this is a tough one. I would say I would like the martin for strumming and taylor for finger picking... now to convince my wife that my son and I need both...
Folks, don't forget the HUGE part of these reviews that ALWAYS gets left out. The STRINGS. The Martin comes with Martin strings and the Taylors always come with Elixir strings. This will make as much difference as anything else on the guitars. Cheers.
Changed them this afternoon. To my ears (which aren't perfect at age 73) the Martin strings had a muddiness about them that I didn't like. There was no real brightness or clarity. I've fitted Elixir 10-47 which are lighter than the original Martins. (Not sure what gauges they were). Brightness has certainly been improved but I'm used to Elixirs so wasn't surprised. I haven't really had a lot of time to play them in as yet and also have D'Addario EXP10's in reserve for when I want to try them. I've never used EXP10s before so that should be interesting.
@@alansturgess1324 Martin's aren't meant to be played with coated strings. It's like a sacred thing. Ones it came with might be old, try the daddiaro phospher bronze, 12s really get it moving and ringing. Never played a d. Jr. But theyre the gold standard for most martins
@@Dildobagginses Interesting and valid comment but, as in all things, it always comes down to personal preference rather than received wisdom. Just as in this upload I ended up in the position of being able to compare a Martin D.Jnr against a Taylor GS. In my instance it was the walnut version. After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing to play one against the other, and --- although it was a very close run thing --- I opted for the GS. In part my decision was decided by size and comfort. In terms of sound, it's worth explaining that I usually play with my thumb (often with the fleshy part rather than the nail) rather than a pick. The Martin had more depth than the Taylor but in terms of brightness there was little difference - as Tony accurately demonstrates in this 'shoot-out'. For my style of playing which might be described as folky-bluesy-jazz the Taylor just edged it. So that is now the guitar that I have. Anyone else in a position to compare these two guitars would be just as likely to go for the Martin .... it would be a boring world if we all liked the same things, even if we can't ever quite explain why we prefer one thing more than another.
...Once owned this gs mini. Sold it. Now i have this mart djre. .'Love it. Both have great tones though. Problem with the gs mini is its adaptabilty to climate. Mine easily bellly-swelled the moment i took it home. I had to lower the tone everytime and change to lighter strings. Martin has a better body construction. .'set it up once and it never changed form. Loved them both by the way
When I watched it for the first time I thought the Martin was clearer and the Mini more mellow, but now I've seen it 3 or 4 times I think the Mini is a bit brighter and clearer most of the time, but it is mellower in places and duller. I love the sound of the Martin though. Martin for me.
I disagree, here 9 years later watch the video again. Listen when he plays Angeline The Baker - The Taylor sounds like a cheap toy while the Martin have a depth to it, that can’t be described.
The playability and general feel of a guitar is of great importance to me , especially this size of guitar which implies a comfortable experience . I'd have to play them both .
I have the GS Mini mahogany and love it. Its a balanced guitar that produces overall good clarity and big sound for a small box. Its my travel guitar. However, I do like the Martin sound better because of the rich tonal qualities. In person, you can hear it better than UA-cam. And this dread junior does have some of that Martin sound.
Played both today in the luxury of an empty guitar center acoustic room (had the place for 2 hours to myself almost). Also got to put the pickup systems in both to the test. The Dread Jr. is a very interesting guitar. At first it feels cheaply made but the tone in the lower fret positions and especially open chord positions say something different. It has a very interesting muted thud-clang to it that I really like (you can hear that when Tony plays open chords in this video). The problem is the factory setup and intonation were.... just horrible compared to the GS Mini's they had in stock. Fretted 12th low E was going 75% sharp. Fretted 12th A string was going about 60% sharp. The rest of the strings were where I'd expect them to be (anywhere from 1-5% sharp or flat). The GS Mini's intonation was consistent on all 3 they had in stock and never exceeded 5% sharp/flat on 12th on any string). The intonation problems on the Dread Dr were noticed. When putting a capo on the 4th fret and playing a few tunes I can distinctly hear the low E and A having pitch problems that were not noticeable when playing open chords. I don't believe any of Tony's demo songs in this video move far enough up the neck to really hear how well the one he's playing would compare... Also action on the Martin Jr is god-awful high. On the GS Mini it's consistent. The GS Mini comes with an excellent factory setup, the Martin Jr. will need to be taken in for setup immediately..... The GS Mini has less clang, just clean and balanced (that Taylor sound). The Martin Jr. doesn't really have "that Martin sound" but it has a thud-clang slightly reminiscent of the Gibson thud sound. They both do sound great, but you'll have to put more work into the Martin... Should also be noted that one of Taylor's design goals was to create a travel guitar where the gig bag could fit the overhead compartment of a passenger seat on an airplane. The longer scale of the Martin makes that impossible. The gig bag that comes with the Martin is also cheap and not nearly as protective. Martin's answer to this is to offer a traditional hard shell case for the Dread Jr, although it doesn't come cheap. Plugged in the Fishman pickup in the Dread Jr. wins hands down.
I honestly don't think you could go wrong with either. They are both excellent sounding guitars. But I prefer the old school martin sound, that's why I bought the Martin.
I have the Taylor mini mahogany. Sounds great. But then I decided that I need the Martin as well, eventually. I find the Taylor neck width to be a little too narrow for finger picking without feeling a little too cramped. I didn't like the Elixer strings so I put Martin Retros monel to mellow it out.
GS Minis are usually pretty consistent. I’ve played a few with poor action, but usually they’re easy to play. I prefer the Martin’s sound and nut width, but the GS Mini is fantastic for travel and comes with an awesome case. I own the Taylor, but if I were buying now I’d look for an especially well setup Martin Jr and pay the extra money for a good case.
I got the chance to try out both the Martin and Taylor today. The Taylor comes off as loud and crisp whereas the Martin was mellower and deeper in tone. What I noticed on the Martin was that the glue on the neck joint wasn't cleaned or done very well. Also, the fretboard edge (not frets) was sharp on my thumb. I suppose you can sand the edge though if you're really set on it. Another difference I noticed was that the Martin's fretboard radius felt a ton flatter. I love the idea of Martin using all solid wood though. Personally, I was a lot more comfortable playing the Taylor, but the Martin sound slowly grew on me. It's definitely a tough decision that will probably require a few more trips to the nearest guitar store. Either one is good!
I love that little bit of extra sparkle Taylors have. Taylors don't boom like Martins, but Martins don't cut like Taylors. This video does nothing to quell my GS Mini GAS.
Thanks Tony that was a good video well done. I think the guitars sounded similar but the Martin had a fuller more balanced sound to my ears. The difference really shows up when you strum these two guitars the Taylor just has a clangy sound to me that I don't like. I have a friend that has the Taylor and I got to play it while it plays well I found the clangy sound not to my liking. Martin doesn't sound like a mini guitar it has a pretty full sound to it. Thank you.
Taylor seem more toppy, less bottom and mids, Martin more bottom & mids; Taylor looks sexier, Martin like a pear, Martin more volume, could be strings. Martin Retro strings are awesome. I'm so confused now!! Why is this always happening to me?
