I can't believe I own this guitar

[Mike Carter]

I picked up my new Taylorstock guitar last night.

I am just blown away by it. It is absolutely amazing. It sounds better than it looks !!! and I can't express how it looks. The pictures do not do it justice.

I have been switching back and forth between the Martin D18GE and the TS guitar all morning, and there is no comparison between the two. I would not trade this guitar for 10 D-18GEs.

Don't get me wrong I like the D-18GE, But I like this Custom Taylor MUCH better.

It plays with ease and sings like a virtuoso.

It really is awesome when you get something that far exceeds your expectations. I was really worried about how it would turn out. I kept thinking I should have got the Cindy inlay, I wonder how the Cocobolo will sound with the englemann, Was the aging toner a good Idea, will the torch look good on a Cocobolo headstock overlay in reference to the rest of the guitar, will the horses be lost in the neck. Will I have trouble finding frets, Will the florintine cutaway adversely effect the tone with this wood combo, Did I pay all that money for a guitar I am not going like. ?

Let me tell you I was quite nervous.For Nothing, I could not love this guitar more.

If by chance you read this Uncle Bob, I just want you to know you are THE MAN I can't thank you enough for this incredible guitar.

I will post some good Pictures as soon as I can figure out how to work this FTP program.

Mike

[J.R. Rogers]

Hey, Mike! Very glad to hear that you're satisfied with the guitar. From those in-progress photos, it looks beautiful. E-mail me some pics and I'll get them posted as soon as I get some free time. I'm also glad they're finished with your guitar for another reason... Now they're working on my custom-shop guitar. :)

[buddiesorg]

Hey ... how did you get your guitar before I got mine? Yours started afterward ... mine was set up before yours ... now I think I'm starting to worry ...

[cpmusic]

Mike, that's great news! What is it? I'm not kidding; I can't remember what you ordered. And where are the pictures?? :)

[meridian]

Chris, take a look here at Mary's TS glimpses:

http://www.stringsnthings.org/hsguitar/TSguitars/MC01.jpg

Congrats Mike! I heartily agree! I was nervous about my TS guitars (still am about the 810) as I had never before ordered a custom guitar and "omigod, what IF______________??" Fill-in the blank.

My 654CE beats all expectations. I am more sure than ever that the 810 will as well.

The fact that Bob T is checking out each guitar leads me to believe that if anything is not to his liking, it'll go back into the shop. It just CAN'T get any better than that!

[SonShine]

Beautiful, just beautiful! Post some complete pics when you get a chance. Congrats!

[jeffrey]

Originally posted by buddiesorg
Hey ... how did you get your guitar before I got mine? Yours started afterward ... mine was set up before yours ... now I think I'm starting to worry ...

Yeah I'm kinda with you their Mary..

Mine has been waiting for a neck since about the 8th or so according to your pictures on your website. :(

I hope something didn't get missed up.

[buddiesorg]

Jeffrey, I'm sure nothing's gone wrong with your guitar ... it happens occasionally ... the body of your guitar is gorgeous, though ... and I'm sure it will have a neck to match. :)

[meridian]

Jeffrey, Mary, Jennifer, Me and everybody else still waiting for a TS guitar:

There is NOTHING to be worried about.

I am completely serious about that. Uncle Bob is on the case on all 51+ of these guitars. IF something is less than acceptable to him, it goes back in the shop with a note from Bob Taylor (I'm just guessing) saying what needs to get done.

IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS!!!!

Having already received one TS guitar I can tell you when you get yours it will knock your socks off and take your breath away -- but not in that order.:roll:

[jeffrey]

Originally posted by buddiesorg
Jeffrey, I'm sure nothing's gone wrong with your guitar ... it happens occasionally ... the body of your guitar is gorgeous, though ... and I'm sure it will have a neck to match. :)

I hope you are right, Mary. :)

[Cisco]

Mike
A real beauty...perhaps the most beautiful of the TS specials ???



