going back to watch old episodes. I started at # 1 and today I watched Episode 61. But my question comes from Episode 60. The Trivia question about the difference between the 000 and OM guitars. In your answer Tony says the difference is the scale length and that the the 000 has a length of 24.9 inches and the OM has the longer length of ???? 24.5 inches. Now to me 24.5 is not longer than 24.9 so I went to the Martin site and found the length of the OM to be 25.4 inches. I don't know if I am the only one to raise this item, but as a person wanting to learn the right way, I need to know if this was just a test to see who is really listening ( as I do get also get lost if I happen to get noodling ) or if Tony just mis-spoke. Can't imagine that after watching all the Tom foolery and wordsmithing that him and Noah used to do. Great show, keep up all the shenanigans.
It could be a dyslexia thing; something I do to tend quite often. LOL.
But seriously, most of the time my tendency is to do it with numbers.
; -)
Having owned and listened to both, I prefer Gurian or Froggy Bottom. Seriously, Martin & Taylor are different in tone, and one isn't "better" than the other. Absolutly, the classic Martins - the ones I didn't buy before they got priced out of my range (from the 20's-30's)- are absolutely mindboggeling, but generally speaking, I'd rather listen to a Martin then play one. The Taylors have an amazing sound and sing under my fingers. I decline to choose between the two! The Martin factory is fantastic!!
Taylor’s are nice. We even got to tour their facility. However I am, and will always be a Martin guy. I have 2 of them, and would love to add another. My HD28 is my go to, and has been since I purchased it in 2007.
Didn't like your conclusion on the manufacturing. Just a different opinion on the matter. I don't really want guitars built by robots. When i buy a guitar, I'd rather that money help support master craftsmen or women than pay for the robot. What makes a Stradivarius a Stradivarius? Not a robot. Skill over technology. I feel the same about music. That being said, I have both.
Agreed to a point. More automated manufacture yields more consistent instruments. When I purchased my Martin, I had to play several to find one I liked within the same model (D-18). With my Taylors, they are very consistent unit to unit within the same model.
Agreed. That was the only category that was a little questionable for me.
You think Martin production isn't automated? Hoo-boy are you mistaken. You think Taylor doesn't do bench-made guitars? Wrong again. Under $1500-$2000 Taylor uses real wood, Martin uses HPL (Formica) and Richlite (cutting board material), and both are very much robotic builds. By the time you are spending $4K or more, both are pretty much benchmade. In between, Taylor spends more on materials, Martin spends more on labor, but both can be great. Taylors are very consistent, Martins, maybe 1 in 5 will be golden, 3 OK, and 1 in 5 a dud. Tonewise, Taylor voices for a lot of chime and incredible playability. Martins are boomier in the bass. But to say skill over technology, and imply Taylor lacks the skill? Sorry, that was below the belt.
@@2Gandalf1 for me thats part of what makes them so great, not that they all sound and play the same. Thats just good branding. I like the fact that my guitar sounds different to someone else's in the same model, the joy of finding a jem. And no I'm not a brand snob, I love finding any guitar that sounds good no matter the brand.
Taylor has plenty of "craftsmen". Much of the work is still done by hand. They have just automated the very repetitive tasks that can lead to variability in manufacturing.
guitar seller told me that Taylor's are better built and more consistent than the Martin's, but the martins have a beefier tone but have a bit more quality control issues. I was leaning toward a d-15, now looking 210 Taylor. Everybody I admire plays a Martin but I feel like a guitar needs to speak to me - the Taylors have been my faves when I have beenout test driving, but I am scared I will miss the fatter bottom of the Martin
just me, but when I see someone playing acoustic (on TV, TH-cam, FB....) there are a bunch of Taylors and not many Martins. When I do see a Martin, it is an old one.
Max Herron yeah, Vince Gill has a older Martin and Marty Stuart’s Martin is an older model. Forgive me, I don’t know the exact years and models. I think Marty’s is a D35, please correct me if wrong.
Reggie Jones - He has MANY Martin guitars, mostly vintage. He owns Hank Williams Sr’s 1939 D-45, which is probably worth more than 300,000!!! Martin didn’t have a prewar D-45 in there own collection, and Chris Martin spent over $250,000 to get one. Hank Sr’s is probably worth more, because it was Hank’s.
