Martin DM Dread or Yahama LL16

You mean LL6 surely the LL16 is nearer to 800 quid !

 

How old is the Yamaha? They went through a redesign a few years ago, adding a torrified top, and revoiced the whole line.

I have a few years old (pre-redesign) LL16, and it was my first nice acoustic. The build quality is very good, the guitar is very solidly constructed with some heft to it, and it's one of those guitars you feel rumble against you when you play open chords like E and G. They also benefit from a nice bone saddle IMO. Helps the tone and projection.

The newer ones are very well loved, and regarded as even better than mine.

 

That's just barely the older series then. They did that somewhere around the beginning of 2014 or late 2013.

That's a tough call for me. You've got my thoughts on the Yamaha; I've loved mine. Martins can be very nice too.

One last difference I can see is the tops. Yamaha used less stiff Engelmann spruce for the L series then, and even the big bodied ones may not have the sheer power and projection of a good Martin dreadnought. The top runs out of headroom and compresses if you really pick or strum hard. I know my OM sized Guild can overpower it. If you intend on playing hard and loud, like in bluegrass groups, the Martin would be a better choice. The Yamaha is a very responsive guitar to a fingerstyle player, and I've set mine up as such.

 

I had a DM and was unimpressed. It is solid top with lami back and sides. I would get the Yami as their all soilid guitars sound really nice.

 

I am a big Martin player and fan but.....You already own a beautiful deep sounding Martin dread. My D-15 is 22 years old; I'm very familiar with them. Adding another Martin dread that happens to be partially laminated with most likely disappoint you after some time.

The Yammi (another brand that I love) is a dread but it has solid rosewood back and sides and it's voice will be different regardless as it's not another Martin.

Solid wood is always desirable and the Yamaha will sound different. Mix it up. Spread the love. get the Yamaha.

 

I got a Yamaha LL11e seventeen years ago and have been really pleased with it. They seem to go for the £5-600 mark, so £450 for the LL16 looks like a really good deal if it is in good nick. IF I needed an acoustic I would certainly be giving it a good look.

 

I have one of those Martin DMs from their original Road Series line. Wife got it for me for my 30th b-day in 1997. I like it a lot, still. Where it sits in the sonic spectrum just clicks with me. Loud enough, but not too tinny or boomy sounding.