LunatiqueRob
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(Hi mods! I just realized I might have posted this in the wrong place, since there's a jazz/acoustic section and this probably should have gone there. If that's the case, please move this thread there. Thanks!)
I got these acoustic guitars because the two Yamaha Silent guitars I have, while great, need to be plugged in, and I missed having acoustics that I can just pick up and play. I was going to just get a dreadnought, but I was very intrigued by the Martin SC series due to the innovative ergonomic design, so I ended up with that and a Breedlove dreadnought (because the SC only comes in what's essentially OM size and won't have the authoritative bass output).
Martin SC10E
Breedlove Wildwood Satin CE
Ergonomics/Playability
When Martin emphasized the "acoustic that plays like electric" in their marketing for the SC series, they weren't exaggerating. The SC is the most comfortable and closest to electric I've ever played for an acoustic guitar. The shaved off neck-heel makes accessing the higher-frets much better, and the action is nice and low. The SC body is roughly OM size so it's significantly more shallow than a dreadnought, and it's much more comfortable to play.
The Breedlove is a concerto size, which is their version of the dreadnought. It's a fairly standard dreadnought size but with a different shape ( thinner waist). It's as thick as a typical dreadnought so it's a lot of guitar to hug against your body, and it's not as comfortable to play. The action is pretty good but it's obvious I can't play certain barre chords as easily as on the Martin. Some first-fret barre chords are nearly impossible to play cleanly no matter how I adjust my finger/wrist angles.
Tones
The Martin SC sounds similar to an OM, so you won't have the same loud sound projection and strong bass as a dreadnought, which was why I got the Breedlove. The SC has is more mid-forward with clarity and is more modern sounding than the classic warm and creamy Martin sound, and with it being so easy to play, is an awesome songwriter's companion.
I like Breedlove because they tend to sound like if Martin and Taylor fell and love and bred an offspring. It has the bright shimmer of Taylor, but also the fullness and warmth of Martin. This Wildwood model is all African Mahogany so it has a nice full and warm sound.
Here's a sound clip that compares both. Martin first, then Breedlove:
Marin SC10E vs Breedlove Wildwood Satin CE Concerto.mp3
Aesthetics
Acoustic guitars tend to look similar and not nearly as varied as electrics, so not much to talk about here, other than the lighter color Spruce top of the Martin and the darker African Mahogany of the Breedlove. Both have black tuners so there's a bit of similarity there. The Martin is a bit more sleek due to the neck-heel contouring and the thinner offset body. I picked out two new straps for these because my existing straps don't look good on them. For some reason, when I looked at the Martin, I just imagined a strap in vivid blue/teal with a sprinkle of yellow/orange, and that's exactly what I picked out. For the Breedlove, I thought a light tan or cream color would contrast well with the darker African Mahogany.
I got these acoustic guitars because the two Yamaha Silent guitars I have, while great, need to be plugged in, and I missed having acoustics that I can just pick up and play. I was going to just get a dreadnought, but I was very intrigued by the Martin SC series due to the innovative ergonomic design, so I ended up with that and a Breedlove dreadnought (because the SC only comes in what's essentially OM size and won't have the authoritative bass output).
Martin SC10E
Breedlove Wildwood Satin CE
Ergonomics/Playability
When Martin emphasized the "acoustic that plays like electric" in their marketing for the SC series, they weren't exaggerating. The SC is the most comfortable and closest to electric I've ever played for an acoustic guitar. The shaved off neck-heel makes accessing the higher-frets much better, and the action is nice and low. The SC body is roughly OM size so it's significantly more shallow than a dreadnought, and it's much more comfortable to play.
The Breedlove is a concerto size, which is their version of the dreadnought. It's a fairly standard dreadnought size but with a different shape ( thinner waist). It's as thick as a typical dreadnought so it's a lot of guitar to hug against your body, and it's not as comfortable to play. The action is pretty good but it's obvious I can't play certain barre chords as easily as on the Martin. Some first-fret barre chords are nearly impossible to play cleanly no matter how I adjust my finger/wrist angles.
Tones
The Martin SC sounds similar to an OM, so you won't have the same loud sound projection and strong bass as a dreadnought, which was why I got the Breedlove. The SC has is more mid-forward with clarity and is more modern sounding than the classic warm and creamy Martin sound, and with it being so easy to play, is an awesome songwriter's companion.
I like Breedlove because they tend to sound like if Martin and Taylor fell and love and bred an offspring. It has the bright shimmer of Taylor, but also the fullness and warmth of Martin. This Wildwood model is all African Mahogany so it has a nice full and warm sound.
Here's a sound clip that compares both. Martin first, then Breedlove:
Marin SC10E vs Breedlove Wildwood Satin CE Concerto.mp3
Aesthetics
Acoustic guitars tend to look similar and not nearly as varied as electrics, so not much to talk about here, other than the lighter color Spruce top of the Martin and the darker African Mahogany of the Breedlove. Both have black tuners so there's a bit of similarity there. The Martin is a bit more sleek due to the neck-heel contouring and the thinner offset body. I picked out two new straps for these because my existing straps don't look good on them. For some reason, when I looked at the Martin, I just imagined a strap in vivid blue/teal with a sprinkle of yellow/orange, and that's exactly what I picked out. For the Breedlove, I thought a light tan or cream color would contrast well with the darker African Mahogany.
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