Outlaws, are you still going with this!!!??? Look - having been a guitarist for 24 years or so, I find it intriguing that Martins have such a rep for being the ultimate acoustic, considering I have tried them whenever I can, which to be literal, is probably half a dozen times a year, at various guitar stores. I've found them to feel stiff, with higher action than I like, and with a sound that TO ME is very flat, bassy, and "dull", for lack of a better word. What you call bashing is my observation, based on two things:
1) my personal preference, technique, etc.
2) the number Martins I've played, which as I've stated
Now, I can put the moves on most guitars, regardless of whether or not they have high or low action, and that is due to a lot practicing. That isn't to say I think I'm a great player, because I am highly critical of myself as a musician. It says I am a capable player, and that my finger strength is well developed. (I hate it when I feel the need to explain everthing down to the minutia to avoid misinterpretation, but I think you might need it that way)
I prefer not to have to push hard on the strings, which I seem to have to do on a Martin, ALWAYS.
What got me to be defensive, Outlaws, is that your original response to this thread had assumptions in it that were unfounded and condescending. You say that I only like Taylors because I prefer electrics? How the F*** would you know what I prefer? I spent almost 6 years with nothing but an acoustic, learning chords, slides and finger style. And it was a relatively cheap POS Epiphone! I play a lot with my fingers, and the tone and playability of a Taylor allows me to be more expressive and I like the sound of it better.
After all these years, the legendary sound and feel of Martins eludes me. The thread was started because I wanted to read about the experience/opinions of others, NOT so that those like you who clearly like Martins to jump on the defensive and talk to me like I'm a troll, or whatever you've convinced yourself I am...
I've quit jobs and gotten in the faces of anyone ever that thought they could talk to me that way, because there is no reason you should. You don't know me other than the few things I've written here, so why assume you do? Is it because you feel you are somehow smarter than me or better than me? All I know, is that when I am talked down to, it makes me want to defend myself and lash out at whoever is doing it. If that is what you are here to inspire me to do, then go ahead.