# Taylor Girl



## lyric girl (Sep 4, 2008)

I have only been playing for 6 months, but my ear seems to be trained on one sound, and that sound is Taylor. I currently own a 110, but my next Taylor will likely be a GA8, which I fell in love with recently. I have tried playing other brands, but I keep coming back to Taylor, Is there something wrong with that biased view or will I be missing out in the end only staying with one manufacturer?

Thanks,

Lynda


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## JamesW (Sep 27, 2008)

The Taylor sound has a certain kind of sparkle which many people like, including me. I don't think you'll miss out much by staying with a brand, though it certainly doesn't hurt to check out other brands if you are putting price point and electronics into part of your consideration.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Tastes change but it's okay if your tastes don't change or take a long time to change. Liking Taylor is good taste, no problem, run with it, indulge yourself.

Peace, Mooh.


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## lyric girl (Sep 4, 2008)

Mooh said:


> Tastes change but it's okay if your tastes don't change or take a long time to change. Liking Taylor is good taste, no problem, run with it, indulge yourself.
> 
> Peace, Mooh.


You're very bad for my budget you know. Just ordered my first electric, a Rickenbacker 360. Can't go putting out big bucks on a GA8, no matter how much I want to.


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## suttree (Aug 17, 2007)

taylors are well made, there's nothing wrong with them at all. if it were my money, i'd buy (and did) an alvarez/yairi, or a yamaha LL (japanese made)... i just don't think the taylors have the "soul"... hard to quantify..


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

suttree said:


> taylors are well made, there's nothing wrong with them at all. if it were my money, i'd buy (and did) an alvarez/yairi, or a yamaha LL (japanese made)... i just don't think the taylors have the "soul"... hard to quantify..


I don't like every Taylor but I have known a few that were amazing. An all koa model at Elderly, a friend's maple jumbo, and a 12 string that came through these parts a while back.

There was an LL for more than a year at the local mom'n'pop which I though was a killer axe for any money. Not sure why it didn't sell sooner. I almost wanted it myself.

There are dogs and gems among the guitars of most every brand. One has to look harder for the gems. I hear dozens of guitars every week in the course of my work (60 students, half to 3/4 of whom show up with different axes regularly) and way too many of them have no special value to their owners. They seem to be merely tools. Find one that sings to you and you will make it sing.

I long ago quit tryin to find great acoustic guitars on the store racks. I have them made for me. So far I haven't struck out.

Peace, Mooh.


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## ZeroFret (Aug 1, 2008)

I use a Taylor 114. I initially went to the music store and tried it out but didn't buy it. After about a week of shopping around and trying out other guitars I went back and tried that same Taylor 114 and I knew right then that was the guitar I should buy. The only other guitar I would love to have is a Martin D-28 but at almost $2300 I will have to wait...

I say if the GA8 is the one that "speaks to you" than by all means go for it!


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

I dunno how to quantify it either. The very very first guitar I ever played was an old ratty Gibson my Dad had (which is now mine) It had a small body and was very good for my more girly hands. When I got serious about learning guitar (20 years later) my first Guitar was a Big baby. I still love it and it's my drag around guitar. Next was an Epi Dot (beautiful sunburst) that I really don't play, I'm an acoustic player really I can't kid myself that I'm ever going to be a noodler. But when the time came to go get "the one" that one special guitar that was going to be that "last one" I tried to be very open minded. I trolled the 12th fret used site for 8 months or more I know what stuff is worth, I went to the Arts and played everything I could get my hands on thinking "one day" But when that day came I thought I knew what I wanted which was a georgous Seagull artist series flame Maple, stunning with a great sound. I went to 3 different stores and walked away with a GS8. I had zero intention os spending that kind of cash, I'm not going on tour after all. But I have no regrets and get much pleasure from it. Even with an open mind NOT intentionally shopping for a Taylor, I got another one. AND I had the guys at the stores play all the ones that were the front runner for me and it was still that "sparkle" that got me.... Like all things, whatever floats yer boat!


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Well, to recall another recent thread here.

Taylor has a smell. It's a rich smell of wood. I've been talking with my son on how to find his understanding of his guitar, and one of the things is to just hold it and smell the woods it is made of. My son has a hard time linking his environment to himself, so such things for him are important.

I took him to L&M and we started pulling guitars off the racks. From pretty much coulda-been-made-of-plastic odourless to high school wood shop none of the other makes really had that sweet smell of just wood. :| One make even had the over whelming smell of white wood glue and sawdust. So, to me the difference is 'furniture made of real wood and by hand' VS 'furniture made for sale at Ikea or Leon's' or such similar shops. :/ maybe a poor analogy for an instrument, but its first thing in the morning and I still need a coffee LOL

A fellow I bumped into in L&M expressed the opinion that the Taylor's are stronger on mid range sounds than say the Martins. It may be that they are, to me they to sound simply brighter and louder without sounding tinny and have a decent sustain/decay to their sound. That said I tried out a couple Martin's and I don't dislike their sound either. :| I tried the Martin web site 'build your own' http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/custom/ and OMG 12,000 later for a custom


