Taylor GS Mini vs Martin 000Jr-10 vs PRS P20 $499 Small Acoustics

[@ishguitars]

Time stamps for the playing sections. Let us know which one you prefer!!! Strumming: PRS -00:25 Taylor - 00:54 Martin - 01:24 Finger Style PRS -01:57 Taylor - 02:18 Martin - 02:45 Picking PRS -03:19 Taylor - 03:42 Martin - 04:09

[@bngbraz2]

All three different, but the vintage sound of authenticity seems obvious to me: The PRS. I just ordered one.

[@daveyponderosa9549]

@@bngbraz2 Hey there Buddy, So did you get the guitar? And do you like it? I ask because I did get one, antique white, and after about 2+ months I still love it! Thanks for your consideration. Cheers

[@bngbraz2]

I got it. Tobacco finish. I like it for finger style and blues picking. However my bridge came loose. And I’ve had to replace the tuners. I did not like the button tuners. One broke. But the tone is just fine. I like it better than the Taylor equivalent. A lot better! The neck and feet board is really nice and playable.

[@daveyponderosa9549]

@@bngbraz2 Oh my! Wow, I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had such issues with yours. That’s not cool at all man. At the end of the day I am glad that you still like it and approve of the tone not launch it and try something else. I’ve had nothing but good experiences….so far. I too like it for blues work. It really likes finger style, bluesy stuff and slide. That is the reason I got it to begin with. I hope that you have nothing but positive experiences going forward. I might not have. Ha All the best, Dave

[@bngbraz2]

@@daveyponderosa9549 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fnm8gJepialphck That video does an excellent job breaking down the PRS. Note the glue and bracing when he cuts it open.

[@pianodrew]

Okay, so I went to my local music shop today to buy either the Taylor or the Martin. My experience shows of the importance of trying before you buy, and I hope it’ll help out anyone looking at any of these guitars. Let’s just say you should absolutely NOT order online before testing them yourself, no matter how many reviews you’ve listened to. I already own a Martin DX1AE Westside Custom from 2010 and it’s mind blowing. I wanted something that might suit finger style play a little more than a big dreadnaught, and discovered the Martin 000Jr. My tastes usually always gravitate towards Martin. If I close my eyes and watch a comparison video, doesn’t matter what body shape or wood, I always seem to prefer the Martin. Indeed, in online videos, I also preferred the sound of the Martin over the GS Mini - including this one. You may be able to predict where this is going now. I tested a Martin 000Jr, GS Mahogany, and GS Rosewood. I tried the Martin first, and the moment I played the first note I knew I wouldn’t be buying it. It sounded dull, muffled, and woolly. Not even a tenth as good as what I already had. Not to mention that the action was so high it would’ve been more appropriate to measure it in miles and not millimetres. It played bad, and it sounded disappointing. Then I tried the GS Mahogany. Immediately, the sound was in a different league. Still the beautiful warmth you expect of Mahogany, but with so much more projection, clarity, and resonance than the Martin. And the action was perfect. It played amazing, and it sounded amazing. Then I tried the Rosewood. More sharpness and clarity, less warmth, and played just as beautifully as the mahogany. It was a two horse race. I went back and forth between the two for about half an hour, even playing a Koa example while I was there. I eventually went for the GS Mahogany. It resonated quite a lot more than the Rosewood, and the slight amount of clarity you gain with the Rosewood can be given to the Mahogany with a bone saddle; whereas you can do nothing to give the Rosewood the resonance of the Mahogany. I have large hands - long fingers and a near 10 inch hand span. I found the nut width and scale length of the GS more comfortable than the Martin, and it was easier to be accurate. I walked up to the counter with the Mahogany GS to buy it. The three guys there all looked at each other, then looked back at me. "We’ve all got one of those" they said. There’s a reason they have that and not the Martin 000Jr. For me, it’s a simply exceptional bang-for-your-buck finger style guitar. Anyone looking at these guitars, always make sure you go to a store that has all of them in so you can play them. Phone ahead and check so they know to expect you. But as I found, if you go in expecting to buy the Martin, you may just find you’ll be carrying a Taylor as you walk out, grinning from ear to ear.

[@shaneroberts9466]

I purchased this PRS model out of curiosity and was pleasantly surprised with the finish, sound and feel. There is good attention to detail in the outside construction. I noticed a lot of string ping when tuning and learned the bridge pins are seated so low a pin tool cannot get underneath to pull out, so I loosened strings and tried to push the pins out from inside and the pins folder over! Upon finally removing the pins (which are molded) I found holes in the pins that looked like air pockets when molded, and then learned the pin taper is much thinner than most common pins. They ship an extra pin with the guitar but the stock pins are JUNK. I drilled out pin holes to standard taper size and installed new bone pins and that cured the extra low seat issue, allowed easy removal, and remediated the string ping when tuning. On top of that I found a ton of excess glue inside the guitar. That experience turned me off and I sold the guitar and wont buy another. Otherwise the guitar seemed good but I couldn't get past that cheap glue mess and crappy pins.

[@stevelandress]

I bought the PRS specifically for the parlor tone. It sounds like the classic parlor guitars used by the old blues greats. It will be accompanying me on my solo acoustic gigs. I'll use it for blues tunes and my Taylor or PRS A50E for the other more folky tunes. Different tones, different uses.

[@ishguitars]

Exactly, 100% agree. We were trying to be objective but probably should have emphasized that the PRS really is a completely different use than the other 2 guitars in this video.

