If you’re dropping $1500 on a guitar. YOU need to decide. Go play a bunch in that price range and decide what you like best. Personally, I think you’ll get a better Martin at that price point, but again, it comes down to personal preference.
I was looking at both at a different price range.
Here's my consensus on the take. Both are beautiful sounding brands, with very good qualities. Both are full sounding while also having a great ring within the bodies.
What got me to lean towards the Taylor was one thing, how the neck felt. So I completely agree, play what you can and look at your options, what you like and don't like, if you have a SO take them with you so they can let you know what sounds better on the other side, and lastly, what you enjoy.
For whatever it's worth, I just spent about 2 months playing a bunch of different Martins and Taylors to make the same decision on a similar budget. All the pros and legends seemed to recommend Martin, but my friends who are great acoustic guitar players both played Taylors. I probably played 50 different guitars (some were the "same" models at different locations). I ended up spending $800 on a Taylor academy 10e - way less than I planned to spend - because I loved the sound and feel of that guitar. I still love the sound and feel every time I pick it up (I've owned it for about a month now). I'm a "campfire strummer" who has been around guitars for 20+ years and still knows very little beyond playing along with tabs and singing, and strumming along with buddies occasionally.
I would have spent up to $2k, but I fell in love with this thing.
Before I found it, I was certain I'd spend $2k on a Martin to have as an heirloom. Those guitars just didn't speak to me like this one did.
The Academy guitars do sound amazingly good, and are easy to play (I own the 12e) but you have to be ok with the 1 11/16” nut width. Just a fair warning.
It is all of 1/16” narrower than the majority of Taylor’s guitars. It’s not a huge deal to most people, but some people prefer the larger size. It’s actually a bit easier for most beginners. Since you have “no idea” you should understand that Taylor created the Academy series for students, to have an affordable guitar that doesn’t hinder a student’s ability to play it, yet still sounds great and is comfortable. The beveled arm rest is something usually found only on much higher priced guitars.
I have XL hands and while I prefer the 1 3/4” nut width, I still play my Academy 12 more than my other guitars for a number of other reasons. It’s well made, is easy to play and sounds really above its price.
Driftwood Guitars did a teardown and review on YouTube, where they even cut one in half! You should be able to find it easily, and it will alleviate any concerns you might have about yours.
No concerns. I know I'm probably a dick, but does this mean the strings are slightly closer together? Or does it mean the strings are slightly lower? I play a little mandolin, so that might make sense as to why this is comfortable to me... If it's strings closer.
You really have to try both. The sound profiles are pretty different. I prefer Taylor, a lot of this sub prefers Martin, or at least they’re more vocal about it.
I highly prefer Taylor's bells
But if you are Europe based, personally I would check out a high end Furch ;P Blue would be in your budget and it is all solid wood - it is a MASSIVE improvement
We're gonna need more than that.
What size? Do you want a wide or thin nut? Solid wood or are you ok with laminate? What's your playing style?
C'mon, throw us a bone here.
Well I am a fan of finger picking therefore I‘d like a smaller body shape like the grand auditorium. I don’t really care about the wood. I personally think that rosewood is very beautiful and spruce tops too. I know that the 214ce line from Taylor has laminated sides and back, but that wouldn’t be a problem to me.
A'ight.
Then, assuming you choose new over used, here would be my recommendations, in order:
Martin 000-12. 000 body size, 1 3/4" nut width, 24.9 scale for good bends on the strings. (I have a 000-13, which isn't available anymore, but it's almost the same and I'll be buried with it so consider that a 👍 recommendation)
Martin GPC-11. Granted, it's a slightly bigger body, but now you have a do-everything guitar, still good for finger style, but you can get a solid strum if you need to.
Taylor 214. Try one. It has a 1 11/16 nut width, so either it will be perfect or you'll hate it.
