Taylor GS Mini VS Martin Dreadnought Junior Comparison
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- čas přidán 25. 06. 2015
- Our very own Chris McKee compares the travel guitars - Taylor GS Mini Rosewood and the NEW Martin Dreadnought Junior (D Jr.)!
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I love my GS mini Mahogany e. I`ve played it every day for over 6 years.
Is it electric acoustic?
The oil massage would explain the longer scale.
00:00 Taylor mic in front picking
01:01 Martin mic in front picking
01:51 Taylor mic in front strumming
02:17 Martin mic in front strumming
02:43 Taylor pickup strumming
03:09 Martin pickup strumming
03:34 - 10:52 blah blah
10:54 Taylor mic in front strumming
11:34 Taylor pickup strumming
12:12 Martin mic in front strumming
12:53 Martin pickup strumming
13:31 Taylor mic in front picking
14:02 Taylor pickup picking
14:28 Martin mic in front picking
14:56 Martin pickup picking
mich0008 very helpful, thanks!
Bullshit: Look carefully the position of the mic at 11:02 Taylor vs 12:15 Martin...Nice playing though but not quite fair, as even 1 inch further from a mic can make a huge difference !
@@rahang4126 u are correct
That's the way reviews are supposed to be done! Direct comparisons without interruptions. And then additionally, the info about the specs of the guitars.
Very well done! Thank you.
Gs miny mah ogany
has morevibe
I bought the mahogany. Now they're sold out. So I'm very happy I had bought it right before 😄
Thank you so much for this real helpful comparison - I watched it over and over to decide which guitar was "the one" for me - love your sense of humour too! :)
So happy you got more GS Mini Koas , looking forward to getting mine this coming week. Thanks again for your help (and this comparison).
Lovely playing, beautiful and sensitive, bringing out the best in both guitars. I'm about to switch from a GS to the Martin. Loved your light sense of humour - not overdone, just right. Great stuff.
I checked out the koa gs mini and dreadnought today at the downtown location and i went with the koa, but I really wanted both! They're both really awesome!!
Superb video mate, probably one of the best comparisons I've seen, with some nice humour too :-)
First of all, I am a fan of your playing Chris, so KUDOS! Great news, no one loses if they buy either one of these gems. Because of the solid wood on the Martin, I think I will choose that one. Probably some of the best personal therapy 500 dollars I could ever spend. Peace
I love both guitars very nice to play in gigs they sound like a full size Taylor and Martin..
Taylor is more articulate, clear. Martin has a more base, warmer sounding, Both are lousy with pickups. Taylor is the better travel guitar being smaller.....but, I'll take the Martin because it a tone I like better.
So I watched a few reviews on this guitar before finding yours. The net result was not exactly a divorce, although close, after I arrived home with a brand new Martin D-Jr. to add to my modest collection of guitars. I love it and I find it easier to play with the slightly wider finger board than the Taylor. Thanks for a great review/comparison.
Taylor distinct sound is really nice but am blown away with the warm n full sound of Martin Jr like always ...✌️
Love all your video's your a real natural at presenting Thanks you
I have a feeling that I put that Martin through my LR Baggs gigpro it would be a pretty amazing sound.
Thank you for that demo. I would suggest all acoustic demos play the guitars up the neck. 12th and up as well.
Plugged in they are both fantastic!
they both sound great.....he forgot to mention that the Taylor has a slightly narrower neck than the Martin. It might make the Taylor a little more playable to my taste....but the slightly wider neck might make the Martin a bit more playable for fingerpicking....love 'em both...
Dang i like them both
very very nice intro! thank you!
People can hate me on this, but i prefer the taylor much better because it sounds better booth acousticly and amplified.
I agree. I love the specs of all Martin guitars, but Taylor, for me wins in the sound/tone department every time.
Martin will probably age better because it is all solid. But when new, Taylor seems better.
agree
I love my GS mini Walnut a great guitar I've had Many
The Martin has a familiar country sound that I love.
The Martin sounds like a much bigger guitar, than it is. Very balanced with nice solid bass punch, and a nice focused tonal clarity....the GS mini, sounds thin and severely mid-range heavy. I agree that the pick-ups are both in need of EQ. I would say the GS is the better travel guitar being laminated. But the Martin is actually the better guitar in the real world.