Congrats Ron

[VFran]

Ron you might be right. Although beauty is in the eye of the beholder (and we all feel our TS guitars are special to us), I think Mike's guitar hits the mark. The wood combination is just breath taking and it's hard to imagine it sounding better than it looks.

Congratulations Mike, you earned an "A" in Uncle Bob's wood selection seminar.

[SteveS]

Originally posted by cpmusic
Mike, that's great news! What is it? I'm not kidding; I can't remember what you ordered. And where are the pictures?? :) I saw it Tuesday night. I think it is a 810 (ce?) It had two outstanding visual features. There are 3 or4 galloping horses inlaid on the neck. It has the most beautiful cocobola back and sides. Pat Kirtley played a song on it for the crowd. He played it through the mic and it sounded better than any of the other guitars he or Dan played that night. It look better than any other guitar too! The cocobola had great features with a light streak in it with all that orange, red and black grain in it. It is stunning.

[meridian]

Mike, I heard that there was a story about when you went to pick up your guitar!

[Mike Carter]

Yea steve got me good Joe.

He told me earlier in the day, I probably would not get it that day. I told him I was coming anyway because I really wanted to see Pat Kirtley again. Man am I glad I did !!

Anyway it was not there when I got there, and he told me he just could not make it happen. I had reluctantly come to terms with it ( Although I was still nagging him to call the factory, Hehe )
when a guy walked in with a Taylor case. I did not think much of it, after all it is a guitar store that sells Taylors. When Steve set it up on the counter and opened the case, I glanced over out of curiousity and about fell down.

As you know it was my guitar, there was no mistaking it even at a glance.

I was not even close to expecting it, so it took me totally off guard. He apologized for jerking my chain, but I was not upset in the least, all I could say was " I Love you Man " it was kinda like a Bud Light commercial.

I can't thank Steve Parr and Guitar Trader enough for first handling the deal the way they did, and second for all the effort they made to get me the guitar at just the right moment. As a result of their effort, the first complete song ever played on my guitar was "Grandpas Lullabye" on stage by Pat Kirtley, with Bob Taylor there in the audience watching. I have pictures of Bob Taylor, Pat Kirtley, my son and I with my TS guitar, taken by Steve to boot. It doesn't get any better than that.

Pat Kirtley had become my new guitar Idol the saturday before, when I saw him in Victorville California, so I was thrilled that he played my guitar.

All I can say is thanks again Steve, there is no way I can express my gratitude.

Mike

[Steve314]

Originally posted by Mike Carter
All I can say is thanks again Steve, there is no way I can express my gratitude

Hehehehe... man, the look on your face when that case was opened was absolutely priceless. Kinda' made it all worthwhile...!

Steve

[meridian]

Great story guys! Glad you told it here!

I about fell over laughing when Steve told me the story on the phone!

Of course, now I have to wonder if this whole "wrong inlay" deal on my guitar is just a hoax?!!??!!?!?!!?!??????!!

Are we gonna get to see some of those pictures?

[Steve314]

Originally posted by meridian
Are we gonna get to see some of those pictures?

I e-mailed a few to Mike. I can, I guess, either e-mail them to anyone who wants them, or maybe someone can host them somewhere...

Steve

[TaylorBear]

I would love pictures. How did you get those horses? Fabulous!

[Mike Carter]

I am emailing pictures to J.R for the forum gallery but if someone can post them on a thread I will send them an email also

I may be able to do it myself since I have web space, but I haven't figured out to do it yet. I will keep working on it.

Mike

[Lisa]

Can't wait to see more of your guitar Mike. My daughter is crazy about horses and was so upset that I didn't ask about getting that inlay on my TS guitar. I enjoyed your neat story about getting the guitar, that was so cool!

We sure are looking forward to seeing more pics!!!

[Mike Carter]

J.R. has the pictures that I sent him of my guitar posted in the Forum Gallery now.

Thanks for everything you did to make this happen J.R. you made a dream come true for me.

Also thanks for posting all the great pictures of TS guitars. It is like looking at a wish book. I would love to play even a few of those awesome Instruments.

Mike