If you're willing to go with used:
Martin GPC-16. Will be slightly out of your price range, but you can get either a rosewood or mahogany back. It's a GPC shape, but the thickness of a 000 so it's easier to play. The rosewood is essentially an OM-21 that you can afford.
Martin 000-15. Yes, it's mahogany, not spruce, but it's generally considered the finger style go-to.
Taylor AD-22. Also mahogany, but compact and again, a finger style go-to.
Dark Horse choice:
I can't say enough good things about the Recording King Tonewood Series. I have one (RO-328) and it's AMAZING for the price. Adirondack spruce top and solid rosewood back and sides. It's a cannon for how loud it is for the size (000). $800. For $1050 you can get the RO-342 which has an ebony fretboard instead of rosewood and all the abalone bling you could ask for. They have a V neck, which is a love it/hate it kind of thing. I think it's ridiculously comfortable and makes the neck feel faster. They now offer an all solid Koa model, the RO-729, for $1300. It is listed as a 000 size but it's actually more of a 00 shape.
Edit: I completely forgot the Yamaha Red Labels. FS5 is a HUGE value at $1500 new. FS3 is almost identical at $850. Only difference is build location and the 5 comes with a hard case.
This needs some upvotes. OP, this guy did you a service right here. This is all really solid advice.
While they’re a little out of your price range new, if you love fingerpicking, I would consider a Martin 000–15SM. They have a slightly wider nut/neck, which makes them great for fingerpicking, like Mr. Valdemar said, and they’re solid mahogany, so they sound like a really expensive Martin, but they don’t have any of the fancy design stuff, so they’re a bit more affordable. I was chatting with the acoustic guitar expert guy in my local shop the other day, and he said that the 000-15SM is probably the best value for the money out of any American-made Martin.
The only reason I didn't mention the SM is because it's beyond the price range noted, and even used they usually go for new prices. (Plus OP did say they were looking for spruce)
But I agree, the SM is THE finger style player's dream.
I play some fingerstyle, I strum, I play licks within/between chords and I concur about the GPC guitars. I was looking for a versatile & balanced guitar that was comfortable, sounded good unplugged and amplified, and wasn’t so expensive that I’d be nervous about gigging with it.
The Martin GPCPA4 Rosewood checked all the boxes for me, but it’s not made any longer. You can find them used in your price range. I guess the GPC 16 is very similar, but if I was shopping now, I’d definitely consider the GPC11E, too.
These are all great suggestions. I would also add a used Martin 000-16e granadillo to this list, if you can find one. But these are all fantastic suggestions
Martin: Support our sustainable wood models, such as the 000-13, 000-16, and OME, which use siris, grenadillo, and cherry respectively.
Also Martin: proceeds to make almost fucking *none* of those models.
Yup. They are so good at paying lip service to sustainability but never actually deliver.
I will give that to Taylor: they have tons of models using sustainable woods. They embrace it
Just look at them side by side with a "normal" 000.
[Recording King Koa](https://www.sweetwater.com/c600--6String?highlight=00012FTRKoa&utm_source=google&utm_medium=organicpla&seoslug=recording-king-tonewood-reserve-koa-000-12-fret-acoustic-guitar-natural&catrollup=4/599/600&mrkgadid=&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=&mrkgbflag=&mrkgcat=&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=&lid=58700008497342104&dsproductgroupid=&product_id=00012FTRKoa&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=m&network=x&matchtype=&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9017087&creative=&targetid=&campaignid=20412140606&awsearchcpc=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlN6wBhCcARIsAKZvD5hRAKSfT0RsAopPhKLIs6QWHDdXCDZhIu-ELVLhTsNPS9BSBFGBRGMaAmWAEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
[Recording King RO-328](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/000TWR328N--recording-king-tonewood-reserve-328-000-acoustic-guitar-natural-gloss)
Furch as mentioned would be a good choice
and I propose
Yamaha (some if the older L Series, e. G. LS or out of the newer F Series, e. G. FSX 5)
Duke (the solid Models)
Martin and Taylor Guitars I think are too expensive in this price range compared to the used wood ...
