If you are planning to buy an acoustic guitar, you must have come across these two popular guitars, Martin DX1AE and Taylor 110, in your research. These guitars have a long history in the music industry, and almost every musician who had tried them before would want to continue with these top acoustic guitar models. But sometimes, you may wonder which option to go for if you pick between Martin DX1AE vs Taylor 110.
The main difference between the Martin DX1AE and the Taylor 110 is the size of each guitar and the contrast in tone. The Martin DX1AE is slightly smaller and more compact. The other difference is the materials used to build each guitar. The Martin is made of Sitka Spruce, and the Taylor is made of Laminated Walnut with a spruce top. The neck of DX1AE is solid Mahogany, while the 110 is Maple.
This article will explore the difference between Martin DX1AE and Taylor 110, exploring their features to help you understand what makes one brand more popular in the market than the other.
The Background
When it comes to history and existence, Martin DX1AE holds an excellent presence in the market. Launched in 1833, this brand has continued to serve thousands of musicians, and it is considered among the oldest acoustic guitars on the globe. Christian Frederick Martin is the founder of this guitar, hence, the name martin dx1ae. What has put this brand on top of the market is its unique design. The dreadnought design has been adopted by many in constructing acoustic guitars.
On the other hand, Taylor 110 stands out as a modern acoustic guitar, established in 1974. Founded by Robert Taylor, The 110 has ranked top for being user-friendly, thus, ideal for beginners. Taylor acoustic guitars also come in handy with unique designs and are high-quality guitars. It is believed that the 110 is the pioneer of bolt-on maple neck design, and the dreadnought body shape is almost similar to that of the Martin DX1AE.
What About the Sound And Tone?
Just like how they are made of different materials, the two instruments produce different tones. When you compare Martin DX1AE to Taylor 110, you will realize that martin dx1ae has classic acoustic guitar sounds, with a unique lower frequency bloom. You can trace the number of years of Martin dx1ae in the market and the tremendous balanced sound back to the number of music records and albums produced by famous musicians in the world. Notable artists who have had great experiences with martin dx1ae include Elvis, Hank Williams, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, and The Eagles.
In contrast, Taylor 110 produces modern sounds. The tones are brighter and crisp and are usually the upper mid-tones. Some of the world’s greatest guitar players who have used Taylor 110 include Chelsea Wolfe, Taylor Swift, Mateus Asato, and many other famous musicians. Nevertheless, Guitarists can easily plug both types into an amp. You can also get electronic instruments for both options allowing you to produce quality bright range sound to incorporate into your music.
Their Performance
Comparing how Martin DX1AE and Taylor 110 play, you will only get a slight difference. Both options are exceptional as long as you set them correctly. If you have the right skills, you can easily play the guitars. You are only required to make a few adjustments, and you can quickly fix the changes without the help of an expert. The difference in the fretboard radius can also affect the performance of each guitar.
While Martin DX1AE has a standard radius of 16, Taylor 110 produces a standard of 15 radius. Although this is a slight difference, the smaller the radius, the easier it is to perform barre chords. The good thing is that all these options are effortless to play. They are also made of quality materials and exceptional standards.
Martin DX1AE vs Taylor 110 Structure Comparison
The Martin DX1AE and Taylor 110 have different structures. For more than 170 years, Martin DX1AE has maintained a traditional format as the Taylor 110 maintained a modern design since its inception. The advanced structure, including the neck angle, has enabled easy adjustment of Taylor 110 to fit the current needs.
However, performing traditional neck adjustments can be costly, affecting the use of martin dx1ae. Its neck is not adjustable due to its traditional nature, but you can be assured of getting resonant and balanced tone depths, unlike the Taylor 110.
Comparing the Value For The Price
Despite Martin DX1AE being a traditional guitar, it offers a unique crispy sound. For Taylor 110, you will expect to hear familiar tones that you can listen to in most contemporary music. Simply, it’s hard to conclude that one is better than the other as both produce high-quality sounds, and maybe the value of the guitars will highly depend on the user’s needs.
The Bracing and Build Finish
Most acoustic guitars have been constructed using X-bracing. However, X-bracing portrays a common challenge whereby you have to decrease volume to increase sustain. However, the advanced option, V-class bracing, has helped increase sustain and volume without compromising tone quality.
Different companies manufacture both Martin DX1AE and Taylor 110. This means that you may expect some differences in how they are built. For the Taylor 110, modern techniques have been employed to produce the instrument. On the other hand, martin dx1ae embraces traditional designs, which have been observed for nearly two centuries. Every Martin dx1ae guitar is made by experts specializing in different areas.
So, if you have an expert who makes the neck of the guitar, they will do the task for all guitars manufactured. If another person is good at constructing the dreadnought body shape, they will do the job for every Martin DX1AE. This is how Martin’s factory has made it possible to produce quality guitars. As for the Taylor 110, a good example is incorporating the neck into the solid body. Typically, the New Technology neck of Taylor 110 helps support the fretboard, enhancing stability.
The Bottomline Deal
If you need a classy acoustic guitar, both Martin DX1AE and Taylor can offer you a remarkable experience. The argument about which guitar is the best between the Martin DX1AE and Taylor 110 has been debated for a long time, and every user would give a different opinion. All in all, the suitability of these guitars would highly depend on your preferences.
You can find more info at – Taylor vs Martin guitars