Martin vs Taylor vs Takamine

Dillon

Ok, so I've got GAS and I'm looking at going big, reeeeaaalll big. Problem is that unless I fly to the States or the UK, I'm not going to be able to play the particular models I'm looking at beforehand. At best I'll have to put down a deposit at the shop, wait a few weeks/months and if I don't have "that special connection" with whatever arrives, I lose the deposit.

So here are the details:

Martin D-16GT or D-16RGT http://www.mguitar.com/guitars/choosing/guitars.php?p=s&g=6&m=D-16GT
Taylor DN3 http://www.taylorguitars.com/Guitars/Acoustic/DN/DN3/
Takamine NV360S or TNV340SC http://www.takamine.com/?fa=detail&mid=118&sid=64

If you shop around a bit, they're all roughly in the same price bracket.

I've read pretty much every user review available for these and youtube videos don't quite do the tone much justice! I'm still struggling to take the plunge. Do I follow 176 years of tradition and go with the Martin? What about the exciting technology employed by the "35 years young" team at Taylor? Then there is the top of the range, cream of the crop offering from Japan?

I've been playing a Takamine for years now and I've tried out a few different Martins, Taylors, Larivees etc. a couple of years ago while overseas. Back then, the Larivee's didn't particularly appeal to me, the Martin's mostly felt great, but I just felt there was a slight lack of consistency between supposedly identical models, whereas the Taylor's had that consistency. I must say the Taylor's I played seemed to have a certain sparkle about them, but popular opinion seems to be that traditionally the Martins trump the Taylors in an unplugged setting.

Is there anyone out there who has some experience with any of these guitars and can give their honest opinion?

Any feedback will be much appreciated!

andrewjbryson

Get a Taylor because that's what Dave Mathews would do.

They are all great instruments.

You can't go wrong

TomCat

Also look at Music Connection up here in Jozi.

They have a large range of acoustics in stock and may well have what you are looking for.....A drive to Jozi might be worth your while..... :-\ :-\

[deleted]

I have played 'em all... Alot of them in fact.

From the R5000 Taks to a R250,000 Martin...

To be honest I think the Larrivees are the best instuments of the bunch. But if they don't appeal to you.. then so be it...

I have loved more Taylors than I have Martins... But there is always a SPECIAL Martin out there...

In those price ranges, I'd say go look for a lekker Martin D-16 ?
If you really like the Taylor and have to go for it... You will have a great guitar... Taylors are slightly overpriced IMO, the good ones, 600 series and up are WOW instuments, but are R30k and up too.

Let us know what you decide!

Go play ALL of them at take home the one you enjoy the most! and get someone to play one to you and watch from the other side too ?

Did I mention Larrivee are the best? ?

Bob-Dubery

I don't want to talk in terms of "better" or "worse". These guitars are all different. The theory goes that Taylors are brighter, Martins have more of a mid-range sound. Well that depends on body shape, wood etc.

Taylors are generally very easy to play. I will state that for certain. They have a knack for building guitars that feel easy to play. Something about the neck.

With Martin you have been paying for the name for some time now. That doesn't make them a bad guitar, but you do pay for the name. Taylor is getting like that too as well.

IMO the best value for money in acoustics in SA are Larrivee - certainly in the price range you are heading for. OK... so you don't like them much. Breedlove are pretty good for the money as well. In both cases the agents and main retail outlet are in Jo'burg.

I notice that you are looking at dreadnoughts. Have you considered other body styles? OMs? Grand Auditoriums? Jumbos? What do you want to do with an acoustic guitar? Different styles tend to suit different players better - or so the theory goes. The different body shapes do effect the sound of the guitar. Likewise consider wood combinations - these give different sounds too.

But forget all the above. Go to shops and PLAY guitars. Decide on a budget and play guitars around that price point. Tom's point about Jo'burg is a good one. On a weekend you could easily take in Andy McGibbons (Larrivee agents, currently have some Lakewoods in stock and those are pretty cool), Music Connection (Breedlove agents. Martin stockists, LOTS of guitars) and, by appointment and if you're looking at spending 15 grand and up, Hugh's Fine Guitars (high end models, mostly Martin but also other brands, has some good high-end 2nd hand axes).

