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Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter
Taylor Builder's Edition 517
VS
Playability
75
Sound
90
Build
94
Value
71
Score
86
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Playability
73
Sound
84
Build
79
Value
64
Score
79
FIND IT ON:
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Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter vs Taylor Builder's Edition 517

Reasons to Get
Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter over Taylor Builder's Edition 517

Release Year
2022 vs 2018
From a more recent year
Pickups Brand
LR Baggs vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Graphite
Resistant, good tuning stability and rich tone
Number of Frets
24 vs 20
Allows to reach higher notes
Nut Width
1.725'' (43.8mm) vs 1.75'' (44.5mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Paint Finish
Nitro vs Poly
Thin finish that creates aging marks faster
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 15'' (381mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Value Score
71 vs 64
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Taylor Builder's Edition 517 over Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter

Number of Frets
20 vs 24
Warmer neck pickup
Nut Width
1.75'' (44.5mm) vs 1.725'' (43.8mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Paint Finish
Poly vs Nitro
Resistant paint that ages well
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
15'' (381mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings
Avg. Weight
4.3lbs (2kgs) vs 4.85lbs (2.2kgs)
Tends to be lighter

Other Key Differences
Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter vs Taylor Builder's Edition 517

Back Material
Walnut vs Mahogany
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Walnut vs Mahogany
Different Sides Material
Saddle Material
Ivory Tusq vs Synthetic Bone
Different Saddle Material
Bridge Material
Traditional Belly Up, Ebony vs West African Crelicam Ebony
Different Bridge Material
Nut Material
Ivory Tusq vs Graphite
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter vs Taylor Builder's Edition 517

Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany
Same Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony
Same Fretboard Wood
Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Hollowbody
Warm tone, lighter and acoustic sound
Switch Positions
0
Same pickups versatility
Volume Knobs
0
Same volume control
Tone Knobs
0
Same tone control
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Type of Frets
Medium
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter Prices

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter is probably the better product overall with its final score of 86 compared to the Taylor Builder's Edition 517's 79 score, although not by a lot.

The Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter wins when it comes to sound, playability, build quality, value for the money. This means that it wins over the Taylor Builder's Edition 517 in every aspect.

If you got small hands, none of these instruments will make a big difference when it comes to comfortability.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 3 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Taylor Builder's Edition 517
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter Overview

  • From Gibson's 2022 Artist Collection series
  • Dave Mustaine Signature
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid Walnut back
  • Solid Walnut sides
  • Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: LR Baggs VTC (Preamp/Active)
  • Traditional Belly Up, Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Advanced Response Set neck
  • 24 Medium frets
  • Grover Rotomatic tuners
  • Weight between 4.8lbs (2.2kgs) and 4.9lbs (2.2kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Taylor Builder's Edition 517 Overview

  • From Taylor's 2018 500 series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 15" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid Tropical Mahogany back
  • Solid Tropical Mahogany sides
  • Tropical Mahogany neck
  • West African Crelicam Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • West African Crelicam Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Taylor Standard Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Taylor Nickel tuners
  • Weight between 4.2lbs (1.9kgs) and 4.4lbs (2kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The most important thing that will determine the tone of an acoustic guitar is the wood. Let's take a look at the differences between both .

Woods Used in Both

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Ebony wood pattern used for guitar building
Ebony
Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Ebony is a high-end wood, so it is not cheap. It's only used for fretboards because it's also very heavy. It does an excellent job as a durable material while looking elegant. Find out more about Ebony.

Spruce has a light color with tight grain patterns. It's very stiff but relatively light. It's known for producing a well-rounded tone with a broad dynamic range. Find out more about Spruce.

Woods Used in the Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter

Walnut wood pattern used for guitar building
Walnut

It's a hard wood with a chocolate color that is often used to give an elegant finish. Since it's quite expensive and rare, it's mostly used for guitar tops. Find out more about Walnut.

Winner: Tie.

Electronics

The Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter comes with a preamp that allows you to connect it to an amp, unlike its competitor. This allows it to have more versatility and sound quality if you want to record with it or play live.

Winner:Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter
Sustain 95
Versatility 95
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 90
Taylor Builder's Edition 517
Sustain 85
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 84

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter compares to the Taylor Builder's Edition 517.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in United States.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Tie

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter has a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.

On the other hand, the Taylor Builder's Edition 517 comes with a Graphite nut. It's a self-lubricating material that will allow the strings to slide over the nut without a lot of friction. It's a good type of nut if you want to have better tuning stability than with plastic, although it's not as resistant as Bone or Tusq.

Winner: Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter's are Grover Rotomatic while the Taylor Builder's Edition 517's are Taylor Nickel

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Ivory Tusq Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Taylor Builder's Edition 517
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Electronics
  • Low-Quality Material Saddle
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter
Quality of materials 96
Features 85
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 94
Taylor Builder's Edition 517
Quality of materials 71
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 79

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter Nut Width
Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter Nut Width
Taylor Builder's Edition 517 Nut Width
Taylor Builder's Edition 517 Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Taylor Builder's Edition 517 has the wider nut with 44.5mm (1.75'') vs 43.8mm (1.725''). This is a 0.7mm (0.025'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Taylor Builder's Edition 517, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter's Scale Length
Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter's Scale Length
Taylor Builder's Edition 517's Scale Length
Taylor Builder's Edition 517's Scale Length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

The Taylor Builder's Edition 517 has the longest scale: 25.5". The Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter Neck Profile
Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter's neck profile
Taylor Builder's Edition 517 Neck Profile
Taylor Builder's Edition 517's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter and the Taylor Builder's Edition 517 have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter Fingerboard Radius
Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter's Fingerboard radius
Taylor Builder's Edition 517 Fingerboard Radius
Taylor Builder's Edition 517's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the Taylor Builder's Edition 517's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter.

Still, both tend to favor soloing over chords, so if you're looking for a guitar for playing rhythm, you might want something else with a radius closer to a Stratocaster's 9.5''.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both in this comparison favor small hands .

Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Taylor Builder's Edition 517:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter and Taylor Builder's Edition 517 Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium fret size

Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.

Final Playability Scores

Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 75
Taylor Builder's Edition 517
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter vs Taylor Builder's Edition 517
General Gibson Dave Mustaine Songwriter Taylor Builder's Edition 517
Brand: Gibson Taylor
Year: 2022 2018
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: Artist Collection 500
Colors: Black Natural
Left-Handed Version: No Yes
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Sitka Spruce
Sides Material: Walnut Mahogany
Back Material: Walnut Mahogany
Bridge: Traditional Belly Up, Ebony West African Crelicam Ebony
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Grover Rotomatic Taylor Nickel
Fretboard: Ebony West African Crelicam Ebony
Neck Material: Mahogany Tropical Mahogany
Decoration: Mother of Pearl Teeth Arrowheads, Grained Ivoroid
Scale Size: 24.75" 25.5"
Shape: Acoustic Advanced Response Acoustic Taylor Standard
Frets: 24 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 16" 15"
Nut: Ivory Tusq Graphite
Nut Width: 43.8mm (1.725'') 44.5mm (1.75'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: LR Baggs VTC (Preamp / Active)