[@philsaunter]

Having access to both the Taylor, albeit the mahogany version, and the Martin I find the two actually quite different. The Taylor definitely has a more defined Bottom end and is overall louder. Also the dynamic range seemed greater (even on the mahogany version). The Martin actually needs time to develop (good news here: it does). There is a slight sizzle at the beginning that rounds off over time. At first I was a bit disappointed with the sound. I guess Martin's famous sentence "The day you pick it up is the worst that it's ever gonna sound" holds some truth here as well. Solid woods on the body may contribute to that. Looking forward to hearing it in a year or two. The one thing I noticed right away though the Martin has sustain for days. Playability wise I like the body of the Taylor, it is more comfortable for me while sitting down, the neck however I prefer on the Martin. Both are fantastic guitars and you can't go wrong with either.

[@ishguitars]

Great insight. I agree the solid woods need the most time to break in, cool to hear that yours is starting to do that.

[@suziofftheplanet977]

The Martin has the widest range of tones and the best sustain... so I bought one!

[@saulodegrandi6139]

Me too

[@satyarodrigo1205]

Thanks for comparison. I got the Martin 🥰 and waiting for it to arrive!

[@oldmanzen6682]

I picked up a PRS as soon as it released and have adored playing it since (which while not very long, I've had it in my hands most days). Great parlour guitar, and great slide guitar with the high fret access.

[@kb7890]

I'm the biggest PRS fanboy owning two of their electrics, but the Martin is the clear winner here. Bravo for the excellent point of comparison.

[@ishguitars]

You are on team Scott! If you are strumming at home on a couch and the pure acoustic tone is what matters, Martin all day.

[@sttarch5150]

As long as you don't like range from bass to bright. Taylor hits my ear the right way.

[@al4116]

I'm looking for a Martin like that with a cutaway, thanks guys!

[@kostasvroumligas5836]

PRS is pure Parlor, with a Mahogany top, and woody/muted tone. Suitable for blues fingerpicking etc. Taylor & Martin are more "airy" and loud with pronounced high and low frequencies. There is no comparison between them, its what you want to play and choose the right guitar.

[@OUSoonerinDFW]

I bought a Taylor GS Mini about four or five years ago. Never regretted my choice. I love the thing. I also own a Taylor 214CE Deluxe, that I bought about six months ago - which I love. But, I still pick up my GS Mini as much as any guitar I own (13 of them).

[@ishguitars]

Agreed, I have a GS mini bass and somehow it manages to get played more than my 1960 P Bass. Life is weird LOL!

[@OUSoonerinDFW]

@@ishguitars Indeed it is! LOL

[@donkeninitz4590]

Wow, I'm the odd man out here. I've owned a two dozen Martins/Taylors over the years, currently have a Martin D-41, 000-28 and Dreadnought Jr., and a Taylor 414ce Ltd., but to me the PRS was the clear winner. I thought the Taylor was a fairly close second. Surprisingly, I thought the Martin sounded downright anemic.

[@ishguitars]

Different floats for different boats as I like to say 😂 I'm with you though, I have so much fun playing the PRS - and it's unique!

[@psych336]

Interesting, to me the PRS sounded thin and lacking any character compared to the other two. Has a “cheap plastic” sound. It sure looks unique though

[@irenehumphries1910]

I own the martin and the PRS, which i just received yesterday for my birthday. I have them because of shoulder issues, which my shoulders are doing immensely better. I have not had time to mess around with the PRS, but I hate the tuners on the Martin and have new ones ordered. I hope to eventually get back to playing my larger guitars.

[@ishguitars]

A lot of people don't realize how much stress the guitars put on your elbow and shoulders! You'll enjoy these ones for now 😊

[@daveallsopp320]

I have impinged tendons in both shoulders and this size guitar is perfect, tried a gs mini whilst my son was picking a new Martin full size and it felt so comfortable

[@AaronEMorales]

Almost bought the Taylor a few months ago for $300, it's so playable. For some reason I kept my money, saw one of those 000Jr Martins last week and picked it up. Can't beat the price for an all solid Martin. Love it, but it definitely sounds way better for fingerpicking to my ears. Great guitar.

[@ishguitars]

The Martin has vibes for days and is a little "different" than typical which I always dig. Congrats on the new axe 🎸

[@Harmo6Cord]

Great comparaison video ! I definitely not understand why people complain about the Martin 000-JR. Sound is good ! For me if you like more Taylor sound go with the GS-Mini and if you like more Martin, well, go with the Martin.

[@travgpeters1]

listened to this with earphones and you can really hear the diffrence between these 3 .. and the winner according to my ears is .. Taylor !

[@ishguitars]

We thought so too. Really interesting to hear how they differ in sound. All of them sound killer just a different vibe across the board, thanks for checking out the video!

[@travgpeters1]

@@ishguitars the PRS is very interesting though .. thinking of buying that to take on my trips to the wilderness

[@ishguitars]

@@travgpeters1 folk vibes for days!

[@marike1100]

Actually thought the Martin sounded best, full and round. The GS Mini is bright with good projection but it lacks the bottom end of smaller guitars like the Martin Dreadnought Jr.

