Sam is one of our content writers, as well as being our resident southpaw and synth enthusiast. It costs around £80*, making it a relatively affordable, easy upgrade! Not only that, but many guitarists have professed to using it in place of guitars that are 2, 3, 4 times the price*. Well, there you have it. In this article, we’ll take a look at two guitars that lead the charge: Taylor’s GS Mini and Martin’s LX1. Coming in at just under the £400 mark*, it undercuts the Taylor by around 20% – a pretty significant saving. Its balanced sound makes it a perfect jump-off point for pretty much any style. Martin Dreadnought Junior. Back to the tangible stuff – the LX1, like many of Martin’s guitars, has an HPL finish. Go forth and strum! All Trademarks and Copyrights belong to their respective owners. It records well, handles venues of all sizes, and comes with a number of great electronics options. I play mostly fingerstyle blues/soloing stuff so I thought the 000jr-10 might be better suited. In general, parlor guitars are thinner but longer. Martin & Company has been around since 1833 (almost two whole centuries ago). 6. But, given its size and price point, the sound it produces is magic. If we had to sum it up, we’d say that the Taylor is a workhorse instrument that sounds as great in real life as it does on paper, thanks to a great selection of woods. We don't have a summary for this product yet, but we're working on it. This adds a pronounced yet smooth quality to the attack of your guitar. No squeaky gloss to worry about marking or scraping. The parlor guitar has a standard nut width. Taylor also specially designed the ES-Go after-market pickup to fit into the GS Mini with ease. The most affordable model is usually priced around the £500* mark. So Taylor GS Mini Mahogany tends to get more favorable ⭐ reviews than Martin LX Little Martin, as seen on the chart below. HPL stands for high-pressure laminate, and it refers to the layers used in the guitars construction. And like the electric vehicle manufacturer, Taylor’s approach isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. As such, they kinda know what they’re doing. We hear ya. Luthiers will tell you that it’s pretty impervious to many chemicals and nasty stuff (beer included) – though we wouldn’t recommend putting it to the test if you can avoid it. He’s since released a number of signature models and worked with other manufacturers, but the LX1 remains extremely popular – and Martin may, in part, have Sheeran to thank for that…. Taylor knew it’d have to be a solid, dynamic material, so they opted for a classic; Solid Spruce. Unlike Taylor’s GS Mini, it could be considered a new … The data presented is for information purposes only. Image 1 of 3. We can't guarantee correctness and completeness of all the data presented here, and therefore will not accept liability for any issues arising from usage of this data. Next up, Ebony is used for the fretboard and bridge. We couldn't find any video reviews for Martin LX Little Martin yet, Taylor GS Mini Mahogany Acoustic Guitar Product Review, Taylor GS Mini Mahogany Acoustic Guitar Review. (above) An attractive Koa version of the Taylor GS Mini. Compact acoustics are more popular than ever. By contrast, the Taylor GS Mini is 4 7/16″ deep but has a length of only 17 5/8″. This is particularly crucial given the fact that the LX1 is designed to be a travel instrument! The Taylor loses out to the Martin on electronics, however - there are none as standard here, and Taylor’s optional ES-Go pickup will set you back another $98. Speaking of legacy, Martin have been in the business a fair bit longer than Taylor. Next, the HPL approach gives the LX1 a certain toughness to it. But in recent years, compact acoustics have seen a surge in popularity. The Martin LX1. Image 3 of 3. I have a Martin D15M that I love, but I'm looking to get something a little more maneuverable. Reviews from real customers who bought the product on Amazon, Martin X Series 2015 LX Little Martin Acoustic Guitar Black, "Body Body type: Taylor Grand Symphony Mini Cutaway: No Top wood: Solid Mahogany Back & sides: Layered Sapele Bracing pattern: GS Mini With Relief Rout Body finish: Matte 2.0 Orientation: Right-handed Neck Neck shape: Taylor GS Mini Profile Nut width: 1-11/16"" (42.8mm) Fingerboard: Genuine African Ebony Neck wood: Sapele Scale length: 23-1/2"" Number of frets: 20 Neck finish: Matte 2.0 Electronics".