Been watching lots of videos going back and forth between the Martin and the GS Mini since I need a little travel guitar to start taking around with me. This video helped a bunch! Both sound really good, and the Taylor really shines on a couple of those little ditties, but man... the warmth and tone out of that Martin just sends me to a happy place. Literally just bought one thanks, in part, to this 8 year old video lol.
Close, but I prefer Taylor Mini (E version) with mahogany top.....sounds warmer and best mid tones. If you like brighter sounds then maybe the Martin. But string choices will affect the sound too...so very close. Not sure of US prices (i'm in the UK).
From this video I would say, just on tone, the GS Mini has a slight edge, BUT the overall package winner is the D Jr. The biggest reason I picked the D Jr over the GS Mini is there is nothing appealing about playing a 23.5" scale and I am short with short fingers. I have owned two GS Minis and sold them both. I now own the D Jr. The GS Mini is cute and sounds good, but if you travel with your guitar and want to practice a new song that 23.5" scale doesn't translate back to regular scale very well in my opinion. If you use a capo then you can really forget the GS Mini.
I owned both Taylor GS Mini eRW and Martin DJR-10e. I've done my own setup on both guitars to my own preferences and uses D'Addario XS phosphor bronze string on both guitars. Based on my experience playing; both guitars has it's own unique sound and feel. IMO the gs mini feels small whilst the djr-10e feels very comfortable and natural. I love Martin DJR-10e the most in terms of feel and sound.
went to a store with every intention of buying the GS mini, and then the D JR was put in my hands. The rich, full tone was too much for the taylor to compete against. Also, the full sized neck was perfect, the taylor felt like a baby guitar and the tone was lacking a low boom. The D JR was just the winner.
I played a Martin dread Jr last week, and it was surprisingly good, but it is not as small as I thought it would/should be. Definitely smaller than full size, but not as "mini" as what I expected. For a travel guitar I want something smaller. I have not tried the Taylor, so have no impressions on that one.
The GS Mini has a bright sound on the lows and mids plus deeper bass while the Dread Jr. has very clean highs. However, when Tony played the G chord in the beginning on both, I heard almost no difference. It's a matter of personal preference in terms of the sound. I still like my GS Mini though. (but I changed my strings for Elixir Polyweb Custom Lights).
caraddict22 i played both these guitars at my local guitar store and there is no way the gs mini has a deeper bass sound. It is bright and articulate but is very sharp sounding for my taste while the djr has a balanced low and mid range and is far louder than the gs mini
I ended up with the Martin D Jr it came with pick up, the GS mini does not, and there is no binding on the front. They both sound great but the D-Jr neck feels better and I'm just more used to Martins so there you have it, also had a bone but compensated bridge saddle installed and some black GraphTech bridge pins with pearl dots looks nice, But I had to give it that look and give it some Grover 18:1 Butter bean tuners...I'll probably get it a hard shell case next...really love this little Guitar Guitar with the big sound!
I'm going for the gs mini rosewood for my daughters Christmas box. Can't wait to see her face. I love Martin guitars as I have a beautiful d-42 and my brother has a d-28 but after looking at both guitars in question here for my daughters best interests I'm swayed towards the gs mini as it will I think be easier for her to learn on with its really good action and 1-11/16 nut and scale length. Both guitars sound superb and play great if I was buying for me I'd go with the junior been a Martin guitar enthusiast but for my daughter it's the gs mini for sure. great video Tony with thanks
I ordered a Taylor GS mini at my local guitar store to test it out. Walked out with the Martin. I love the guitar so much!! Taylor was good but somehow it was not comfortable to play.
I sold my Martin D Jr - it just sounded flat and dull, no matter what I was playing. Simply did not resonate the way I like. Very flat. Tried out a GS Mini and am going to buy it. Much more resonant, much better feel, narrower waist. The Taylor is beautiful, resonant, and easy to play.
I played a GS mini recently. It had a koa top, a cutaway, and a built-in pickup. It was the most comfortable guitar I've ever played. And the sound was unbelievable. It was pretty hard to leave the store without it, but I didn't have the funds at the time.
Went in to get a Baby Taylor for my daughter, accidentally tried the GS Mini and walked out with it. Very impressed so far. Good comparo video! Side-by side, they are both great but very different. The Martin is deeper and more mellow sounding. The Taylor is punchier and brighter, with a decent (but not as deep) bottom. Same as my impression of both of them in person, but this video makes the comparison much more direct.
I think this comparison simply leaves it to individual preference. My preferences actually swing a bit like moods. That can easily be viewed as both a blessing and a curse because all I want to do now is get both! :)
Oh forgot the Fishman Sonitone pickup sounded fairly natural and even better when I plugged in to my Fishman Aura Di pedal... Piezo pickups have really improved over the years...
Thank you so much for this really helpful comparison - was not able to try either in person and this (and a few other videos helped so much :)). I initially favoured the Taylor GS Mini (based partly on sound in the video and partly on comments from owners below and on various forums). I got a Taylor but returned it - just too clinical and well, no soul - at least for me. On the GS Mini, build was excellent and perfect intonation (initially by ear but confirmed via two pro tuners). Bag was excellent - few cosmetic issues - on guitar. I have just taken delivery of a Martin Dreadnought Jnr and have to say it is in a different league to the Taylor (IMHO) - build quality is PERFECT sbd the sound is to die for - if you are thinking of getting one - DO IT :):)
Martin, Martin, Martin...now I want one...I was considering GS Mini as travel option, after trying 4 Taylors and selling them off 915c, 65512, 612c, 314ce no midrange loved the action on the 314ce and that expression pick up, but just love the Martins more. So thrilled to see they made a travel guitar with solid woods... I see people saying use Martin strings on the Taylors don't especially if they are the Martin SP strings they are harder tension and Taylor tops are thin and you'll do damage to your guitar. I see the specs on the D Jr. are use SP Lifespan 80/20 bronze medium gauge due to the shorter scale neck... I can hardly wait!!! PS I added GraphTech bridge pins tone booster, and I don't use bone hate working with it smells like burnt hair... GS mini users try D'Adarrio EX strings far better than Elixirs no coating just treated chemically like SIT Royal Bronze...
I recently bought the same Taylor in this video after playing 4 other Gs minis with higher prices and different wood combinations. Even though the one tested is the least expensive GS model it sounded best of all! This was the opinion of several people including the store owner. I have owned and played dozens of low end to high end acoustics over the years and concluded that the same models can vary quite a bit in there sound quality. You just have to play them. More than one of the same model if you can. Can't comment on the Martin other than it sounded a little better rounded in the video maybe able to handle aggressive playing without overpowering the bass as much as the taylor. Take every UA-cam test with a grain of salt
I think the difference is the balance. The bass is stronger and more present on the Martin, so it's overall tone is more balanced. The Taylor projects well, but the higher strings and their brightness overpower the low strings. Balance wins it for the Martin.
When does a stronger bass means more balanced? Normally, stronger bass means LESS balanced. For me, maybe because I own one, but if you want a BALANCED travel guitar, go for the Taylor GS Mini Koa
I owned both and kept the Martin. The scale length really makes a huge difference most especially as these are travel guitars. I feel that the Martin is more comfortable to play and the sustain is much better than the Taylor. I love the "fullness" of the Taylor (compared to the signature Martin sound-ish from the DJr) but in the end, I went with which is more comfortable to play. My play style is also more on fingerpicking, hence the sustain is really important to me.