[@ashspaulding106]

@@marike1100 really . i thought it sounded like shit . the worst of the bunch

[@mikebelz9226]

Nicely done guys! The only thing I didn't hear mention of was, the Martin, being all solid wood, will likely open up, and sound better as it accumulates playing time.👍

[@ishguitars]

Thats true! Technically all of these will as any solid top will do the same, but for sure the Martin will be most effected

[@johnnydee5658]

I bought a Martin 000 jr 10 and had it on a ToneRite (Google them...) for nearly a week and it opened up beautifully! I'm not a big fan of the Martin Monel strings, so I switched them out for d'Addario Phosphor Bronze. It now sounds more ... "grown up" I would say. This is a true gem, not to be missed.

[@jackiexu8]

Could you please compare 000Jr-10 with Taylor Academy 12 (A12)? Great vid! Thanks!

[@keith.loves.lasagna]

That Taylor sounds beautiful! And Martin sounds great too but not really the tone I gravitate towards. The PRS... wasn't very inspiring, at least to me. I'm guessing its either the Parlor body shape and/or they're just not as experienced at the other two brands for acoustics

[@ishguitars]

PRS's build is much more traditional for sure where Martin and Taylor are trying to embody their larger guitars and smaller form

[@doidoinoi]

Thanks for this video! Great job. I'm looking for a parlor guitar and this vid helps a lot!

[@bluzikmusic]

Love the P20 (got one on order) and would have liked to see it tested with the Maton EMB 6 mini, which I own, although my favourite acoustic, which makes me sound much better than I am, is the Maton ER90c.

[@letsridehard]

I’ve played all these 3 guitars, each one has it’s strengths and unique sound so it ultimately comes down to individual choice and comfort. For me, I went with the Tylor GS Mini, loved everything about it

[@michaelmaris7]

Martin hands down. I've actually had both the Martin & GS mini, the Martin has deeper tone & can handle aggressive strumming, the GS turns into a twang box when strummed aggressively.

[@lesmcc8103]

I really like the looks of the PRS. When did they start building acoustics? They all have their own unique sound. It's hard to choose just one! LOL

[@ishguitars]

They have been making acoustics for yeaaaars. Just in the last couple years they got popular though. Really killer guitars actually, we sell a ton of them.

[@gerriepimm5063]

I got the PRS Alex Lifeson signature acoustic. Beautiful. Enjoy choosing 😀

[@ishguitars]

@@gerriepimm5063 I wish they would bring the Alex lifeson back!

[@dawarnita2086]

These three guitars are beautyful and gorgeus which are very expensive in my country..i love the PRS parlor sound different from the two but unique

[@kdrake777]

What about the martin cutaway version? And the Taylor Academy for the same price.

[@ishguitars]

Get enough people on board and we will make you another video ;)

[@derickmathews6831]

What did you think of the guitars in terms of how they sound plugged in? I play in a church and for me pickup quality is more important.

[@DakotaHarvey62]

Out of the three with their onboard pickups (having played on all three plugged in) the taylor is the go to on these three specifically, however, out of all the guitars to choose from, Martin has the best ones for their onboard stock pickups, taylor is a close second and PRS is barely third. For playability I vastly prefer the Martins over all three. Now this is my personal opinion and that can change from person to person. I prefer the style of martin Guitars necks, no gloss, and the nut width is perfect for my hands, it has a darker, more mellow sound which is what I prefer when I'm playing anything, especially worship. But Taylor is also a fantastic sound for worship.

[@ishguitars]

I agree with Dakota on the Taylor - I was a worship musician for 10 years and Taylor's always won the game plugged in, and their general tone seems to fit in very well in a worship setting too. If you have the budget, and want to go for a little bit larger guitar you should check out Cole Clark which we're also a dealer for. Literally the best sounding plugged in guitar in the world, they are built from the ground up to be plugged in.

[@kikik9453]

I just looking for backup guitar. Would like to have small body, good electronic. This PRS seems very interesting, but compared to Taylor in this video, not anymore for me. I did try Taylor GS mini, and unplugged it sound very good. But when I plugged, it wasn't sound I'm looking for. Because when your main guitar is Maton SRS808, then this electronic is not amazing. So, I think Takamine could be what I'm looking for. Just need to try them first, but what I heard on YT sounds very nice to my ear. You mentioned Cole Clark, I'll sure check out their models too. So, if you have any suggestions for me, feel free help me. Guitar not bigger than Maton SRS808 (no dreadnought), good electronic, fingerstyle, price around $900. Thank you for this video.

[@ishguitars]

@@kikik9453 your welcome!! Hmmm Cole Clark's are over $2000... A Martin 000 Road Series would work great for you too. Go on ishguitars.com and type it in, you will see some listed. They have several price points depending on trim and nice electronics.

[@kikik9453]

@@ishguitars Thank you guys for fast reply. Yeah, I see now CC doesn't have some something cheaper. Yeah, Martin road series, but that electronic looks like a joke, no bass mid treble control. Looks similar like on Taylor guitar. That's why I think Takamine could give me what I'm looking for.

[@robadobflob3405]

I have played all of these, and while I do prefer the sound of the Taylor slightly over the Martin, and think the PRS has tons of character, the Martin feels best. The Taylor has a very nice playing experience, but the Martin's feel is just totally out of this world. I think the PRS is something different and shouldn't be competing against these other instruments, but to me it sounds amazing.

