“Best” mahogany top guitar?

[Birchtop]

Someday I will have custom 000-18 with a genuine mahogany neck and top.

That’s my dream all mahogany guitar.

[brbadg]

Originally Posted by H165

A well set up H165

I don’t know man. That neck is like a baseball bat.

[Mr. Jelly]

My Santa Cruz 1929 00 is a great sounding guitar. Hog top or otherwise.

[rpatkin]

Taylor 322 12 fret. Doesn't sound like any other Taylor (meant in a positive way). Mine is an X braced, Blackwood model, would love to hear a V braced one for comparison. Truly and impressive guitar.

[donlyn]

Very pleased with my '05 Taylor 512ce L10 all mahogany Grand Concert.

25.5" standard scale, and strung with Elixir HD Lights. Currently tuned to DADGAD. I fingerpick everything using my nails as picks.

Don
.

[jpmist]

Originally Posted by rpatkin

Taylor 322 12 fret. Doesn't sound like any other Taylor (meant in a positive way). Mine is an X braced, Blackwood model, would love to hear a V braced one for comparison. Truly and impressive guitar.

I'm gonna ditto this. Don't know if the OP intended it but most replies reference all hog guitars while the 322 12-fret is Mahogany top / Blackwood back and sides.

I've owned 3 all hog guitars, a Larrivee F-IV, a beautiful custom Larrivee OOV-03 MHSB and a Taylor 512 and all three are past tense cause it took me going thru those to figure out there was something missing in their tone for me.

Whatever was missing the Taylor 322 12-fret definitely has. It wasn't until I brightened it up with some EB Aluminum/Bronze string that it became a keeper. Deep rich mellow bass and midtones with a bit of treble sparkle that the other three lacked.

"rpatkin" nailed it when he wrote that it doesn't sound like any other Taylor and I agree. The 322 12-fret tone is unique for Taylor. I often wonder how it happened that they let an un-Taylor out of the factory. . .

[Rob7980]

I’ve got a Taylor GS mini mahogany, love it, actually one of my favorite guitars. Basic version no electronics, by far the best travel guitar ever made, that I’ve played, probably one of Taylor’s best guitars. Cedar is something I’d like to look into after playing a few, pretty much the opposite of mahogany, lots of compression where it’s difficult to get mahogany to compress so it’s a good choice for heavy handed playing, where cedar is nice for more detailed light playing... I think spruce is somewhere in between, just on dynamics not overall tone... could be wrong, but that’s my non expert experience...

[hairpuller]

I owned a SCGC 1929 000 and played a Martin 00-17 A a few times.
No competition. The Martin was a far superior guitar.
Scott

[pdx]

My 00-DB Jeff Tweedy is the one guitar that generally stays in the living room. It was stiff when I got it, but some 13’s and months of playing really opened it up.

[jschmitz54]

I just purchased the LA Guitars Martin Custom OM 15. This is basically the 000-15M with a wider nut, 1 3/4 “. The body has binding and mine has the gloss finish instead of satin. I looked at Guild and Alvarez Yari but after reading glowing reviews one after another I decided the Martin was the best Quality/Value pick on paper.
Because of the pandemic and my wife’s immune system we don’t go out much and I thought I’d wait but then there it was on Reverb 2019 model In mint condition with the gloss finish. A little negotiating with my kind loving wife, a bid and it arrives tomorrow.
First Reverb purchase, hope it all goes smoothly.

[k_russell]

I like the Taylor 322ce.

[k_russell]

Originally Posted by rpatkin

Taylor 322 12 fret. Doesn't sound like any other Taylor (meant in a positive way). Mine is an X braced, Blackwood model, would love to hear a V braced one for comparison. Truly and impressive guitar.

I agree. That guitar pleasantly surprised me.

[blindboyjimi]

My 1937 00-17. I have owned every “15” series modern Martin, SCGC 1929 00/000, and played many 00-17A/Waterloo/Collings/Bourgeois, etc. A mint crack free pre war 00-17 would cost less than a Santa Cruz or Collings.

[JMW01]

Originally Posted by llew

Best is a very subjective term. But I like the Martin 000-15SM 12 fret. Simple, understated and everything you need without a lot of superfluous stuff. Just my 2 cents...

I have a Martin 000-15SM 12 fret and it is everything that people say it is... wonderful! However, the stock tuners are cheap. I replaced them with Waverlys and it was a big improvement. It’s a keeper for sure!

https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-ha...-pegheads.html

[Bookstorecowboy]

I just got an Avian 2A. It's great! Hard to find one to try out in the US, though, or even in China. They have a shop where I live and I love mine. I've never hard a guitar that sounds so clearly for me, as the player, or is so wonderfully resonant.