Martin and Takamine are very well-known acoustic guitar brands, but which one should you choose? In this article, I’ll be comparing the two brands ranges to identify differences in the tones, value for money and options available so you can decide if you should go for a Martin or Takamine acoustic guitar next.
The Quick Answer
Martin acoustic guitars tend to be more expensive than Takamine guitars when comparing high-end models. Martin make their guitars in Mexico and the USA whilst Takamine produce their guitars in China and Japan. Martin’s range is larger than Takamine’s and also caters for more budgets.
Brand Overview
Before we jump into the comparisons, I wanted to kick off this article with a brief overview of the guitars offered by Martin and Takamine.
Martin
Martin divide their range into several “series” which are grouped according to the price. Here is the list from the most affordable to most expensive options:
- Junior Series
- X-Series
- Road Series
- 15-Series
- 17-Series
- Standard Series
- Modern Deluxe Series
- Authentic Series
- Custom Series
Within each series you can find several different shapes. Here is the list starting with the smallest guitar shape.
- 0
- 00
- 000 (Auditorium)
- OM (Orchestra)
- GP (Grand Performance)
- M (Grand Auditorium)
- D (Dreadnought)
- J (Jumbo)
Here are images (all link to Amazon) of some of the different Martin shapes.
Dreadnought
GP
0
00
000
Takamine
Takamine guitars range from a few hundred dollars up to several thousand. The most affordable series is the G series, whilst the Pro series is the most premium.
They make several main acoustic/ acoustic-electric guitar body shapes:
- Dreadnought
- Jumbo
- Thinline: thinner mid-sized acoustic
- NEX: scaled-down jumbo
- FXC: small body, well suited to finger-style
- OM: small body with short scale length
- New Yorker: smallest shape, parlour style
Here are some images (all link to Amazon) to show the different shapes.
NEX (with cutaway)
FXC (with cutaway)
Dreadnought
Jumbo
OM
New Yorker
Comparable Shapes
So you can get an idea of which models are comparable, here’s how I would divide them:
- Small Body: 0 and 00 models for Martin and FXC and New Yorker for Takamine
- Mid-Sized: 000, OM, MP and M for Martin and OM, NEX and Thinline for Takamine
- Dreadnought
- Jumbo and Super Jumbo
Comparing the Tones
It’s pretty difficult to compare the tones of two entire brands, particularly when they include hundreds of models! However, in general Takamine guitars tend to have a brighter tone with more treble whilst Martin guitars sound more warm and rounded with more pronounced bass frequencies.
Keep in mind that the shape and tone wood used is the most important thing to consider here. A spruce/ mahogany Martin Jumbo will sound completely different than a Koa Jumbo by Takamine. As will a dreadnought sound very different to a parlour shape guitar.
The best thing to do, is to identify the models in your price range and try them in the store so you can figure out which sounds best to you.
Still not sure which brand to go for? Check out my comparison of Taylor and Martin acoustic guitars so you can weigh up your options.
Country of Manufacture
Martin guitars are made in Mexico and the USA and Takamine guitars are made in China and Japan.
- Takamine make their G-series models (up to $700) in China and their Pro series in Japan (starting at around $1300).
- Martin make most models under $1300 in Mexico and produce their high-end lines in America (over $1300).
Some players want an American-made model as the country has a very good reputation for producing high quality guitars. However, Japan is also very well known for producing excellent quality guitars. I tend to focus less on the country of origin and more on how the instrument feels and sounds.
It’s all personal preference though, you need to choose a guitar which makes you the happiest, and if it needs to be made in America to do it, then Martin is your best bet here!
The Ranges
In this next section I wanted to take a deeper dive into the Takamine and Martin ranges. I have made these tables to compile the specifications of pretty much every currently available 6-steel string guitars (non-custom shop/ limited edition) and all prices are from Guitar Center/ Sweetwater and are correct the time of writing to the nearest $5 but may be subject to change.
