blinker12, Carne Vaca is correct in his assessment.
Taylors are great as a lead acoustic, awesome on stage because the bright sound really does cut through the band. Also how you play will make a difference... Remember that Lindsey uses his fingers which tends to dampen the brightness somewhat over a pick and even then he still sounds really bright!
In a studio surrounding then a Martin is a finer choice, I think they age better too (I've owned both Taylors and Martins in the past). Taylor use thinner wood so they sound a little more resonant and sharper than Martins but they don't age as well because of the thinner construction.
For what it's worth have a look at acoustics by Tacoma, Rainsong, Breedlove and the Santa Cruz Guitar Company. All those companies offer in my opinion a more sound purchase than Taylor.
