Official Luthiers Forum!

You know I had trouble telling the difference between the sound of an acoustic guitar in the past but yesterday my eyes were opened. I saw a friend play this cheap martin that had a laminated neck (basically it was many layers of birch laminated together with dyes injected to make it look good) and the back and side looks like pressed wood or something, it was a D-style. The top is solid spruce. The guitar sounds a little too warm and muffled and it was hard to hear it when soloing. Then another friend has a taylor that has mahogany neck (and 2 ugly screws through the fretboard... what were they thinking??) that sounds much brighter and had more projection. The back and side were not solid and the top is also spruce. I was wondering if it was bracing that made the difference... I think the martin had heavy top brace.

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Typhoon Guitars
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I can’t say I have seen a Martin neck as you described. The Taylor had to be a "Big Baby" or a "Baby" Taylor. These are entry level knock around and youth Taylors. Designed to inexpensive instruments. They are in expensive because of the manufacturing process. If you noticed that was no binding in the Taylor either. So to answer your question of "What were they thinking?" They were thinking; "How can be build a guitar and price it under $500"

I have played a lot of Martin's and a few Sigma’s over the years I cant say I have ever heard one I would call muffled. Now the Martin sound is not my bag of tea (I exclude some vintage Martin's for that statement) Martin di some what over brace in the 60's and 70's in my opinion but most big time manufactures do on the midline instruments to keep the warranty and returns rates down as well as to make a fast moving product line process.

It's at least as likely that the bell curve made the difference you heard as opposed to the design of the two guitars. I've played two production guitars from the same lot of the same model in the same factory and one was fantastic and one was mediocre (and, sadly, I sent the great one in for warranty work and they replaced it with the mediocre one instead of fixing it!)

I've seen those necks, BTW. It's neat idea, but they are kind of gross looking.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

the guitar you describe is a Martin X series. the neck is called stratabond , it is laminated as you describe and the color is from the epoxy. Framus guitars used a similar process. The bracing is the difference. The martin uses a parabolic bracing system. The upper part of the top is A framed. It is a totally different bracing system then the X brace we have become familiar with.
I am not sure but I would bet the Taylor has an X braced system. You are 100% correct that the bracing has alot to do with it.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
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