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Martin 000C12-16E Nylon
Taylor 814ce-N
VS
Playability
73
Sound
86
Build
86
Value
72
Score
82
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Playability
73
Sound
88
Build
85
Value
67
Score
82
FIND IT ON:
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Martin 000C12-16E Nylon vs Taylor 814ce-N

Reasons to Get
Martin 000C12-16E Nylon over Taylor 814ce-N

Release Year
2020 vs 2012
From a more recent year
Pickups Brand
Fishman vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Body Shape
Classical vs Grand Auditorium
Compact body with soft nylon strings
Scale Length
26.5'' (673.1mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
18'' (457.2mm) vs 15'' (381mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend
Avg. Weight
4.05lbs (1.8kgs) vs 4.225lbs (1.9kgs)
Tends to be lighter
Value Score
72 vs 67
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Taylor 814ce-N over Martin 000C12-16E Nylon

Body Shape
Grand Auditorium vs Classical
Wide and narrow body with a balanced tone
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 26.5'' (673.1mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
15'' (381mm) vs 18'' (457.2mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Other Key Differences
Martin 000C12-16E Nylon vs Taylor 814ce-N

Back Material
Mahogany vs Rosewood
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Mahogany vs Rosewood
Different Sides Material
Neck Wood
Hardwood vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Nut Material
Bone vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Martin 000C12-16E Nylon vs Taylor 814ce-N

Saddle Material
Ivory Tusq
Same Saddle Material
Bridge Material
Ebony
Same Bridge Material
Body Wood
Spruce
Same Body 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
Number of Frets
20
Same maximum octave
Nut Width
1.875'' (47.6mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
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
  • High-Quality Nut
  • 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

SET PRICE ALERT
SET PRICE ALERT

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that both instruments scored 82 out of 100, which makes them similar in terms of quality.

The Taylor 814ce-N wins when it comes to sound. On the other hand, the Martin 000C12-16E Nylon has the upper hand when it comes to build quality, value for the money.

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?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Martin 000C12-16E Nylon is the better choice.

The Martin 000C12-16E Nylon meets 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Taylor 814ce-N meets only 4. 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.

New Player Friendliness

Martin 000C12-16E Nylon
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Soft Strings
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Taylor 814ce-N
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Soft Strings
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • 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.

Martin 000C12-16E Nylon Overview

  • From Martin's 2020 16-17 series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 26.5"'' scale
  • 18" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Spruce top
  • Solid Mahogany back
  • Solid Mahogany sides
  • Select Hardwood neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Matrix VT Enhance NT1 (Preamp/Active)
  • Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Low Profile Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Gold Side Mount tuners
  • Weight around 4.05lbs (1.8kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Taylor 814ce-N Overview

  • From Taylor's 2012 800 series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.5"'' scale
  • 15" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid Indian Rosewood back
  • Solid Indian Rosewood sides
  • Tropical Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: ES-N Electronics (Preamp/Active)
  • Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Taylor Standard Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Classical Nickel tuners
  • Weight between 4.15lbs (1.9kgs) and 4.3lbs (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

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

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.

Woods Used in the Martin 000C12-16E Nylon

Hardwood wood pattern used for guitar building
Hardwood

Hardwood is just a generic wood that can come from many species. This type of wood is used to build guitars because it provides a rich, warm sound. The wood also has good structural properties, making it durable and long-lasting.

Woods Used in the Taylor 814ce-N

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Winner: Taylor 814ce-N.

Electronics

Both come with electronics that allow you connect them to an amplifier or interface for recording.

Winner:Tie.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Martin 000C12-16E Nylon
Sustain 90
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 86
Taylor 814ce-N
Sustain 95
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 88

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 Martin 000C12-16E Nylon compares to the Taylor 814ce-N.

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 Martin 000C12-16E Nylon has a Bone nut. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.

On the other hand, the Taylor 814ce-N comes with 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.

Winner: Tie.

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 Martin 000C12-16E Nylon's are Gold Side Mount while the Taylor 814ce-N's are Classical Nickel

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Martin 000C12-16E Nylon
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone 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 814ce-N
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Electronics
  • Ivory Tusq Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Martin 000C12-16E Nylon
Quality of materials 79
Features 85
Quality Control 95
Build Quality 86
Taylor 814ce-N
Quality of materials 81
Features 75
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 85

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

Martin 000C12-16E Nylon Nut Width
Both Guitars Have The Same Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 47.6mm (1.875'').

This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.

Scale Length

Martin 000C12-16E Nylon's Scale Length
Martin 000C12-16E Nylon's Scale Length
Taylor 814ce-N's Scale Length
Taylor 814ce-N'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 Martin 000C12-16E Nylon has the longest scale: 26.5". The Taylor 814ce-N is only 25.5" long. This is a 1'' (25.4mm) 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

Martin 000C12-16E Nylon Neck Profile
Martin 000C12-16E Nylon's neck profile
Taylor 814ce-N Neck Profile
Taylor 814ce-N'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 Martin 000C12-16E Nylon and the Taylor 814ce-N 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

Martin 000C12-16E Nylon Fingerboard Radius
Martin 000C12-16E Nylon's Fingerboard radius
Taylor 814ce-N Fingerboard Radius
Taylor 814ce-N'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 814ce-N's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Martin 000C12-16E Nylon'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 Martin 000C12-16E Nylon.

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 .

Martin 000C12-16E Nylon:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Taylor 814ce-N:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Martin 000C12-16E Nylon and Taylor 814ce-N 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

Martin 000C12-16E Nylon
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Taylor 814ce-N
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Martin 000C12-16E Nylon vs Taylor 814ce-N
General Martin 000C12-16E Nylon Taylor 814ce-N
Brand: Martin Taylor
Year: 2020 2012
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: 16-17 800
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: Yes Yes
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Spruce Solid Sitka Spruce
Sides Material: Mahogany Rosewood
Back Material: Mahogany Rosewood
Bridge: Ebony Ebony
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Gold Side Mount Classical Nickel
Fretboard: Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: Select Hardwood Tropical Mahogany
Decoration: Element
Scale Size: 26.5" 25.5"
Shape: Acoustic Low Profile Acoustic Taylor Standard
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 18" 15"
Nut: Bone Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 47.6mm (1.875'') 47.6mm (1.875'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fishman Matrix VT Enhance NT1 (Preamp / Active) ES-N Electronics (Preamp / Active)