The Best Spruce/Mahogany Dreadnoughts of 2025 | Martin D-18 Refresh vs. Taylor Gold Label 517e

In the world of acoustic guitars, few matchups are as anticipated as Taylor versus Martin. In this detailed comparison, Chris McKee, puts the spotlight on two of the hottest dreadnoughts available today: the Taylor 517E Gold Label and the refreshed 2025 Martin D-18.

If you’ve been wondering how these two modern icons stack up, grab a seat, and let’s dive into their tone, design, playability, and overall value.

The Taylor 517e Gold Label Guitar-

Taylor’s new Gold Label series, designed by Andy Powers, has been turning heads since its release. The 517E embodies everything fresh and forward-thinking about this lineup:

Grand Pacific (GP) body – A round-shoulder dreadnought, now deeper for a fuller sound.

V-Class bracing with fan bracing – Unique hybrid bracing delivers sustain, clarity, and a vintage tonal character.

Torrefied spruce top with mahogany back and sides.

A modern neck joint that allows for on-the-fly action adjustments.

Comes standard with Taylor’s ES2 pickup system and a hard-shell case.

New design elements: headstock, inlays, logos, and edge burst finish.

This guitar is designed to be a modern Taylor with an “old-soul,” bringing a warm, vintage-inspired tone that’s distinctly different from traditional Taylors.

2025 Martin D-18-

The Martin D-18 is one of the most legendary acoustic guitars of all time. For 2025, Martin has introduced key updates that bring Golden Era features into its Standard Series:

Golden Era bracing (inspired by high-end Custom Shop models) for a richer midrange and a more open voice.

Golden Era neck profile – A slightly slimmer fretboard with rounded edges, giving it a broken-in feel.

A redesigned bridge shape and a subtly angled nut (new for 2025).

Solid spruce top (non-torrefied) and mahogany back and sides.

Comes with a classic Martin hard-shell case.

The Taylor 517e offers a deep, full bodied bass thanks to its thicker body and a slightly softer treble due to the torrefied top and deeper resonance. While the 2025 Martin D-18 has a tight controlled bass and sparkling clarity on the high end -- classic to the Martin tone. Both guitars are very comfortable, the D18 feels more compact and the 517e feels larger and more enveloping with the round-shoulder shape and added depth. Taylor's new feature of the adjustable neck joint gives players more control over the setup while the Martin retains its traditional craftmanship. 

"The Martin D-18 remains a benchmark for balanced tone and projection—a classic square-shouldered dreadnought with history behind every strum.“The Martin D-18 has a bit more high-end presence, while the Taylor 517E gives you a fuller, deeper low end and a very modern vintage vibe. Both are fantastic guitars—you just have to decide which personality fits your playing style.” - Chris McKee

Check out the Video, for the full in depth comparison and a demo comparison. 

To learn more on the Taylor 517e, click HERE

To learn more on the 2025 Refreshed Martin D18, Click HERE

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