I'm surprised the Martin isn't louder or projecting more than the Taylor, being a dreadnought and solid wood, then again it's probably because the Taylor's using Elixers. Cost wise the Martin is a better deal ,but The Taylor does sound Louder and seems to project more whether miked or direct line IMHO. I've been playin since 1962, and I've Played Alvarez,Epiphones, Fenders, Gibsons, Guilds, Martins, Seagulls,Taylors, Yamahas. Out of all of them The action and Sound on The Taylor was #1 IMHO but at a cost. But it's worth the money to get the sound and action you want. Martin is a super close 2nd. Either one is a great choice. My advice,,, Close your eyes open your ears, and see how it feels as you Listen. Forget about the name.
Only Taylor I ever had was a baby Taylor. For what it was it sounded great! But I tend to be a Martin guy and got spoiled on D28s. If I run across a mini D I’ll definitely have to try it 👍🏻
Both sound absolutely fantastic although once plugged in the Taylor wins. I don't know what Martin was thinking using that Sonitone system.
First of all, you are an excellent guitar player. I like the sound of the Taylor a little better, especially plugged in. The Martin has that familiar sound I love when played in front of the mic. When the Martin is plugged in, it sounds weak.
I have a GS Mini and I really like it as a travel guitar. It sounds the same whenever and where ever you take it out of the case. It is now visiting my grandson who will be taking a guitar class at school this fall and needs a guitar that is up to that kind of commuting. Because of it's size and shape, the GS Mini is a great fit for smaller people - both women and teens.
I have played a Martin D18 Dreadnought in the past and although the guitar has an amazing reputation, the body just doesn't suit me as I'm always trying to find a way to hold it comfortably. The one I played was terribly sensitive to changes in climate, temperature, etc and often wasn't as good as it could be, sounding fine in the treble but weak in the bass or visa versa. When it was happy it had a lovely tone - otherwise, not so much.
I'll certainly pick up the travel Martin and try it out to see if I can get comfortable with the Dreadnought body shape.
I'll be really interested in hearing how well this guitar travels with solid wood all around. The tone sounds great in the review's but I'd be interested to hear from people who take it 'on the road' with them. It would be great to hear whether it is temperamental when it has to live with changes of humidity, etc.
I have both and for me the Martin sounds bigger and fuller and if you run the Martin through a eq it's just amazing!
There is ZERO question to the answer to this video's premise. GS Mini destroys The Djr. Especially the koa GS. Its nowhere close. I love martin and my HD-28V would give my 814 and 916 a run for money if they all werent so different. But there is no question. Mini GS dominates this class.
Great to hear Chris play without the need for chat. 10/10
I already have a GS Mini KOA so I might become one of those one-of-each people. :-)
They both sound really good. I have played them both and owned a gs mini. The one I had didn't have the EST system. The only thing that seems definite to me is that the Est system sounds a little better than the sonitone system, But hey, that's just my opinion. For the money they both sound good. Thanks Alamo for the video. I'm gonna go order the Gs Mini with the pickup now.
Nicely done.... wonder how many viewers ever went on a "snipe hunt" awesome review..
I have the GS mini its a great little gig, the Martin sounds good but sounds different. I`d have both
Thanks for taking the time to put together this very detailed comparison! I'm deciding on which one of these to get...each vid I see has me changing my mind! lol Here, to me, the Taylor definitely seems to have more "clarity" & better electronics, while the Martin seems a little "muddier". But in other video comparisons I've seen, the Martin sounded a little better than here. I'm sure different mics & placement make a difference. Of course I would love to be able to try them out personally, but no store around me carries either. But as of now, I'm leaning toward the Taylor. Thanks again!
***** Thanks for replying & thanks for the info! Will keep it in mind when making my final decision! Do you find that the very short scale of the Taylor is a drawback in any way? Thanks again! Janine
OK...thanks! I have very small hands, but I do a lot of finger picking. I'll just have to try out both & see what feels & sounds the best to me. Thanks again! Janine
***** You said you own a Big Baby Taylor, how does the MDJ stand up to the BBT? Between the BBT and the MDJ, which do you feel is better?
@WindofTheWisp, which one did you end up settling on?
