# Boucher vs Taylor?



## dmw_07

After weeks of research and asking around, I was all set to go in and pick up a Taylor 310-ce the other day. Then I got side-tracked by Boucher guitars, and now I'm a little torn. I hear good things about the Bouchers, including one positive and one not-so-positive thread in this forum.

Anyway, any opinions out there with regard to Taylors vs Bouchers? My upper limit is $2,000. For plugged in gigging and unplugged recording. (For the Boucher, I'd have to install an LR Baggs or something.)

Cheers,

DMW


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## dmw_07

No thoughts? Here's what I know:

*Boucher*:

A local well-reputed luthier says they're great, well-built, beautiful sounding guitars. Same league as the Taylors.
Apparently their tops are aged in factory before assembly; wood used is apparently the same as that used by classic Martins
Necks tend to be a little thicker
Very full-sounding, lot of deep volume
Hand-made
Made in Quebec; nice for me to support a local company, but the drawback is I only see reviews from other locals who also want to support a local company.  Nothing wrong with that, but I'd like to also hear the thoughts of people in other locations. 
Requires installation of a pickup, so it's almost impossible to find out how it sounds plugged in before buying

*Taylor*:

Bolt-on neck makes maintenance fast, easy and cheap
ES system seems to be a divisive issue; some say it's great, gives an accurate representation of what an acoustic sounds like, some say it's a disaster, and that you need an expensive external pre-amp to make it sound good; I'm getting the impression that for the first couple of years, the ES system had a lot of bugs, but that those have been sorted out.
C&C
Balanced, clear, bright sound
Thinner, easier-to-play neck


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## GuitarPix

Wish I knew more about Bouchers - I went to their site and looked up some of the artists using the guitars. From what I could tell (and of course may not have been those guitars at all) they sound pretty good.

Taylors I'm far more familiar with - and everyone I know who has one has no regrets at all. I remember the first time I saw one at the store, I started playing it and I'm thinking "Damn I'm playin' good today." Then I looked at the price. At the time I was looking in the $400 to $600 range for myself - the $3200 Taylor just a bit beyond that. I put it back and tried a Yamaha, fingers wouldn't even play it. Since then I've played several more and the range you can pay still gets a pretty nice Taylor, and the ones I've heard on stage have a great sound. I like the Tak I eventually bought, but its not in the same class.

For the money, you'll probably do well with either guitar, especially after a few years of hammering on it - they just get better.


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## dmw_07

Thanks, GuitarPix. In the end, I went for the Taylor. The Bouchers are great, but they don't generally come with pickups. Since a pickup is not optional for me, I decided to avoid the hassle of having to get one installed; not to mention, the tone controls would've likely been just inside the soundhole, making a feedback buster difficult to use. 

Prices on the Taylors dropped that day, so it worked out well.  I played it at a gig that night. Factory setup was perfect, and everything worked without a hitch. My only concern is that it does not sound as crisp as my old Ovation, but that can likely be fixed with EQ. Finger-picked melodies come through full and clear -- and I get no radio interference like I had on the Ovation. 

Long story short: Thumbs up so far on the Taylor! Bouchers look great too, but they do require pickup installation. Both guitars are marvellous, and I think most people would be happy with either.


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## gstring

*Boucher Taylor or.....Pellerin*

Hey guys.
I live in Quebec City..don't hold it against me. Been playing 25 years. Have owned Sergei de Jonge....Martin...Larrivée....Petros. Three of those in the 
$8ooo to $9000 range. BUT the other day I played a Pellerin guitar and it equalled or beat all the guitars I have ever owned or played. I have played 20 or so Bouchers and Taylors but the Pellerin blew them all away.
Just a heads up for a super acoustic builder.

dgd


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## rollingdam

If you want a great plugged in sound for gigging. get a Cole Clark-best pickup I have ever heard.


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## Sher Blues

You also can try a Richard guitar... Similar to Boucher, but they sale dirrectly from the plant, than you save a lot of money...

They also build your guitar like you want...


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## signinproblem

*buying an acoustic guitar*

Hello everybody out there who enjoys guitar-I have been playing in nursing homes for alzhiemers patients for 15 years or so-I am always the new guy-lol

I wanted a new guitar-a christmas present to myself-I went to local stores and realized the economy must be hard on retailers to stock high end-so-I went online-to cut out the middle man in dealing-I spoke to some really nice people from nova scotia to british columbia that encouraged me to continue-prices way to high-but I did get an education.

I stumbled on "richard guitars" they are in sherbrooke, quebec-I spoke to richard there-he is a humble man-the son of a great guitar maker(of 35 years)-richard runs things now with his dad in spirit.I drove 1000 kms that day from kingston,ontario to get my guitar-I love it-the anticipation-well-the moon was shining bright as I drove into sherbrooke for my 5pm appointment to tour richards factory and pick up my new,very own richard guitar.

richards friends and staff were in another section of the brightly lite factory jamming--christmas music-the warmth filled the air-richard loves christmas-

richard took me around the factory-kinda show and tell and then to a special room filled with toys for boys-there hung my new guitar-light as a feather and crisp as frost on the first snow-I picked it up and played the first tune 

"lord help me jesus"what did I ever do to deserve even one-well lets just say I was so grateful someone like richard would learn this trade-build this guitar,have it there for me when and as promised-and now 2 weeks later I write a blog-my first to explain my thoughts on shopping for a guitar.

richard,thank you for everything-the guitar-the deal-being there for me as promised over the phone-I want to encourage you as you continue on in the footsteps of your dad-my dad gave me lots too-probably the first to own a 12 guage and a drivers license in my high school-but the best gift -music-

you will smile when you visit richard and own one of his guitars

john mullaly
[email protected]
kingston,on


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