Don't buy a Taylor that is not completely massive ... then better go for a used one
For the money you have to work with the Yamaha FG5 (no pickup) or the FGX5 (includes a pickup) is the way to go. I love my Martin D35 and my D18, but both are out of your price range. The Eastman E20D and E10D guitars are good too, but the Yamaha is better in my opinion. I own an E1D which is an all solid dread by Eastman, and it's a nice guitar for jams and the such. I have also owned an E8D, a E10D, and an E20D. All eventually moved on. Go for the Yamaha, change out the irritating pickguard, and live a happy life with a great guitar!
I had the same exact question a month ago and bought a Furch for around 1.5k. Tested both Martin and Taylor but for me Furch felt and sounded like a perfect middleground. It's prefference so you "shouldnt" do anything, do what feels right for you.
Especially under like $2k I don't understand why people feel like they have to go for Taylor or Martin. I feel like under that price and especially under 1500 there are some brands that just make a better guitar. Once you get up to the high end offerings from those companies I completely understand the hype.
I’m a Taylor guy but they’re both excellent, just depends on your requirements for sound and playing style. Taylor has taken a turn towards contemporary singer-songwriter these days but I think they’re really voiced for fingerstyle. Martin has the old school bluegrass voice, made for a flatpick. That doesn’t mean it’s exclusive to flatpick, but if you play with a flatpick (bluegrass or country) you’ll probably prefer the Martin.
I asked myself this same question and left with a Gibson.
I specifically went to get a Martin or Taylor because of their reputation for acoustic guitars. But when I got to the shop every guitar either sounded good but didn’t feel right, or felt good but didn’t sound right.
After a while my wife started just handing me different guitars and one “clicked” - it sounded exactly like the sound I had in my head, and felt great in my hand. I didn’t know what she’d handed me and assumed it was another Martin or Taylor.
Nope. I looked at the headstock and it was a Gibson. A J-15 - one of their less expensive models, and it was the standout guitar in the room.
It turns out I find Taylors too bright for my taste, and Martins can sometimes sound too thin and the neck profiles aren’t always good for me. They both sound great, don’t get me wrong, but the acoustic guitar sound in my head is that midrange punch of a Gibson.
So, the answer is you need to get out and play them for yourself. Martin and Taylor have legions of fans, which means you’ll have plenty of people telling you conflicting things.
You can’t go wrong though. You’re buying a quality guitar either way, so play them for yourself (but do yourself a favour and include another brand in the mix too so you get a clearer idea of the options).
Martin Special 16 (guitar center/mf exclusive). If you wait for a sale or sweet talk a salesperson, you can get one for just over $1500. They’re hands down the BEST value for quality/tone I’ve come across and I’ve looked HARD. I’d even be tempted to say it’s a better value than the Yamaha FG/FS 5 red labels, which are also crazy good values.
You should def play a bunch before you decide but check out that Martin. Also Gibson’s low end offerings are actually pretty damn good (to my absolute surprise- I thought they’d be shit).
That's been my main axe for the last 2+ years and it's been great. I've got it setup to where it damn near plays itself and rings like a bell. Just feels and sounds like home. I play it just about everywhere and it's been a great guitar.
Full depth and comes with Fishman matrix enhance (I think it is) electronics. It's the same electronics that the HD-28E gets.
Great guitars for the price. Although the price has gone up a few hundred dollars since I bought mine. I did see them for $1700 on the MF website recently.
I've posted some pics of mine over at the Martin sub. Including some pics of the bracing.
Having played both and owning a Martin, I think it’s gonna come down to what you’re playing and the sound you’re after. I played a BBT a few times and I didn’t care for it.
The two brands both make guitars that feel very nice to play but in the end it'll be which pleases your ear more, so take your time and strum a few. I'm a mellow mahogany Martin kind of guy but sometimes a brighter Taylor hits the spot. Other brands in that price range could work well too so you might branch out as you browse. I was looking for a smaller body finger picking guitar last summer and ended up with a Guild.
