Review: Guild, Martin & Taylor Are Offering Scaled-Down, Affordable Versions of Popular Models

Heads up, tiny-house nation-’tis the time of the tiny guitar. Scaled-down is the new “bigger is better,” a design aesthetic for guitars that are easy to transport, gig-ready, and quite attractive. These days, modern guitar players value portability in addition to tone, playability, and visual aesthetics, and the industry is responding with compact acoustic axes that travel easily, accommodate players with small hands or ergonomic challenges, fit into cramped living spaces, and suit modest budgets. And most mini and junior models come equipped with either a pickup system or you can easily have one installed. Of course, travel guitars are not a new concept; they’ve been around for decades, but the idea of major manufacturers scaling-down their prized products is fairly new. These days, three of the biggest American guitar manufacturers-Martin, Taylor, and Guild-are producing high-quality, scaled-down versions of some of their most popular models. Here’s a look at what they have to offer.

[@dpwsworldoffunstuff6901]

idk why people giving the guild a bad hand to the others. i kinda like the "box" kinda sound it is giving. it actually sounds kinda like an old guitar. would probably sound great for fingerstyle blues.

[@Prestonion]

I like it too, off to get one on Monday, but for Blues, you should get the Little Gretsch G9500 Jim Dandy 24" Scale Acoustic It's amasing.

[@filipedownhill]

when i tried this Guild guitar i felt in love after watching this video it definitely made my mind about buying it.

[@BaktaBak3]

All 3 are great smaller guitars. Have had the Dred Jr. for a couple yrs . Love it. Gets played a lot ! Can't go wrong with any of these. Just depends on the sound you like .

[@edfulginiti8798]

Interesting how good guitars in the hands of a great player all sound pretty dang good! Mini is my choice.

[@michaelvaladez6570]

I owned a Taylor mini it was not to my liking..it had issues the frets were not up to pare..and the width of the neck was not quite set up evenly..sold it.Have not heard the Martin ,the Guild but the Martin sounded better to my liking.Thank you for this post.Greatly appreciated.

[@guitarguy7621]

I own the martin Jr. I love it. I did have to have saddle lowered a little to suit my playing style. I originally switched to my normal stock of strings but found the original martin retro strings sounded so much richer. I switched back and will maintain a stock of martin strings for my Jr. This is a guitar to have. Easy to play, easy to travel with. I am surprised with the sound of this guitar considering the price tag. You will not be sorry if you buy the martin jr. It will need a professional setup but well worth the price. You can't go wrong.

[@doloresfrancisco4810]

I owned Taylor mini & Martin X Ed Sheeran limited Edition they're both sounds great in a different way, I used them for small & large gig they're Awesome. Now I am planning on buying a Martin Jr.

[@HandmadeDarcy]

I've been hunting for a mini guitar for days, now, and I'm constantly reminded of Absolutely Fabulous when Adina is tasked with firing her driver and selling her giant Rolls for a small car she can drive herself, and she comes back with a "teenee, tiny, miniscule little car, darling" and it's a hugely expensive 2 seater sports car. 😂😩

[@skaybaltimore]

Taylor for me. (Which is good because I just ordered one the other day and it'll be here in a couple of days.) I was beginning to wonder if I should have gotten the Martin but after this demo I think I made the right choice. Nice video. Thanks.

[@jamesn5595]

My Taylor Mahogany should arrive next week. I've watched a number of comparison videos, before choosing the Taylor. They do all sound great in slightly different ways. I wondered about the Martin too because of the nut width. All three should hold their value quite well, if somewhere down the road, you want to swap out for another model for whatever reason.

[@oregonfloor5113]

first place forguild & second place formartin.., both acoustic line unbeatable..!

[@real_mrmime9617]

You must be hard of hearing if you think guild came in first here

[@murlyn2]

There’s a reason why Taylor sells more than the others combined I have played them and own the Taylor

[@oregonfloor5113]

@@real_mrmime9617 everyone got their own private opinion u can not push or drive someone in picking their favourite guitar

[@Landmantx]

To my non guitar picking ears, soundwise, I would go with the Taylor GS Mini number one, Martin #2 and the guild a distant 3rd. I am shopping for my 12 year old daughter a guitar and I cant decide between the Taylor and the Martin. Reading that the neck is bigger on the Martin makes me think the Taylor is the best overall bet for a junior player to learn and enjoy on.

