Martin DCPA4 vs Takamine EF341SC?

[JackB1]

Which in your opinion is a better stage guitar? Which will sound better through a PA system?

Assume the price is the same for both guitars....which would you choose?

[BT55]

Originally Posted by JackB1

Which in your opinion is a better stage guitar? Which will sound better through a PA system?



Assume the price is the same for both guitars....which would you choose?

I owned GPCPA4 which is the brother of the DCPA4. It was a good guitar - not great. Even though it was Spruce/EIR the resale was terrible.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by BT55

I owned GPCPA4 which is the brother of the DCPA4. It was a good guitar - not great. Even though it was Spruce/EIR the resale was terrible.

I wonder why? I would think most Martin's hold pretty good resale value.

[slooky]

I have the Martin GPCPA4. I find it is a great guitar. If it got lost or stolen I would definitely buy another one. I also owned a Takamine ef 341. Tak was laminate vs all solid Martin. Sold the tak.

[RockerDuck]

Originally Posted by JackB1

I wonder why? I would think most Martin's hold pretty good resale value.

I bought a Martin GPCpa4r when Martin first sold them, at $900. 10 yrs. later they were selling for $1899. I checked Ebay for used ones and $900 is the going price. I can get my money back, but if you bought one at $1899 you will take a loss.

[noledog]

Originally Posted by slooky

I have the Martin GPCPA4. I find it is a great guitar. If it got lost or stolen I would definitely buy another one. I also owned a Takamine ef 341. Tak was laminate vs all solid Martin. Sold the tak.

* For stage they are both good, however, the Takamine Palathetic pickup imo out performs the Martin. This Tak EF341SC is made in Japan at the Pro Series facility and has a solid cedar top over lam maple b/s. Tak does lam very well in their own unique way and "all solid" does not always translate to better when amplified.

** I've played both and perform for a living and have used MIJ Taks on stage for years, Tak Palathetic pickup is warm and also senses body which allows for a nice percussive tone too (works well with the cedar top). You also have interchangeable preamp options which all have built-in tuners; the Martin VTE does not. The Martin is a nice guitar in itself, but the newer VT Enhance pickup system (Matrix UST) they come with sounds thin and quacks very easily. The SBT Enhance is very trebly, hollow and bright...it is also feedback prone if dialed in too much. The Martin has a simple dovetail, The Tak has a more traditional Standard Martin-like dovetail if that matters.

*** Unplugged they are about even, amplified the Tak outperforms the Martin big time......Tak gets my vote by a mile.

[jp2558]

As an owner of a 92 EF-341C, all laminate, I voted for the Martin.

My Tak is a good guitar, stays in tune, and sounds great when I plug it directly in to the PA. I had it for 20 years before I bought an M-36, which is now my gold standard for how an unplugged acoustic should sound. Granted that is an apples to oranges comparison. I do still have the Tak as it is now my campground guitar.

However I voted for the Martin simply because I’d expect the unplugged sound of the DCPA4 to hopefully bring the Martin sound with it moreso than the Tak, even though the Tak referenced includes the Spruce top (I thought the S in EF-341SC stood for Spruce?), which is probably a significant upgrade compared to my all laminate Tak. When I play my Tak unplugged these days, to me it sounds like cardboard, but again that is in comparison to an all wood standard series Martin.

Good luck with whichever you choose.

[noledog]

Originally Posted by jp2558

As an owner of a 92 EF-341C, all laminate, I voted for the Martin.

My Tak is a good guitar, stays in tune, and sounds great when I plug it directly in to the PA. I had it for 20 years before I bought an M-36, which is now my gold standard for how an unplugged acoustic should sound. Granted that is an apples to oranges comparison. I do still have the Tak as it is now my campground guitar.