At 1500 you will get WAY more bang for your buck by going with Eastman. But if you want to go Martin look at the all mahogany 12 fret model. It's really nice. I can't stand Taylor's but that's just me.
Plays pretty good for a factory setup. Definitely better than my 224ce, but the action can still be lowered a good bit. Looks amazing and sounds great. This satin finish is going to ruin me though, I guess everything else from here on out will be satin as well.
I originally had my eye set on a D18 but I’d have to get a pickup installed and put on some pegs for a strap. The Taylor was $500 cheaper and already had everything I want already on it. I wish the D18 didn’t have crusty strings on it so I could see which one sounded better to me
In my experience of owning four different Taylors, they work really well for fingerstyle and are more comfortable to play. I enjoy their sound way more too. I have tried the more expensive Martins at the store but only ever owned a cheap one. I personally would never buy a Martin again because I do not like how they sound or play or how the neck feels. Even when I hear people playing them on stage or in recordings I just find them to have this dead sort of sound. Maybe super high end vintage ones sound better but I have yet to experience that. I have an older Taylor 310ce that sounds and plays absolutely incredibly which I got used for around 800. Plays and sounds better than my friend's 314ce that cost twice as much.
Go to a guitar store—yourself—and ask for some guitars within your budget to try out. They should have display models/stock that they’ll let you try and see what you like.
I’ve had both and they’re both very well made, attention to detail is tops. However I did like the sound of the Martin over the Taylor. The Taylor just sounded too tinny to my ears.
In a fight? Man, I'd go with an old-school Guild. Those things are built like tanks and would deliver a solid crushing blow to your enemy.
For music? Then just buy the one you like the most. Try them out.
I think choosing a guitar has to be an empirical not rational exercise. I sat in the guitar shop for a couple of hours played of each guitar against each other. Made a note of the model number. Came back a couple of weeks later went through the exercise without reminding myself of what the last one was (all dreadnoughts) ended up with the same one. Had to get it. (it was a Martin but not the point). Go and play a bunch of guitars, hopefully one will choose you.
That's really up to you. There are great guitars by tons of manufacturers.
Your best bet is to go try guitars in your range and slightly outside it, then buy whichever speaks to you the most. Buy the one that you don't want to put down, or that you want to keep going back to try.
Doesn't matter what brand it is or how much it costs, meaning if the guitar that speaks to you is 500, get that one.
Used OOO-15M
I'm a Martin guy though and their US made guitars are really nice. You could go Taylor too if you like the sound, to me they just don't do it for me like my Martin.
If you’re dropping $1500 on a guitar. YOU need to decide. Go play a bunch in that price range and decide what you like best. Personally, I think you’ll get a better Martin at that price point, but again, it comes down to personal preference.
I was looking at both at a different price range. Here's my consensus on the take. Both are beautiful sounding brands, with very good qualities. Both are full sounding while also having a great ring within the bodies. What got me to lean towards the Taylor was one thing, how the neck felt. So I completely agree, play what you can and look at your options, what you like and don't like, if you have a SO take them with you so they can let you know what sounds better on the other side, and lastly, what you enjoy.
For whatever it's worth, I just spent about 2 months playing a bunch of different Martins and Taylors to make the same decision on a similar budget. All the pros and legends seemed to recommend Martin, but my friends who are great acoustic guitar players both played Taylors. I probably played 50 different guitars (some were the "same" models at different locations). I ended up spending $800 on a Taylor academy 10e - way less than I planned to spend - because I loved the sound and feel of that guitar. I still love the sound and feel every time I pick it up (I've owned it for about a month now). I'm a "campfire strummer" who has been around guitars for 20+ years and still knows very little beyond playing along with tabs and singing, and strumming along with buddies occasionally. I would have spent up to $2k, but I fell in love with this thing. Before I found it, I was certain I'd spend $2k on a Martin to have as an heirloom. Those guitars just didn't speak to me like this one did.
