Taylor 321ce-N vs Martin 000-C Nylon?

pfflyer55 · #1 03-24-2018, 06:45 AM

Site unseen, which one would you suggest? I have 2 steel string guitars in my sig. Want a Nylon hybrid with electronics, since these 2 are the same top and b&s woods w/pickups, which one do you suggest? I am leaning towards the Taylor 312ce-N at this time.

dkstott · #2 03-24-2018, 02:29 PM

Personally, I'd reject both of them. Martin and Taylor's are nylon string guitar wannabes. My humble opinion is that they've simply swapped out the saddles and installed nylon strings on a steel string body. Way over built.

What type of sound are you looking for out of a nylon string guitar?

Dave

StephenHD35 · #3 03-24-2018, 03:37 PM

I can’t speak to the Taylor, but I owned the Martin for 6 months or so. I tried to like it, but I couldn’t get there. Plugged in it was ok. Unplugged, though, I found it to be especially disappointing. The notes seemed to die on the fretboard. I finally just gave it away. Now, a lot of people do like them, and it has been a pretty popular model, so you may like it just fine.

fazool · #4 03-24-2018, 03:39 PM

Everything you need to know can be learned from AGF-er Chris Crouch . Here is his channel on Youtube

pfflyer55 · #5 03-25-2018, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkstott

Personally, I'd reject both of them. Martin and Taylor's are nylon string guitar wannabes. My humble opinion is that they've simply swapped out the saddles and installed nylon strings on a steel string body. Way over built.

What type of sound are you looking for out of a nylon string guitar?

Dave

I am new to nylon string guitars, I am looking for a playable alternative to my Martin steel strings in my sig. I have very small hands and want a narrower nut width as these crossover guitars have. Style is not an issue as I am a novice at best, strumming chords and a small bit of finger style are what I am looking for with the comfort of nylon. Jazzy blues and a bit of country picking are what I want to take lessons on in the near future.

I also am considering a 414ce-n or 412ce-n used and in good condition. Chris Crouch makes the 000-C nylon sound marvelous but does not demo it plugged in.

Thanks for any advice in advance!

dosland · #6 03-25-2018, 06:24 PM

Personally I'd lean toward a Córdoba or a Yamaha for what you've described, but the Martin and the Taylor will hold their value better if you're ever looking to sell on, so that may be an important point to consider. Plugged in, I think the right Yamaha is pretty hard to beat, for ease of playing and for no-fuss sound tinkering. But it would be less compelling acoustically (like the modern Martin and Taylor nylons, in my experience). I'd probably buy a Córdoba GK model of some variety in my current mood. I think the choice between the Taylor and Martin is an extremely difficult one, and your best option might be to set them down next to each other (if you can) and see which feels better in a couple different rooms of the shop. Good luck in your search, I hope it'll be fun no matter what you end up with!

CCFingerstyle · #7 03-27-2018, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fazool

Everything you need to know can be learned from AGF-er Chris Crouch . Here is his channel on Youtube

Of those two...I recommend the 312ce-N. Unfortunately, others will likely recommend the 000C just as strongly. So you'll end up back where you started. It's a matter of preference. I like the smaller body style and ebony fingerboard of the 312. The richlite fingerboard of the 000C doesn't feel as smooth to me. Especially when you are bending notes (although some might argue that I should not be bending notes on a nylon string guitar...but that's what fingerstyle jazz players do at times). FWIW...the statement about "everything you need to know" by Fazool is kind...and I appreciate it...but quite inaccurate.

Chris Crouch

pfflyer55 · #8 03-29-2018, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCFingerstyle

Of those two...I recommend the 312ce-N. Unfortunately, others will likely recommend the 000C just as strongly. So you'll end up back where you started. It's a matter of preference. I like the smaller body style and ebony fingerboard of the 312. The richlite fingerboard of the 000C doesn't feel as smooth to me. Especially when you are bending notes (although some might argue that I should not be bending notes on a nylon string guitar...but that's what fingerstyle jazz players do at times). FWIW...the statement about "everything you need to know" by Fazool is kind...and I appreciate it...but quite inaccurate.

Chris Crouch

Thanks CC, you play a style that really suits my ear. The Martin 000-C is a beautiful guitar and has that Martin mystic, but lacks the all wood offering the 312ce-n has. Taylor tackles the intonation issue with the compensation of the A-string, does the 000C have any compensation in the saddle?
It all makes my decision just that harder to make until I hold and play both guitars.

OMCountryBoy · #9 03-29-2018, 06:05 PM

The Martin is X braced. You may want to stick with hard tension strings on it. All Nazareth made Martin Classicals come with the new Magnifico hard tension strings. So when you try one, if the strings aren’t gray, you you might want to make sure that the strings are hard tension, before judging the sound.

My friend is a Martin dealer, and says that the hard tension Magnifico strings come in at 104lbs of tension. So I would just make sure that the trebles are grey when you try one. I guess they designed them especially for X braced guitars. The strings are made by Aquila.

dosland · #10 03-30-2018, 01:43 PM

Whichever one you get, make or have made a new saddle. It's a good move (I think) even on a Taylor. I can't claim to notice a huge difference in sound, but you can definitely improve the compensation by having a solid bone saddle made for your guitar. If you can get the original saddle out.

MCDEMO1 · #11 04-04-2018, 04:02 PM

The Martin 000C-DG is a signature model made in memory of Chris Martin's brother. About 50 of them were made shortly before they came out with the 000-C. Differences from the standard 000-C = Euro top, golden yellow toner on top, gloss finish, fancy rosette, and FSC mahogany body & neck.

Two things I do not care for - the 26.44" (670mm) scale, which I find a little too long to play cleanly, and the amount of space the Fishman F1 pickup system takes up inside the guitar. You see only two small flat knobs and an equally small round display on the upper bass side bout of the guitar, but the interior is a different story.

The guitar sounds good played acoustically or plugged in, but I'll always wonder what the difference might be without the installed electronics.

Mark

pfflyer55 · #12 04-07-2018, 07:29 AM

I found an NS32-CE-n that may just be what I am looking for. Under 1K with OHSC. Are there any here that have played this model? I am looking for the string spacing at the bridge and can't find it anywhere. "HELP"

pfflyer55 · #13 04-12-2018, 11:05 AM

I found the string spacing, 2 5/16” at the saddle. What do you give up in sound with the ns32ce-n vs say the ns52 or the ns42? Any thoughts let me know.

sirwhale · #14 04-13-2018, 01:00 AM

I'd skip the crossover and go full flamenco. But if you do have to consider a crossover, do check out the Camps crossover, made by a proper nylon string brand.

jeanray1113 · #15 04-14-2018, 01:51 PM

It depends on what you want. For someone who wants a true classical or flamenco guitar, these models will be "wannabes". However, for the steel string player who wants a nylon string guitar that plays like a steel string, these hybrid nylon strings are just the ticket. I have a Taylor nylon that I like very much. Haven't played a Martin nylon string, but it's good enough for Willie Nelson. Like you, I have small hands and am not in the market for a full fledged classical or flamenco guitar. I simply want the tonal flavor of nylon once in a while. If possible, play both, as well as some other nylon hybrids.