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

keeperofthegood said:


> Well, to recall another recent thread here.
> 
> Taylor has a smell. It's a rich smell of wood. I've been talking with my son on how to find his understanding of his guitar, and one of the things is to just hold it and smell the woods it is made of. My son has a hard time linking his environment to himself, so such things for him are important.
> 
> http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/custom/ and OMG 12,000 later for a custom


And there is that.. I still smell my guitar every time I take it out of the case! (I still can't belive I told anyone that) I LOVE that. I guess I didn't realise that was brand specific.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

keeperofthegood said:


> :| I tried the Martin web site 'build your own' http://www.martinguitar.com/guitars/custom/ and OMG 12,000 later for a custom


Did you choose Brazilian Rosewood?


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

I always have been in love with the instrument for it's beauty, I love the lines of them, the feel of the wood.. But if i had the money to throw away.... There are some stunning works of art here and I imagine they sound every bit as good as they look. As I'm sure a custom Martin, Gibson, Larivee ect would be...

http://www.rtaylorguitars.com/Models-Style2.aspx


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

guitarman2 said:


> Did you choose Brazilian Rosewood?


Sitka Spruce top
Sustainable Cherry back, sides and neck
Indian Rosewood Fingerboard.

:/ open sound between Mahogany and Maple if I read online right.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/KeeperOfTheGood/GuitarsCanada/CMMPG1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/KeeperOfTheGood/GuitarsCanada/CMMPG2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v281/KeeperOfTheGood/GuitarsCanada/CMMPG3.jpg

:/ they didn't have a text option to save, or an email option which I have to say is rather frustrating!


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## MrsMime (Sep 25, 2008)

Nothing wrong with loving Taylors. I'm personally a Taylor lover myself. Amazing guitars. *drool*


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## lyric girl (Sep 4, 2008)

I too smell my Taylor every time it comes out of the case.:smile:

Recently, before I fell in love with the GA8, I tried Martins, Gibsons and Larrivees. Out of those, I am still a little shocked to announce that I really liked the Gibson best (have no idea what model, but I think it was in the $2,000+ range, similar to the Taylor). I don't seem to like the Martin sound at all, and I keep trying to convince myself to buy a Larrivee, being that you get a lot of bang for your buck in terms of the wood and that the company is owned by a Canadian and some of the guitars are still produced here, however, I still can't bring myself to turn my back on Taylor.

When I ventured on the trip of buying my first acoustic, I had an up to $500 price range and was fairly certain that I was coming home with a Godin product. Not meaning to step on anybody's toes here, but the Godin products just don't do it for me. 

I had a girl in a shop playing pretty much everything in my price range and then she played a Big Baby Taylor and it was like wow. I knew I had heard that sound b4, but didn't know where. Well, I went home and did some research and wasn't surprised in the least to see that Peter Buck of REM plays a Taylor most of the time when he is playing acoustic. So, there was the ah hah moment. I actually ended up with a 110 instead because the shop didn't have a hard shell case to fit it and I didn't want only a gig bag. Of course, the black binding and bigger sound had nothing to do with my bringing her home.

So, this is my Taylor obsession story. I am very sad to announce that even though there have been a number of Taylor Road Shows in the GTA, I have yet to make it out to one.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

OH gosh yes. I will purchase another Taylor too!!

My monitor is on its last legs, over dark, is there a 'build your own' app on the Taylor site?  Dreams make Life real!


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## rippinglickfest (Jan 1, 2006)

*Taylor*

I recently purchased a Taylor 210CE at L&M in Ottawa..........Its a great sounding guitar and for 1K the price wasnt bad either. I'd sure love to get a top of the line Taylor but thats going to be a bit of saving.


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

I've been tainted by the smell of my Martin, so I don't smell my Taylor. Martin's have an (for the lack of a better word) orgasmic smell. The combination of east indian rosewood and glue, it's truelly something else!!!


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## rbbambino (Oct 10, 2007)

Jeff Flowerday said:


> I've been tainted by the smell of my Martin, so I don't smell my Taylor. Martin's have an (for the lack of a better word) orgasmic smell. The combination of east indian rosewood and glue, it's truelly something else!!!


Well Jeff, if you think your Martin smells goooood.. My new Stonebridge has a smell to die for!!! or something else!! Just think, if they could just bottle up that smell into a spray and then spray all the guitars in the showroom. Kind of like the new car smell!!! I think we are onto something here. Do you suppose? Ron.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Jeff Flowerday said:


> I've been tainted by the smell of my Martin, so I don't smell my Taylor. Martin's have an (for the lack of a better word) orgasmic smell. The combination of east indian rosewood and glue, it's truelly something else!!!


:food-smiley-015:

OMG! LOL :/ wish there was a good rofl or lmao but you sure left me laughing! (Ok, I think in pictures before I think in words LOL)

:food-smiley-004: there sure are some great slogans that do come up on this site, would make for a great series of branding shirts. I could even see this done as a commercial too...