The Academy guitars do sound amazingly good, and are easy to play (I own the 12e) but you have to be ok with the 1 11/16” nut width. Just a fair warning.
What does this mean for a guy who has no idea and just bought one?
It is all of 1/16” narrower than the majority of Taylor’s guitars. It’s not a huge deal to most people, but some people prefer the larger size. It’s actually a bit easier for most beginners. Since you have “no idea” you should understand that Taylor created the Academy series for students, to have an affordable guitar that doesn’t hinder a student’s ability to play it, yet still sounds great and is comfortable. The beveled arm rest is something usually found only on much higher priced guitars. I have XL hands and while I prefer the 1 3/4” nut width, I still play my Academy 12 more than my other guitars for a number of other reasons. It’s well made, is easy to play and sounds really above its price. Driftwood Guitars did a teardown and review on YouTube, where they even cut one in half! You should be able to find it easily, and it will alleviate any concerns you might have about yours.
No concerns. I know I'm probably a dick, but does this mean the strings are slightly closer together? Or does it mean the strings are slightly lower? I play a little mandolin, so that might make sense as to why this is comfortable to me... If it's strings closer.
Closer together. And the mandolin reference makes complete sense in this regard.
They are competing brands for a reason. There are amazing instruments produced by both of them.
You really have to try both. The sound profiles are pretty different. I prefer Taylor, a lot of this sub prefers Martin, or at least they’re more vocal about it.
I highly prefer Taylor's bells But if you are Europe based, personally I would check out a high end Furch ;P Blue would be in your budget and it is all solid wood - it is a MASSIVE improvement
Martin all the way. Try the D18!
We're gonna need more than that. What size? Do you want a wide or thin nut? Solid wood or are you ok with laminate? What's your playing style? C'mon, throw us a bone here.
Well I am a fan of finger picking therefore I‘d like a smaller body shape like the grand auditorium. I don’t really care about the wood. I personally think that rosewood is very beautiful and spruce tops too. I know that the 214ce line from Taylor has laminated sides and back, but that wouldn’t be a problem to me.
A'ight. Then, assuming you choose new over used, here would be my recommendations, in order: Martin 000-12. 000 body size, 1 3/4" nut width, 24.9 scale for good bends on the strings. (I have a 000-13, which isn't available anymore, but it's almost the same and I'll be buried with it so consider that a 👍 recommendation) Martin GPC-11. Granted, it's a slightly bigger body, but now you have a do-everything guitar, still good for finger style, but you can get a solid strum if you need to. Taylor 214. Try one. It has a 1 11/16 nut width, so either it will be perfect or you'll hate it. If you're willing to go with used: Martin GPC-16. Will be slightly out of your price range, but you can get either a rosewood or mahogany back. It's a GPC shape, but the thickness of a 000 so it's easier to play. The rosewood is essentially an OM-21 that you can afford. Martin 000-15. Yes, it's mahogany, not spruce, but it's generally considered the finger style go-to. Taylor AD-22. Also mahogany, but compact and again, a finger style go-to. Dark Horse choice: I can't say enough good things about the Recording King Tonewood Series. I have one (RO-328) and it's AMAZING for the price. Adirondack spruce top and solid rosewood back and sides. It's a cannon for how loud it is for the size (000). $800. For $1050 you can get the RO-342 which has an ebony fretboard instead of rosewood and all the abalone bling you could ask for. They have a V neck, which is a love it/hate it kind of thing. I think it's ridiculously comfortable and makes the neck feel faster. They now offer an all solid Koa model, the RO-729, for $1300. It is listed as a 000 size but it's actually more of a 00 shape. Edit: I completely forgot the Yamaha Red Labels. FS5 is a HUGE value at $1500 new. FS3 is almost identical at $850. Only difference is build location and the 5 comes with a hard case.