[@MattD86]

Landmantx she won’t be disappointed. I’ve been playing guitar both professionally and as a hobby for 20 years and my Taylor GS Mini (Walnut back and sides version) is truly one of my top 3 favorite guitars I’ve ever played given all considerations.

[@balazspetho5636]

Strings are medium on Taylor GS minis, maybe it worth consiedering to change them to lights (for the first year or so) or consider a Baby Taylor or Academy Series for a beginner.

[@anewvoice3682]

Price may be a huge buying point for people. I know a lot of people compare the Martin and the GS and most end up praising the Taylor GS Mini over the baby Taylor. Some go for Martin. But I can't believe these KZbin videos are including the Guild Jumbo Junior in the comparison. It's like comparing a maserati, a Mclaren and a Mazda Miata. It's like comparing a toy to a guitar, rather. I'm quite upset, still, a month later and I'm writing my first review/KZbin comment ever, after playing guitar for many, many years. I used this video and a few others to decide to buy a guild (and not trying the guitar for long --- a first ever doing that, for me) and I bought it primarily after owning 3 GS Minis which I love and use as my go to guitars (even though I own a $2000+ Martin). Guess what, the GS mini is a great, amazing sounding guitar and I returned my Guild mini within 24 hours. during that time, I did proper research and read many chat boards to find that the smaller sized Guild guitars arent even factory inspected, but screened in the country of sale.. sometimes sent back or reduced or mostly just put out into the market. obviously i got one of the duds.. but i really dont think that summarizes the situation.even if some of these guild jumbo minis do come out at a better quality (random that is indeed), i cant imagine the guitar sounding anywhere near a GS Mini. the GS isn't exactly a dreadnaught, but they still sound great for their size. I own a mahogany, spruce and koa. i wanted the Jumbo junior to play at the beach and not worry, value wise if it got damaged. but the guitar sounds like a toy and it plays like a toy. Ask yourself this question, would you buy a dog that is imported from a mass dog breeder facility in China at a much cheaper rate and with no quality control/inspections? Well, your dog is your most loyal, little best friend and you expect the best of your little travel buddy. I feel the same way about my 3/4 travel guitars and I can't even believe I bought that guitar. I returned it promptly and I felt extremely upset. after 20 years, this was the first time that I bought a guitar without playing it for a while and this is also the first time I've ever posted a comment on a KZbin video. That's how unimpressive this Guild Junior is... there's a reason Guild had to sell it at such a lower price point that Taylor. Keep in mind that Taylor's Koa 224ce is one of the best guitars they make and it's made in Mexico. there's a big difference between MIM and MIChina. Do Not buy the Guild Jumbo Junior. If you want my advice, the GS Mini Spruce is a great buy. Cheers.

[@GregWorzel]

Martin Jr is my favorite. But, I wish the electronics were on the side instead of in the sound hole. I need to use a feedback eliminator when playing live.

[@deemusiclv]

I had a LRBaggs Anthem installed in a Little Marti. I run it through an acoustic pedal board into Bose S1 pros. Sounds and plays legit.

[@thehotsixer1]

Everything is "nice," nut width of 1 11/16 is nice, nut spacing of 1 3/4 is nice too! Every feature of every guitar is "nice"!

[@arctichare8185]

So nice of you to notice.

[@scalwi]

People in the market for a good guitar that is easy for traveling (as opposed to a true travel guitar) may want to check out the larrivee p-03

[@AndrewUnruh]

I just played one of those. It was amazing how they can get so much sound out or a tiny guitar. Also, the string spacing is normal. I have a GS-Mini, and even though my hands are hardly bigger than Trump's, the spacing is still too narrow for me.

[@liv4music]

Nicely done! Thanks for taking the time to do this.

[@wayne2150]

I like the Martin best. Nice review!

[@michaelvaladez6570]

I had Taylor mini it had issues I sold it.The nut and frets were off.I have never heard the Martin but it sounds pretty nice to my liking. The Guil looks nice but I would like to play it in person.Thank you for this post greatly appreciated.

[@leapsplashafrog]

Hi what string gauge do you recommend for guitars this size? all presumably with a higher tone than standard scale length?