My mom bought me a Taylor for my first guitar but I'm a big fan of both. Great guitars all around!
Both great guitars but as far as tone goes there is only one winner and it is Martin.
Martin vs Taylor? I think I will go with Martin. It took me a week to give you an honest opinion! I think I prefer the tone and play ability of the Martin.
In addition, thank you for the feature in this show! It was surreal to see it and I wanted to you to know how grateful I am for this community of guitar geeks and Tac's. Guitar has brought me so much joy and peacefulness to my life and owe this journey to Tac. It has also brought my brother and I closer as we now share something in common that we didn't have before; such a blessing in itself. In the end, if a guitar brings you all the above mentioned, the brand is just one more group of geeks to get to know!!! :)
Tony!!!!... c'mon c'mon c'mon- stop being so Switzerland!! Martin, Martin, Martin, Martin, Martin, Martin!!!!!!! Just say it!!! MARTIN!!!!!!!
Sam Maynard Taylor master race dawg
How about GIBSON! hummingbird, Dove. Incredible guitars as well as the SJ200
The cf Martin tour was a great experience I loved it . The custom shop and the museum were all there .
Taylor. I love the bright sunny sound, they‘re philosophy and engagement for nature. For me my BBT is just the perfect guitar in sound and feel. ❤️ So Taylor has the big win for me 😊
I do believe there is a difference in aura I should say. Colorado Kyle is right. I thought the same thing that I need to be better to play a Martin. But as soon as I got one my play actually got better!!!! It seems like anything I play just sounds amazing. That’s how good their guitars are lol. So it not only gives the the right correct sound you need but also makes you better just having one! I know that sounds weird but that’s my take
Every time I pick up my D18 I feel like I found an old friend....
I like both Taylor and Martin, I just got to playing after almost fifty years so I am at the beginning of my journey and own a Taylor GS mini koa . I was looking at Martin and Taylor because I think they have the best offerings and sound, I am seventy one years old and this is therapy for me, I just wish I was further along in my journey, but I want a Martin to, as a side note I was born a Blackhawk fan and use to practice in the parks and at Pierre Pilote ice rink and minority’s played hockey back then. I use to go the music gallery back then downtown Chicago and old town. You can’t loose with either one
Don't yell at me but I'm personally a Gibson guy. I love my Gibson Hummingbird Studio a lot. But between Taylor or Martin, I prefer Taylor overall.
Citizen B the only thing I don’t like Gibson is the finish all the old Gibson’s people swallow and say I love the mojo . Those ugly rivers that run down the grain yuk
I like martins for the more tradional sound i grew up on more so for bluegrass. But for doing like a variety of different music in like gigging style envirorment and playing through pickup system taylor is great also. And bob taylor is like the intovator of modern guitar technology i actually like both.
I own both Taylor and Martin guitars. I love my Taylor, but my Martin’s are my baby’s. There is just something so special about having a piece of history in your hands with such beautiful sound that just inspires me in a way my Taylor just has never been able to do. Martin takes the cake for me.
Martin has most certainly earned their place. OOO is still among my favorite guitars.
But personally for a guitar I'M going to play, i would buy a Taylor first.
Martin: their lower end stuff is becoming a stain on the brand. There was a black, relatively cheap one they made with laminate necks. Had a good preamp, sounded dreadful acoustic. That neck also became a sore point since they were never stable. The economy Martin guitar is not what it should be.
The core line of Martin is peerless. They have the tone, the pedigree, and the build quality. I'm not a fan of their more outrageous art pieces, but that's personal taste. They are mellow, emotive, stable, a thinking man's guitar.
Taylor is far more consistent at every price point. There's a reason why the GS Mini has made such a splash. It's relatively inexpensive, tonality is not sacrificed to size, and it can be detuned despite the shorter scale. Arguably the rule of diminishing returns is exponentially exposed where a $500 guitar can sound as good as a $5000 guitar. The same cannot be said of Martin.