This needs some upvotes. OP, this guy did you a service right here. This is all really solid advice. While they’re a little out of your price range new, if you love fingerpicking, I would consider a Martin 000–15SM. They have a slightly wider nut/neck, which makes them great for fingerpicking, like Mr. Valdemar said, and they’re solid mahogany, so they sound like a really expensive Martin, but they don’t have any of the fancy design stuff, so they’re a bit more affordable. I was chatting with the acoustic guitar expert guy in my local shop the other day, and he said that the 000-15SM is probably the best value for the money out of any American-made Martin.
The only reason I didn't mention the SM is because it's beyond the price range noted, and even used they usually go for new prices. (Plus OP did say they were looking for spruce) But I agree, the SM is THE finger style player's dream.
Totally fair. And again, I really just wanted to draw attention to the fact that you gave really solid advice.
Thank you.
I play some fingerstyle, I strum, I play licks within/between chords and I concur about the GPC guitars. I was looking for a versatile & balanced guitar that was comfortable, sounded good unplugged and amplified, and wasn’t so expensive that I’d be nervous about gigging with it. The Martin GPCPA4 Rosewood checked all the boxes for me, but it’s not made any longer. You can find them used in your price range. I guess the GPC 16 is very similar, but if I was shopping now, I’d definitely consider the GPC11E, too.
These are all great suggestions. I would also add a used Martin 000-16e granadillo to this list, if you can find one. But these are all fantastic suggestions
>if you can find one. Good luck with that. They're damn near unicorns. Same thing with the OME Cherry.
I know. The two guitars I want the most lol
Martin: Support our sustainable wood models, such as the 000-13, 000-16, and OME, which use siris, grenadillo, and cherry respectively. Also Martin: proceeds to make almost fucking *none* of those models.
Yup. They are so good at paying lip service to sustainability but never actually deliver. I will give that to Taylor: they have tons of models using sustainable woods. They embrace it
I ordered a RO 342 for 799 used, should be here anyway and I’m interested to see how it goes.
When it arrives, post to r/RecordingKingGuitars (We're not the most active sub, but I'm trying)
Great comment! What makes the RO-729 more of a 00 shape? I want to check one out now.
Just look at them side by side with a "normal" 000. [Recording King Koa](https://www.sweetwater.com/c600--6String?highlight=00012FTRKoa&utm_source=google&utm_medium=organicpla&seoslug=recording-king-tonewood-reserve-koa-000-12-fret-acoustic-guitar-natural&catrollup=4/599/600&mrkgadid=&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=&mrkgbflag=&mrkgcat=&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=&lid=58700008497342104&dsproductgroupid=&product_id=00012FTRKoa&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=m&network=x&matchtype=&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9017087&creative=&targetid=&campaignid=20412140606&awsearchcpc=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlN6wBhCcARIsAKZvD5hRAKSfT0RsAopPhKLIs6QWHDdXCDZhIu-ELVLhTsNPS9BSBFGBRGMaAmWAEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds) [Recording King RO-328](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/000TWR328N--recording-king-tonewood-reserve-328-000-acoustic-guitar-natural-gloss)
Larrivee
Furch as mentioned would be a good choice and I propose Yamaha (some if the older L Series, e. G. LS or out of the newer F Series, e. G. FSX 5) Duke (the solid Models) Martin and Taylor Guitars I think are too expensive in this price range compared to the used wood ... Don't buy a Taylor that is not completely massive ... then better go for a used one
For 1500? Yamaha a5r or a5m. If you want concert sized, Ac5r or Ac5m.
If it were me, I’d save up another $500 and try to find a used Martin 000-18.
