# Martin Or Taylor ????



## harveyw (Dec 17, 2008)

I have a Martin D16 Gt and was going to trade for a Taylor 414 simlar to the new GA4 i was told.What advice and am i making a big mistake.i wanted to try the taylor but L&M are out of stock.


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## guitaristgibson (Dec 23, 2008)

always play the guitar first and if you are going to trade make sure you paly his guitar and play every fret to make sure there is no buzzing or dead frets. other then that it is really your decision. if they are around the same price and both guitar are in good shape, it is really your personal preference. in my opinion i owuld rather have a taylor, but its not my guitar! good luck : )

nick


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

2 totally different guitars. It's always good to have both.

:smile:


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## ronmac (Sep 22, 2006)

At the end of the day it really is your decision, hopefully made with some sound reasoning.

Why trade? Is there something about the Martin that you feel is missing, or is it "I've always wanted a Taylor", therefore your brain disengages and is only satisfied at the sight of the new headstock? 

Think with your head, feel with your heart. You'll know what is right for you.


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## nitehawk55 (Sep 19, 2007)

ALWAYS....ALWAYS...ALWAYS.....try before you buy an acoustic , you'll either love it or hate it .


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## harveyw (Dec 17, 2008)

Jeff Flowerday said:


> 2 totally different guitars. It's always good to have both.
> 
> :smile:


Right but who can have both LOL


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## Ringwraith (Nov 17, 2007)

Apples & oranges dude.
Personally, I'd take my Martin HD28 over any Taylor but that's something you have to decide for yourself. Play lots of them & see if you prefer it. All the Taylor's I've played have a very different feel/sound than Martins. Watch out for quality issues with Taylor, apparently from what I've read it's been slipping lately.

Good luck!
Sean


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## bobb (Jan 4, 2007)

Only your ears can give you the right answer.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Ringwraith said:


> Apples & oranges dude.
> Personally, I'd take my Martin HD28 over any Taylor but that's something you have to decide for yourself. Play lots of them & see if you prefer it. All the Taylor's I've played have a very different feel/sound than Martins. Watch out for quality issues with Taylor, apparently from what I've read it's been slipping lately.
> 
> Good luck!
> Sean


When I bought my HD28 I sat in the music store for 4 hours going back and forth between it and a Taylor 810. In the end I chose the Martin but a year later wished I had chosen the Taylor. In the store the Taylor played so much easier. The setup was by far superior. I think I went in prejudiced because I was buying the guitar for bluegrass. And it did have a little more thump then the Taylor. As for quality issues I'd have to say that Taylor edges Martin in that respect. After having my Martin for 6 months I had to send it back to the Martin factory to be completely refinished as the finish started flaking and falling off. I've played many Taylors in the past couple years and I've been playing many Martins in the past 30 years, anything from the cheaper sigma line to the high end Martins and everything in between. When it comes to the lower end line, in my opinion Taylor quality is superior to Martin. I've played one of the lowest end Taylors, a 110 and it was a superb guitar for the money.


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## aloysius (Feb 15, 2009)

I think others have said is completely right.

I always wanted a Taylor, as I had played my friends often. When it came time to buy, I tried as many as I could, and ended up with a Martin 000-15s. 

A completely different guitar then my friends. I would say try them both and get the one you prefer, regardless of brand. 

michael.


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## Ringwraith (Nov 17, 2007)

guitarman2 said:


> After having my Martin for 6 months I had to send it back to the Martin factory to be completely refinished as the finish started flaking and falling off.


Wow that's brutal Guitarman!! Where did it flake off??

Luckily, I've had mine for about 1.5 years & absolutely no issues.
I'm still in love! :smile:

Sean


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## zeebee (Nov 2, 2008)

I honestly don't know how you can expect to benefit from such a general question..........it's all a matter of YOUR OWN preference. No different than asking what my favorite colour is.......by the way its Santa Cruz, er I mean purple.


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## Guest (Mar 24, 2009)

I have a Taylor 814CE and its a totally different animal from a Martin. Martins to me sound way better in other fellows hands than in mine. I've never picked up a Martin that's done it for me but I've heard many of them played and they sound just fine. I like my Taylor amplified in live situations, however knowing what I know now a 614CE would have been a better choice.

Martin for couch,lounging and recording apps

Taylor for amplified live apps

both excellent but different, just my opinion of course, it's a blond or brunette dilemma.:smile:


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## harveyw (Dec 17, 2008)

*re My Martin For A Taylor*

Thanks everyone for your comments.I am still undecided but guess i will keep the martin and save up to buy a Taylor.:rockon2:


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## leblanc74 (Sep 14, 2008)

aloysius said:


> I think others have said is completely right.
> 
> I always wanted a Taylor, as I had played my friends often. When it came time to buy, I tried as many as I could, and ended up with a Martin 000-15s.
> 
> ...


I am also in the market and taught that I wanted a Martin 28 series "tried a few taylors but wasn't satisfied" however, I went to this store that carried Morgan and wow, now I am more confused on picking a guitar, maybe taking the brand name consideration out of my head and just try to be open minded of other brands... http://www.morganguitars.com/ even PRS are coming out with 2...


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## Mike MacLeod (Nov 27, 2006)

David Ianonni (sp?) (Morgan) makes world class guitars. He is one of the hundreds of small shop builders in this country making guitars that outshine all but the 1% of factory guitars (Martin, Taylor, Gibson, Larrivee, etc.). I'm surprised that more folks on this list don't take the time to search out the wonderful local builders in their communities. 

Seriously! There are amazing makers building better instruments than you can imagine just down the street from you. It takes a little time and a little experience, but these are people you should be supporting a little more. Spending an hour or so with one of these folks will fill your head so full of new knowledge that it will hurt for a week.  In a nice way. 

Please don't think I'm dumping on the great factories. Heck, I own a dozen Martins, Gibsons, New York-Epiphones, Old Guilds, etc. and I love 'em. And even today, I've lusted after the occaisional killer box from some of the big names. But for the most part, everything that comes out of Judy Threet's shop, for example, is jaw-dropping and there is probably someone doing the same thing a few blocks from where you live.

Educate yourselves in this brave new world, folks. It's more fun than you can imagine.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Ringwraith said:


> Wow that's brutal Guitarman!! Where did it flake off??
> 
> Luckily, I've had mine for about 1.5 years & absolutely no issues.
> I'm still in love! :smile:
> ...



It started on various places on the body. You could see the whole finish start to lift. They gave me some kind of explanation about it being built in the humid summer and the humidity didn't allow it to dry and seal properly. I would've thought they'd store these guitars in humidity controlled environments.
Thankfully Long&Mcquade really came through for me and lent me an HD35 Martin for the 8 months it took to get my guitar back.


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