[@owenraymond5243]

Sapele back&sides on martin dreadnought JR

[@rtgray7]

The Guild and Martin are much bigger than the GS Mini which is really still in a class by itself. The Martin sounds and plays very good but, again, it is much bigger and it has a solid back and sides compared to the laminate GS Mini. All this makes the Martin quite a bit more expensive and not as easy to travel with as the Taylor. So the Taylor GS MIni is the only TRUE "travel" guitar here in my opinion. I have been testing a small, affordable travel guitar that sounds great and plays easily. To me, the GS Mini blows the others away. You can actually play a set with it and hold your own.

[@marike1100]

All three guitars are mini sized.

[@buskingbetty7135]

The Taylor GS Mini ( with built in ESB or ES2 pickup) can be the more expensive guitar ( i.e the GS Mini Koa at approx $800. US dollars) . Have played all 3. All 3 are great guitars. All have their own tone/voice, & feel. All are travel guitars & come with nice gig bags. Best to physically try/play the instruments of interest to decide what's best for you.

[@zykify]

@Xavier Roberts I assume he means "deeper than Single 0 and parlors". Scale length of the GS Mini is announced as 23.5" compared to Martin's 24", but in Europa the difference is smaller than that, only 5mm (1/5 inch) 596 vs 601mm. I guess 24" look nicer than 23.6614" (I know the guitars are the same size in EU, but the spec sheets differs). When it comes to overall sizes, the Martin is one inch longer, the GS-Mini is ever so slightly wider and a few millimeters deeper. So, all in all - they are not the same size, but definitely in the same "size category". I've never tried the Guild, so I did not bother checking it's specs, but the GS-Mini and the D-Jr feels very similar, size wise, when you play them. They are also annoyingly "similarly good," so making a choice between them is very difficult :)

[@learningallican7608]

From what Iv'e seen the GS mini and the Guild Jumbo JR side by side are almost EXACTLY the same size!

[@davidoverhoff1837]

Hi Guys, Really enjoyed the first installment of Acoustic Tuesday, but here are some suggestions for you: Guitarist Dan Crary. Dan is another one of the early pioneers of flat-pick guitar, and there are others from the 70's and 80's like Pat Flynn. Check them out too. Second, Bourbon vs. Scotch? You boys need to try a bottle of Irish Whisky...my personal preference is Bushmills. Hope you continue to have fun with this, I'll try to check in for the live stream, but sure am glad for you tube! Cheers!

[@cristiantrejo9201]

I wish they played sad songs when they review these guitars ☹️

[@k0pper]

Can't because of copyright issues. If they even play a lick from a real song, they lose the ability to make any money off the video

[@charaiveti-charaiveti]

yeah, mee too... i cried a river over these happy frisky songs...

[@josueisaacsalazar]

I hace both, Taylor gs mini mahogany and jumbo junior, jumbo junior sounds nice but the gs mini mahogany its beautifull, i love the gs mini

[@pjmuck]

I already own the GS Mini HOG, so I was curious how the other two matched up. Sonically, I liked the Martin the best (and also the 1-3/4" nut width). I agree with the other poster, the GS Mini is the only one here that is truly travel size, however. I also would have liked them to indicate when the guitars were plugged in or not in the sound samples. The GS Mini standard model doesn't come with a preamp/PUP, (They do make a GS Mini-E model, which does). But they sell the ES GO sound hole PUP for it. It's lousy though, IMO.

[@craigwelch4597]

I started w/the Taylor Baby Taylor, mainly for practicing on while on travel. Then traded it for a Martin Jr because I never liked or played the Taylor when I wasn't traveling. But the Baby Taylor is a travel beast! I fits below the airplane seat (tightly!), above with the carry-on's, and, of course, no one is going to stop you saying it won't fit and you must stash it w/the luggage. For travel purposes & tooling around your hotel while on travel its really awesome. I tested the Mini. Now, I'm not an expert. It's nice and travels a little better (easier) than the Martin, and has an awesome gig bag. It's a tad shorter. I guess like anything, it depends. If I ever got good enough, I don't see myself playing the Baby Taylor in public. I would play the Martin or go buy a GS Mini if I wanted to travel and play a "quality" guitar at the destination.

