Taylor GA4 / Martin D28
 

I made a mistake today and went into a guitar store to try a GS7 to compare with my GA4. there was a Martin D28 sitting right next to me so i had to try it out. now i want my Taylor to sound like the Martin. i am sure this isn't possible but can changing strings make the Taylor sound a little deeper or mellower? If this is possible what string would you recommend. I like the Taylor brighter sound but I also like the Martin deeper sound. any help would be great. thanks Doug

I don't believe thats possible no matter what strings you put on it, Taylor and Martin are at opposite ends of the spectrum................the closest I've ever gotten to dampen the brightness with strings on a Taylor is Dean Markley Alchemys

Try some different strings and see.

Jim

enjoy the differences
 

I have owned several Taylors and several Martins and I have come to appreciate the tone of both. One of the few things that I can say that I have learned through my limited time playing the guitar is this...............A Taylor sounds like a Taylor and a Martin sounds like a Martin. Enjoy the differences. :guitar:

As others have said, Taylors and Martins seem to occupy tonal ground that is almost mutually exclusive, but you said you wanted to try a GS7, so did you compare that to the Martin? The GS7, being cedar over rosewood, is probably about as mellow a Taylor as you could hope to find.

Richard

When i got to the store the GS7 was gone. all they had was a GS8 and it sounded so similar to my GA4 that i wouldn't change for the difference in cost. I think there was some difference but not much. i am sure the cedar top would have been mellower. that is what i am looking for(mellower).

It's absolutely impossible. Those are two different beasts in the industry. It'll be just as difficult trying to turn a Martin into a Taylor.

Sorry.

Like RLouie said, Alchemy's GoldPhos will probably give your guitar the richest darkest mellow sound possible (try medium and adjust the truss rod for the change)... if you want that Martin sound, you just gotta purchase a Martin.

strings will make a differece, Dean Markley Alchemy Goldbronz would be the warmest string on the market.

but if you like the martin sound, you gotta get a martin. but you already know that.

i smell GAS :evilgrin:

I think you are right, i am going to get Martin. i would like to get a D28 or D35, but i want a 1 3/4 nut width and i don't think they make them?

You've mentioned GA and GS body styles of Taylor's, but the D28 is a dred, so I think that's one of the biggest differences between the two sounds. A Taylor dred doesn't sound like a Martin, but it does have more low end than a GA style. Taylor dreds are great guitars.

D28VS has a 1-3/4 neck, so does D18GE

you can also look into offerings by santa cruz or collings or bourgeous, or Huss and dalton

This is good news because i really like the deeper sounds and i would like to stay with the Taylor line of guitars. i will try a taylor dred, i never played the Taylor dred. Thanks for all the comments, this is a great forum.

If my playing gets better i will look at the costume built guitars but at the present time my playing ability doesn't warrant that upper scale cost of costum guitars (says my wife). As you can see i have 2 obstacles cost and my dear wife.

While there's nothing that can make a Taylor sound just like a Martin, you can get some better bass response by changing to a bone saddle. It won't take away that treble/mid shimmer that we love about Taylors, but maybe a Taylor dred with the bone nut and warmer strings will get you closer to what you're looking for.

I've played a bunch of Martin D28's D35's, and HD28's. There have been only a couple I really liked; most felt like I was playing a brick- really dead to my ears. But then again, I love that Taylor shimmer.

Good luck! A big part of the fun is the journey.
Chuck

D-28 Marquis
 

The D-28 Marquis has a 1 3/4 nut width.:)