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Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB
Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe
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Playability
73
Sound
84
Build
79
Value
64
Score
79
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Playability
73
Sound
88
Build
90
Value
69
Score
84
FIND IT ON:
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Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB vs Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe

Reasons to Get
Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB over Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe

Neck Profile
Acoustic Taylor Standard vs Acoustic Vintage Deluxe
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 25.4'' (645.2mm)
Lower action and brighter 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-28 Modern Deluxe over Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB

Fret Material
Gold vs Nickel Silver
Almost as durable as stainless steel with an exotic look
Release Year
2020 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
Acoustic Vintage Deluxe vs Acoustic Taylor Standard
Adapts to the natural shape of your hand
Pickups Brand
Fishman vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Nut Material
Bone vs Graphite
Good quality nut with rich tone
Scale Length
25.4'' (645.2mm) 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
69 vs 64
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB vs Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe

Saddle Material
Synthetic Bone vs Compensated
Different Saddle Material
Bridge Material
West African Crelicam Ebony vs Ebony
Different Bridge Material
Nut Material
Graphite vs Bone
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB vs Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe

Back Material
Rosewood
Same Back Material
Sides Material
Rosewood
Same Sides Material
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
Number of Frets
20
Same maximum octave
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
Avg. Weight
4.6lbs (2.1kgs)
Similar weight
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 Frets
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

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

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe is probably the better product overall with its final score of 84 compared to the Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB's 79 score, although not by a lot.

The Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB has the upper hand when it comes to.

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

Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe
  • 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 Builder's Edition 717 WHB Overview

  • From Taylor's 2019 700 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
  • 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 4.5lbs (2kgs) and 4.7lbs (2.1kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe Overview

  • From Martin's 2020 Modern Deluxe series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 25.4"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Spruce with VTS top
  • Solid East Indian Rosewood back
  • Solid East Indian Rosewood sides
  • Genuine Mahogany neck
  • Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman (Preamp/Active)
  • Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Vintage Deluxe Set neck
  • 20 Medium Gold frets
  • Gold Open Gear tuners
  • Weight around 4.6lbs (2.1kgs)
  • 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
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

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.

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: Tie.

Electronics

The Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe 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:Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB
Sustain 85
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 84
Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe
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 Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB compares to the Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe.

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 Builder's Edition 717 WHB has 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.

On the other hand, the Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe 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: Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe.

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.

In this comparison, the Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe is the only one that has stainless steel frets. These frets will basically last for the entire life of the guitar. They will never need polishing nor replacement. And not only that, but some people also notice that bending and vibratos are much easier to perform when they upgrade to stainless steel.

Winner: Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB's are Taylor Nickel while the Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe's are Gold Open Gear

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB
  • 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
Strengths & Weaknesses
Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe
  • Gold Frets
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Compensated Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB
Quality of materials 71
Features 65
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 79
Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe
Quality of materials 86
Features 85
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 90

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 Builder
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 Builder's Edition 717 WHB's Scale Length
Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB's Scale Length
Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe's Scale Length
Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe'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 717 WHB has the longest scale: 25.5". The Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe is only 25.4" long. This is a 0.1'' (2.5mm) 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 Builder's Edition 717 WHB Neck Profile
Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB's neck profile
Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe Neck Profile
Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe'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 Builder's Edition 717 WHB 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-28 Modern Deluxe, on the other hand, has a Asymmetrical neck. Even though this neck shape looks like a poorly-made job, it's, in fact, the neck that most naturally adapts to the arc of your hand when grabbing a guitar neck. You'll notice that the lower part of your palm makes a more pronounced, deeper curve while the upper part makes a more subtle arch. This is the shape that adapts the best to that natural arch your hand makes while playing.

Fretboard Radius

Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB Fingerboard Radius
Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB's Fingerboard radius
Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe Fingerboard Radius
Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe'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 717 WHB's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe'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-28 Modern Deluxe.

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 .

Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB and Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe 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 Builder's Edition 717 WHB
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 80
Playability 73
Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe
Bending & Vibrato Ease 75
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73

Specs Side-by-Side

Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB vs Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe
General Taylor Builder's Edition 717 WHB Martin D-28 Modern Deluxe
Brand: Taylor Martin
Year: 2019 2020
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States United States
Series: 700 Modern Deluxe
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: Yes Yes
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Sitka Spruce Solid Spruce with VTS
Sides Material: Rosewood Rosewood
Back Material: Rosewood Rosewood
Bridge: West African Crelicam Ebony Ebony
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Taylor Nickel Gold Open Gear
Fretboard: West African Crelicam Ebony Ebony
Neck Material: Tropical Mahogany Genuine Mahogany
Decoration: Arrowheads, Mother of Pearl Abalone Diamonds and Squares Long Pattern
Scale Size: 25.5" 25.4"
Shape: Acoustic Taylor Standard Acoustic Vintage Deluxe
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Gold
Fretboard Radius: 15" 16"
Nut: Graphite Bone
Nut Width: 44.5mm (1.75'') 44.5mm (1.75'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fishman (Preamp / Active)