[@craigwelch4597]

Oh, I bought the Baby Taylor back from the Guitar Center! :) Now, I have both the Martin Jr. & the Baby Taylor. The Baby T is so easy to travel with & I don't worry as much about it get banged around.

[@nb1861]

Love the Guild

[@GTsuji]

I have the Guild and really like it. It’s a lot of guitar for a so-called travel guitar.

[@mattsmith2051]

I reckon the Veela’s mini camper in solid koa blows all three of these out of water for sound and value

[@ambu6478]

I had a full dreadnought Guild about a year ago. It had great sound !...but the string tension was so tough on my fingers. I contacted a rep and was told it was the nature of that model due to the way it was made. I finally sold it and bought a Martin dx1ae000 . It has blown me away in its sound and playability. It sounds so great and plays so well it's hard to put down. Don't mean to knock Guild, but in my case Martin won hands down.

[@becomeaudible1]

It's too bad Guild is the only one that doesn't offer their mini in left handed. Maybe Guild needs to learn something from Martin and Taylor?

[@landrmonty]

Maton have made minis for around 8 years now.

[@gabrielmalapitan7668]

how does the jumbo junior compare to a mini jumbo guitar such as simon and patrick or seagull?

[@jdskim1234]

3:18 anyone know the song ? Thanks !

[@fly1327]

Is it just me, or does the strumming sound muddy (and IMHO like crap) on all of these? Maybe the mic placement? Fingerstyle, I was surprised at really liking the Guild, then Martin, and lastly the Taylor. Hmm. I had heard the Taylor GS Mini was the thing! Now what to do regarding a travel guitar?

[@davidgearardo1788]

Go play one, cant really judge these by his playing and mic placement. I went to guitar center and spent about an hour playing all three, they sound much better than this video could ever sound.

[@2134yanto]

I agree re the strumming. The Guild sounded ‘slappy’ to me and the other two were dull and unclear. I guess it also doesn’t help that the genres played are not my thing. Seemed too fast and quite a few inaccuracies. Not that I can play better. Just that for demo purposes I’d prefer clarity and tone over speed

[@bobaldo2339]

What strings are on each of these 3 guitars? What is fretboard radius of each?

[@paulsummerside]

Liked the Taylor the most. It seemed the give the happiest medium for me. Giving something a bit different to what I already have.

[@alansturgess1324]

Good details in narration but if you want to switch between the guitar demos without more than a few seconds break, these times may help you. Guild fingerpick demo -------- 2.32 Guild flatpick demo ------------ 3.18 Martin fingerferpick ----------- 6.34 Guild flatpick --------------------- 7.35 Taylor fingerpick -------------- 10.12 Taylor flatpick ------------------ 10.59 Can't comment on the Guild, haven't as yet played one. Owned one of the earlier GS Minis (spruce top) for years. Have just switched to the Martin.

[@snuffyballparks6501]

I regard myself as a weak player with very limited ability. I do play everyday because I enjoy it and I now have the time. Several years ago I bought a used 2008 Martin D-28 Marquis. Totally changed my life for the better. It is a far better instrument than I deserve... but wow. I just can't put it down. I'm getting slightly better but I'm still mostly lousy. Most importantly for me, the fun level is way beyond what I ever expected. Get a good guitar and play the heck out of it. I've had my 1979 Guild F212XL NT for 35+ years now. LOVE Guild 12 string guitars. I would have bought a Guild D-55 instead of the Marquis but I had to have 1.75" nut width (fumble fingers).

[@danr5105]

I get the same feeling from a Martin D16E I recently purchased. Way more money than I had but I still did it.

[@BaktaBak3]

Someone mentioned " why doesn't anyone say what is the best " ? .....Why ...because it's all subjective to the individual person. How they play and the sound the're looking for. Try them all ! The best (for you ) may be something not mentioned in this ( or any) review . :-)

[@alann5003]

Did the martin djr start out with mahogany back and sides? Because I know that the djr 10 is Sapele.

[@virgilrw]

#Excellent Demo and guitarmanship! ☆☆☆☆☆ 1) Martin 2) Guild 3) Taylor

[@imannonymous7707]

love the idea of a jumbo mini lol i wish i could hear the maple one

[@ioodyssey3740]

they all sound boxy to me. i'll stick with 000 or om guitars.

[@alantracy6757]

It’s the laminate wood

[@anjamccabe8401]

Cool !