++ the Taylor also eventually had a bulge on the saddle part. I am not sure why, but probably still because of the scale length. They were both on 12s string and I think since the Taylor is shorter, there is much more tension on the strings. I cannot use 11s on the Taylor as it affects the sustain.
Finally Martin has a real travel guitar. The GS mini smoked everything Martin had to compete the Taylor til now. I have The GS mini in mahogany ( love it) but from this side by side id have to say the Martin sounds a bit better to my ears. Both are beautiful amazing guitars. No wrong choice
All of this boils down to tone preference. Taylor & Martin are different in that category. Taylor guitars seems to have more cut, more raspy tone, whereas martin guitars seem to have a more bottom end type tone.
The Taylor sounds better, so I just bought...the Martin. Going back and forth at Guitar Center for the afternoon, I thought the Martin just fit me a bit better. Anyway, I'm not a Pro, and I heavily process everything through GarageBand, and I love the Sonitone routed through an iRig HD. The difference in sound quality is not that big a deal.
If you’re a small person with small hands AND a beginner, would the GS mini be a better choice because of size?? I have a Martin LX1 and I really don’t like the sound. The size is OK but a little bigger would also be OK.
I don't own ether brand of guitar, but the martins always win these comparisons for me. They have a warmt to their tone that is missing in the taylor guitars.
Im a big big big Taylor guy, but its clear in this scenario that the martin is much cleaner. Has a nice whole sound. Could be because its a dreadnought, but its the performance.
Jesse Watson I put Martin strings on my Taylor, but only 'cause I change 'em twice a week and Martins are the cheapest option of what I call ''acceptable'' quality where I live. T'would get a little pricey otherwise even if I cut down to once a week. (I gig a lot) :)
Joe Bennett Yep, you gotta do what you gotta do for the tone you want. A lot of people really love Martin strings! I prefer nickel strings, and old strings, which is not what most people prefer.
I play a full size dread. So although I prefer my strings after a couple of hours ''mudding in'' for the sake of feel, there's no need to subdue the highs with duller, older pipes for me. Plenty of booty to balance stuff out and plenty of clean mids. Add the fact that I'm heavy handed as crap and liable to bust even a 56 gauge low E after a couple of days fatigue and my methods make sense :P
I think the Taylor sounds a little better for fingerpicking, but the Martin definitely sounds better for strumming. Overall, the Martin sounds more like a full sized guitar.
Hmmm... The Martin sounded like a bigger guitar.. and it is, so it does do what it does great. The Martin tones are more scooped lacking the mid-range tones of the Taylor which sounds more balanced overall but it certainly depends on the style you play as to which best suits your needs.. Cant go really wrong with either..these two are tops in my book at an acoustic guitar. I own a Taylor GA8e and now have a mini GSe which is a great lil guitar. Martin has that Delta blues tone typically which NO ONE does better (not Taylor either) but my taste in music is a bit wider and the Martin as great as it is just isnt for me. Great vid!
Sound wise, my preference goes to the Martin. It wins hands down over the Taylor. However, I like the sexiness of GS Mini body. It'll definitely be "less tiring" to play the Taylor over a long period of time.
I gave my DRJ a set of Elixir Phosphor Bronze medium and after one day acclimatization, it sounds incredible. More punch, more clarity, more treble, more balanced, ... .Try it ! You will not be disappointed. Both guitars on comparisons should be fitted with the same strings, otherwise it is hard to compare. Maybe you do a comparison with the Original strings and a set of Elixir PB medium !? I don't like the muddy sound of the Martin strings
I have a GS mini mahogany with lighter Martin strings. It has that Martin like sound however, Martin strings last way less longer and become muddy after 3-4 weeks...
I like the tone better on the Martin, but it’s too big for my hands. I tried one yesterday. Petite with small hands/short fingers here. It’s hard to find a small guitar that fits me but that also sounds good.
Hi Tony. I think that a better comparison would have been between the Martin D-Junior and the Taylor Big Baby, since both guitar share almost identical exterior specs. Anyhow, good review.
Appreciate the video but its a bit misleading how he expressed these as strictly travel guitars. the martin is 15/16th size of a "normal" guitar and just look at tony's hands... smaller folks/smaller hands can't really play a full 25.5 so the 24 scale makes sense as an "at home" guitar. even many people use GS Mini as their only guitar.
IMHO.,.GS mini is much suitable for travelling.,considering its lam and the sturdy bag and a smaller body.,.,BUT if you want to have the best sounding travel guitar.,.dread jr it is hey tony! how bout comparing dread jr with big baby
I'm really confused as to why the D Jr. was spec'd with a 1-3/4" nut. Small body, large nut. What market was it designed for? Would a 1-11/16" nut have been any less appealing to its target market? Anyway, I played a D Jr. for nearly a month. I already owned a GS Mini Mahogany. I expected a lot from the D Jr., being all solid wood and promising that signature Martin tone. But I returned it held onto my GS Mini--which has a much nicer bag to boot.
+Jim A, the dimension of the martin neck appeals to guys like me (and I'm especially talking about the string spacing at saddle). Fingerstyle player who would like a neck and string spacing closer to the necks I (and many of us prefer to but don't "have" to ) play on my full sized guitars but in a travel sized guitar you don't mind knocking around, losing, or getting stolen. Sure I could take a parlor guitar with a huge wide spacing that is a "travel sized" guitar, but a martin o or oo-vs is not something you want to throw in the car with your luggage, or even leave behind in the hotel room. At least I couldn't afford that risk. Man, even Recording Kings with those dimensions are well over $1000 I would love for someone to turn me on to at least a 2 1/4 string spacing at saddle in a beater (for me that's something in the $300 to $500 range. Don't get me wrong their too, I'm not a snob when it comes to playing anything with strings on it, but given the option of 2 1/4 string space at saddle I jump on, and those guitars always seem to be the big leap in price. Now suddenly the guitars are priced nearer $2000 and up. And since I play with flesh I need to get closer to strings then a nail player. A nail player can stand off a bit and just lead in with the nails. . My hat is off to Martin for always clearly stating with all models their string spacing at saddle. On the bang for your buck end I'm a fan of Seagull guitars but it's kinda nutty that their 1.8 width at nut finishes up being actually smaller spacing at saddle than even this Martin Dread Jr. which only started at 1.75 I wish guitarist would push harder to have more than just the nut mentioned all the time. Most of these other companies you have to contact and ask for width at 12th and spacing at saddle. What the hell would advertising a "wide" 1.75 nut matter if it ended up 1 inch at saddle (exaggerating to make a point there) It's there, so measure it and tell us so we can be more educated consumers. I picked up an Alvarez AP70 for travel - excited about the price and 1.75 nut, only to find out finished smaller than my OM's and by American Breedloves that also start at 1.75. Yea I liked it but every time I played it I'd be feeling tight on the right hand. That was many years ago but that when the light when on for me and I started paying closer attention to the whole neck right down to saddle. Why does any of this matter? Because the repertoire for guitar is growing and expanding in the fingerstyle direction and the space for the both hands matters more and more as this move progressed. My hat is off to all those flat pickers and I love what they do and wish I had the time to learn that stuff too, but they have their desired string spacing's already. We want ours too now. Bigger widths and at saddle too travel guitars.... Martin is sharp my friend. Steel string and at 2 and 3/16 at saddle give that guitar an edge to most fingerstyle guys. And 2 and 3/16 is not a game ender for flat pickers by far. Martin 00-VS yea, a lot of flat pickers are going to be turned off. In the end anyway my friend....... to each his own. I'm not going back a proof reading this so good luck.
