The guy I work for othertimes has a Taylor with a "jumbo" body and it has a great sound but it it's hard to fret and that's with Martin light gauge strings. That was the first Taylor that I had played and I wasn't impressed with how it felt but after playing other ones, it's got to be this particular guitar. Maybe if the strings were lowered it would fret better, but lowering the strings will affect the volume and tone.

ADDED: I notice a lot of the posts comparing the Taylors to Martins. I wouldn't go that far. But, I'm not a Martin fan either. My old "RG&G" Model Grammer will put them both to shame.

[This message was edited by Jack Stoner on 07 June 2005 at 03:05 PM.]

Having said that, I've played Martins ever since I could first afford my first one - an old 000-18 that I bought for 64 Pounds (UK) in London's West End in 1959 (that was an awful lot of money back then!) - and there's no power on earth that could make me switch to an asthetically less-pleasing instrument that probably won't hold its value.

BUT - I feel as though Collings have really made a difference! Their design is pure tradition (or Martin, if you like), and I've yet to play a bad one! I'm sorry to say that I've played quite a few indifferent Martins, and some Taylors that really don't work very well, but Collings are close to perfect, and their finish is incredible.

I have a few lovely Martins, but I've promised myself a Collings one day - probably their 12-fret '000' model with the slot-head. Exquisite!

I played in an acoustic duo for about a year in Kansas around 2003, they other guitarist had a beautiful Taylor. My own personal opinion is that if his is typical, it sounded fantastic for rhythm and fingerpicking, very sparkly tone, but when he'd flatpick a solo it was very thin-sounding. I was thinking about buying another steel-string acoustic around the time and did some reading on Taylors on the internet and have found that more than just myself also believe they are a little over-the-top in the brightness/treble area.

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MSA Classic 12, Peavey Delta Blues, Proco Rat, Robert Randolph - Shubb bars

I have a 410, a 514CE (Fishman electronics), a 614C, an 810 (L.R. Baggs electronics), a new 815CE (Expression system), and a Baby Taylor. I can get about any kind of acoustic sound I want from this group.

I had a '72 Martin D28 in the mid '80's and never did like the sound, and it was a bear to play. Even though it wasn't very old, it already needed a neck reset. I had a Japanese Alvarez/Yairi at the time which played and sounded better, so I kept it and sold the Martin.

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

[This message was edited by Darvin Willhoite on 07 June 2005 at 04:05 PM.]

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www.natelapointe.net

Designed like the Clarence White D-28 that Tony Rice plays with the oversized soundhole.

Quality, rich tone, pricy but good investment.

My favorite.

The Collings factory is only a half mile from my house here in Cedar Valley. A Collings guitar or mando is practically a collector's item straight from the factory, as they do build some instruments that go right into collections.

My personal favorite guitars (that I own and play) are my '52 000-21, with a beautifully slim neck which needs a reset; and my '66 D-28, which had a recent neck reset after 39 years and is now a cannon. In the Hank Williams play I'm doing, I'm using my wife's 1970 D-35, which is a very, very sweet guitar. Great neck, recently reset, with a Fishman transducer.

Nothing compares to a great Martin, IMHO... though they will all require a $500 neck reset at some time in their lives. This is just what you have to accept with the brand, like the maintenance on a Jaguar automobile for example. And there are many great guitars out there also for those who don't want to deal with the hassles of Martin ownership.

This is a good time for lutherie right now, no doubt due to 1) technology, and 2) competition.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Elixir strings start at 7 tonally and slowly degrade so that they're perfect for a guitar that hangs on the wall alot.

I recently bought a Breedlove acoustic, and that is a nice axe, too.

The mother-in-law has a nice 60's Martin New Yorker that is a cool parlor guitar. Great sound and feel.

Pete B.

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E9 lessons
Mullen D-12/Webb amp/Profex II

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Mullen D10 /8x5 / session 500rd/ American Strat Highway 1 model
steelin for my Lord

I was a diehard 'Martin-only' player for a long time (well, old slope shouldered Gibson dreadnaughts too), and was a Martin dealer when I was involved with my music store. But if we're talking new (not a pre-1970 vintage model), I argue that several other makers have caught up.

Martin, Gibson, Collings, Santa Cruz, Taylor, Larivee, Legend and others are making some very fine acoustic guitars now. I agree that Collings is a particularly fine, basically handmade instrument, with a price tag to match. But I've heard some very fine Taylors also.

What do I play now? An early number Gibson Sheryl Crow that I would stack up against any guitar I ever owned, including a '43 Martin 000-21, '52 Gibson J-50, a '59 Martin D-18 and several Collings D-2H's. I took the guitar on a trade and planned to immediately sell it - that is, until I set it up with mediums and played it. Wow.