[@jdx418]

Need to also show strumming.

[@Ironworthstriking]

Did you miss the part where he strummed?

[@juhan9117]

3:16 7:38 10:58

[@locngo]

Thanks. Skipped the bullshit

[@jeffjones2586]

juhan9117 Ditto.

[@rogerbutt6690]

Martin dont have any after sales service my martin broke after not even 2 years. Ive cntacted them twice. They dont help or suggest any solution. I will never buy another martin. So be careful and think carefully about what you buy. I can tell you after my martin broke I bought 2 gs mini Taylor guitars and they are amazing i also own a taylor 526e. They are anazing build quality.

[@oandrefelipe_]

Thank you :D

[@leehunter1246]

@@rogerbutt6690 you need to call Norman's Rare Guitars

[@kristi94]

I used to own a Taylor210e ..I was very pleased with it but I really am thinking about getting a Guild. Even though I'm not sure how comfortable the neck is...Plus it's something that can be adjusted

[@ulrichsmolka183]

Kristi 94 4

[@emiliomurillo20]

the martin has the bass

[@arctichare8185]

And that's what It's all about".

[@davidschumacher711]

Thanks for the review.

[@thomastommy1192]

Nice video thanks for sharing. Did you say the Martin was made of Real Wood?

[@GuillermoCarrasco]

Very helpful, thanks.

[@stephensmith799]

The Martin is way out in front there...

[@arctichare8185]

I appreciate that you are not an AMAZING guitar player because it helps your intended audience to have a more realistic vision of what to expect from these instruments. It can be annoying when someone creates a video review of a guitar but it ends up being all about them showing off their chops.

[@usedtobeindemo1299]

What a kind way of saying You're bad

[@poodlesfly]

Certainly would be nice to see a demo by someone with smaller hands.

[@franciscomartindelcampo874]

Do you know if the Martin D Jr has a too-high action for a beginner?

[@Guitarplayer219]

Action is adjustable via the truss rod, so that's not really an issue

[@Dowdye47]

Specific costs? Not everyone has the same budget restraints as others, so "modest budgets" is different for everyone, and if an individual likes two or all there about the same, that could be the difference.. So, how do they compare in price to one another and to their big brothers, either when the video was made or now?

[@30smsuperstrat]

Are these being played in a summer swamp? They all sound over humidified, choked out without any sustain. I’ve heard all of these and never heard them sound this dead. Also why compare a Mahogany top to spruce tops when they all come in spruce?

[@LunaticFringe000]

I agree 100%!

[@dixee6498]

Agreed on the tonewood comparisons.

[@GeorgePossley]

For some, the different shapes and even different tops make this comparison less than it could be. That said, the mfgs don't make these minis in different body shapes though Taylor does offer quite a few top and b&s choices in the GS mini.

[@janettepolt2815]

I've watched many of these comparisons. Why is it that not one player would come out and state which one he thinks is the best??That's why we watch them.

[@srbell]

Because there is no single "best". It depends on the sound you're after for the style of music you play and the situations you normally play in (i.e., play solo, with a group, etc.). Any given guitar could be the best fit depending on the situation.

[@megabonnar]

Agree with the other person, a guitar should speak to you , always play a guitar before buying do not order online, some cheaper guitars play better than more expensive ones. It's all about preference, and style of music and playing.

[@alantracy6757]

Unfortunately they are using laminate wood. Why not use have a solid wood version ?

[@bergman6581]

That's it! All these guitarists use Bluegrass to showcase guitars...I'm taking BG classes.

[@CZeledonGM]

Taylor suena increíble 🎵

[@michaelmaris7]

I’ve had the GS mini mahogany & the Martin dread jr. The Martin is by far a better guitar.

[@oaktree1628]

What exactly is better about the Martin? The Taylor neck is very consistent across all of their lines and is very easy to play IMHO.

[@A-Wa]

Alessio Di Summa depends on what you like. fingerpicking on a dreadnought doesnt sound as good to me as on a grand symphony

[@frederikclausen4146]

Would you be able to take off the Pickguard, without leaving marks ?? :) on the guild

[@BonafideToolJunkie]

Frederik Clausen ..,Ive done it on another guitar, no problem. Hair dryer and credit card. Take your time.