Taylors have a brighter tone. Ounce per ounce, pound for pound they are louder. Getting them to darken down is an exercise with strings, nuts, pins, EQ, picks, and playing dynamics. Martins can brighten up or darken down by picking dynamics as such can be called more forgiving. However the brighter tone of Taylors is highly desirable. That could be the current fashion, which could fade. Taylor, by this measure is the everyman's guitar.
Long story short: if you want the full spectrum of feeling: get a top-tier Martin. If you want to be happy even with minor chords, get any Taylor.
100% agree...Martin's low end stuff is horrible..Taylors low end stuff is way better. However you should check out Yamaha's cheaper stuff...amazing quality.
@@dantegreco1 we're not talking about Yamaha. That comparison is tricky these days. Their high end stuff is damn near boutique level quality. Say what you like about the Japanese, but they've been making stringed instruments for 4000 years. I think they have this down.
Takamine is another I'd point to, although not as favorably as Yamaha. It can be hit-or-miss with Takamine, and I despise the big, clunky preamps they insist on using. Marrs the lovely lines of many a fine instrument by depending on these plastic bricks. But they do make a killer 12 string jumbo.
I wouldn't consider Yamaha to be a contemporary of Taylor or Martin though. They make a better instrument at a lower price than either. Once the law of diminished returns kicks in, their high end stuff plateaus much faster, albeit at an exquisite benchmark.
At the end of the day, in order to get boutique quality, a boutique price must be offered. And if you're going to put out $3k or better, it's probably best to look up a small bench builder, and work through exactly what you want. August guitars is just up the road from me, and Dave makes a mean instrument.
@@Kabayoth I have a 1976 Takamine "Lawsuit' 310S - A Martin 000-18 clone, made from Martin patterns & tooling when Takamine was going to be Martin's Japanese manufacturing partner. When the deal fell apart, Takamine had all the parts, tooling and magic sauce, and proceeded to make guitars that from 2 feet away you couldn't tell from the equivalent Martin, from headstock to tailpiece. Prior to that I had a Yamaha. Almost 50 years later my Tak has aged into an incredible instrument. (And believe it or not I ran into my old Yamaha at a party - I recognized a very specific ding on the top. It still played well, albeit long overdue for some fretwork.) I had a chance to play an actual late '70s Martin 000-18 and honestly, it was a dog compared to the Tak, which had chime and harmonics to spare. Maybe it was strings, or some other variable, but I was pretty surprised.
@@panzrwagn I have a family heirloom Takamine. Or at least it says so on the headstock. Tak-Tak, as I call her, is a fake. Takamine never made a Guild jumbo copy with the Guild headstock I'm told. So this is a fake copy of a Takamine counterfeit copy of a Guild copy of a Gibson version of a Martin. If only the hardshell case held up as well as the guitar.
Tak-Tak is a lawsuit era instrument. She needs a neck reset badly, but nobody wants to dig into a guitar I can't sell for $75. So I slap light gage strings on her, play her gently, and marvel at the best neck of all time. If this old girl wasn't stashed in a closet half her life, she'd be stolen every time I took her out of the house. She's just SO comfortable to play.
That's not to say she arrived in my hands this way. I had to take some 400 grit sandpaper to the bracing to open up her tone. Before I did that she sounded like a cardboard box. After, she sounds like a mellow diva.
Takamine makes a good guitar, but they also make a lot of duds. I can try several new ones right off the peg, and some of them will be solidly built, but sound dead. I suspect the simple expedient of a quiet room to tap tune the tops would fix this right away.
100% disagree, their all solid mexican made are superb instruments
I have had 3 Martins and 2 of them had neck angle issues. When I needed to get the action of my Taylor adjusted, an authorized repair shop was able to remove the neck, replace the shims, reinstall the neck and tune it up and well under an hour. Sound is a personal preference but in terms of my experience, Taylor wins hands down in the quality department.
This why I love Taylor's neck. Sure the 'traditionalists' out there would scream that it's just not right to have a bolt on neck. But for the reasons you pointed out, it's a hands down win for Taylor.
In the Round of Love, for me personally, Martin wins. I love my OM-28.