[@cpresto2]

I own the PRS and it's a great *parlor guitar* in the sense that it doesn't try to be something it isn't. People commenting here that the PRS "sounds like a toy" - no, it sounds like a parlor guitar, in the sense that it has reduced low-end and mids that are very sharp and present. When you compare it to guitars that have fatter bodies, you are comparing it to guitars that are modeled to be something different - a guitar that is closer in sound to a full-size guitar, which again is not a parlor guitar, it's just a *smaller* guitar

[@ishguitars]

You are dead on. The video made sense at the time since they are all the same price point, but looking back on it the tonal goals of the guitars are really all much different

[@chrismccannIRL]

Haven’t got both the DJR-10 and the Taylor GS Mini and looking at the PRS ... this video has put me completely off the latter. Totally sounds awful compared to the other two. I love a Martin sound so I’m thinking of trying to pick up either an 0-15 or 0-18

[@jysmtl]

Well, okay, it’s smaller. That’s PRS choice. But the result is that it sounds more like a toy, at least here. The point of this comparison is to…compare. I was leaning toward the PRS, now leaning to the Martin cutaway. Can’t find a shop that has them all, so this comparison is helpful.

[@cpresto2]

@@jysmtl neat

[@nickmartinez229]

@@jysmtl no dude, it’s not merely a choice, it’s a style of guitar. Most big manufacturers make a parlor style guitar… That’s like saying a strat sounds thin compared to a les Paul… well duh, it’s single coils vs humbuckers. Clearly you don’t know anything about acoustic body types. PRS makes bigger bodied acoustics that should’ve been in this shootout.

[@rdfox111]

Close race between the Taylor and the Martin for me, but I’m going with Martin #1, Taylor #2, PRS #3.

[@VintageBurst42]

I bought the Martin 000 Jr... to keep from absolutely wearing out my Taylor GS Mini Koa! The GS Mini K has gotten so much play, I could sell my big box guitars. Also- the scale length difference- the Martin's .5" longer scale length is right between the GS Mini and a Gibson J-45, so I hopefully don't forget how to play full-sized guitars.

[@benallmark9671]

That’s interesting, so know if it’s longer the the baby Taylor as well ?

[@18wilboy]

Will the Martin Jr fit in the GS Mini case?

[@SamVecchio]

What Phase are you in reopening? Would love to come check out the new location!!

[@ishguitars]

Not really sure to be honest haha. We are very conscious of people playing guitars and then needing to sanitize them, but we can't use sanitizer on certain finishes... So it's all TBD right now

[@billyweeksrealsmallclosetm8484]

thanks for the comparison...what a demo should be.

[@Valeu]

I wonder which guitar has the better intonation? You can hear it when you play a standard open C and E Chord. I only tried the Taylor GS Mini and it was not satisfying for me. I wonder how would it be with a Martin Jr.

[@52Tele]

Funny how most of the mini guitar shootouts never include the Yamaha CSF1M or CSF3M. I think the Yamaha is the real deal which comes under $400.

[@ishguitars]

There's quite a few other great small guitars out there. Yamaha, Takamine, even Recording King and Cordoba. But this was more focused on these 3 since they are all the same price.

[@Chricão-05]

I agree with you

[@nakana_212]

Very true. AlwYs miss the Yamaha csf

[@555felix123]

Love the video! Pleeease do more videos like this, comparing/showcasing different instruments at the shop

[@ishguitars]

Thanks! Of course will do!

[@prtauvers]

What about the neck shapes and sizes? Any differences in playability or feel??

[@ishguitars]

Honestly, all these guitars play REALLY well with necks that aren't terribly different. Somewhat on the thinner side, not too wide, and medium-low modern acoustic kind of action.

[@prtauvers]

Ish Guitars - thanks! I thought the Martin sounded the most ‘full’ but I liked the tone of the Taylor the most for some reason. Can’t wait to try them all out.

[@ishguitars]

@@prtauvers stop in if you are in Upstate NY! Or buy all 3 and return 2 if you aren't lol

[@prtauvers]

Ish Guitars - Would love too but currently living in Kyiv...Ukraine.

[@johntiger5]

The best way is without the pick, and when you finger picked to hear the best sound of each. Nice.

[@stallar1]

Did you say you have more of these to purchase! been waiting 2 months for mine (charcoal) and not coming in till October the earliest.

[@stallar1]

I meant to add the PRS P 20

[@daveyponderosa9549]

Your timing is perfect! I’ve played all 3 of these guitars a couple of times because I’m searching for a PARLOR/MINI for a while now. I’ve decided to go with the PRS PARLOR LIMITED EDITION ANTIQUE WHITE. I’ll be collecting it on Nov 15. I’m so stoked. Cheers

[@Hal-fz1em]

Did you get it? How do you like it? Hows was the action and how did that color look in person? I am so getting ready to pull the trigger.

[@daveyponderosa9549]

@@Hal-fz1em Good evening Buddy! I did indeed get the guitar, I picked it up a couple of months ago now. I LOVE IT! I got it in the aged/antique white & came as expected. There were no surprises and I’m not disappointed with colour or finish. The action was fine right out of the box too. The accompanying PRE SE Gig Bag u I sent 1/2 bad either. I will eventually get a hard shell case for it in the future. There’s no need or rush for that just yet. What I did do right off the bat was swap out the strings D’adario 12’ bronze phosphor and after about 1 month I brought it back to the store I bought it from. They have a policy that your NEW GUITAR is entitled to its First Maintenance Check/Adjustment for free. I brought it in and WOW, it does sound/play and feel better than it did. There was a little action adjustment IE lowering it a touch but not significantly. And the Fishman pickup works too, just fine for my needs at least. It’s a little Fishman acoustic PUP. It’s not a Hot Rail on a Tele, you know. Haha. Of course you do. 😉 I hope that my experience/assessment helps you a little. I AM NOT DISAPPOINTED IN MY PURCHASE!! I’m no pro or gigging musician. This is not my first guitar either. I’ve read some not too flattering assessments/opinions on this particular model. My feelings are all positive. The sound, tone and projection are as expected. The tone is even batter than I had thought it would be. This is a Parlor sized guitar NOT a $1000+ dreadnaught. I hope that helps you out with your decision making process? Like I said “ I LIKE IT “ If you buy it, I suspect that you will enjoy it as well. I hope that you do! All the best & good luck. Cheers Dave