[@gijsbertuslaurensvandevooren]

Frederik Clausen warm it up the glue will soften.

[@lomoholga]

Oh my God don’t use a hairdryer on an acoustic Jesus don’t listen to these idiots

[@mozartsmate6358]

@@lomoholga you are absolutely correct. Never use heat.

[@stevenwilliams9758]

The Guild sounded the best to me.

[@randymarsiano7191]

How about Yamaha apxt2? It's recommended?

[@FloridaDave_]

I have a GS Mini( which sounds amazing and I love by the way) I played the Yamaha APXT2 and the sound wasn't great and I wasn't able to plug it in so I can't vouch for amplification...It felt like a toy but you should try it for yourself.

[@robbiecleighmarks3088]

Eastman actg1&2

[@briancook3608]

the taylor is by far the best for me

[@khemchannel9573]

Martin

[@alansturgess1324]

Martin outshines the others by a country mile.

[@alansturgess1324]

Thanks for your polite, objective response.

[@jeffrey3498]

I don’t think hands are a factor with smaller guitars. The fretboards are the same as larger guitars.

[@martijnvandenakker803]

Jeffrey Prokopowicz Nope, shorter scale...

[@jeffrey3498]

Martijn van den Akker Good point.

[@duffermod1]

PS the Guild sounds the best out of the 3

[@Alanoffer]

The Taylor just has the edge for me . But there is little in it .

[@phonicwheel933]

Nice playing!

[@duffermod1]

Anybody know of a good travel guitar for under £200:

[@yeayeayea9353]

duffermod1 check out the recording king dirty thirties series. I have a video strumming one you can check out

[@mozartsmate6358]

@@yeayeayea9353 harley benton gs mini mahogany. Decent at around 75 pounds. Check out reviews on youtube.

[@WheeinJupiterMars]

Taylor does a good job on GS mini and it is a really good low-end guitar. All Martin guitars below 2k are shitty as fuck, don't get any of those (they look like a fucking 100$ yamaha starter guitar). But when it comes to high-end guitars, Martin beats the shit out of Taylor.

[@jake105]

Which is the least expensive?

[@levisilveira2949]

guild

[@WriterMikeMonson]

great

[@rahman.utara.]

Tapi untuk kami di negara berkembang bernama Indonesia, gitar ini tetep aja mahal. I means: damn mister, please give us cheap guitar..

[@fahmiwibowo1890]

Serasa beli motor padahal cuma versi mini wkwk

[@marlonbalce]

Martin did it

[@zhemin22]

Hate how Guild easily destroying the GS mini :(

[@EIYH58]

I prefer big guitars.....

[@Guitaural.]

Martin sounded the best by far - I'd probably be too paranoid to use it as a "travel" guitar though, so would defeat the point...lol

[@ace-ic6kz]

guild sound best

[@maltersers]

martin strings sucks on drj martin, only elixir sounds great, or addario

[@chester777ful]

You cant beat a jumbo or Dreadnought small guitars are old hat

[@owenraymond5243]

Dreadnought is solid spele body

[@munkyg0n2hvn]

Umm guild way out of tune???

[@inkjob12]

thought the Taylor sounded best...

[@pplareppl]

I hate mini guitars!

[@davidlynass3158]

Yeah me too!!! I only play my JUMBO guitar

[@waynechurchill7212]

Taylor 👍 Martin nu 2 sorry guild it all close

[@locngo]

Junks!

[@mcdee56]

"The 1.75 inch nut is almost like a normal guitar?"

[@maraviyoso8473]

Actually, Martin guitars only use 1.75 for their OM's and the Taylor clones. Taylor uses 1.75 for everything except the Minis

[@markstaggs7342]

I dont care for any of them they are and sound reall cheap made not for me

[@radarwill]

When a half-assed electric player picks up an acoustic!!

[@dopamining7621]

Why include that Guild? Completely out of its depth against the Martin and Taylor, it sounds just awful.

[@jeffjones2586]

dopamining Yeah, asa he started playing it my mind said, "Next!". Just sounded like crap.

[@lesrinehartlr]

dopamining well girls SRV preferred Guild over the other 2

[@marike1100]

The Jumbo Jr doesn't sound awful at all, it just has a more forward midrang-y sound. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXrMfGSOn7GchKc

[@tysonrinker8089]

you're an idiot