Funny thing. When I listened to this last year, I thought the Taylor sounded better so I bought...the Martin. Now, when I listen to this, the Martin just sounds more natural to me. BTW, the first song was Brenda's Blues and the third was The Last Steam Engine Train. I think both were written by John Fahey.
In another comparison, they said that the Taylor is easier to play than almost anything else because the action is lower, i.e. the strings are closer to the fingerboard. A lot of us with smaller hands have had the action on our guitars lowered to make them easier to play but we lose some of the sound--it seems brighter, less bass, less resonance. What do you think?.
Acoustic Letter I know you guys are very busy but I am torn between the gs mini mahogany and the martin dread junior. If you guys ever find the time to do a quick comparison between those two I would be so appreciative :) if not could you at least tell me what you recommend? I would mostly be taking it on road trips and using it as a practice guitar at home. Can you get the gs mini mahogany that comes with a pickup? And which would you say has a better travel bag?
They’re basically same price if you plan on a hard case because what you save in the Martin you’ll pay for with its hard Ca$$$e costing wayyyy more. Btw Martin emailed me that the case model number is: 12C0094
Depends on how you travel. While a hard case might prevent crushing force, a soft case will better prevent shock force. You don't want your guitar to literally rattle apart over the years from every jolt/bump.
I wonder which guitar has the better intonation? You can hear it when you play a standard open C and E Chord. I only tried the Taylor GS Mini and it was not satisfying for me. I wonder how would it be with a Martin Jr.
Picking, the Martin wins hands down, chords a different story, Mini gets it. Like them both but if you're a bluegrass player I think you HAVE to take the Martin.
I see what you mean, Tony. They both sound great, but very different. I'm not sure I'd say either one was better than the other. My preference is leaning towards the Martin, since it has a sound that's familiar to me. My question would be a practical one... is the D Jr small enough to take on flights as hand luggage?
Wow I'm surprised that Martin finally has brought to market something to directly complete with the Taylor GS Mini. I'm even more surprised at how much clearer and overall better the GS Mini sounds considering the DR J has solid wood back and sides and cost $70 more. When you figure also that the GS Mini is a TRUE travel guitar(23 1/2 " scale with layered back and sides) this isn't even close if you are considering a TRAVEL guitar. And this isn't even the best GS Mini. The Koa and the Rosewood versions both sound a little bit better.
rtgray7 i think it's mainly due to the strings. phosphor bronze seems to be a more articulate and longerlastinger, and elixirs are coated, so they last even longer. i think if you put phosphor bronze strings on the martin instead of 80/20's it would be pretty awesome.
rtgray7 I wonder how much of the tone difference has to do with the body shape as opposed to the build. I don't own a dreadnought, except for the D Jr., but people who own/play dreadnoughts think the D Jr. sounds like a dreadnought. I too was surprised though that the D Jr. didn't sound markedly better having the solid top with solid back and sides. I hated the 80/20 strings on the D Jr, just too bright and obnoxious, but when I went to PBs it lost some clarity. I installed a bone saddle and ebony bridge pins on the D Jr. and while it gave me a little extra clarity and sustain the difference wasn't that drastic. The D Jr comes with electronics already installed. For GS Minis with the GO installed the prices are comparable. I definitely liked the gig bag of the GS Mini better. Seemed to have more padding and a better fit with support for the neck. I have to agree the D Jr. really isn't a "travel" guitar and I don't see it as such. But I do consider it something I can travel with and not worry about. Just played the D Jr at a pool party a few weeks ago. I wouldn't have been so eager to take even my 414 to that event, let alone my higher end guitars.
I think like 90%. GS is the best looking this great video. And I have one and the baby too. But the Taylors come with Elixir, rigth? And the Martin? I thinks it comes in original with Martin strings, right? And so I think elixir its a better strings them martin. Maybe this is the reason why taykor souds better in this test. Please forgive me my mistakes if they have.
Sorry mr.........i am confused very long time and now ....i am can not choice where buy...... martin djr 10 or gs mini..........very confused........and....can you recomended for me.........thanks.....
Jr. 3:32 4:04 4:33 5:02 5:23 5:40
GS. 3:47 4:18 4:49 5:10 5:31 5:48
Use these time stamps to flip between guitar sounds
Thank me later.
Thank you so much 🙏
this is a tough one. I would say I would like the martin for strumming and taylor for finger picking... now to convince my wife that my son and I need both...
Just get the Martin 000 Jr!
the wider nut on Martin IMO is better for fingerpicking
Folks, don't forget the HUGE part of these reviews that ALWAYS gets left out. The STRINGS. The Martin comes with Martin strings and the Taylors always come with Elixir strings. This will make as much difference as anything else on the guitars. Cheers.
I usually change to Elixirs on any acoustic I play - preferring 10-47. I'm about to try D'Addario coated 80/20 EXP10's.
@@alansturgess1324 let me know your thoughts on the new strings please
Changed them this afternoon. To my ears (which aren't perfect at age 73) the Martin strings had a muddiness about them that I didn't like. There was no real brightness or clarity. I've fitted Elixir 10-47 which are lighter than the original Martins. (Not sure what gauges they were). Brightness has certainly been improved but I'm used to Elixirs so wasn't surprised. I haven't really had a lot of time to play them in as yet and also have D'Addario EXP10's in reserve for when I want to try them. I've never used EXP10s before so that should be interesting.
@@alansturgess1324 Martin's aren't meant to be played with coated strings. It's like a sacred thing. Ones it came with might be old, try the daddiaro phospher bronze, 12s really get it moving and ringing. Never played a d. Jr. But theyre the gold standard for most martins
@@Dildobagginses Interesting and valid comment but, as in all things, it always comes down to personal preference rather than received wisdom. Just as in this upload I ended up in the position of being able to compare a Martin D.Jnr against a Taylor GS. In my instance it was the walnut version. After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing to play one against the other, and --- although it was a very close run thing --- I opted for the GS. In part my decision was decided by size and comfort. In terms of sound, it's worth explaining that I usually play with my thumb (often with the fleshy part rather than the nail) rather than a pick. The Martin had more depth than the Taylor but in terms of brightness there was little difference - as Tony accurately demonstrates in this 'shoot-out'. For my style of playing which might be described as folky-bluesy-jazz the Taylor just edged it. So that is now the guitar that I have. Anyone else in a position to compare these two guitars would be just as likely to go for the Martin .... it would be a boring world if we all liked the same things, even if we can't ever quite explain why we prefer one thing more than another.
I like the Martin here...the Taylor sounds good, but the Martin is well, bolder with more depth and the 1 3/4" nut width wins hands down.
...Once owned this gs mini. Sold it. Now i have this mart djre. .'Love it. Both have great tones though. Problem with the gs mini is its adaptabilty to climate. Mine easily bellly-swelled the moment i took it home. I had to lower the tone everytime and change to lighter strings. Martin
has a better body construction. .'set it up once and it never changed form. Loved them both by the way
The Martin seems to have better balance across the strings. Hard to tell across UA-cam though
The Mini has an old school unique sound to it that I found perfect for fingerpicking. The Martin was fuller and better for strumming chords. IMO
I'm a fingerpicker and the Martin still sounds superior.