[@Hal-fz1em]

@@daveyponderosa9549 thanks. What a great comprehensive review and overview. I really appreciate you taking the time to lay all that out. I going to order it tomorrow.

[@daveyponderosa9549]

@@Hal-fz1em Hey Buddy, no problem. Just enjoy whatever guitar it is that buy. Again, you won’t be disappointed with the PRS.

[@Hal-fz1em]

@@daveyponderosa9549 thanks again. That was a great overview.

[@gabrielmoore6099]

Wow, I watched this video a year ago and bought the PRS… it’s ridiculous to see how much my preferences changed. Now I actually favor the Martin over the other 2

[@ImLeuff]

Have you had any problems with your prs? Like it?

[@jessetryon5108]

Well - this is what I think..., good video! On a side note, I just bought two of the PRS's. One for me one for my girlfriend :-) That Martin does sounds fantastic but I'm a blues player so I went for the parlor as I see it to be a little bit more authentic. Good job guys.

[@ishguitars]

Agreed!! Parlor is killer for proper blues. Enjoy your double dose, and thanks!

[@AubreySalokaN]

Would any of these be good for bluegrass style? Maybe the GS Mini in Rosewood, or the Martin Junior? I don't think the PRS would work well for what I want. I'd need something with more bass response, and I know I won't get as much with a smaller guitar as if I were to play a dreadnought, but I am a small human and dreadnoughts are a bit large for me.

[@JT-gm4fk]

I would look in the Alvarez masterworks series. All solid wood guitars, beautifully made, they come with a case and they offer folk, dreads, parlors, and auditorium styles. The OM/ folk would be great for blues. Most range from 650 to 900

[@Lisas_Chatroom]

Thanks for the vid... do you have suggestions for these models in a smaller price range?

[@babsie47]

I test played Martins, Taylors, Gretches, Yamahas all afternoon, and the Taylor GS mini, Rosewood, blew them all out of the room. I ended buying the non-electronic one, eventually.

[@carole8312]

Thanks for this video. Based on listening to the 3 guitars (and doing a blind test), I bought a PRS. Love it.

[@woodwindrain5020]

The best looking one is probably the Prs with inlays on fretboard and nice finishes. I have a GS mini with Walnut but I prefer the Martin with better lows to me. The Martin is all solid woods b & s? It just sounds deeper which I prefer, but these are all small bodied parlor guitars and does what its built for. Good review guys!

[@jaimer744]

It's solid spruce top but I can't believe the b&s are solid for this price point.

[@woodwindrain5020]

Maybe so, but the Martin dreadnaught jr. has solid sapele b&s.not sure on this OOO though.?

[@ishguitars]

Thanks!! Yes, unbelievably, the top back and sides of the Martin are completely solid.

[@Ryckydoo]

for me the PRS sound like a toy compre to the other one

[@ishguitars]

We should really do a video of the PRS vs. an old Martin mahogany topped Parlor. At the end of the day even though it's small and the same price as the others it's really not the same kind of build as the Martin and Taylor.

[@lvbuckeye]

The PRS is a completely different philosophy than the other two. They both sound good, but they sound like the full sized versions. They aren't parlor guitars. They're just smaller versions of their bigger brethren.

[@narigon3942]

@@lvbuckeyeexactly. Why even throw it against the other two monsters.

[@bryanmartin8336]

To me the Martin sounded better picked. The other two sounded kind of rattly. Fingerstyle I'd tie the Taylor with the Martin at the top. Third part I liked the PRS better than the Taylor. But once again liked the Martin best. So I guess I'd take the Martin if I had to choose. Which makes sense. I love PRS when it comes to electrics, but I'm a Martin guy when it comes to acoustics.

[@ishguitars]

Martin is a winner, almost always, on a simple acoustic listening tone test. Its when they are applied to environments like live or recorded when things can change based on use.

[@dinoparton6598]

They all sound great. Depends on what you want. I already have a all solid Martin. And not a fan of Taylor , so for me it’s the PRS. It has a unique tone. The mids cut through the mix with my band just where it’s needed

[@stormengine3261]

Agree not a fan of taylor they're all bright and that includes their alternate top woods as well. And the Martin, might as well get the new Shawn Mendes model which has ebony wood instead of richlite

[@texhaines9957]

The GS Mini Koa E plus is very nice. You didn't mention gig bags, another buying point. Not fair comparing spruce top with mahogany as GS Mini also comes in mahogany top. Good comparison though and we've bought GS Mini and PRS SE 20 E for grandchildren. The Taylor GT is very nice also.