The subject of value came up. I think that most new guitars lose value if you sell them immediately. But the really good ones, if kept in top condition, gradually appreciate as the price of new ones increases. If I keep a new acoustic 5 years, I usually don't lose money. But I prefer to find one that is 'slightly used', but still perfect. The key is to find one that really sounds great and I love.

Terry

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Mullen D10 /8x5 / session 500rd/ American Strat Highway 1 model
steelin for my Lord

He asked me which one I like the best.

The 410 was well-worn. The finish was water marked, it had some cracks that had been repaired and the wood was getting worn down around the sound-hole. I couldn't stop playing it. The action was terrific and it had one of the warmest, most inspiring tones of any guitar I've ever played. There was no doubt in my mind that it was the pick of the litter.

"Good," he told me, It's your's." I could hardly believe what I was hearing. He told me that he was tired of me making sure my boys played good instruments while I plodded along with junk and he wanted me to have whichever guitar worked the best for me.

I was humbled and blown away at the same time. I've had that 410 for about 3 years and I've written more songs on it than all the other guitars I've ever had. It's an incredible guitar.

I must say though, that the Martin DCR16GTE that I bought my son is a great guitar. The top split on it from the bridge down to the back when it was less than a year old. Martin put a new top on it free-of-charge and ever since he got it back, it is a phenomenal instrument.

I don't think I would ever buy a guitar from thew factory. They are too individual.

I don't have the n=money for a fancy custom axe, so it will probably always be a Martin or Taylor for me. Both great pieces of wood.

[This message was edited by Webb Kline on 08 June 2005 at 10:22 PM.]

Taylors are nice, good guitars, Takamine's are nice, good guitars, Martins are nice, good, etc. etc. etc.

Just about everyone is making nice good guitars these days. Everyone has different likes and dislikes and believe this or that brand is "better".

However, have you noticed that there have been very definite trends for acoustic brands?

In the '60's, Gibson acoustics were the fad.

In the '70s everyone you saw on TV and concerts was playing Ovations, and working bands followed.

In the '80s everyone on TV and concerts (and again the working bands followed) played Takamine's.

In the 90's, everyone you see is playing Taylors.

Now Taylors are still very popular along with Collings and some other boutique guitars.

What will be the next brand everyone will be playing and thinking is the "best"?

The best-sounding acoustic I ever played was a Martin D-28 Sunburst from about 1937. Never heard anything like it since. It belonged to a highschool-mate's Mom, she used to play in a radio show when she was young in the 30's and 40's. She actually loaned it to me for a while (I didn't ask her!).

What a spoiler.

[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 08 June 2005 at 11:51 PM.]

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

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Mullen D10 /8x5 / session 500rd/ American Strat Highway 1 model
steelin for my Lord

Two of the trends you mention were the result of a deliberate campaign by the manufacturers in question - Ovation and Taylor - to put their product in high-profile artists' hands.

Ovation's big coup was getting Glen Campbell to play one back when he had a regular TV show. They got Jerry Reed on board, too. Taylor did the same in the '80s. Once a guitar is seen in a video the effect is predictable. Don't forget - probably 99% of musical instrument profits are from non-professional players.

Once upon a time, one could be sure that a Martin player had paid for his guitar, but the advent of signature editions (YUK!!!) has ended that. I know it's inevitable and that CF can't ignore industry trends, but I find it sad. It's also true that, while Martin ruled the roost for many decades, a lot of builders are making a comparable product.

Things have changed in the last twenty years - look at old photos of country music stars and their bands and you can split the tally between Gibson and Martin (maybe Martin would just win), with the odd Grammer guitar thrown in....

RR

PS: I've just recieved my Martin Custom-Shop guitar - I had them make me a replica of a 000-28 from around 1950. It's absolutely lovely, and cost only $2400 - the real thing (from 1950) would be about $10,000!

(1) Bone nut and bridge saddle, replacing stock materials

(2) Well-fitted bridge pins, where applicable

(3) Proper neck torsion rod adjustment, where applicable

(4) All the above, set up for manly string gages -- 0.012" or preferably 0.013" for the little E. I like true medium strings (0.013") with the action "slanted" so that it's a hair lower on the treble side...at the nut and at the bridge.

In particular, many pickers will bitch about Martin's standard out-of-the-box setup (which is relatively high string action) but never think to take it to a qualified luthier for a good, personalized setup.

In the early 70's I worked for Little Roy Wiggins at his lower Broadway music store and because Roy was President of the Grammer Guitar Co, to a lesser extent I was also involved with Grammer Guitar Co. Bill Monroe is one example, and whatever Bill did or used all Bluegrass pickers followed suit. Joe Stewart was working for Bill, as his Guitar picker and harmony singer. Joe wanted a Grammer guitar and they built one for him. He took it to the Opry to use with Bill and Bill would not allow him on the stage with the Grammer - it had to be a Martin only.

I don't know of anyone who makes a fatter necked acoustic. Maybe Guild or Tacoma?