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Taylor GS Mini Mahogany
Martin LX1R Little Martin
VS
Playability
82
Sound
81
Build
70
Value
83
Score
78
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Playability
82
Sound
83
Build
72
Value
84
Score
79
FIND IT ON:
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Taylor GS Mini Mahogany vs Martin LX1R Little Martin

Reasons to Get
Taylor GS Mini Mahogany over Martin LX1R Little Martin

Nut Material
NuBone vs Corian
Hard and self-lubricating nut to keep it in tune
Body Shape
Grand Symphony Mini vs Concert
Compact Grand Symphony for comfortability
Scale Length
23.5'' (596.9mm) vs 23'' (584.2mm)
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 LX1R Little Martin over Taylor GS Mini Mahogany

Release Year
2014 vs 2012
From a more recent year
Pickups Brand
Fishman vs None
Pickups from a renown brand
Body Shape
Concert vs Grand Symphony Mini
Compact body with balanced tones
Scale Length
23'' (584.2mm) vs 23.5'' (596.9mm)
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
84 vs 83
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Taylor GS Mini Mahogany vs Martin LX1R Little Martin

Back Material
Sapele vs HPL
Different Back Material
Sides Material
Sapele vs HPL
Different Sides Material
Saddle Material
Synthetic Bone vs Ivory Tusq
Different Saddle Material
Bridge Material
West African Crelicam Ebony vs FSC Certified Richlite
Different Bridge Material
Body Wood
Mahogany vs Spruce
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Sapele vs Birch
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Ebony vs Richlite
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
NuBone vs Corian
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Taylor GS Mini Mahogany vs Martin LX1R Little Martin

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
1.688'' (42.9mm)
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

Common Weaknesses

  • Solid Side Wood
  • Solid Back Wood
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Locking Tuners
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • From a High-Quality-Standards Country
  • 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 LX1R Little Martin is probably the better product overall with its final score of 79 compared to the Taylor GS Mini Mahogany's 78 score, although not by a lot.

The Martin LX1R Little Martin wins when it comes to sound, build quality, value for the money. On the other hand, the Taylor GS Mini Mahogany 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 5 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 GS Mini Mahogany
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Soft Strings
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Martin LX1R Little Martin
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • 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 GS Mini Mahogany Overview

  • From Taylor's 2012 GS Mini series
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 23.5"'' scale
  • 15" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Tropical Mahogany top
  • Layered Sapele back
  • Layered Sapele sides
  • Sapele neck
  • West African Crelicam Ebony fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: (/)
  • West African Crelicam Ebony bridge
  • Acoustic Taylor Standard Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Die-Cast Chrome tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Martin LX1R Little Martin Overview

  • From Martin's 2014 Little Martin series
  • Made in Mexico
  • 6 strings
  • 23"'' scale
  • 16" Fretboard Radius
  • Solid Spruce top
  • HPL back
  • HPL sides
  • Rust Birch Laminate neck
  • FSC Certified Richlite fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Fishman Sonitone (Preamp/Active)
  • FSC Certified Richlite bridge
  • Acoustic Modified Low Oval Set neck
  • 20 Medium frets
  • Chrome Enclosed Gear tuners
  • Weight between 3.6lbs (1.6kgs) and 3.7lbs (1.7kgs)
  • 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 the Taylor GS Mini Mahogany

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

It's similar to Mahogany in both color and tone. It can produce warm tones, and it's known for its beautiful figured grain patterns. Find out more about Sapele.

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.

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 LX1R Little Martin

Birch wood pattern used for guitar building
Birch
Richlite wood pattern used for guitar building
Richlite
Spruce wood pattern used for guitar building
Spruce
HPL wood pattern used for guitar building
HPL

Birch wood is a hardwood with a light color and a fine, even grain. It has good dimensional stability and is resistant to warping. It's used as a cheaper replacement for maple. The tone produced by birch wood is typically described as being warm, clear, and resonant.

It's very similar to Ebony, but it is much cheaper to make. The main reason is that it is made from resin-infused paper. It is very durable and soft, so it's often used for fretboards and tops.

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.

HPL is a high-pressure laminate made from multiple layers of paper or fabric that are impregnated with resin and then fused together under high pressure and heat.

Winner: Taylor GS Mini Mahogany.