[@talentosa57]

I've been shopping around for a small body acoustic in this price range and you guys did a great review and have helped me narrow down my search. If I had to rank them: 1) Martin because it's such a great value for a small bodied SOLID wood guitar that sounds great, for the price, if you ask me, that's a steal. 2) Taylor is a very close second, I was actually thinking about sealing the deal on a mahogany GS mini but this video definitely has made me double think my choice. Also I just love the aesthetics of Taylor guitars. 3) PRS it has a very distinct sound that I think would be amazing for blues and slide players. And that finish 😍 Overall, great review guys! 👍

[@ishguitars]

Thanks so much!! Definitely agreed, that Martin is SUCH a good value - and the electric version with cutaway for only $99 more is amazing. We have all these in stock when you are ready to pull the trigger - get in touch! 😉

[@laynejarvis1971]

Don’t count out the gs mini mahogany. In my opinion it offers a much prettier sound than the spruce top, which is being reviewed in this video. And you said the spruce top came to a close second to the Martin, so the mahogany could put it over the edge

[@ishguitars]

@@laynejarvis1971 personally I don't think the mahogany topped GS mini sounds as great as the spruce top, it does get warmer but but ends up kind of sounding like a confused Taylor rather than a more Martin-y Taylor. The new GP body is perfect for that though ;)

[@laynejarvis1971]

@@ishguitars interesting. Thats why they make so many options! to each their own. But from what heard, most people prefer the mahogany over the spruce and even over the koa. I find the spruce to be too bright and slightly more boxy sounding than the mahogany and koa.

[@PJ-bv9tc]

Layne Jarvis I have a mahogany gs mini and I totally agree with you. Much warmer full sound that will only get better with age. Medium gauge strings add to the depth. The layered wood on the sides and back do not take away from the guitar. Solid mahogany top is enough to give the sound you need. Layered doesn’t always mean cheap or bad. Just my take on it!

[@BJJandBS]

How about the Yamaha CSF3M?

[@hereasafanofallsorts5164]

"You cannot beat a martin for tone ever - full stop" Eric Clapton

[@ukuleleangela6153]

can you talk about how the fender malibu would be for singer songwriter . it is also small and in a similar price point

[@ishguitars]

I haven't played one yet but I'll have to check it out! Fender really upped their acoustic game this year, I played some at NAMM and they were really neat

[@ukuleleangela6153]

@@ishguitars thanks!

[@janmichaeljablonsky9847]

@@ukuleleangela6153 I've played the Malibu; it's comfortable to play and looks great. However, to my ears, it sounds horrible... a jangly mess. The California Series by Fender has great optics but lousy sound.

[@keith.loves.lasagna]

The GS Mini would be perfect if it had a 1-3/4" nut width. Oh well...

[@ubertwerpify]

Thats funny - i think the martin would be perfect if had the 1 and 11/16 nut width lol

[@sallybowles2781]

the taylor GS mini, is it Sapele or Rosewood?

[@2134yanto]

Just my inexperienced opinion but I didn’t particularly like any of them when strummed. To my ears they sound thin and ‘slappy’. They all sounded better when picked. Although the Taylor and Martin both sound better to me than the PRS. If I had to pick one based on this video, I preferred the tone of the Martin. Thought it was slightly better than the Taylor. I actually prefer the aesthetics of the Taylor by quite some way, and hoped it would sound better

[@drothberg3]

The Martin sounded much better to me than the Taylor. The PRS was just a different kind of sound, more like a small-bodied Gibson sound, very direct.

[@travislee9662]

I own a few PRS SE models that are really great for the money and I love the look of the PRS, but it’s clearly the loser in this shootout. I usually gravitate towards a darker tone for acoustics and the Martin does that, but the tone and clarity of the Taylor edges it out for me.

[@andreaslimberis1672]

i bought a prs acc angelus a60e and seem the top of the guitar had issues so they replaced it right away.. the second they send me had a crack between the body of the guitar and the neck.. when i e-mailed customer service,they were just sad that two chinese acc se guitars had issuses,so im stuck with the cracked guitar wich i paid 1050euros..

[@enriquediaz7017]

The Taylor GS Mini for me is the best. Very balanced for all styles, good materials and good price. Also you can choose mahogany, walnut, coa or rosewood. the pickup is not good in any of the three. Thank you very much for making this video.

[@ishguitars]

Thanks for watching!! I think the new Taylor electronics actually sounds pretty good considering the price point... Would love to hear one with an LR Baggs but they cost almost as much as the guitar lol

[@bobhinley5410]

I own a P20e PRS. Besides spending a lot of time fret leveling, crowning, fret polishing and a new saddle, it started to sound better. My two biggest issues is the quality of the tuners and the Pickguard. Tuners are sloppy, feels cheap. I wish there was a drop in upgraded tuner. The textured (rough) pickguard giving a Snare drum scratchy sound when strumming. If you purchase one, plan on replacing the pickguard and fret work.

[@andredegiant3876]

I was fixated on a Mahogany GS Mini but after trying one, it felt a little too cramped. Ended up ordering the PRS. The Taylor had a better fit and finish but overall the PRS is fantastic, the neck is a dream

[@ishguitars]

Those PRS Parlor guitars are so much fun to play. Really great guitars!

[@briancheetham9134]

So, look, on the strumming part of the demo, the guy playing guitar was beating the crap out of the PRS and doing so really close to the bridge, on the Taylor more towards the soundhole and gentler, and on the Martin he played very nicely. It’s really not a great comparison when done that way. These small guitars aren’t really meant to be thumped on that hard. He moved his picking position the same way during the picked arpeggio demo too.