There’s a table for each main shape and they are all ordered from the lowest to the highest price. The tables are massive so it’s really not necessary to look at every entry, but you can use them to identify models in your budget to compare more closely.
Guitar Center are always the first place I look at when I’m interested in a new acoustic guitar because have a huge range of models for sale and always have some excellent deals on. Here’s a link to take you directly to Guitar Center’s acoustic guitar range so you can see all the offers available at the moment.
Categories:
- Dreadnought
- Jumbo and Super Jumbo
- Mid-Sized
- Smaller Body
Dreadnought
| Guitar | Acoustic-Electric | Origin | Top Wood | Back and Sides | Price |
| Takamine GD20 | No | China | Cedar | Mahogany | $330 |
| Takamine GD20CE-NS | Yes | China | Cedar | Mahogany | $490 |
| Martin D-X1E HPL | Yes | Mexico | Mahogany/ Spruce/ Koa | Mahogany/ Koa | $500 |
| Martin DJr-10 Sitka | No | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $500 |
| Takamine GD30CE | Yes | China | Spruce | Mahogany | $500 |
| Martin Custom X1AE | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Rosewood | $600 |
| Martin D-X2E | Yes | Mexico | Spruce/ Sapele | Rosewood/ Mahogany/ Ebony | $600 |
| Takamine GD93CE | Yes | China | Spruce | Walnut and Maple | $700 |
| Martin DC-X2E | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Mahogany/ Ebony | $700 |
| Martin D10E-01 Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Sapele | Sapele | $800 |
| Martin D-10E Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $850 |
| Martin Special 11E Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Mahogany | $1000 |
| Martin Special D | No | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $1000 |
| Martin D-15M | No | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1300 |
| Martin D-12E | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $1300 |
| Martin D-13E Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Siris | $1300 |
| Martin D-13E Ziricote | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Ziricote | $1350 |
| Takamine P2DC | Yes | Japan | Spruce | Sapele | $1400 |
| Martin DC-13E Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Mutenye | $1400 |
| Martin D-15M StreetMaster | No | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1400 |
| Martin DSS-15M StreetMaster | No | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1400 |
| Takamine P3D/ DC | Yes | Japan | Cedar | Sapele | $1450 |
| Takamine Legacy EF341SC | Yes | Japan | Cedar | Maple | $1500 |
| Martin DSS-17 | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $1600 |
| Martin Special D/ DC Ovangkol | Yes | USA | Spruce | Ovangkol | $1600 |
| Takamine P4DC | Yes | Japan | Spruce | Mahogany | $1650 |
| Martin Special 16 Style | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $1700 |
| Martin D-16E | Yes | USA | Spruce | Mahogany/ Rosewood | $1750 |
| Takamine EF340S-55 | Yes | Japan | Spruce | Mahogany | $1800 |
| Takamine P5DC | Yes | Japan | Spruce | Rosewood | $1850 |
| Takamine EF341DX | Yes | Japan | Cedar | Maple | $1900 |
| Takamine EF360GF | Yes | Japan | Spruce | Rosewood | $1900 |
| Martin Special Carpathian | Yes | USA | Spruce | Blackwood | $1900 |
| Martin D-18 | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2500 |
| Takamine CP5D-OAD | Yes | Japan | Spruce | Ovangkol | $2750 |
| Martin Special 18 Style VTS | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2800 |
| Martin D-28 | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3000 |
| Martin HD-28 | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3200 |
| Martin D-35 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3200 |
| Martin Special 28 Style Adirondack | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3300 |
| Martin Custom Dreadnought | No | USA | Spruce | Dreadnought | $3500 |
| Martin HD-28E-Z Standard | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3600 |
| Martin D-18E Modern Deluxe | Yes | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $4000 |
| Martin D-18 Modern Deluxe | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4000 |
| Martin Special 28 Style Bearclaw | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4095 |