Electronics

The Martin LX1R Little Martin 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 LX1R Little Martin.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Taylor GS Mini Mahogany
Sustain 75
Versatility 80
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 81
Martin LX1R Little Martin
Sustain 75
Versatility 85
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 83

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 GS Mini Mahogany compares to the Martin LX1R Little Martin.

Country of Origin

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

Mexico has been for a long time where Fender has built their semi-premium series. If you don't want to overpay for a wellp-built instrument, a guitar built in this country by a good brand always offers good value for the money.

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 GS Mini Mahogany has a NuBone nut. It's made by the same company that makes TUSQ nuts. It's slightly softer but hard enough to give you a brighter sound when playing open strings. It's also self-lubricating, so it's good for tuning stability.

On the other hand, the Martin LX1R Little Martin comes with a Corian nut. It used to be the go-to nut for Gibson, but it's slowly being replaced by Graph Tech (Tusq). It's a synthetic material made to be similar to Bone, but it doesn't have the same self-lubricating properties, and it's less resistant.

Winner: Taylor GS Mini Mahogany.

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 GS Mini Mahogany's are Die-Cast Chrome while the Martin LX1R Little Martin's are Chrome Enclosed Gear

Winner: Tie.

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

Strengths & Weaknesses
Taylor GS Mini Mahogany
  • Expensive Wood
  • NuBone Nut
  • Synthetic Bone Saddle
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Top Brand Pickups
  • No Electronics
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • Laminated Back Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Martin LX1R Little Martin
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Electronics
  • Solid Top Wood
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Mexico
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No High-Quality Nut
  • Low-Quality Material Saddle
  • Laminated Side Wood
  • Laminated Back Wood
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Taylor GS Mini Mahogany
Quality of materials 76
Features 65
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 70
Martin LX1R Little Martin
Quality of materials 60
Features 85
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 72

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 GS Mini Mahogany 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 42.9mm (1.688'').

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 GS Mini Mahogany's Scale Length
Taylor GS Mini Mahogany's Scale Length
Martin LX1R Little Martin's Scale Length
Martin LX1R Little Martin'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 GS Mini Mahogany has the longest scale: 23.5". The Martin LX1R Little Martin is only 23" 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 GS Mini Mahogany Neck Profile
Taylor GS Mini Mahogany's neck profile
Martin LX1R Little Martin Neck Profile
Martin LX1R Little Martin'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 Taylor GS Mini Mahogany and the Martin LX1R Little Martin 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

Taylor GS Mini Mahogany Fingerboard Radius
Taylor GS Mini Mahogany's Fingerboard radius
Martin LX1R Little Martin Fingerboard Radius
Martin LX1R Little Martin'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 GS Mini Mahogany's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Martin LX1R Little Martin'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 LX1R Little Martin.

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 GS Mini Mahogany:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Martin LX1R Little Martin:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Taylor GS Mini Mahogany and Martin LX1R Little Martin 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 GS Mini Mahogany
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 82
Martin LX1R Little Martin
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 75
Solo Playability 80
Playability 82

Specs Side-by-Side

Taylor GS Mini Mahogany vs Martin LX1R Little Martin
General Taylor GS Mini Mahogany Martin LX1R Little Martin
Brand: Taylor Martin
Year: 2012 2014
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Mexico Mexico
Series: GS Mini Little Martin
Colors: Natural Natural
Left-Handed Version: Yes Yes
Body
Type: Hollowbody Hollowbody
Body Material: Solid Tropical Mahogany Solid Spruce
Sides Material: Sapele HPL
Back Material: Sapele HPL
Bridge: West African Crelicam Ebony FSC Certified Richlite
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Die-Cast Chrome Chrome Enclosed Gear
Fretboard: West African Crelicam Ebony FSC Certified Richlite
Neck Material: Sapele Rust Birch Laminate
Decoration: 4mm Dot Italian Acrylic White Plastic Diamonds and Squares Long Pattern
Scale Size: 23.5" 23"
Shape: Acoustic Taylor Standard Acoustic Modified Low Oval
Frets: 20 Medium Nickel Silver 20 Medium Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 15" 16"
Nut: NuBone Corian
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 42.9mm (1.688'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Fishman Sonitone (Preamp / Active)