[@ishguitars]

Interesting points, actually I just watched through again, I think what might be happening is the arm resting position on the PRS is slightly farther from the soundhole because of the body shape. I'll keep it in mind for the next video :)

[@VandeHaze]

make video for the new p20e in tabacco sunburst please!!

[@robertbossart]

Got the Taylor GS Mini Koa with the more expensive electronic ES2 in it (at the beginning of production all came with this electronics). It's a very, very great guitar that sounds like a bigger one. I've ordered the PRS P20e, this sounds more like a real Parlor, more midrange. The Martin seems to be somewhere in between but it's definitely not a Parlor, more like a shrunk OM (same concept as Taylor).

[@ishguitars]

Exactly! Same thoughts here. The PRS is a true parlor where as the other two are mini versions of their respective brands. Not that it's a bad thing at all.

[@kagenotatsumaki]

I'm a die hard PRS guy but that Taylor is just... Damn!

[@TheJeremyCupp]

Which one was the easiest to play?

[@MolliesDad]

I watched and listened to many reviews and bought the Taylor mini spruce. It makes me want to play everyday.

[@22bk113]

Bought the Martin the acoustics make me sound way better than I really am😁

[@deanmccaskill5495]

I was in the store yesterday with a pretty good buzz on. I was fooling around in the acoustic room not intending to spend money. Anyway I fooled around with these same guitars. The Taylor and the PRS. Honestly I liked them both. The PRS was 200 CAD cheaper. Anyway I did a heads or tails with my pick and came up Taylor. As hung over as I am today I’m still happy I brought it home. Edit. The one I’m talking about is the 10E. Not this model

[@ishguitars]

Drunk guitar shopping is the best guitar shopping.

[@mervinjumawan6784]

Strumming: Taylor - 00:54 Martin - 01:24 PRS -00:25 Finger Style Taylor - 02:18 Martin - 02:45 PRS -01:57 Picking Martin - 04:09 Taylor - 03:42 PRS -03:19 The PRS sounds like a Tin can Guitar.

[@ishguitars]

It's kind of supposed to, think of the 1930's depression era blues tones

[@ukuleleangela6153]

which is the one with the easiest playability for a small-handed beginner?

[@ishguitars]

I would say the Taylor!

[@ukuleleangela6153]

@@ishguitars thanks!

[@usmcyounggun6879]

I’d like to get either one of these, whichever I could get for the best/cheapest price and then modify it with a Hyvibe system so I could have a small travel size acoustic with effects and looper and all the other features for around 350 dollars more than just the guitar.

[@kenster007]

Own all three. The Martin doesn't like light strings but mine is a cutaway and fun to play PRS is out of tune every day but is fun and sounds good. Koa GS never an issue. 1 GS, 2 Martin and 3 PRS. All a blast to play and all sound great. Not an expert but I will keep all of them.

[@ishguitars]

Great insight, cool to hear from someone who actually has played all 3. They are all fun an different. That GS mini sure is hard to beat though.

[@kenster007]

Update-seems like the tuners on the PRS have settled after a month. Didn't want to sell it short cuz it really is a head turner. Like it more every time I pick it up. It is really good out of the box with a slide. If it was my only guitar I would love it. Fit, finish and detail are well beyond the price range. Get one.

[@BenVanceMusic]

1 PRS 2 Martin 3 Taylor As a listener PRS has most balanced tone and best sustain. Intonation was best on the PRS. Martin a bit screachy on the B and E. Taylor more screachy. Again this is as a listener enjoying your playing. Thanks for a great review.

[@wengjai]

For the size nothing can beat a gs mini. I’ve been looking for years to find a similar sized guitar to a Taylor and it doesn’t exist.

[@Thisisrance]

I just can’t get over the PRS headstock.

[@jjdente7666]

how do they compare in size?

[@JackTheSkunk]

The Martin would be PERFECT if it had a gloss finish and rosewood fingerboard. I really like the scale length and nut width. I think it would be awesome for fingerstyle players.

[@andyblakely7576]

May look at the Shawn Mendez 000jr-10e, has ebony bridge and fingerboard, as well as a better bag, wood headstock overlay, a pickguard, and aged toner on the top-but still not gloss 😞.

[@gfd165]

i think someone should rethink the mini guitar market by making a 12 fret model. How many people need a 14 fret for playing on a couch? Just a thought. I rather fingerpick a small bodied Cordoba.

[@PJ-bv9tc]

Didn’t love the tone of the PRS. Sounded rather cheap to my ears. The Martin has a nice tone. Confession time - I have a Taylor gs mini in mahogany and I love it. Wonderful sound for such a small travel size guitar. Can’t go wrong with either a Taylor or Martin. At this point I’m not sold on the PRS.

[@ishguitars]

GS mini is hard to beat for anyone anywhere! There is a reason why we sell so many

[@toddjohnson271]

With the 000CJR-10E it's a tale of two guitars. It comes out of the box sounding like a toy with Martin retro monel strings on........Remove them before you play a chord with MA535 or MA535T phosphors. It became one of my favorite guitars.....and I own a HD-28.

[@ishguitars]

It is pretty amazing how certain guitars come to life with a simple change of strings. We REALLY like the Martin authentic acoustic strings in general.

[@LGKDude]

Wish this was mic'd with a condenser so we could really hear the differences more clearly. Dynamics tend to sound stuffy on acoustics IMO.

