Guitar comparison test

[pwd72s]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIrV9t7XAZY&ab_channel=PaulDavids

To my 78 years old tinnitus ears, the Taylor sounds crisper, the notes more defined and separate. The Martin warmer, the notes flowing one to another. Both sound really good, with excellent tone.

But that's just me. Thought those here who play might enjoy the video.

[ckissick]

Your old ears work just fine. Both guitars sound great in their own way. The sound is a matter of personal preference. Also, the sound you go with depends on the song. That's why people own different guitars and musicians might use different guitars during one show.

I can't decide which I like more. I think it would depend on the song. That's why I already have two acoustic guitars, one with a bright sound, one with a mellow sound.

[flipper35]

The Martin has a little more depth, but I prefer to play a Taylor over a Martin.

[Superman]

If a Martin can be beat, then it would take a Taylor to do it. If a Martin could be beat, that is.

[ramonesfreak]

Holy crap Paul Davids reach is far and wide. Amazing the YouTube success he has had

Both sound good. Paul is an excellent player and teacher

I recently used his lesson for ‘nobody knows you when your down and out’

[Chocaholic]

They sound “different”. “Better” is up to each listener.

[Steve Carlton]

Here's a comparison between a $4k Martin and a $4k Taylor. I have a preference for the Martin, but damn! The actual playing starts at 10:00 minutes. That's the sound I would crave the most.

[ramonesfreak]

Those small body martin 14 fretters !! I love ‘em

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

Those small body martin 14 fretters !! I love ‘em

I sold this Martin Custom Shop 00-15 with 1 3/4" nut this week. It hits its new home in Minneapolis tomorrow.

I miss it already but I needed to thin the herd.....

[ramonesfreak]

A good channel for seeing some high end acoustics is Eddie’s guitars.

Not a lot of playing but relaxing to see him show off the new arrivals…just enough playing to hear what they can do

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ1rTd7jio0

Cant embed with iPad but check out the channel. Worth subscribing to

[ramonesfreak]

Originally Posted by craigster59

I sold this Martin Custom Shop 00-15 with 1 3/4" nut this week. It hits its new home in Minneapolis tomorrow.

I miss it already but I needed to thin the herd.....

Oh I love that. The mahogany topped ones are special I think

[Rick Lee]

I have a Gibson nylon string classical I paid about $160 for around 1997. It's a beater, but looks very cool, plays and sounds great. Once in a while I go to the acoustic room at Guitar Center and grab a $4k nylon string guitar. I don't see the difference. I've been playing a while. I also have a Taylor GS Mini I keep in the living room for plinking in front of the TV. I think I paid $350 for it and it has the best tone I've ever heard in an acoustic (steel string).

Yesterday and today I A/B'ed two Marshall combo amps. I pulled the chassis from both, rolled pre-amp tubes and swapped out a few speakers, played for hours. I think I know which one sounds better now, but I'm still not sure. One cost twice what the other cost. Gig tomorrow night and I will lose sleep tonight, trying to decide on which to bring.

[craigster59]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I have a Gibson nylon string classical I paid about $160 for around 1997. It's a beater, but looks very cool, plays and sounds great. Once in a while I go to the acoustic room at Guitar Center and grab a $4k nylon string guitar. I don't see the difference.

I think I may have your guitar's Bastard Brother. An Epiphone classical Korean model from the 80's. I bought it at GC about 10 years ago for $70.

So cheap I never bought a case for it, just let it bang around in the closet. Always sounds great. I think I'll get a case this weekend.

[LWJ]

There are guitar brands, wood, x-bracing, ad nauseum.

Just like pool,cues. People go deep:with guitars. My favorite is 60 years old and may actually have a structural flaw that makes it sound “growly.”

[Superman]

For tone, a spruce top is usually preferred. C. F. Martin & Company specialized in those smaller 'chamber' sized guitars and mandolins, and only started making the larger dreadnought guitars later.

I don't have a Martin or a Taylor, but I do have a Washburn that plays and sounds VERY good. As many of you know, the bracing of the spruce top is most of the magic.

[Fast Freddy 944]

Loosing your hearing? Turn up the volume..Heh-heh..

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIrV9t7XAZY&ab_channel=PaulDavids

To my 78 years old tinnitus ears, the Taylor sounds crisper, the notes more defined and separate. The Martin warmer, the notes flowing one to another. Both sound really good, with excellent tone.

But that's just me. Thought those here who play might enjoy the video.

Nice video.
I think the tonal differences described can really be attributed to the guitar shapes themselves as much as the makers.

The Martin is a dreadnaught- full bodied, and with scalloped bracing, very deep bass. The size and shape was designed before electronic pick ups, and as an acoustic hail mary to "bigger is better/louder." Prewar Martin dreadnaughts have aged well tonally, and most new dreadnaughts are modelled after them.

The Taylor is smaller, it's a grand auditorium, with a cutout. Both the smaller size (and to a lesser degree- even the cutout) is going to clip that large mellow bass tone for a more defined upper end. It's a better balanced fingerstyle guitar with a more immediate response.


Back in the day, guitars were named by the room they could fill with music. Parlor, Auditorium, etc. iirc- That Grand Auditorium is Taylors modern interpretation of a 'jumbo auditorium', which is bigger than a auditorium, but still smaller than a Dreadnaught (named after the battleship)

That doesn't mean either size is better-
With a pick though, the dreadnaught shape is going to be flat out awesome too. Deeper, louder. That is why it is and will remain a flatpicking favorite.

In my own personal experience, Taylors are a more consistent brand in tone and playability due to their construction methods. Martins, can be more hit or miss, BUT, when they get a particular guitar right, they hit it right out of the park in tone and playability.

[craigster59]

The 00-15 I posted was a great guitar. But I've tried to do the "one in, one out" practice on purchases but have failed the last few times.

This is what replaced the 00-15, a 1979 Martin M-38. Sweet guitar.

BTW, if anyone is into Rickenbackers Ive got a Fireglo 360 and a Mapleglo 660/12 I'm going to sell.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

^ That thing is sweet!

Here's a pic of a guitar I made back in 1999 out of a pine shelf in my dad's garage from 1963 about. It's more a parlor size, but it's a non cutaway 12 fret to body, so it sounds much bigger than it is. This and the national sit by my computer as I peruse ppot.

I took it into a guitar store in the early 2000's and it sounded equivalent to a mid range martin. It wasn't as nice as a 'hit it out of the ballpark' martin, but, for a pine top which motor oil was stored on for 30+ years, I was more than pleased. 20 years later, it's still a favorite.

[NutmegCarrera]

Spruce and Maple (first two) vs. Cedar and Rosewood (last two).
First was built in Milwaukee around 2014. The second was finished last year in Paracho, MX.

Note - She was a third time prize winner yesterday in a “Local” competition.