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Taylor 812ce 12-Fret
Martin D-18 Authentic 1937
VS
Playability
73
Sound
84
Build
87
Value
66
Score
81
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Playability
73
Sound
85
Build
84
Value
66
Score
81
FIND IT ON:
Sweetwater logoMusician's Friend logo
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Taylor 812ce 12-Fret vs Martin D-18 Authentic 1937

Reasons to Get
Taylor 812ce 12-Fret over Martin D-18 Authentic 1937

Neck Profile
Acoustic Taylor Standard vs Acoustic Authentic 1937
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Body Shape
Grand Concert vs Dreadnought
Slightly larger than the Concert body with a strong mid-range
Scale Length
24.9'' (632.5mm) vs 25.4'' (645.2mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
15'' (381mm) vs 16'' (406.4mm)
More curved fretboard helpful to play chords without muting strings

Reasons to Get
Martin D-18 Authentic 1937 over Taylor 812ce 12-Fret

Release Year
2022 vs 2014
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Acoustic Authentic 1937 vs Acoustic Taylor Standard
Thick neck that gives you a better grip
Number of Frets
20 vs 18
Allows to reach higher notes
Body Shape
Dreadnought vs Grand Concert
Prominent low-end tones in a large body
Scale Length
25.4'' (645.2mm) vs 24.9'' (632.5mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
16'' (406.4mm) vs 15'' (381mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
Taylor 812ce 12-Fret vs Martin D-18 Authentic 1937

Back Material
Rosewood vs Mahogany
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Rosewood vs Mahogany
Different Sides Material
Saddle Material
Synthetic Bone vs Bone
Different Saddle Material
Bridge Material
West African Crelicam Ebony vs Ebony
Different Bridge Material
Nut Material
Black Tusq XL vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Taylor 812ce 12-Fret vs Martin D-18 Authentic 1937

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
Nut Width
1.75'' (44.5mm)
Same string separation at the nut
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Fixed
Good sustain and needs no set-up
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
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • 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 81 out of 100, which makes them similar in terms of quality.

The Martin D-18 Authentic 1937 wins when it comes to sound. On the other hand, the Taylor 812ce 12-Fret has the upper hand when it comes to build quality.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel that the Taylor 812ce 12-Fret is easier to play.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, the Taylor 812ce 12-Fret is the better choice.

The Taylor 812ce 12-Fret meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Martin D-18 Authentic 1937 meets only 3. 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

Taylor 812ce 12-Fret
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Martin D-18 Authentic 1937
  • 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.

Taylor 812ce 12-Fret Overview

  • From Taylor's 2014 800 series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.9"'' scale
  • 15" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Sitka Spruce top
  • Solid Indian Rosewood back
  • Solid Indian Rosewood sides
  • Tropical Mahogany neck
  • West African Crelicam Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Expression System 2 Electronics (Preamp/Active)
  • West African Crelicam Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Taylor Standard Set neck
  • 18 Medium frets
  • Taylor Slot Head tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Martin D-18 Authentic 1937 Overview

  • From Martin's 2022 Authentic series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.4"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Adirondack Spruce with VTS top
  • Solid Genuine Mahogany back
  • Solid Genuine Mahogany sides
  • Genuine Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Authentic 1937 Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Waverly Nickel Open Back tuners
  • 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 Taylor 812ce 12-Fret

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 812ce 12-Fret.

Electronics

The Taylor 812ce 12-Fret 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:Taylor 812ce 12-Fret.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Taylor 812ce 12-Fret
Sustain 90
Versatility 75
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 84
Martin D-18 Authentic 1937
Sustain 90
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 85

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 Taylor 812ce 12-Fret compares to the Martin D-18 Authentic 1937.

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 Taylor 812ce 12-Fret has a Black Tusq XL nut. TUSQ nuts are usually the highest quality you can get. Black TUSQs are made from a special slippery material that helps the strings get back to its original position (one of the keys to tune stability).

On the other hand, the Martin D-18 Authentic 1937 comes with 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.

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 Taylor 812ce 12-Fret's are Taylor Slot Head while the Martin D-18 Authentic 1937's are Waverly Nickel Open Back

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Taylor 812ce 12-Fret
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Black Tusq XL Nut
  • Electronics
  • Synthetic Bone 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Martin D-18 Authentic 1937
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Electronics
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Taylor 812ce 12-Fret
Quality of materials 86
Features 75
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 87
Martin D-18 Authentic 1937
Quality of materials 86
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 84

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

Taylor 812ce 12-Fret 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 44.5mm (1.75'').

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

Taylor 812ce 12-Fret's Scale Length
Taylor 812ce 12-Fret's Scale Length
Martin D-18 Authentic 1937's Scale Length
Martin D-18 Authentic 1937'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 D-18 Authentic 1937 has the longest scale: 25.4". The Taylor 812ce 12-Fret is only 24.9" long. This is a 0.5'' (12.7mm) 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

Taylor 812ce 12-Fret Neck Profile
Taylor 812ce 12-Fret's neck profile
Martin D-18 Authentic 1937 Neck Profile
Martin D-18 Authentic 1937'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.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The Taylor 812ce 12-Fret has a C type of 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.

The Martin D-18 Authentic 1937, on the other hand, has a Vintage neck. This means that it's thicker than most modern necks, and makes it a better fit for playing chords and slow solos. Some people prefer this type of neck because it gives them a better grip thanks to the extra mass. Still, the vast majority prefer a thinner, faster, and more ''modern'' neck.

Fretboard Radius

Taylor 812ce 12-Fret Fingerboard Radius
Taylor 812ce 12-Fret's Fingerboard radius
Martin D-18 Authentic 1937 Fingerboard Radius
Martin D-18 Authentic 1937'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 812ce 12-Fret's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Martin D-18 Authentic 1937'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 D-18 Authentic 1937.

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.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Martin D-18 Authentic 1937 favors large hands more than the Taylor 812ce 12-Fret.

Taylor 812ce 12-Fret:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Martin D-18 Authentic 1937:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Taylor 812ce 12-Fret and Martin D-18 Authentic 1937 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

Taylor 812ce 12-Fret
Bending & Vibrato Ease 80
Chord Playability 70
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73
Martin D-18 Authentic 1937
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Taylor 812ce 12-Fret vs Martin D-18 Authentic 1937
General Taylor 812ce 12-Fret Martin D-18 Authentic 1937
Brand: Taylor Martin
Year: 2014 2022
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: 800 Authentic
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: Yes No
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Adirondack Spruce with VTS
Sides Material: Rosewood Mahogany
Back Material: Rosewood Mahogany
Bridge: West African Crelicam Ebony Ebony
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Taylor Slot Head Waverly Nickel Open Back
Fretboard: West African Crelicam Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: Tropical Mahogany Genuine Mahogany
Decoration: Element Abalone Old Style 18
Scale Size: 24.9" 25.4"
Shape: Acoustic Taylor Standard Acoustic Authentic 1937
Frets: 18 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 15" 16"
Nut: Black Tusq XL Bone
Nut Width: 44.5mm (1.75'') 44.5mm (1.75'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Expression System 2 Electronics (Preamp / Active)