[@robertlucas9867]

I think the bigger bottom on the Martin and Taylor help in warming it up on melody style picking but that room ambience doesn’t help with the 🎙 sound to my ears but the PRS is more of a parlor style dedicated to that mid range for certain applications and I’ve seen videos of blues players using it with slide and it really sings in that environment. It really depends on your application.

[@ishguitars]

Oooo PRS with a slide would be so fun!

[@robertlucas9867]

@@ishguitars kzbin.info/www/bejne/fKbVf4dprrWEba8 Around 9:40 he tunes it for slide and begins. Very fun.

[@amitasaini310]

Honestly, I think the sound you get from the PRS parlor has it's place, but if you're really going for that vibe, it isn't worth spending more on the PRS than you would on the Gretsch Jim Dandy. It's just as much fun for a third of the price.

[@ishguitars]

Honestly, you're not wrong 😂 we used to sell a ton of Jim Dandy's. Fantastic guitar. Tbh in person the PRS does have a MUCH fuller sound than the Jim Dandy - but point taken for sure.

[@amitasaini310]

@@ishguitars Interesting ... I'll have to check it out! I mean, can a girl ever have too many guitars? #takemymoney

[@jsmoker10]

I have the gretsch gin Ricky, same guitar as dandy but with a magnetic pick up across sound hole, and I absolutely love it...so I bought the PRS, came today. It’s beautiful and plays incredibly comfortable....the pandemic is causing me to buy a ton of stuff, every few days I’m buying something...it’s kinda like, ok what can I buy today...seeing there nothing else to do except play guitar, play on my phone...play guitar, watch some tv...order some food....sleep on couch....repeat everyday. Lol

[@peetyw8851]

@@amitasaini310 The answer is..........No. Can’t have too many.

[@tomcampbell410]

Wow, I really like the Martin

[@sailormike1089]

They forgot to mention that the PRS has a longer scale at 24 3/4 same as a LP the Martin is just under 23 1/2 and the Taylor is 23 1/2. Of they prob didn't know that since it was just released then.

[@anneberkeley7411]

Nope. The scale length of the Martin is 24" so slightly longer than the Taylors and slightly shorter than the PRS.

[@joshuachin9799]

SM57 as pickup mic? All of them sound boxy to me TBH.

[@emmakeyser1459]

well I think the PRS but as a second guitar. I like it for playing lead and blues that type of stuff.I don't think it would really fit the bill for someone who does a lot of singinging, correct me if you think differently. I like its looks best also. very classsic.

[@silent-trouble]

That's exactly the models I'm currently looking at... but I still can't decide. Probably the Martin, acutally. Even though I always wanted a GS Mini

[@ishguitars]

Glad we could help! You really can't go wrong with any of these. Hit us up we have them all in stock :)

[@kenpetrus6515]

Interesting that I came up with the same result. I did like the PRS for finger-style but very mushy with pick. I actually like the Martin better for finger-style than the Taylor. I'm glad you guys did this.

[@ishguitars]

Yeah we were LOVING the picked PRS sound. Agreed a bit mushy with a pick but I will say that when you really dig into it she will breakup nicely like a good old parlor should. Happy we could make the video for you, hope it helped!

[@manifestgtr]

Martin, Taylor, PRS...kills me because I’m a major PRS fanatic but let’s call it like it is. The PRS here has that “plastic”, student guitar sound. I’m sure the playability is fantastic though. PRS has *gotta* be the most playable out of the group. The Taylor is nice...I’m not a huge Taylor fan and to be honest, always kind of considered them to be doofus, Starbucks open mic night guitars. That’s a “me issue”, though...they’re nice and denying that would be stupid. The Martin is the best sounding to me. Good high end, Martiny low end and reasonable balance. It’ll probably sound great in 20 years.

[@ishguitars]

Hahaha "starbucks open mic night guitar" 😂😂. Go checkout some other parlor guitar videos, they are kinda supposed to sound like that. We realized after making this video that the PRS is really in a different genre of tone than the Taylor and Martin, who are trying to sound like their big brothers but smaller (and do a very good job of it).

[@stevemiller1203]

1.75" nut on the Martin, solid wood, that one is for me.

[@inkjob12]

I have the GS-Mini in Mahogany....LOVE IT !

[@filmmylighting]

Me too

[@paulbeveridge2462]

Me too

[@masamune..]

Now i own that martin and love it, but man i slso enjoy the sound of the Taylor.

[@SDisonYT]

I liked the PRS best, but I don’t have a Martin yet, so that will probably be my next one.

[@michael_caz_nyc]

PRS Sounds like the Toy-guitar you buy at the corner discount store. I'm surprised, as they make Great guitars. ( just not acoustics ) Taylor is where it's at.

[@ishguitars]

Their acoustics are pretty cool IMO, have you ever tried one of the newer Angelus's? This P20 is a specific tone, made intentionally to sound like an early 1900's type parlor which is anot everyones cup of tea as they do sound kind of quacky and dark generally. Much different tonal goal than the Martin and Taylor which are trying to have their signature sound in a small package.

[@jodyjackson51]

PRS make really good acoustics. The Angelus guitars are great. This is an se parlor.

[@tylercarpenter4329]

It's supposed to sound that way

[@AndrewBernardin]

That's kind of the whole reason I plan on getting one. It just sounds like it'll fit in any mix / cut through in any live setting and just looks absolutely stunning.

[@lvbuckeye]

It sounds like it sounds because that's what parlor guitars sound like.