So you like the Martin 0m-28 , perhaps you can help me I can’t decide what guitar to buy from custom shop? I’ve looked at several makes and ended up with two either a Purch 0m or a Martin 0m-28 What do you think I need help -
I have a Taylor A10 and a 214ce. After many trips to the guitar shop and playing both Martins and Taylors I have come to this conclusion as to the difference between them. The Martins have a type of "I dare you to play me until your fingers fall off!" type of feel to them. Like the guitar is challenging you to play harder. While the Taylor is more of a majestic type of "come and play me, and be enchanted" type of sound and feel. I like the enchantment of the Taylor. That being said, the have concluded that the only real solution is to own and play both!
Martin.
But then I'm 72. I suspect that if you tracked the answers by age, you'd find Martin the clear winner in the "mature" guitar geek community :)
Martin vs Gibson? Now that's an entirely different discussion.
I bought my first Taylor in 1999. It was an 814 CE. Loved it. Then I got a T5-C1. Then a XXXV GS BZ 35th anniversary Brazilian Rosewood rare special made to celebrate the company's longevity and success. These are all beautiful incredible instruments. Then I decided I wanted a Martin D45. So I got one. I have never heard any guitar, anywhere, sound like this guitar. The entire guitar vibrates with each string that is played, and the degree it surpasses my Taylor instruments can be measured in orders of magnitude, not just in a few points here or there...But large percentages. I never expected this. Big surprise. Glad I took the plunge. BTW I am 60 this year and have played for 52 years.
🤣😂 NO MATTER how good you make a Taylor sound, yes I’ll appreciate it but I’ll always pick a Martin especially when ya get in the $2500.00 + price zone.
I have had 3 martins and two Taylors. I love them both. But personally I'm bias because I'm from Pa. I grew up always wanting one and it took me 25+ years before I could afford an acoustic guitar I can play and that has a sound that drives my playing. I now love playing mine. I will say though. You love what your ears hear and there's nothing wrong with the instrument that drives your creativity and love for music.
Taylor! As a music recording producer, I believe that for modern recording, producing, modern full hi-end arrengements and mixing, Taylor guitars in general have a most helpful tone, clarity and note separation. However, Martin will allways be a gorgeous and wanted tone for tons of ocasions, specially raw, solo or small band arrengements.
Love my Taylor 818e! Big big sound
I’ve played both and finally settled on the Taylor.
Well...Can't decide I'll just have to keep one of each around !
Taylor.
I have to give it to Taylor because of their affordability. I feel that is one issue you did not cover and it is pretty important to all of us non professional guitar players. That being said which ever feels and sounds right to you is the winner. To me the way it plays and sounds and the price is worth more than the history, sustainability, navigating different models, the way it's manufactured, the innovation and which artist plays them. Great job with the show this week.
SO happy to hear Colorado Kyle speak..
How could you not compare the sound of the two guitars, arguably the category everyone is going to use to compare two brands? When I bought my OM-42, I put it against several different Taylors, including a $16k custom Taylor. No comparison. Martin is king.
It is no secret that I am not a fan of Taylor guitars. I own 3 USA Martin 15 series guitars, and I like them a lot.
Taylor guitars have a sound that I just don't care for. I prefer other brands to either Martin or Taylor. I play my Martin guitars when I need to record acoustic tracks; the 15 series guitars record VERY well.
When I am writing songs, or playing for sheer enjoyment, I always reach for my Larrivee OM-02, Maestro 00-MH, Breedlove Legacy Concert, or Cort Gold O6. I keep my ears open for new guitars all the time, but those are my go-to acoustics. 🐰❤️🎸🎵🤝✌️
Was your custom made by Martin's best guitar maker? Was he Marin Luthier King?
Lol!! Good one
I think you’re spot on. When my sons were very young they heard me playing guitar and were hooked ever since. They both played so much better than me. I asked them what type of guitars they wanted. My older boy James said an acoustic cut away Martin and my younger boy Sean said a Taylor cut away. Both guitars have pickups and sound great.
This comparison does not help the guitar player. Completely irrelevant points to consider. How about topics of which one sounds better unplugged vs plugged? How about the neck action, the sustain, the richness of tone the bracing, etc... I mean so much was missed here. :(
That's model specific stuff.
Taylor was the guitar I learned on and was the one that was approachable to me as a beginner. It’s a beauty and still intrigues me with its sound.
Respectfully, Martin.
Respectfully, no.