| Martin Special 35 Style Bearclaw | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4435 |
| Martin D-28E Modern Deluxe | Yes | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $4700 |
| Martin D-41 | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $5000 |
| Martin D-42 | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $6200 |
| Martin D-18 Authentic 1939 Aged | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $6800 |
| Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 Aged | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $6900 |
| Martin D-28 Authentic 1937 VTS Aged | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $8000 |
| Martin D-45 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $9500 |
Jumbo and Super Jumbo
| Guitar | Acoustic-Electric | Origin | Top Wood | Back and Sides | Price |
| Takamine GJ72CE | Yes | China | Spruce | Maple | $630 |
| Takamine GN77KCE | Yes | China | Koa | Koa | $700 |
| Takamine P1JC | Yes | Japan | Cedar | Sapele | $1350 |
| Takamine P3MC | Yes | Japan | Cedar | Sapele | $1450 |
| Takamine RF740FS-TT | Yes | Japan | Spruce | Sapele | $2250 |
| Takamine P6JC | Yes | Japan | Spruce | Maple | $2550 |
| Martin J-40 Jumbo | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4200 |
Mid-Sized
| Guitar | Acoustic-Electric | Origin | Top Wood | Back and Sides | Price |
| Takamine GN20 | No | China | Cedar | Mahogany | $330 |
| Takamine GN30 | No | China | Spruce | Mahogany | $360 |
| Takamine GN20CE | Yes | China | Cedar | Mahogany | $490 |
| Takamine GN30CE | Yes | China | Spruce | Mahogany | $500 |
| Martin 000 Jr-10 | No | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $500 |
| Martin Special 000 X Series | Yes | Mexico | Rosewood | Rosewood | $500 |
| Takamine GN51CE NEX | Yes | China | Spruce | Walnut | $550 |
| Martin Special C Series Style 000 | Yes | Mexico | HPL | HPL | $550 |
| Martin OMC-X1E HPL | Yes | Mexico | HPL | HPL | $550 |
| Takamine GN71CE NEX | Yes | China | Spruce | Walnut | $600 |
| Martin GPC Special Koa X Series | Yes | Mexico | Koa | Koa | $600 |
| Martin Custom 000-X1AE | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Rosewood | $600 |
| Martin 000-X2E | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Mahogany | $600 |
| Martin Special 000 X1AE Style | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Mahogany | $600 |
| Martin 000 Jr-10E | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $650 |
| Takamine GN93CE NEX | Yes | China | Spruce | Walnut and Maple | $700 |
| Martin GPC-X2E | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Rosewood/ Ebony/ Mahogany | $700 |
| Martin Special 000 Cutaway X Style | Yes | Mexico | HPL | HPL | $750 |
| Martin 000-10EL Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Sapele | Sapele | $760 |
| Martin Special GPC 10 Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Sapele | Sapele | $800 |
| Martin Special 000 All-Solid | No | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $1000 |
| Martin GPC-11E Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $1000 |
| Martin Special GPC All-Solid | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Sapele | $1000 |
| Martin 000-12E Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Koa | $1300 |
| Martin 000-13E Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Siris | $1300 |
| Martin 000-15M | No | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1300 |
| Martin GPC-13E Road Series | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Mutenye | $1400 |
| Martin GPC-13E Ziricote | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Ziricote | $1400 |
| Takamine P1NC | Yes | Japan | Cedar | Sapele | $1350 |
| Martin StreetMaster 000-15M | No | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1400 |
| Takamine Thinline TS9138 | Yes | Japan | Spruce | Sapele | $1450 |
| Martin Special OMC USA Performing Artist | Yes | USA | Spruce | Ovangkol | $1500 |
| Takamine Legacy EF508KC | Yes | Japan | Koa | Koa | $1550 |
| Martin OMC-15ME | Yes | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1600 |
| Martin 000-17 | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $1600 |
| Martin 000-15SM | No | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1600 |