When I watched it for the first time I thought the Martin was clearer and the Mini more mellow, but now I've seen it 3 or 4 times I think the Mini is a bit brighter and clearer most of the time, but it is mellower in places and duller. I love the sound of the Martin though. Martin for me.
I disagree, here 9 years later watch the video again.
Listen when he plays Angeline The Baker - The Taylor sounds like a cheap toy while the Martin have a depth to it, that can’t be described.
The playability and general feel of a guitar is of great importance to me , especially
this size of guitar which implies a comfortable experience . I'd have to play them
both .
I have the GS Mini mahogany and love it. Its a balanced guitar that produces overall good clarity and big sound for a small box. Its my travel guitar. However, I do like the Martin sound better because of the rich tonal qualities. In person, you can hear it better than UA-cam. And this dread junior does have some of that Martin sound.
Played both today in the luxury of an empty guitar center acoustic room (had the place for 2 hours to myself almost). Also got to put the pickup systems in both to the test. The Dread Jr. is a very interesting guitar. At first it feels cheaply made but the tone in the lower fret positions and especially open chord positions say something different. It has a very interesting muted thud-clang to it that I really like (you can hear that when Tony plays open chords in this video). The problem is the factory setup and intonation were.... just horrible compared to the GS Mini's they had in stock. Fretted 12th low E was going 75% sharp. Fretted 12th A string was going about 60% sharp. The rest of the strings were where I'd expect them to be (anywhere from 1-5% sharp or flat). The GS Mini's intonation was consistent on all 3 they had in stock and never exceeded 5% sharp/flat on 12th on any string). The intonation problems on the Dread Dr were noticed. When putting a capo on the 4th fret and playing a few tunes I can distinctly hear the low E and A having pitch problems that were not noticeable when playing open chords. I don't believe any of Tony's demo songs in this video move far enough up the neck to really hear how well the one he's playing would compare... Also action on the Martin Jr is god-awful high. On the GS Mini it's consistent. The GS Mini comes with an excellent factory setup, the Martin Jr. will need to be taken in for setup immediately..... The GS Mini has less clang, just clean and balanced (that Taylor sound). The Martin Jr. doesn't really have "that Martin sound" but it has a thud-clang slightly reminiscent of the Gibson thud sound. They both do sound great, but you'll have to put more work into the Martin... Should also be noted that one of Taylor's design goals was to create a travel guitar where the gig bag could fit the overhead compartment of a passenger seat on an airplane. The longer scale of the Martin makes that impossible. The gig bag that comes with the Martin is also cheap and not nearly as protective. Martin's answer to this is to offer a traditional hard shell case for the Dread Jr, although it doesn't come cheap. Plugged in the Fishman pickup in the Dread Jr. wins hands down.
I honestly don't think you could go wrong with either. They are both excellent sounding guitars. But I prefer the old school martin sound, that's why I bought the Martin.
I have the Taylor mini mahogany. Sounds great. But then I decided that I need the Martin as well, eventually. I find the Taylor neck width to be a little too narrow for finger picking without feeling a little too cramped. I didn't like the Elixer strings so I put Martin Retros monel to mellow it out.
GS Minis are usually pretty consistent. I’ve played a few with poor action, but usually they’re easy to play. I prefer the Martin’s sound and nut width, but the GS Mini is fantastic for travel and comes with an awesome case. I own the Taylor, but if I were buying now I’d look for an especially well setup Martin Jr and pay the extra money for a good case.
To my ears, you have the right idea.
I got the chance to try out both the Martin and Taylor today. The Taylor comes off as loud and crisp whereas the Martin was mellower and deeper in tone. What I noticed on the Martin was that the glue on the neck joint wasn't cleaned or done very well. Also, the fretboard edge (not frets) was sharp on my thumb. I suppose you can sand the edge though if you're really set on it. Another difference I noticed was that the Martin's fretboard radius felt a ton flatter. I love the idea of Martin using all solid wood though. Personally, I was a lot more comfortable playing the Taylor, but the Martin sound slowly grew on me. It's definitely a tough decision that will probably require a few more trips to the nearest guitar store. Either one is good!
I love that little bit of extra sparkle Taylors have. Taylors don't boom like Martins, but Martins don't cut like Taylors. This video does nothing to quell my GS Mini GAS.
Thanks Tony that was a good video well done. I think the guitars sounded similar but the Martin had a fuller more balanced sound to my ears. The difference really shows up when you strum these two guitars the Taylor just has a clangy sound to me that I don't like. I have a friend that has the Taylor and I got to play it while it plays well I found the clangy sound not to my liking. Martin doesn't sound like a mini guitar it has a pretty full sound to it. Thank you.
Taylor seem more toppy, less bottom and mids, Martin more bottom & mids; Taylor looks sexier, Martin like a pear, Martin more volume, could be strings. Martin Retro strings are awesome. I'm so confused now!! Why is this always happening to me?
Been watching lots of videos going back and forth between the Martin and the GS Mini since I need a little travel guitar to start taking around with me. This video helped a bunch! Both sound really good, and the Taylor really shines on a couple of those little ditties, but man... the warmth and tone out of that Martin just sends me to a happy place. Literally just bought one thanks, in part, to this 8 year old video lol.
Close, but I prefer Taylor Mini (E version) with mahogany top.....sounds warmer and best mid tones. If you like brighter sounds then maybe the Martin. But string choices will affect the sound too...so very close. Not sure of US prices (i'm in the UK).
From this video I would say, just on tone, the GS Mini has a slight edge, BUT the overall package winner is the D Jr. The biggest reason I picked the D Jr over the GS Mini is there is nothing appealing about playing a 23.5" scale and I am short with short fingers. I have owned two GS Minis and sold them both. I now own the D Jr. The GS Mini is cute and sounds good, but if you travel with your guitar and want to practice a new song that 23.5" scale doesn't translate back to regular scale very well in my opinion. If you use a capo then you can really forget the GS Mini.
I owned both Taylor GS Mini eRW and Martin DJR-10e. I've done my own setup on both guitars to my own preferences and uses D'Addario XS phosphor bronze string on both guitars. Based on my experience playing; both guitars has it's own unique sound and feel. IMO the gs mini feels small whilst the djr-10e feels very comfortable and natural. I love Martin DJR-10e the most in terms of feel and sound.
went to a store with every intention of buying the GS mini, and then the D JR was put in my hands. The rich, full tone was too much for the taylor to compete against. Also, the full sized neck was perfect, the taylor felt like a baby guitar and the tone was lacking a low boom. The D JR was just the winner.
Kevin Gismondi that's just what I did today, ended up getting the D JR2
Same here. The all solid wood and the fuller, more balanced tone of the Martin D Jr made it an easy choice for me.
Kevin Gismondi get the Koa
hoe heavy is the D jR? i saw its like 32 pounds!
The best one is the one you think sounds the best, is the most comfortable to play and looks the best, that's the best one .