+VH5150Man Hi...actually, neither. lol I ended up purchasing a Seagull Excursion with a solid spruce top & walnut back & sides that I absolutely love...it's one of the few lower priced guitars that I have played that has that "Martin" sound that I love so much (at least to me!). I now have the 6 string & the 12 string Excursion...the 12 is also out of this world. Anyway, I still may pick up one of these models someday, but I want to find a store that carries both where I can play them side by side...no luck here in my area yet. Thanks for your interest!
Neither pick-up sounded good, but the Taylor's was better than the Martin. Over all - for my taste, of course - I'm overwhelmingly for the Taylor. I'm a finger picking / solo guitarist. The Taylor's are better suited for finger-style / solo guitar where extreme clarity and note separation as well as that extra sparkle on the notes works beautifully. Martin's, relatively speaking, are much more suited to strumming / rhythm playing. Big and warm, but muffled and far less defined than the Taylor. Both are fine quality instruments. It simply depends on your style and taste as too which is better.
Narada65 1
The Martin frets and nut are dressed/setup using a Plek machine at the Martin factory in Mexico. Also, the Volume and Tone controls are installed just inside the sound hole, so no holes are drilled in the solid wood body for them. I bought the Martin and love the sound and playability. My only gripe is the oversized Fishman jack/strap button on the bottom. I've tried 2 Martin leather straps and the button hole is too small to fit properly. End result, if you force the strap on it will twist the button, loosen the jack and twist the wires inside the guitar, plus the strap will fall off. I have not found any leather straps made to fit the Fishman(/Switchcraft?) jack/strap button. Recommendations, anyone?
I feel the Martin sounded better acoustically but when it came to being plugged in the Taylor sounded miles better
Justin Bateman I agree 100%. Are you sure there isn't a way to improve the Dreadnought Jr.'s plugged set up? It looks really bad, very muffled.
wlobianco you can probably mess around with the settings on your amp to make it better, I haven't really plugged in very often. There are a million different pickups you can get that are a sinch to install because the hole is already screwed in. I have heard nothing but good things about the K&K pure mini pickup, I think it costs just under 100 bucks
wlobianco it could have a lot to do with the strings that the matting comes with too
Justin Bateman They both sound horrendous plugged-in, but apparently that Fishman Sonitone is especially horrendous. :)
wlobianco Yes, a better pickup!
Great way of testing!
I went down to Guitar Center today and tried a bunch of 3/4 guitars including the Taylor. I couldn't hear much difference in the sound in guitars ranging from $150 to $500. I have a 15 y/o Hohner 3/4 which sounds better than everything I tried today, and I think it's the age that makes a difference. If you want a better sounding guitar I suggest you shop for one that is at least 10 years old- or as old as you can afford. Back in the mid-60's I had a classical that was built around 1935, and I sure wish I had kept it.
i have got the martin :) just this Monday ....
Hello. Plz help me. I am difficult to choose between them . Jr 2 vs mahogany mini . Which do u prefer??
To me the Martin sounds richer here, more complex and colorful...this is true in live demo's when comparing both at my local shop. I do agree the Fishman system is less.
I owned a Taylor GS Mini Mahogany. Loved it... but the neck was a little thin and the width (1 11/16ths) was a little narrow. I played the Martin today. Very nice. The 1 3/4 neck makes the guitar. Both have parts to praise. If the Martin had Elixir pb's on it, it would be a little brighter and better. If the GS Mini had a 1 3/4 neck... it would run away with everything. If I can find a Martin priced right... I'd buy tomorrow. But here in Canada the MArtin is about $125 more than the compatible Taylor.
GorillaMan ManI don't know where you live in Canada but in Ontario at least the Gs mini equivalent costs 35 dollars more than the dread junior. Plus most guitar stores will give you a discount if you ask and pay with cash
Justin Bateman
You are correct. Actually the GS-Mini-e (Spruce) is $70 more than the Martin DJ... and again... the smaller shops are good to bargain with... 10% should be obtainable... or even the HST :)
The Martin sounds nicer acoustically to my ears but the pick up sound is dire.
