Perception. Martin vs Taylor.

[JohnW63]

In my view, guitar companies have a difficult task. If they build quality products, new players will probably find out about them and spend money. On the other hand, what happens after that ? What is there to entice the owner of a good quality guitar to by another one from the same company or another company ? Often the big players are competing with themselves. It not that often that a guitar just wears out and you need to buy a new one, unless you're a gigging professional and play all the time.

Martin does take a more laid back approach. " We're still here. If you like our guitars, wouldn't you want to buy another one ? " Taylor is going with the " New and Improved ! " Approach. They also look to have a wider selection of features that could produce a different sound. Body shapes and sizes as well and different wood combinations. You could look at there web site and pick a very different combination that you have now and have a very different guitar. So, they keep interest up by making sure you know they do different things.

Both approaches work for those companies. I did find the " amazing " tonal changes that were part of the V brace change a bit over the top, but I also understand why they felt they had to do it. The most common response , even in these forums, when the very idea of someone doing a different bracing pattern is, " Well the X brace has worked for 150 years. I see no reason to change anything ! " Taylor had to have reasons to give players as to why they were changing things.