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## lyric girl (Sep 4, 2008)

Also forgot to mention, that when I dump my husband and marry someone rich OR I win the lottery, whichever happens first, I will be buying an R. Taylor!


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## suttree (Aug 17, 2007)

lyric girl said:


> Also forgot to mention, that when I dump my husband and marry someone rich OR I win the lottery, whichever happens first, I will be buying an R. Taylor!


well, if you're ever looking for a hundredaire, you let me know. (damned ticket was a no-winner... sigh. $35 million would have looked good in the bank account)


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Paul said:


> Statistically I think I know which is far more likely. I don't buy lottery tickets and my odds of winning are only slightly reduced.


You actually probably come out ahead as you haven't been dropping any money on the tickets.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

lyric girl said:


> Also forgot to mention, that when I dump my husband and marry someone rich OR I win the lottery, whichever happens first, I will be buying an R. Taylor!


Wouldn't it be a lot less hassle not to dump your husband, therefore not have to wait to find someone rich or to have win the lottery...and *convince HIM ( i.e., your husband) TO BUY the R. Taylor for you.*

Hmmmmmm...."How to convince him" (she says)

Good Luck

Dave


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

lyric girl said:


> I have only been playing for 6 months, but my ear seems to be trained on one sound, and that sound is Taylor. I currently own a 110, but my next Taylor will likely be a GA8, which I fell in love with recently. I have tried playing other brands, but I keep coming back to Taylor, Is there something wrong with that biased view or will I be missing out in the end only staying with one manufacturer?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Lynda



I happenned on this tech article while researching Stainless Steel frets. Scroll down to the section in the middle named "Stainless steel versus nickel silver frets". http://www.edroman.com/techarticles/stainlessfrets.htm

You won't believe what this guy says about Taylor guitars. I have always liked them off the shelf. I've never owned one so I don't know how well they open up over time. I do know the Martins always get better and better with age.


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

guitarman2 said:


> I happenned on this tech article while researching Stainless Steel frets. Scroll down to the section in the middle named "Stainless steel versus nickel silver frets". http://www.edroman.com/techarticles/stainlessfrets.htm
> 
> You won't believe what this guy says about Taylor guitars. I have always liked them off the shelf. I've never owned one so I don't know how well they open up over time. I do know the Martins always get better and better with age.


It's also common knowledge that Ed Roman is an idiot. He flaps his mouth just to draw attention.

How can someone be dumb enough to say that a Taylor will never open up or change tonally because it's a bolt on neck? Taylors do take longer to open up but that's do to it's body construction, more specifically bracing and top, back and side thickness. I guess all you Strat and Tele owners are in for a surprise you guitars aren't going to change over time, damn bolt on neck.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Jeff Flowerday said:


> It's also common knowledge that Ed Roman is an idiot. He flaps his mouth just to draw attention.
> 
> How can someone be dumb enough to say that a Taylor will never open up or change tonally because it's a bolt on neck? Taylors do take longer to open up but that's do to it's body construction, more specifically bracing and top, back and side thickness. I guess all you Strat and Tele owners are in for a surprise you guitars aren't going to change over time, damn bolt on neck.



Yeah I thought something was wrong with that article. Guess I can't depend on anything credible on the stainless steel frets info either.


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## nitehawk55 (Sep 19, 2007)

Look here http://www.beneteauguitars.com/ 

I just visited with Marc today and toured his shop since I had not been there for a few years . His shop has continued to evolve as has his guitars . They are not a low priced guitar but if you want something made exactly the way you want then this is an option for anyone who wants the ultimate in a perfectly made guitar that rings like a grand piano and something you will cherish your whole life . Marc makes 2 guitars a month....sometimes 3 ( rarely ) . All the work is done by only him in the basement of his red brick century home .

Marc made my quilted birdseye maple OM going on 10 years ago and my next I will be ordering will likely be the Jumbo with the arm bevel ( very comfortable :smile and the vent in the upper bout so you can hear yourself better . 

Take a few and look at his guitars and the different woods he uses ........lofu

BTW.....his guitars still have that sweet wood smell to them after 10 years :smile:


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## lyric girl (Sep 4, 2008)

nitehawk55 said:


> Look here http://www.beneteauguitars.com/
> 
> I just visited with Marc today and toured his shop since I had not been there for a few years . His shop has continued to evolve as has his guitars . They are not a low priced guitar but if you want something made exactly the way you want then this is an option for anyone who wants the ultimate in a perfectly made guitar that rings like a grand piano and something you will cherish your whole life . Marc makes 2 guitars a month....sometimes 3 ( rarely ) . All the work is done by only him in the basement of his red brick century home .
> 
> ...


Thanks very much; however, this is way above my current price range. With another guitar on order, the highest I could go would be around $2,000.


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

guitarman2 said:


> Yeah I thought something was wrong with that article. Guess I can't depend on anything credible on the stainless steel frets info either.


I really don't know about stainless steel comments, he may very well be right. 

His idiotic jab at taylors is typical and rubs me the wrong way!


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