I did not want a pick-up, as I only play for my own enjoyment,not for gigging. I chose the Martin Dreadnaught Junior as for less money I got a solid wood guitar with my preferred 1.75” nut size. They both sound great.
exactly my thinking 🤔
I thought both guitars sounded better using the external Shure mic. As far as the pickups go, the Taylor pickup sounded much better than the Fishman. I kinda liked the Martin better, but I'd be just as happy with the Taylor (based on your demo/comparison). I'd need to play each one for myself in a LGS (local guitar shop) to make the final decision. In your demo, the last fingerstyle piece you played sounded fantastic on the Martin, IMHO. The Taylor held its own on the other demo pieces. If they are comparable in price, it would be difficult to choose between them, and I'd likely be pleased with either one. My two cents...
The Martin Djr cost about $100 less than the mini mahogany, the least expensive option (for now.. price will rise as they get more popular, just as with the GS mini) and it has solid sapele back and sides. So overall, it's a better value.
Was the Martin tone turned up? It sounded muffled. Im really jonesing for a Martin, I already have a Taylor 214.
Both guitars are very good but the Martin sounds much more loud and tone of the sound is Reacher.
I got the Martin, to me it sounds much better, it was a hard choice, the mini GS looks so good with the curved back, the cool electronics and gig bag, I might get the mini GS in Koa....
I was just in the guitar shop trying the same two out. I found that the
Taylor paid more attention to detail than the Martin. First the frets on
the martin were sharp on the edge not filed down like the Taylor,
that's a character of a better made guitar. The bridge was far superior
on the Taylor, Martin cut corners on theirs. They both had great action
and a rich sound, tuners were comparable, Taylor seemed to be a bit
tighter. The Martin had a slightly thicker neck, the Taylor was great
for speed. Pound for pound, the Taylor took the prize, better bridge,
lower action, fast, cleaner finish on the frets, overall better
attention to detail made it a clear winner.
which out of these two models holds its tune well with a capo ?
Chriss, Why some GS mni comes with black headstock and others with wood? I´ve seen this in various Tayor models.
I have a Taylor GS mini mahogany. Martin guitars and Taylor Guitars are supposed to sound different Martin's are famous for their Dark full tones and Taylors are famous for their chimney singing tones you decide
Martin for bass and warmness, but Taylor much preferred for rock and high notes.
IMHO the Taylor is the winner in this demonstration. Seems more articulate and brighter. The Martin is too much in the middle - kinda wants have the deep resonance of a full size Dread but can't quite get there - and it wants to have the bright fun articulation of the small OM or GA guitars and doesn't seem to quite pull that off - at least not as well as the Taylor mini in this vid.
can I use heavier guege strings on the dred jr?
I like them both....but the Taylor is actually a bit smaller....an actual travel guitar...which makes it more comfortable to play. If I were to buy the Martin, I think I would go ahead and buy the 00-15....I think I"ll buy the Taylor and then move up to a Martin 00 later....
I'm telling Tony Polacastro !!
+Casey Rand That was funny !! :-) Both reviews are great. Just a matter of the "sound" you're looking for. Nice that they both have electronics.
Tony is my hero. ;)
Both are heroes, its like Tony Stark and Chris Evans
Man.. I Own the Taylor GS Mini Koa-E and it is AMAZING. I haven't played the lil Martin but I think it does sound really good. However, the Fishman pickup doesn't hold up next to the ES-2 from Taylor in my opinion. The fact that the Martin is solid wood back & sides is really great! Honestly though, if my GS Mini Koa had solid back & sides it would be an almost perfect lil guitar. I am more of a Taylor guy in the sense of the clarity and brilliance in tone. It just sounds better to my ear. Great review too, keep it up! New subscriber here :)
Unplugged both guitars have a lovely sound, with the Taylor being brighter with a bit more crisp and the Martin a little warmer, earthier. Plugged, though...the Martin just sounds awful. So if you don't care for electronics, both make a great choice depending on personal preference, but if you plan on playing plugged as well, my guess is the Taylor - hands down.
The second song you play is beautiful.
Too bad I find the sound from the Martin's mic quite awful. But taken externally it sounds good.
Hi
Anyone could give me the name of the first picking song we ear at the begining of the video ? 🤓
Thanks !
I have the Martin....dj
Its perfect
Thanks for the review
I have a 1956 000-18 Martin that I love, I have to say I still lean to Martin a richer sound, Mellow & comfortable.