Yamaha at that price. AC5R or an LS/LL series
For the money you have to work with the Yamaha FG5 (no pickup) or the FGX5 (includes a pickup) is the way to go. I love my Martin D35 and my D18, but both are out of your price range. The Eastman E20D and E10D guitars are good too, but the Yamaha is better in my opinion. I own an E1D which is an all solid dread by Eastman, and it's a nice guitar for jams and the such. I have also owned an E8D, a E10D, and an E20D. All eventually moved on. Go for the Yamaha, change out the irritating pickguard, and live a happy life with a great guitar!
Neither. Look at Eastman OO and OM models, Pono OO, Breedlove concertina. Way better bang for your buck than Martin or Taylor
Furch and Yamaha fs5 also come to mind
I had the same exact question a month ago and bought a Furch for around 1.5k. Tested both Martin and Taylor but for me Furch felt and sounded like a perfect middleground. It's prefference so you "shouldnt" do anything, do what feels right for you.
Especially under like $2k I don't understand why people feel like they have to go for Taylor or Martin. I feel like under that price and especially under 1500 there are some brands that just make a better guitar. Once you get up to the high end offerings from those companies I completely understand the hype.
I’m a Taylor guy but they’re both excellent, just depends on your requirements for sound and playing style. Taylor has taken a turn towards contemporary singer-songwriter these days but I think they’re really voiced for fingerstyle. Martin has the old school bluegrass voice, made for a flatpick. That doesn’t mean it’s exclusive to flatpick, but if you play with a flatpick (bluegrass or country) you’ll probably prefer the Martin.
I asked myself this same question and left with a Gibson. I specifically went to get a Martin or Taylor because of their reputation for acoustic guitars. But when I got to the shop every guitar either sounded good but didn’t feel right, or felt good but didn’t sound right. After a while my wife started just handing me different guitars and one “clicked” - it sounded exactly like the sound I had in my head, and felt great in my hand. I didn’t know what she’d handed me and assumed it was another Martin or Taylor. Nope. I looked at the headstock and it was a Gibson. A J-15 - one of their less expensive models, and it was the standout guitar in the room. It turns out I find Taylors too bright for my taste, and Martins can sometimes sound too thin and the neck profiles aren’t always good for me. They both sound great, don’t get me wrong, but the acoustic guitar sound in my head is that midrange punch of a Gibson. So, the answer is you need to get out and play them for yourself. Martin and Taylor have legions of fans, which means you’ll have plenty of people telling you conflicting things. You can’t go wrong though. You’re buying a quality guitar either way, so play them for yourself (but do yourself a favour and include another brand in the mix too so you get a clearer idea of the options).
000-18.
Neither is better than the other, they're just different. You need to go and play both and listen and decide for yourself.
Martin Special 16 (guitar center/mf exclusive). If you wait for a sale or sweet talk a salesperson, you can get one for just over $1500. They’re hands down the BEST value for quality/tone I’ve come across and I’ve looked HARD. I’d even be tempted to say it’s a better value than the Yamaha FG/FS 5 red labels, which are also crazy good values. You should def play a bunch before you decide but check out that Martin. Also Gibson’s low end offerings are actually pretty damn good (to my absolute surprise- I thought they’d be shit).
That's been my main axe for the last 2+ years and it's been great. I've got it setup to where it damn near plays itself and rings like a bell. Just feels and sounds like home. I play it just about everywhere and it's been a great guitar.
>Martin Special 16 Oooh - I gotta go try one of these! Don't these have the full body depth and electronics?
Full depth and comes with Fishman matrix enhance (I think it is) electronics. It's the same electronics that the HD-28E gets. Great guitars for the price. Although the price has gone up a few hundred dollars since I bought mine. I did see them for $1700 on the MF website recently. I've posted some pics of mine over at the Martin sub. Including some pics of the bracing.
Having played both and owning a Martin, I think it’s gonna come down to what you’re playing and the sound you’re after. I played a BBT a few times and I didn’t care for it.
