Research shows that guitar is played by 10% of the world’s population. That gives you around 712 million guitarists. The versatility of the guitar in the musical world has made it quite a rewarding and exciting instrument to play.
A lot of guitar brands are known for their guitar products. Takamine and Martin are popular names in the world of acoustic guitars. People often encounter confusion while making a choice for one of them.
Before the comparison, a brief overview of the Takamine and Martin guitar brands can give you a ground on their features and characteristics.
Comparing Takamine vs Martin Guitar
| Features | Takamine Guitar | Martin Guitar |
|---|---|---|
| Sound | High quality | Traditional acoustic guitar sound |
| Neck Design | Asymmetric | Modified low oval |
| Craftsmanship | Old world plus modern technology | Traditional construction methods |
| Tone | Bright | Warm |
| Range of guitars | Less | More |
| Country of manufacture | China and Japan | Mexico and USA |
| Price | Less | More |
Takamine Guitar
Historical Overview
It was the year 1959 when Takamine was founded in Sakashita, a town in Japan. The name Takamine was given to this guitar company in 1962. Some years later, this company started getting famous as they built acoustic-electric guitars.
Most people are opinionated on calling Takamine a mid-range guitar. When you look at the list of successful musicians that played Takamine guitars, it is replete with names like Bruce Springsteen, Neil Simon, Jon Bon Jovi, Nancy Wilson, and Garth Brooks.
Sound
The sound produced by Takamine guitars is excellent in its quality. The higher-end instruments of Takamine generate even better sound.
Playable Necks
The role of guitar necks in the playability of the guitar is vital. Guitars are a breeze to play if the angles of the neck are right and you handle them well. The neck design of Takamine guitars is asymmetrical and looks like the letter ‘C’.
What makes it fit smoothly in your hands is the thin offset neck profile towards the bass side. A slim design and fingerboard arch add more to the features of Takamine guitar necks.
Craftsmanship
The techniques used in the construction of the Takamine guitars include both traditional methods and new-age technology. The main parts of the guitars are manufactured with old age knowledge.
However, modern-day technology is used to make the rest of the guitar parts.
Bracing
Bracing is an important factor that majorly affects the personality and sound quality of the guitar. The bracing pattern used in the Takamine guitars is X-shaped, just like the traditional style.
The combination of the bracing pattern with the cedar and spruce soundboards produces a great tone.
Design
The split saddle design is the most prominent feature that distinguishes Takamine guitars from the rest of the brands. This very design is crucial in producing accurate acoustic intonation.
Price Range
When you look at the costs of the Takamine guitars, you see that their price range varies from a few dollars to several thousand.
Out of all their series, G-series is the most affordable one. However, if you want the premium guitar, you should pick one from the Pro series.
Country Of Manufacture
The G-series models of Takamine guitars are manufactured in China, while the manufacturing companies for the Pro Series are located in Japan.
Martin Guitars
Historical Overview
Martin has a name in the music industry as the company that laid the foundation for acoustic guitars. Martin introduced the majority of the traits in the modern acoustic guitars. The company has been around for almost two centuries.
heir guitars revolutionized the music world with their Dreadnought body shape and scalloped bracing. A lot of reputable musicians used this brand of guitar.
It won’t be wrong to generalize their guitars as the traditional style guitars that keep getting updated with innovative features without disturbing the originality of their construction and design.
Most of their guitars are high end and are the best in the market.
Tone
Martin acoustic guitars produce a classic sound. The emphasis lies more on the bass and lower mids which result in a full and warm tone.
String Choice
Martin guitars come with the flexibility of the string choice. Regardless of what the string is, light or heavy, Martin guitars can make accommodations as per the setup.
The feature of string choice appeals to guitar players who intend to try different strings and experiment with different sounds.
Bracing
As far as the generalizations on the features of the Martin guitars are concerned, they can be violated depending on the model you are using.
There are several factors that affect the tone of an acoustic guitar, including the bracing pattern, shape, and tonewood. The warm and full tone produced from the Martin guitars is mainly because of the X-class bracing pattern.
Comfort And Playability
The set neck of the Martin guitars keeps you from adjusting the neck angles and getting your desired action. However, comfort and playability are quite subjective because Martin keeps manufacturing guitars with varied shapes and neck profiles.
Players can choose the one that suits their style and comfort. The best way to deal with this is to try a number of models in the guitar store and get the individual feel of each of them.
Built-in Electronic Systems
In Martin guitars, the built-in electronic systems ease the feedback protection and tuning jobs. Guitarists who frequently perform live can utilize most of this feature.
The reason is that sometimes you won’t even know, and your guitar would go out of tune. In other cases, the use of a microphone induces feedback. That’s when the built-in electronic systems jump in and save the deal for you.
Free Neck Reset
Another intriguing thing about the Martin brand is that their guitars come with a free neck reset. This repair is quite costly, which is why Martin is nice enough to cover it.
It is a perfect depiction of how much trust they put in the instruments they manufacture.
Price
Martin guitars are quite expensive, but they offer remarkable features to pay for the price.
In order from affordable to expensive, the list of the Martin guitars includes the Junior series, X-series, 15-series, standard series, authentic series, and custom series.
Country Of Manufacture
Most of the Martin models that are comparatively cheaper than the rest of their guitars are manufactured in Mexico. On the other hand, in America, the high lines of Martin over $1300 are made.
Comparison Between Takamine And Martin Guitars
Martin guitars have a name in the market because of their dreadnought range. The tone of Takamine guitars is bright, while that of Martin is warm and full.
When compared to the Takamine brand, Martin has more guitars with a large range varying in terms of design and style. Martin guitars with the highest prices are more premium when matched with Takamine guitars.
Conclusion
Considering the features of both Takamine and Martin, it is difficult to choose a winner. The best suggestion is to pick the model that suits your needs and doesn’t cross the budget restrictions.
If you are searching for a guitar under $1200 and with a bright sound, you can choose the Takamine brand. However, Martin is well reputed for their high-end models and warm tones.
I tried a Takamine for a Third of the price of a Martin I also tried. I was amazed at How much better the Takamine guitar sounded. Much better. But its generelly Known that Martin guitars are overpriced. I tried an Epiphone that cost the same as the Martin guitar and that too sounded much better than Martin. I dont doubt Martin has Good guitars but They are extremely overpriced. But its the same with Electric guitars. A Fender Stratocaster costs about 75 to 80 USD to manufacture for Fender snd They sell them for 2 500 USD.
I own 5 Martin guitars and bought one Takamine. Honestly, the sound and build quality of the Takamine is far superior. Martin guitars are over priced for what they are. Much better value with a Takamine.
I purchased 5 Martin guitars and only one Takamine because the sound and action of my Martin are far superior to the Takamine. Incidentally, my Takamine has the notorious Martin headstock but it’s sound dose not compare to 4 of my 5 Martin guitars. I am a songwriter so sound is important to me. Mike Sgarlat