Hello.
There should be the same set of strings on both guitars for a couple of days. Elixir PB and Martin Bronze strings are too different in sound.
I use elixers on all my guitars anything else goes dull quicker
good point
One of each
Can I please just have them BOTH? 🤣🤣 Great review, thanks. Regards, Dave
After seen a lot of videos i think the GS Mini is the queen of the guitars under $1000, but i don't like it because it's too small.Yamaha fg730 would be second.
The Martin direct in sounds like crap imo. Otherwise, both sound great. I think I am going for the Taylor as it is for my 12 year old daughter and I think the smaller neck will suit her smaller hands better and giver her a guitar to really grown into for the foreseeable future. Great comparison.
The Martin sounds bolder and bigger...being all solid it will age nicer. Definitely a 13/4 " is much much better...Richlite is not wood, but feels like wood and will weather better. Martin bag is not so good compared to the Taylor hard bag. The Taylor sounds better plugged in though.
When plugged the Taylor beat up the Martin, but unplugged and miked the Martin won by a nose.
Cybernauts, Terranauts and Astronauts totally agreed. the Martin's are much better deeper acoustics for a singer or more of a full bodied one man band deal. but for electric acoustic fingerstyle with all the harmonics and stuff the Taylor's have much more of a high end needed
for me its taylor.. i love taylor
What was the beginning song?
can anyone tell me what is the song name at 2:46 ?
I'm not sure, but for me, Taylor's pickups sounds better them Martin's one.
I'd take the Martin as a writing/practicing guitar. I don't really feel comfortable taking all solid wood outdoors. That's what carbon fiber is for! Or all laminate whatever floats your boat
I bought Taylor Big Baby it’s good
It’s the electronics and design of the entire package to all work together that says Taylor apart, kind of like an Apple computer
For me Martin!!!
I like the GS mini body shape better than the Martin body shape. Idk I just think it looks more appealing.
Listened to this with my sony wh-1000xm4 and I think they sound pretty equal!! No big difference really...
Martin - Fingerstyle sound: 8/10- Strumming sound: 10/10- Size: 7/10- Hardware: 10/10 Taylor- Fingerstyle sound: 10/10- Strumming sound: 5/10- Size: 8/10- Hardware 10/10
Plugged in the Martin sounded muffled. The GS has a clearer sound
Definitely Taylor Gs mini! !!! No doubt Taylor just has it going on. The Martin sounds ok, I just love the bright clear tone of Taylor guitars. I own a 110e dreadnought by Taylor and love it!!!
GS Mini all day every day.
I really like the Martin acoustically but that Fishman sounds dreadful. Buy the acoustic model and a vintage Sound-hole pickup
Where is the Martin made?
Whiskeyfox Mexico. Same as the Taylor.
I want a GS Mini - Sweet!
The Taylor blows it out of the water, hands down.
So Chris is the Taylor big baby larger than both of these?
The big baby is technically larger at 11/16 scale but tmi find these both to have a more robust sound.
The Martin tone wins IMO, warmer a fuller sounding, the Taylor is brighter in the mids….I choose the Martin tone over the Taylor, every time
I've owned 3 or 4 Minis (I buy/sell/trade guitars all the time). Great guitar--very consistent tone, quality and playability. I played 2 Martin Juniors over the past week and think they sound significantly better--louder, fuller, and the low E string much stronger. I assume it has to be the solid woods at work. The looks of the Martin bothers me--it looks like a toy dreadnaught, I assume it's because I've gotten used to how a dread is 'supposed' to look over decades of playing. But I have to give the Martin the nod, especially with an (okay, entry level) pickup already in it.
What's the song called at the beginning?
It doesn't currently have a name. Suggestions? ;)
Martin cos full solid, just like wine, it will age better
Taylors are so rich ad articulate. I own three yet I haven't been able to find a Martin that didn't suffer from a muted dullness Just my opinion, of course. I'll keep looking.
***** which guitar do you feel is more comfortable to play?
The Martin has a little more room (longer save and wider nut).
How much it cost martin junior ? Does it ship anywhere ?
It is $609. Give me your shipping address and I can tell you how much it is. You can email me at Christopher.mckee@alamomusic.com