AJ vs. Martin D

[Mr. Papa]

I am in the market for a mid to high level acoustic. I used to have a Taylor 410 CE, but I found the tone to be softer and quieter than what I want. It was nice, but not for me.

I am looking for something in between Doc Watson and Tony Rice. Not too tart, not too sweet.

How does an AJ compare to a D-18 or a D-28? I have never A/Bed them, and I have played only one AJ, a long time ago.

[hank]

I own several Martins and one 1990 AJ. I use them for bluegrass (god's music).

The Martins are all forward shifted bracing (Golden Era style). A D-18GE, a D-28GE, and a D-28CW. The AJ sounds "harder" edged than my Martins. It has a bit stiffer feel than my Martins and a tad more harshness in the tone. The AJ cuts through the mix, meaning it kills banjos.

I love the AJ for straight country-styled stuff too.