I am surprised about your comments on Larrivee. I know that not every guitar works for every person, but they really are good value and the OM and L shapes sound great. I recently got an LV-05 and it's a really good guitar.

Don't worry about tradition. Play them. Feel them (gently). Listen to them. Hold them in your hands. Take mental notes and compare them. THEN choose the one that floats your boat.

Bob-Dubery

Brentcgp wrote: Go play ALL of them at take home the one you enjoy the most! and get someone to play one to you and watch from the other side too ?

This is good advice. Let somebody else play them whilst you stand off a couple of meters. Gives you a very different perspective on the sound.

Did I mention Larrivee are the best? ?

Why should today be different from any other?

Dillon

Awesome guys, thanks very much for responding!

I thought my comment about Larivee may raise a few eyebrows! ? Don't get me wrong, they're awesome guitars, I just didn't play any that had that "wow, take me home right now" factor.

X-rated Bob wrote: Taylors are generally very easy to play. I will state that for certain. They have a knack for building guitars that feel easy to play. Something about the neck.

Agreed, and this is certainly a big pulling factor for me.

X-rated Bob wrote: I notice that you are looking at dreadnoughts.

Well, I currently have EAN45C Takamine, which is their "Nex" body shape, which I guess equates to a Grand Auditorium. I use it regularly for plugging in and I love it. The reason I'm mostly looking at Dreadnoughts now, is for that awesome, loudish unplugged strummer, with a bit of flatpicking thrown in the mix.

Brentcgp wrote: 600 series and up are WOW instuments

I hear you, but I've just read so many reviews from guys saying that they were blown away by the DN3 (Basically the new version 310) after playing through a whole selection of guitars including D28's and the like!

Thanks for pointing out Music Connection, to be honest I didn't actually know that such a shop existed in SA! A trip to Jo-burg will definitely be on the cards in the near future, including a stop at Hugh's!

Bob-Dubery

TomCat wrote: Also look at Music Connection up here in Jozi.

They have a large range of acoustics in stock and may well have what you are looking for.....A drive to Jozi might be worth your while..... :-\ :-\

Soon-ish. McGibbons have a shipment of Larrivees coming in. They won't last long. 4 sold already and they're still on the way.

Don't rule out 2nd hand guitars. A good second hand guitar can give you a lot of bang for your buck. I have a fab Morgan OM

Bought it 2nd hand. You're looking at about $2500 for one of those in the USA. I got it for considerably less. This not to say "wah wah look at me and my cool guitar and I'm so clever". It's to point out that a good 2nd hand instrument can give you a lot of guitar for your money.

Keira-WitherKay

Don't worry about tradition. Play them. Feel them (gently). Listen to them. Hold them in your hands. Take mental notes and compare them. THEN choose the one that floats your boat.

never a truer word said Bob........ (the quote is bob's by the way ........

yeah acoustics are strange beasts we all like different feels and tones.and sometimes that tiny tone difference is what makes it "mothers milk to one player" and another might play the same guitar and not hear it as you do and dismiss the instrument

i will say if you spending big............. don't rush.......... play everything you can ..try even get the same instruments in one room and A/B them all in the same room(room acoustics affect how we hear an acoustic) and then if you wanna play em live check out how they sound amplified.............. as Bob says ..forget what me or Bob or Brent say just buy what you like........... cos truly at the top end of the scale the build quality and woods ect ect are all top notch and much the same quality ........ so it's all about the tone and feel.......... and only you can know what you want....

NEVER BUY A GUITAR COS 'DAVE MATHEWS " PLAYS ONE HEHEHEH taking a dig at what Brent posted but i'm sure he meant it in jest ..... so do i ........

at that price they all great guitars, just a pity you can't afford one of each ........

