Short Scale Question - 14 fret / 12 fret - Need Advice
 

Lately I've been playing a Taylor 12-fret, which is a 24.9" scale guitar with 12 frets clear of the body and 18 total frets. I love how comfortable this guitar is to play. When a fingering stretches from fret 2-5, it's an easy reach for me, unlike on a standard-scale guitar, where it's a stretch.

The Martin 000-28EC (a guitar I'm interested in) is also 24.9" scale, but with 14 frets clear of the body and 20 total frets. Other than the fact that I'll be reaching a little further away to get to the first fret (since the neck is longer) isn't it true that the stretch from, say, frets 2-5 has to be - mathematically - identical to the Taylor, since they're both 24.9" scale?

Or am I dreaming?

Your logic is sound -- the reaches should feel about the same. Those 000-28ec are about as comfortable to play as the Taylor 12 fret, although the Martins typically have much higher action.

But the action can be adjusted using the truss rod or by sanding down the saddle, yes?

They should feel more or less the same, the 12 - 14 fret difference shouldn't put the nut that much further away in playing position, as the bodies are not the same. I like 12 fret short scale too.
JMHO
MJRB

Put a capo on the 2nd fret and you really will love the playing comfort!