I played a Martin dread Jr last week, and it was surprisingly good, but it is not as small as I thought it would/should be. Definitely smaller than full size, but not as "mini" as what I expected. For a travel guitar I want something smaller. I have not tried the Taylor, so have no impressions on that one.
The GS Mini has a bright sound on the lows and mids plus deeper bass while the Dread Jr. has very clean highs. However, when Tony played the G chord in the beginning on both, I heard almost no difference. It's a matter of personal preference in terms of the sound.
I still like my GS Mini though. (but I changed my strings for Elixir Polyweb Custom Lights).
caraddict22 i played both these guitars at my local guitar store and there is no way the gs mini has a deeper bass sound. It is bright and articulate but is very sharp sounding for my taste while the djr has a balanced low and mid range and is far louder than the gs mini
I ended up with the Martin D Jr it came with pick up, the GS mini does not, and there is no binding on the front. They both sound great but the D-Jr neck feels better and I'm just more used to Martins so there you have it, also had a bone but compensated bridge saddle installed and some black GraphTech bridge pins with pearl dots looks nice, But I had to give it that look and give it some Grover 18:1 Butter bean tuners...I'll probably get it a hard shell case next...really love this little Guitar Guitar with the big sound!
The Martin sounds like a Martin the Taylor sounds like a Taylor! Pay ya money, take ya choice!
I'm going for the gs mini rosewood for my daughters Christmas box. Can't wait to see her face. I love Martin guitars as I have a beautiful d-42 and my brother has a d-28 but after looking at both guitars in question here for my daughters best interests I'm swayed towards the gs mini as it will I think be easier for her to learn on with its really good action and 1-11/16 nut and scale length. Both guitars sound superb and play great if I was buying for me I'd go with the junior been a Martin guitar enthusiast but for my daughter it's the gs mini for sure. great video Tony with thanks
love my taylor gs mini mahogany so much! perfectly for easy practice and songwriting on the couch and for travel :)
taylor gs mini is the best taylor they make or at least in top 3 ive owned a bunch of taylors
I ordered a Taylor GS mini at my local guitar store to test it out. Walked out with the Martin. I love the guitar so much!! Taylor was good but somehow it was not comfortable to play.
I sold my Martin D Jr - it just sounded flat and dull, no matter what I was playing. Simply did not resonate the way I like. Very flat. Tried out a GS Mini and am going to buy it. Much more resonant, much better feel, narrower waist. The Taylor is beautiful, resonant, and easy to play.
I've played both, and it's a tough pick. Martin for sound. Taylor for ergonomics and playability
Wider neck on any guitar has my vote every time. Anything less than 45mm or 1 3/4" if you prefer,I won't even consider.
Yes, I wish there would be a 1-3/4" sized GS mini variant...
I played a GS mini recently. It had a koa top, a cutaway, and a built-in pickup. It was the most comfortable guitar I've ever played. And the sound was unbelievable. It was pretty hard to leave the store without it, but I didn't have the funds at the time.
I may be wrong but I don’t believe they make a gs mini with a cutaway
could you please upload a comparison of the 000 Martin jr. vs GS mini? please!!!
Went in to get a Baby Taylor for my daughter, accidentally tried the GS Mini and walked out with it. Very impressed so far.
Good comparo video! Side-by side, they are both great but very different. The Martin is deeper and more mellow sounding. The Taylor is punchier and brighter, with a decent (but not as deep) bottom. Same as my impression of both of them in person, but this video makes the comparison much more direct.
I think this comparison simply leaves it to individual preference. My preferences actually swing a bit like moods. That can easily be viewed as both a blessing and a curse because all I want to do now is get both! :)
The GS Mini is my pick seems to have a little more all around balance. The Martin is a nice sounding guitar really like both of them.
Oh forgot the Fishman Sonitone pickup sounded fairly natural and even better when I plugged in to my Fishman Aura Di pedal... Piezo pickups have really improved over the years...
Thank you so much for this really helpful comparison - was not able to try either in person and this (and a few other videos helped so much :)). I initially favoured the Taylor GS Mini (based partly on sound in the video and partly on comments from owners below and on various forums). I got a Taylor but returned it - just too clinical and well, no soul - at least for me. On the GS Mini, build was excellent and perfect intonation (initially by ear but confirmed via two pro tuners). Bag was excellent - few cosmetic issues - on guitar. I have just taken delivery of a Martin Dreadnought Jnr and have to say it is in a different league to the Taylor (IMHO) - build quality is PERFECT sbd the sound is to die for - if you are thinking of getting one - DO IT :):)
I like the Taylor GS Mini's tone clarity here.
Martin, Martin, Martin...now I want one...I was considering GS Mini as travel option, after trying 4 Taylors and selling them off 915c, 65512, 612c, 314ce no midrange loved the action on the 314ce and that expression pick up, but just love the Martins more. So thrilled to see they made a travel guitar with solid woods... I see people saying use Martin strings on the Taylors don't especially if they are the Martin SP strings they are harder tension and Taylor tops are thin and you'll do damage to your guitar. I see the specs on the D Jr. are use SP Lifespan 80/20 bronze medium gauge due to the shorter scale neck... I can hardly wait!!! PS I added GraphTech bridge pins tone booster, and I don't use bone hate working with it smells like burnt hair... GS mini users try D'Adarrio EX strings far better than Elixirs no coating just treated chemically like SIT Royal Bronze...
I recently bought the same Taylor in this video after playing 4 other Gs minis with higher prices and different wood combinations. Even though the one tested is the least expensive GS model it sounded best of all! This was the opinion of several people including the store owner.
I have owned and played dozens of low end to high end acoustics over the years and concluded that the same models can vary quite a bit in there sound quality. You just have to play them. More than one of the same model if you can.
Can't comment on the Martin other than it sounded a little better rounded in the video maybe able to handle aggressive playing without overpowering the bass as much as the taylor.
Take every UA-cam test with a grain of salt
I think the difference is the balance. The bass is stronger and more present on the Martin, so it's overall tone is more balanced. The Taylor projects well, but the higher strings and their brightness overpower the low strings. Balance wins it for the Martin.
When does a stronger bass means more balanced? Normally, stronger bass means LESS balanced. For me, maybe because I own one, but if you want a BALANCED travel guitar, go for the Taylor GS Mini Koa
I owned both and kept the Martin. The scale length really makes a huge difference most especially as these are travel guitars. I feel that the Martin is more comfortable to play and the sustain is much better than the Taylor. I love the "fullness" of the Taylor (compared to the signature Martin sound-ish from the DJr) but in the end, I went with which is more comfortable to play. My play style is also more on fingerpicking, hence the sustain is really important to me.
++ the Taylor also eventually had a bulge on the saddle part. I am not sure why, but probably still because of the scale length. They were both on 12s string and I think since the Taylor is shorter, there is much more tension on the strings. I cannot use 11s on the Taylor as it affects the sustain.
Finally Martin has a real travel guitar. The GS mini smoked everything Martin had to compete the Taylor til now. I have The GS mini in mahogany ( love it) but from this side by side id have to say the Martin sounds a bit better to my ears. Both are beautiful amazing guitars. No wrong choice
All of this boils down to tone preference. Taylor & Martin are different in that category. Taylor guitars seems to have more cut, more raspy tone, whereas martin guitars seem to have a more bottom end type tone.
