Martin and Taylor..Is that it??

[Cowboy1]

Seems most everyone who hangs out here, plays one or both of those Brands. I have never owned a Taylor as I have never ran across one that just grabbed me, but I have a Martin D-16 and I record a lot with that guitar. However, I probably play my Takamine more than anything since it is my "gigging" axe (play country band). The Tak actually has a more balanced tone to me. Not the deep, dark sound of the Martin....but thats is not really what I like. I like the shimmering highs an smooth lows vs. the "booming" lows and "shallow" highs of the Martin. Surely I can't be the only one?? I see a lot of Tak's around in the country music scene, but hardly EVER hear anything about 'em on here or the "other" forums.

[edman]

I feel the same about Larrivee guitars.

[PorkPieGuy]

My only guitar is a Takamine. My next guitar will probably be a certain Martin I have my eye on, but my Tak will definately do for now.

You are welcome to come here and chat as much as you like about whatever brands, but I will let you know that there is another forum just for Takamine owners if you have any kind-of complicated questions about them (takamineforum.com).

People here have all kinds of guitars and are more than willing to talk with you about them. There's some Tak-lovers as well on here.

[Acoustic Rick]

I have a 2000 model Tak that I used to measure against four of five different Taylor guitars. The Taylors didn't measure up. Finally found a nice Martin HD28 that I played for about a year that I really loved but it wasn't very balanced across the strings like the Takamine is. The Martin had thundering bass and crystal clear highs but lacked treble tone to my ear. I recently sold the Martin and just yesterday aquired my very first Lowden guitar. It is balanced across the strings perfectly and it does indeed out play the Takamine and the tone of this 14 year old guitar is so mellow and sweet. Best guitar I've ever had my hands on by far. I still love Martin guitars but don't intend on buying one anytime soon. I also really love my Takamine GBSeven and it isn't going anywhere.

[yardism]

I've seen more brands discussed here than I ever knew existed. Even got to play a couple of them.

In addition to the Taylor listed in my sig, I have 3 other acoustics, including a Yamaha and a Sigma that are worth more to me than anything.

[690MBCOMMANDO]

There may be a few of those "other" brands discussed and played here

[Eracer]

I have an Rosewood/Sitka Tacoma DR38 that I love. I play it as much or more than my D-18GE. It has it's own voice, and it's a good voice.

[D. Dubya]

I think Taylor and Martin are the most readily available good guitars. Most people who don't live in a major metropolitan area will probably never see a high end Breedlove, Larrivee, Santa Cruz, McPherson, etc. at their local guitar store. Of course, Gibson has some amazing acoustics, like the Songwriter Deluxe, J-45 and whatnot, and Epiphone's Masterbilt line is absolutely unbelievable for the price. Fender and Yamaha have some decent low to midrange acoustics. There's a lot of stuff out there, and there might even be a lot of guitars that are better than Taylors/Martins/Gibsons, but I'm not about to drop a few grand on a McPherson that I've never played.

[rockinrebel]

Had a Taylor...
Now I have Gibson's and love them.

[woodruff]

yeah. martin and taylor are ok. but if i could do it all over again, i would have bought a j-45 as a teenager and just left it at that....

[rockinrebel]

It would have been cool if my Dad had bought a J-45 about 1948 and gave it to me. :-)

[imwjl]

I have and play more than Martins, but don't have a Taylor.

I see people playing more than those brands. There are always Gibsons, Guilds, Larrivees, SC, and Collings when I go to jams here as well as others.

Count the number of serial #s the big companies generate in a year and you have an explanation for what you see. Then consider how Martin and Taylor market and you have people who also go for them just because of the brand.

[Lake]

I played taylors. martins and gibsons and I prefer my Lakewood. It's a subjective thing. But I agree that Taylors and Martins are very good.

[RustyAxe]

It seems to me there many types of guitar owners here. Some are working players ... others are afficionados or collectors who play a little. There's room for everyone it seems. One thing's for sure, I've learned more about acoustic guitars (the instrument) in a few months in this forum that I did my whole life long.

I play an 1984 Takamine EF-349 (D-17 knockoff ... all 'hog and plays and sounds wonderful) and a Breedlove Atlas AD20/SR Plus. I can appreciate the up-scale guitars others here own, but evidently, I've avoided becoming infected with GAS (although I admit some minor lust for a Gibson AJ and/or a Guild D55 now and then).

My guess is that there are many more live performers using thousand dollar Taks on stage than there are using four thousand dollar (you name it). But a lot of 'em have their (you name it) back home, and can't wait to get off the road to play it again ...

[bluemt.]

I've been playing off and on for 40 years and have never owned a Martin or a Taylor. Do I have to leave?