However I voted for the Martin simply because I’d expect the unplugged sound of the DCPA4 to hopefully bring the Martin sound with it moreso than the Tak, even though the Tak referenced includes the Spruce top (I thought the S in EF-341SC stood for Spruce?), which is probably a significant upgrade compared to my all laminate Tak. When I play my Tak unplugged these days, to me it sounds like cardboard, but again that is in comparison to an all wood standard series Martin.

Good luck with whichever you choose.

There is a big difference between the older discontinued EF341C all-laminate that you have and the current EF341SC that the OP listed as an option. The former is all-laminate spruce over nato as you correctly stated with older electronic whereas the latter has a solid cedar top over lam maple with the CT4BII preamp...the current EF341SC's solid cedar top and electronics make a huge difference unplugged and amplified. So it is not a fair comparison using your older different model Tak to what the OP asked; apples and oranges. The OP is asking for which is a better stage guitar and the Tak wins out in electronics easily. All solid does NOT translate to better amplified in my years of professional live performance. Having played both systems many times, the Tak clearly out performs the VTE system currently used in the Martin that the OP is comparing. Just trying to keep the focus here on helping answer the questions the OP has on these two actual models as they are currently sold.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by slooky

I have the Martin GPCPA4. I find it is a great guitar. If it got lost or stolen I would definitely buy another one. I also owned a Takamine ef 341. Tak was laminate vs all solid Martin. Sold the tak.

Which had a better plugged in sound? That’s my largest criteria.
Laminate back and sides is actually preferable in a gigging guitar since it may go in and out of different environments.

[JackB1]

Thanks. Exactly the info I’m looking for. I feel like the electronics in the Tak are superior to the electronics in the Martin. The Martin is probably equal or better acoustically, but that’s not my main concern here. I currently use a Epiphone DR500 for gigs and it’s nice. I just want something a bit better live sounding.

Originally Posted by noledog

* For stage they are both good, however, the Takamine Palathetic pickup imo out performs the Martin. This Tak EF341SC is made in Japan at the Pro Series facility and has a solid cedar top over lam maple b/s. Tak does lam very well in their own unique way and "all solid" does not always translate to better when amplified.

** I've played both and perform for a living and have used MIJ Taks on stage for years, Tak Palathetic pickup is warm and also senses body which allows for a nice percussive tone too (works well with the cedar top). You also have interchangeable preamp options which all have built-in tuners; the Martin VTE does not. The Martin is a nice guitar in itself, but the newer VT Enhance pickup system (Matrix UST) they come with sounds thin and quacks very easily. The SBT Enhance is very trebly, hollow and bright...it is also feedback prone if dialed in too much. The Martin has a simple dovetail, The Tak has a more traditional Standard Martin-like dovetail if that matters.

*** Unplugged they are about even, amplified the Tak outperforms the Martin big time......Tak gets my vote by a mile.

[stormin1155]

I have an OMCPA4, and it's a great little guitar, but I'm not a fan of the Fishman A1 pickup system. I think the Tak has better electronics.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by stormin1155

I have an OMCPA4, and it's a great little guitar, but I'm not a fan of the Fishman A1 pickup system. I think the Tak has better electronics.

OK thats what I need to know. Thanks

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by stormin1155

I have an OMCPA4, and it's a great little guitar, but I'm not a fan of the Fishman A1 pickup system. I think the Tak has better electronics.

OK thats what I need to know. Thanks

[PorkPieGuy]

I love my Takamine EF-341SC. Sounds amazing plugged in, and it is a great workhorse. When I was doing the singer/songwriter thing, I played through a wide variety of PA systems, and it always delivered a great sound. No need to pedal boards or preamps IMO. Plug and play.

[JackB1]

Originally Posted by PorkPieGuy

I love my Takamine EF-341SC. Sounds amazing plugged in, and it is a great workhorse. When I was doing the singer/songwriter thing, I played through a wide variety of PA systems, and it always delivered a great sound. No need to pedal boards or preamps IMO. Plug and play.

awesome! I am definitely leaning towards the Tak