The Taylor sounds better, so I just bought...the Martin. Going back and forth at Guitar Center for the afternoon, I thought the Martin just fit me a bit better. Anyway, I'm not a Pro, and I heavily process everything through GarageBand, and I love the Sonitone routed through an iRig HD. The difference in sound quality is not that big a deal.
If you’re a small person with small hands AND a beginner, would the GS mini be a better choice because of size?? I have a Martin LX1 and I really don’t like the sound. The size is OK but a little bigger would also be OK.
I don't own ether brand of guitar, but the martins always win these comparisons for me. They have a warmt to their tone that is missing in the taylor guitars.
Dread Jr all the way! Way better tone. I was surprised by the GS Mini though. Best sounding Taylor I've ever heard 😆
Surprised how similar they sound! Didn't expect that at all. I prefer my Martin 7-28 though.
Saving up now for GS mini Taylor
Could we do a comparison between the Taylor GS Mini and the Martin 000-JR-10 please?
I have Martin D Junior and I love it, it’s an amazing guitar!
The Martin sound best to my ears!
I'm saving for a Martin 🙂
Im a big big big Taylor guy, but its clear in this scenario that the martin is much cleaner. Has a nice whole sound. Could be because its a dreadnought, but its the performance.
the winner is... GS miny with Martin Strings.... there you have it best of both worlds...
victorulises lara Peña I don't even put Martin strings on my Martin! :)
Jesse Watson I put Martin strings on my Taylor, but only 'cause I change 'em twice a week and Martins are the cheapest option of what I call ''acceptable'' quality where I live. T'would get a little pricey otherwise even if I cut down to once a week. (I gig a lot) :)
Joe Bennett Yep, you gotta do what you gotta do for the tone you want. A lot of people really love Martin strings! I prefer nickel strings, and old strings, which is not what most people prefer.
I play a full size dread. So although I prefer my strings after a couple of hours ''mudding in'' for the sake of feel, there's no need to subdue the highs with duller, older pipes for me. Plenty of booty to balance stuff out and plenty of clean mids. Add the fact that I'm heavy handed as crap and liable to bust even a 56 gauge low E after a couple of days fatigue and my methods make sense :P
Jesse Watson so, what strings do you use/recomend?
I think the Taylor sounds a little better for fingerpicking, but the Martin definitely sounds better for strumming. Overall, the Martin sounds more like a full sized guitar.
That's exactly what I was about to post!
I'm a fingerpicker and the Martin sounds better than the Taylor to me.
They're both winners
Hmmm... The Martin sounded like a bigger guitar.. and it is, so it does do what it does great. The Martin tones are more scooped lacking the mid-range tones of the Taylor which sounds more balanced overall but it certainly depends on the style you play as to which best suits your needs.. Cant go really wrong with either..these two are tops in my book at an acoustic guitar. I own a Taylor GA8e and now have a mini GSe which is a great lil guitar. Martin has that Delta blues tone typically which NO ONE does better (not Taylor either) but my taste in music is a bit wider and the Martin as great as it is just isnt for me. Great vid!
Sound wise, my preference goes to the Martin. It wins hands down over the Taylor. However, I like the sexiness of GS Mini body. It'll definitely be "less tiring" to play the Taylor over a long period of time.
The gs mini is clear and responsive but during the last strumming demo it was like it’s too much for it to take and it’s about to fall apart.
Martin wins hands down.
However, it was close, this is the only Taylor I have ever liked.
Same here. I was going to buy the Taylor Gs mini till i head the sound of Martin Dreadnought Jr
I gave my DRJ a set of Elixir Phosphor Bronze medium and after one day acclimatization, it sounds incredible. More punch, more clarity, more treble, more balanced, ... .Try it ! You will not be disappointed.
Both guitars on comparisons should be fitted with the same strings, otherwise it is hard to compare.
Maybe you do a comparison with the Original strings and a set of Elixir PB medium !?
I don't like the muddy sound of the Martin strings
I have a GS mini mahogany with lighter Martin strings. It has that Martin like sound however, Martin strings last way less longer and become muddy after 3-4 weeks...
@@balazspetho5636 Not the new Martin Retro Monel strings. Same lifespan as the elixir PB.
I like the tone better on the Martin, but it’s too big for my hands. I tried one yesterday. Petite with small hands/short fingers here. It’s hard to find a small guitar that fits me but that also sounds good.
Hi Tony. I think that a better comparison would have been between the Martin D-Junior and the Taylor Big Baby, since both guitar share almost identical exterior specs. Anyhow, good review.
Appreciate the video but its a bit misleading how he expressed these as strictly travel guitars. the martin is 15/16th size of a "normal" guitar and just look at tony's hands... smaller folks/smaller hands can't really play a full 25.5 so the 24 scale makes sense as an "at home" guitar. even many people use GS Mini as their only guitar.
IMHO.,.GS mini is much suitable for travelling.,considering its lam and the sturdy bag and a smaller body.,.,BUT if you want to have the best sounding travel guitar.,.dread jr it is
hey tony!
how bout comparing dread jr with big baby
Uggi Cabs correct, yes good match between big baby and jr
I'm really confused as to why the D Jr. was spec'd with a 1-3/4" nut. Small body, large nut. What market was it designed for? Would a 1-11/16" nut have been any less appealing to its target market?
Anyway, I played a D Jr. for nearly a month. I already owned a GS Mini Mahogany. I expected a lot from the D Jr., being all solid wood and promising that signature Martin tone. But I returned it held onto my GS Mini--which has a much nicer bag to boot.
+Jim A, the dimension of the martin neck appeals to guys like me (and I'm especially talking about the string spacing at saddle). Fingerstyle player who would like a neck and string spacing closer to the necks I (and many of us prefer to but don't "have" to ) play on my full sized guitars but in a travel sized guitar you don't mind knocking around, losing, or getting stolen.
Sure I could take a parlor guitar with a huge wide spacing that is a "travel sized" guitar, but a martin o or oo-vs is not something you want to throw in the car with your luggage, or even leave behind in the hotel room. At least I couldn't afford that risk. Man, even Recording Kings with those dimensions are well over $1000
I would love for someone to turn me on to at least a 2 1/4 string spacing at saddle in a beater (for me that's something in the $300 to $500 range. Don't get me wrong their too, I'm not a snob when it comes to playing anything with strings on it, but given the option of 2 1/4 string space at saddle I jump on, and those guitars always seem to be the big leap in price. Now suddenly the guitars are priced nearer $2000 and up. And since I play with flesh I need to get closer to strings then a nail player. A nail player can stand off a bit and just lead in with the nails. .
My hat is off to Martin for always clearly stating with all models their string spacing at saddle. On the bang for your buck end I'm a fan of Seagull guitars but it's kinda nutty that their 1.8 width at nut finishes up being actually smaller spacing at saddle than even this Martin Dread Jr. which only started at 1.75
I wish guitarist would push harder to have more than just the nut mentioned all the time. Most of these other companies you have to contact and ask for width at 12th and spacing at saddle. What the hell would advertising a "wide" 1.75 nut matter if it ended up 1 inch at saddle (exaggerating to make a point there)
It's there, so measure it and tell us so we can be more educated consumers. I picked up an Alvarez AP70 for travel - excited about the price and 1.75 nut, only to find out finished smaller than my OM's and by American Breedloves that also start at 1.75. Yea I liked it but every time I played it I'd be feeling tight on the right hand. That was many years ago but that when the light when on for me and I started paying closer attention to the whole neck right down to saddle.
