Puma:
I'm currently playing in an acoustic duo with a guy who plays a Taylor. I think they make great guitars. I especially like his on-board electronics. He seems to always have a good sound, and he can tweak it right on the guitar. My Martin has a K&K Pure Western Mini in it, and it sounds decent, but it's better when I run it through my LR Baggs Para DI. My Larrivees all have B-Band active USDs in them, and they sound great. Not sure what they're putting in them these days. My Larrivee D-09 is a few years old, I have an older D-03 that is mahogany, and I have a Larrivee Koa parlor guitar that is really fun. It stays on a stand in my bedroom. I guess you could say I'm a fan.
Electronics aside, on the Martin vs Taylor front, I think Martins are really great for strumming. You can play them really hard and they still sound great. A very sturdy guitar. Martins come set up with action that's a little higher, and mine came with .13s on it. I can play small restaurant gigs without plugging it in. That makes sense, because Martins are designed to play acoustically in a folk/bluegrass setting. They needed to be loud, hence the high action and heavy string setup. If you play that kind of music, get a Martin.
Taylors on the other hand are more delicate instruments. They come with lighter strings and lower, faster action setups. If you play a lot of complicated chords and you're all over the neck, this kind of setup is ideal. Taylors focus more on the electronics because they are meant to be plugged in. A Martin guitar is designed to project sound. A Taylor doesn't need to project--that's what the PA is for. It's just meant to be played, and thus Taylors are easy to play. They are great if you have a light touch, use a flexible pick, etc. Martins are better if you're going to be sawing away.
My friend's Taylor was knocked over at a party once, and the back split in one place. I don't think my Martin or my Larrivee would have split like that--they are just heavier duty guitars.
Of course Martin doesn't just make dreadnoughts, and you can always lower the action or use lighter strings. But in general, I'd pick based on the way you play (how hard you strum) and what kind of music you play. If you shred or play Dave Matthews, get the Taylor. If you are a strummer, get the Martin.
Or, you can get something in between--a Larrivee. In general, Larrivees have fast action like the Taylors, but they are also build for strumming like Martins. When I was buying my nice Larrivee, I played the Taylors, but they sounded weak and too new-age acoustic to me. All top and no balls (they are also cut away, which makes a difference in the sound). Of course, I was just playing in the store and not hooking them up to a PA. The Martins sounded great, but they were too hard to play. I ended up choosing Larrivee because it's in between. I don't think the source of the rosewood makes a difference. I was just lucky that Guitar Center had discontinued selling Larrivee, and they were looking to clear the brazilian at a very low price.
Play one of these before you decide. Can't believe how pricey they have become. My Larrivee D-03 was $400 used (mahogany). I'm sure you can get a better price at a store.
http://www.larrivee.com/instruments/acoustics/D03RE.php
And yeah, Im a phaser maniac as well, I have a Blackout Whetstone, gorgeous phaser.