OH AND DON'T FORGET SOMETIMES AT THE PRICE OF WHAT THESE GUITARS COST YOU YOU MIGHT GET A LOCAL LUTHIER TO BUILD YOU SOMETHING ..OR EVEN BUY SOME OF THEIR 2ND HAND STOCK...A 2ND HAND MARK MAINGARD WOULD DEFINITELY COMPETE WITH ANYTHING RECOMENDED HERE SINCE A NEW MARC MAINGARD WOULD COST YOU MANY TIMES WHAT THESE GUITARS ARE WORTH......CALL HIM IT'S WORTH A TRY ....... ALSO LOOK AT MERVYN DAVIES HE MAKES SOME BEAUTIFUL INSTRUMENTS WHICH ARE NOT SMOOTHTALKERS (which is understandably a very aquired taste)

Keira-WitherKay

YEAH AS FOR SHOPS IN JHB

hugh's fine guitars are a must if you have the budget ...........and Andy Mc Gibbons has always got great top end guitars........... also as someone said music connection.......... and also marshall music have a range of top end acoustics too............
also maybe call Lovemore music too...... they have a few branch's and definitely carry the top end classicals .........Lovemore music is a store aimed predominantly at classical musicians but they do carry electrics and steel strings too......... but they a store where you can try out a whole range of top end classicals and they have em all on the floor. not sure but maybe they have the taylors ect ect too

best of luck and yeah let us know which way you decide to go and why ........

andrewjbryson

X-rated Bob wrote: This not to say "wah wah look at me and my cool guitar and I'm so clever". It's to point out that a good 2nd hand instrument can give you a lot of guitar for your money.

You must be quite clever with all that literature.
Cool book rack too!

Bob-Dubery

Keira WitherKay wrote: YEAH AS FOR SHOPS IN JHB

hugh's fine guitars are a must if you have the budget ...........and Andy Mc Gibbons has always got great top end guitars........... also as someone said music connection.......... and also marshall music have a range of top end acoustics too............
also maybe call Lovemore music too...... they have a few branch's and definitely carry the top end classicals .........Lovemore music is a store aimed predominantly at classical musicians but they do carry electrics and steel strings too......... .

They usually have Taylors in stock.

Whilst you're up in God's own country, also pop in to Ronnie's Allbang And Strummit if you have the time. Not a big store, but every now and then they have a 2nd hand gem.

Fingerpicker

Hi Dillon,
This post may be a bit late to be useful, but here goes..
The Martins are at their best with 13 gauge strings, being strummed or flatpicked, strong on 1st and 6th strings and weakish in the midrange. I find when fingerpicking a Martin you have to put a lot of effort in and I take a bit of strain on the left hand with 13s. There are Martins that are suited to fingerpicking but most of the Martins I have played here are quite industrial.

I have a Larrivee and play with 12 gauge strings and it has a well balanced sound. I have left the action medium to allow a bit of strumming and flatpicking, which I don't do much of anymore. This is a R50k+ guitar which I was given, and was built in California to my specs. As you intimated, what happens when you order an expensive guitar and are not particularly impressed when it arrives. I was lucky, this guitars mid range really kicks and the 6th string doesn't dominate.

But the love of my life (excluding obvious personnel at home), is the Taylor 414CE. I chose this guitar very carefully and it has a ballerina type feel to it, graceful neck, light, responsive, quick. I just kept coming back to it in the shop. It was one of the cheaper models (R12k) but was exactly what I needed. It has become my weapon of choice when playing at gigs. I play 11 gauge strings on it as I seem to be bending more and getting in a few country moves in now and again. I am a bit nervous to take the Larivee gigging, because at our club there is always the possibility of some dude with a few beers in him (or her) who has already broken two strings on his (or her) guitar wanting to borrow yours.

Takamine? Your best value may be there somewhere. They seem to produce really good guitars but I am not familiar with them.

Maybe the 80:20 rule applies. You get 80 percent of the value at 20 percent of the price. To close that last 20 percent gap, you may have to haul out serious cash. So you move into the law of diminishing returns territory.

Resale? I think that all of the above brands will be easy to sell as they have sufficient brand credibility.

Dillon

Awesome, thanks very much for that very honest review! I've played the 314ce and 310ce and loved them both, but never a 414ce, but I'm sure it's great too. I'm still struggling to sell my old classical guitar, which is kind of a pre-requisite to purchasing one of these...