Why does any of this matter? Because the repertoire for guitar is growing and expanding in the fingerstyle direction and the space for the both hands matters more and more as this move progressed. My hat is off to all those flat pickers and I love what they do and wish I had the time to learn that stuff too, but they have their desired string spacing's already. We want ours too now. Bigger widths and at saddle too travel guitars.... Martin is sharp my friend. Steel string and at 2 and 3/16 at saddle give that guitar an edge to most fingerstyle guys. And 2 and 3/16 is not a game ender for flat pickers by far. Martin 00-VS yea, a lot of flat pickers are going to be turned off.
In the end anyway my friend....... to each his own.
I'm not going back a proof reading this so good luck.
I wish there would be a 1-3/4'' sized GS mini variant...
Both sound great. Definitely different, but both great. I'd have a hard time deciding which I'd rather have. So, I'll take one of each, please. :-)
Funny thing. When I listened to this last year, I thought the Taylor sounded better so I bought...the Martin. Now, when I listen to this, the Martin just sounds more natural to me. BTW, the first song was Brenda's Blues and the third was The Last Steam Engine Train. I think both were written by John Fahey.
Doc Bailey how much?
Tấn Lực Nguyễn I think $629 or on that ballpark.
martin 4 the win
Indeed
+jeppep95 I like the traditional looks of the GS Mini better, but the Martin sounds a little better in the recording.
In another comparison, they said that the Taylor is easier to play than almost anything else because the action is lower, i.e. the strings are closer to the fingerboard. A lot of us with smaller hands have had the action on our guitars lowered to make them easier to play but we lose some of the sound--it seems brighter, less bass, less resonance. What do you think?.
My GS mini needed a setup, the action was too high, and it was hard to fret in the first two bunds. It plays like butter since...
Gs mini for sure!
I listened with good headphones. The Taylor sounded just a little buzzy.. I prefer the Martin tone here.
Acoustic Letter I know you guys are very busy but I am torn between the gs mini mahogany and the martin dread junior. If you guys ever find the time to do a quick comparison between those two I would be so appreciative :) if not could you at least tell me what you recommend? I would mostly be taking it on road trips and using it as a practice guitar at home. Can you get the gs mini mahogany that comes with a pickup? And which would you say has a better travel bag?
They’re basically same price if you plan on a hard case because what you save in the Martin you’ll pay for with its hard Ca$$$e costing wayyyy more. Btw Martin emailed me that the case model number is: 12C0094
I hate that the "essential travel bag" is soft case. Anybody that truly travels with a guitar knows a hard case is ESSENTIAL
Depends on how you travel. While a hard case might prevent crushing force, a soft case will better prevent shock force. You don't want your guitar to literally rattle apart over the years from every jolt/bump.
Amazing! The Martin sounds like a Martin and the Taylor sounds like a Taylor! Lol
Thanks for that!
I wonder which guitar has the better intonation? You can hear it when you play a standard open C and E Chord. I only tried the Taylor GS Mini and it was not satisfying for me. I wonder how would it be with a Martin Jr.
Picking, the Martin wins hands down, chords a different story, Mini gets it. Like them both but if you're a bluegrass player I think you HAVE to take the Martin.
I have a taylor gs mini right now but I realized that I like the dreadnought jr more..
Omg I picked one up in my local music shop as a joke but I love how the Taylor gs mini plays
+evan magness I did the same thing then 2 weeks later I went a bought it..I couldn't get it out of my mind..
evan magness
You dropped 600+ dollars as a JOKE!? I want YOUR job. lol
I'm going with the Taylor
I see what you mean, Tony. They both sound great, but very different. I'm not sure I'd say either one was better than the other. My preference is leaning towards the Martin, since it has a sound that's familiar to me. My question would be a practical one... is the D Jr small enough to take on flights as hand luggage?
Yes.
Why not compare Martin Djr vs Taylor Big Baby?
Yeah, they are very similar in size
Because the Martinr Djr is more comparable to the GS Mini and the Baby Taylor to the LX1 due to the price range
Because the Taylor Big Baby doesn't chance against either of these, got two of them and a GS Mini. Martin D Jr is on the way
Steve Cook sorry man neither the Big Baby Dread Jr compare to GS Mini Koa
Martin takes it for me. I’d swap out those nasty 80/20s for some nickel bronze and get some even better sounds out of it.
Martin djr is good for recording purpose?
In this comparison I prefer the Martin. But I prefer the hog top Taylor so I don't know how much that factored in.
Fantastic!!! Please, can you say the name of all this songs that you're playing?
What is the song that he plays at 4:32?
Last Steam Engine Train
great comparison video! how would guys recommend having the gs mini set up?
+Ian Nahama The GS Mini comes setup great from Taylor.
Wow I'm surprised that Martin finally has brought to market something to directly complete with the Taylor GS Mini. I'm even more surprised at how much clearer and overall better the GS Mini sounds considering the DR J has solid wood back and sides and cost $70 more. When you figure also that the GS Mini is a TRUE travel guitar(23 1/2 " scale with layered back and sides) this isn't even close if you are considering a TRAVEL guitar. And this isn't even the best GS Mini. The Koa and the Rosewood versions both sound a little bit better.
rtgray7 i think it's mainly due to the strings. phosphor bronze seems to be a more articulate and longerlastinger, and elixirs are coated, so they last even longer. i think if you put phosphor bronze strings on the martin instead of 80/20's it would be pretty awesome.
rtgray7 I wonder how much of the tone difference has to do with the body shape as opposed to the build. I don't own a dreadnought, except for the D Jr., but people who own/play dreadnoughts think the D Jr. sounds like a dreadnought. I too was surprised though that the D Jr. didn't sound markedly better having the solid top with solid back and sides.
I hated the 80/20 strings on the D Jr, just too bright and obnoxious, but when I went to PBs it lost some clarity. I installed a bone saddle and ebony bridge pins on the D Jr. and while it gave me a little extra clarity and sustain the difference wasn't that drastic.
The D Jr comes with electronics already installed. For GS Minis with the GO installed the prices are comparable.
I definitely liked the gig bag of the GS Mini better. Seemed to have more padding and a better fit with support for the neck.
I have to agree the D Jr. really isn't a "travel" guitar and I don't see it as such. But I do consider it something I can travel with and not worry about. Just played the D Jr at a pool party a few weeks ago. I wouldn't have been so eager to take even my 414 to that event, let alone my higher end guitars.
If only the GS Mini came in a 1 3/4 nut :)... The GS is just a tad clearer tone.
Martin all day long for me. I’ve never heard a bad one
I think like 90%. GS is the best looking this great video. And I have one and the baby too. But the Taylors come with Elixir, rigth? And the Martin? I thinks it comes in original with Martin strings, right? And so I think elixir its a better strings them martin. Maybe this is the reason why taykor souds better in this test. Please forgive me my mistakes if they have.
Sorry mr.........i am confused very long time and now ....i am can not choice where buy...... martin djr 10 or gs mini..........very confused........and....can you recomended for me.........thanks.....