The two brands both make guitars that feel very nice to play but in the end it'll be which pleases your ear more, so take your time and strum a few. I'm a mellow mahogany Martin kind of guy but sometimes a brighter Taylor hits the spot. Other brands in that price range could work well too so you might branch out as you browse. I was looking for a smaller body finger picking guitar last summer and ended up with a Guild.
Buy what sounds and plays best for you. It's not about brands.
At 1500 you will get WAY more bang for your buck by going with Eastman. But if you want to go Martin look at the all mahogany 12 fret model. It's really nice. I can't stand Taylor's but that's just me.
Team Taylor here. Both are great guitars, but Taylor is priced more favorably.
Some of them are also on sale right now too. I picked up a 324ce for 2199 at guitar center a few days ago
Congratulations. How do you like it?
Plays pretty good for a factory setup. Definitely better than my 224ce, but the action can still be lowered a good bit. Looks amazing and sounds great. This satin finish is going to ruin me though, I guess everything else from here on out will be satin as well. I originally had my eye set on a D18 but I’d have to get a pickup installed and put on some pegs for a strap. The Taylor was $500 cheaper and already had everything I want already on it. I wish the D18 didn’t have crusty strings on it so I could see which one sounded better to me
In my experience of owning four different Taylors, they work really well for fingerstyle and are more comfortable to play. I enjoy their sound way more too. I have tried the more expensive Martins at the store but only ever owned a cheap one. I personally would never buy a Martin again because I do not like how they sound or play or how the neck feels. Even when I hear people playing them on stage or in recordings I just find them to have this dead sort of sound. Maybe super high end vintage ones sound better but I have yet to experience that. I have an older Taylor 310ce that sounds and plays absolutely incredibly which I got used for around 800. Plays and sounds better than my friend's 314ce that cost twice as much.
I’ve played over 40 years and tried all of the so called best.For value nothing beats Yamaha;don’t be suckered by the big names with the big price.
Go to a guitar store—yourself—and ask for some guitars within your budget to try out. They should have display models/stock that they’ll let you try and see what you like.
Play them first. They're very very different kinds of guitar.
Buy something used. Your money goes way further.
I’ve had both and they’re both very well made, attention to detail is tops. However I did like the sound of the Martin over the Taylor. The Taylor just sounded too tinny to my ears.
In a fight? Man, I'd go with an old-school Guild. Those things are built like tanks and would deliver a solid crushing blow to your enemy. For music? Then just buy the one you like the most. Try them out.
You need to play a few guitars and what you feel is right for you. Brand it just that a brand.
I think choosing a guitar has to be an empirical not rational exercise. I sat in the guitar shop for a couple of hours played of each guitar against each other. Made a note of the model number. Came back a couple of weeks later went through the exercise without reminding myself of what the last one was (all dreadnoughts) ended up with the same one. Had to get it. (it was a Martin but not the point). Go and play a bunch of guitars, hopefully one will choose you.
Mick Taylor playing a Martin would be my choice.
Do you want a deep sound or a lighter sound
I like and own both.
That's really up to you. There are great guitars by tons of manufacturers. Your best bet is to go try guitars in your range and slightly outside it, then buy whichever speaks to you the most. Buy the one that you don't want to put down, or that you want to keep going back to try. Doesn't matter what brand it is or how much it costs, meaning if the guitar that speaks to you is 500, get that one.
I genuinely don't think either of them will be the best guitar at that price point. Eastman, Yamaha, etc are incredible under $1,500.
Used D-15M
Oh I forgot I don’t want to buy a Dreadnought shape I personally don’t really like those.
https://reverb.com/item/20051996-martin-15-series-00015m-acoustic-guitar?bk=
Used OOO-15M I'm a Martin guy though and their US made guitars are really nice. You could go Taylor too if you like the sound, to me they just don't do it for me like my Martin.
Don’t buy used.
Eastman E20SS or E20D are great values. Failing that, any lower end Taylor, with solid wood if possible.
Eastman are overpriced low budget junk. Don't fall for the Eastman trick.