| Martin Special GPC 15ME | Yes | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1600 |
| Martin Special GPC Performing Artist Ovangkol | Yes | USA | Ovangkol | Ovangkol | $1600 |
| Martin GPC-16E | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $1800 |
| Martin 000-16E | Yes | USA | Spruce | Granadillo | $1800 |
| Martin 000-17E | Yes | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $1800 |
| Takamine P5NC | Yes | Japan | Spruce | Rosewood | $1850 |
| Martin OME-Cherry Orchestra | Yes | USA | Spruce | Cherry | $2000 |
| Martin OMC-16E Ovangkol | Yes | USA | Ovangkol | Ovangkol | $2000 |
| Takamine TSP-158C | Yes | Japan | Spruce | Maple | $2150 |
| Takamine TSP178AC Thinline | Yes | Japan | Maple | Maple | $2400 |
| Takamine TSP178ACKN | Yes | Japan | Koa | Koa | $2400 |
| Takamine P6NC NEX | Yes | Japan | Spruce | Maple | $2500 |
| Martin 000-18 | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2500 |
| Martin OM-21 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $2800 |
| Martin 000-28 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $2850 |
| Takamine P7NC | Yes | Japan | Spruce | Rosewood | $3200 |
| Martin 000-28 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3200 |
| Martin OM-28 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3200 |
| Martin OM-28E Standard | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3600 |
| Martin OM-28 Modern Deluxe | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4000 |
| Martin 000-28 Modern Deluxe | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4000 |
| Martin 000-28E Modern Deluxe | Yes | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $4700 |
| Martin OM-42 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $6200 |
| Martin 000-42 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $6200 |
| Martin Authentic Series 1919 000-30 | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $6900 |
| Martin Authentic Series 1919 000-30 | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $11700 |
Smaller Body
| Guitar | Acoustic-Electric | Origin | Top Wood | Back and Sides | Price |
| Takamine GF30CE FXC | Yes | China | Spruce | Mahogany | $500 |
| Martin 0-X1E HPL | Yes | Mexico | Mahogany | Mahogany | $500 |
| Takamine GY93 New Yorker | No | China | Spruce | Walnut and Maple | $520 |
| Martin 00X1AE | Yes | Mexico | Spruce | Mahogany | $600 |
| Takamine GY93E New Yorker | Yes | China | Spruce | Walnut and Mahogany | $700 |
| Martin 00-15M | No | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $1300 |
| Takamine P3NY New Yorker | Yes | Japan | Cedar | Sapele | $1450 |
| Martin 00-18 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2500 |
| Martin 0-18 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2500 |
| Martin CEO-7 00 | No | USA | Spruce | Mahogany | $2700 |
| Martin 00-28 Standard | No | USA | Spruce | Rosewood | $3200 |
| Martin 00L Fly Fishing Parlor | No | USA | Spruce | Alves | $3400 |
| Martin 00-17 Authentic 1931 | No | USA | Mahogany | Mahogany | $4800 |
Which Should You Choose?
This brings us to the big question, should you go with a Takamine or a Martin? My best advice is to identify models in your price range (using the tables above!) and then try them out in the store. This way you’ll get the best feel for the instrument and be able to get a clear idea of which is the best for you.
A lot of players consider Takamine guitars to be better when looking at models under around $1200, whilst Martin probably have a better reputation when considering the high-end models.
However, I think trying them out in the store is your best option. You can also try and remove any preconceived notions about either brand by asking a friend to play the guitars in the store whilst you have your back turned so you can figure out which you really like the tone of.
Here are a few final points to wrap this article up with:
- Generally, Takamine guitars sound a bit brighter and Martin guitars sound a bit warmer.
- Martin has a larger range of guitars, giving you a wider selection of models to choose from compared to Takamine.
- Martin cater for the mid-range market ($800-$1250) more than Takamine.
- Martin’s most expensive guitars are more premium than Takamine’s.
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