Are Taylor's Over Priced?
 

Hey folks,
I am shopping for a new guitar and the two guitar shops we have locally suggest that Taylor's and Martins are over-priced for what you get. I am a bit of a newb when it comes to guitars (1.5 years exp.)and really have not developed a "good ear" yet, but I am impressed by what I have read about Taylors playability. Indeed, I am searching for a guitar that won't disappoint me once I develop some skill.

I am consistently being directed towards Crafters and Breedloves.

My question(s) are, why do you folks like Taylor?
What makes them worth the price you pay?

Finally, I am looking to learn finger style but generally speaking I am looking for a guitar that would lend itself to a wide range of playing styles. I don't need electronics as I only want to play for myself and perhaps my wife on special ocasssions (or when I've been bad <grin>).

Thanks

Darrell

Breedlove isn't a bad option as Larry has ties with both Taylor and Breedlove, and from the ones I've played, the quality is pretty nice and similar to Taylors. With Taylors, imo you're paying for the craftsmanship, originality, quality control and the name reputation. I haven't had the luxury to try most before purchasing (as I'm in Oz) so just about all my Taylor/R Taylor purchases have been been sight unseen, but due to the quality level they've all been consistently good. Taylor's customer care is also fantastic and most here will testify to that - they actually care about you post sales. I wouldn't recommend Crafters at all as they're el cheapo. If you're looking at that price range, I'd recommend brands such as Takamine before Crafter. At the end of the day, it really comes down to which YOU personally like as beauty and tone really is in the eye (and ear) of the beholder.

From what you've written, sounds like you're after a GA or GS shaped body.

Good luck with it D :)

reags

G day Darrell i'm over in oz just like reags g day mate and while taylors are expensive over here i think the quality of build and the overall balance makes them in my opinion no 1 factory built guitar.
Taylor Martin and Gibson all make exceptional guitars and they are priced way above the chinese made giutars because they are american made.
Maton and Cole Clarke are made in oz and are also very nice guitars but i prefer the Taylor tone and could have bought 5 Matons or Cole Clarkes with the money i spent on my two Taylors,it all comes down to preferance.
Go out and play all the brands you can without taking alot of notice what people say or the name on the headstock,you'll know when a guitar speaks to you.
Good luck Craig

Hi Darrell, I live in Germany and here Taylors are quite expansive, thanks to tax and distributors.

What´s making a Taylor/Martin/Larrivee/Lakewood/Gibson/Maton/etc. worth the price is that they have no flaws and are designed with the "working" musician in mind. Another point is, that your growing skills will never outmatch these guitars, you can play them for the rest of your life.

Regarding overpriced Taylors: the fullacousticTaylors (DNX, GCX, GAX,GSX) aren´t overpriced, because with them you pay for the sound, the payability, but not for the "bling" and a cutaway you ´ll probably never need. If you´re smart and want a guitar with very sound and playability, get an acoustic Taylor without cutaway and upgrade it with a pickup-system, if/when you need one.

Best wishes, Joe

Nope. Not overpriced...if you like the tone and the feel.

In the world of guitar sellings, some sales associates have been known to direct buyers towards guitars that would most benefit themselves, rather than the customer. I don't know if that has happened with you, of course, but it might be something to consider.

Why do I like Taylor? To answer fully would take a while, but it boils down to tone, feel, looks/build quality, price and service, probably in that order. Add to that Taylor's consistency - they don't seem to vary as much from guitar to guitar of the same model as some manufacturers. My Taylors' combination of those factors made them well worth what I paid, and I'm a very frugal guy.

cotten

Semi-Blind Taste Test. Go to a store where there's a large selection of Taylors from the 100 series on up. Sit down and have someone (friend or salesman) hand you different Taylors to play, mixing the less expensive with the higher dollar models. Try not to pay attention to the guitar except playability and tone. Avoid looking at the price tag. Also, make sure they have been tuned up in 440 before they are handed to you. The reason they should be tuned to 440 is, if they are tuned down a step or so, they will play much easier and not give you a good feel for the true playability. After you have played each and have separated your favorites, check what models and price you have selected.

A friend and I did this about six weeks ago at a local Sam Ash. It was a real eye opener. I didn't mix in guitars other than Taylors, but you could.

Darrell,

I have played guitar for more than 40 years, so last year when I finally could afford a high-end guitar I shopped for 6 months trying every brand and model I could lay my hands on. My budget was $3.5K, so I felt almost any factory-built guitar was within my reach. I did what Denny1948golf suggested that you do, and I must of done that at 20 or more shops from Savannah, Ga to Atlanta. I was not looking to buy a Taylor per se, but it was certainly one of the brands included in my search. In the end, I bought a Taylor GA4e and I am still super-happy with this guitar!

Without a doubt, IMHO, Taylor guitars have the best action and playability of any factory-built guitar out there! And the sound, again IMHO, is what I have always wanted to hear from my guitar...distinct notes at any position, with strong but not muddy/boomy bass and bell-like highs! Too expensive? I was prepared to pay more than double what this guitar actually sold for, so I think they are fantastic values! Every time I hold this guitar I am inspired to play for at least an hour! Worth every penny!!

No, they're not. And as an aside, even expensive handbuilts are cheap when compared with most handbuilt instruments of comparable quality.

Go look at moderate cello prices if you want to feel good.

I think Taylor's attention to fit, finish and setup as well as their overall quality control (consistency) is second to none among mass-produced instruments. And I think that extra modicum of quality comes at a considerable price. You can find other (especially Asian-built) guitars for less than half the price of a similar Taylor and by carefully selecting the best of a large lot and by having it set up and fine-tuned you could probably end up with just as playable and good-sounding a guitar somewhat more cheaply.

So my take on it is that you "don't want to pay that much money for a guitar" there are ways around paying Taylor's prices. But conversely Taylor is IMO perfectly reasonable in expecting a somewhat premium price for consistently delivering guitars that are just a joy to play right out of the box and of immaculate quality. Model for model, feature for feature a Taylor and a Martin or Gibson will be roughly comparable in price but with the Taylor you're getting more actual, physical quality for your money (assuming of course there's a Taylor guitar you actually like).

That said, once I experienced my first good hand-built guitar I could never imagine paying what Taylor 400-series and up prices for what is still a mass-produced factory commodity that is, as such, overbuilt and poorly suited for my light-touch fingerstyle. But that is admittedly off topic for this thread. I do not feel they are "over priced", just that they're not what I need.

Not if you buy from the right dealer.

No, I don't think so. I've recently been looking for the perfect crossover nylon string guitar for me. I mean crossing over from playing a Strat for the last 9 years. I've been through several nylon acoustic\electric guitars including:

Godin Multiac
Takamine TC132SC
Alvarez MC90C
Carvin CL450
Taylor NS34CE

I've gotten in narrowed down to the Carvin and the Taylor for now. Both are incredible guitars but the Taylor has the slight edge. It's tone, craftsmanship and playability are superior to any I've recently owned. And the Customer Service from Taylor is unparalleled by any I've ever dealt with. Right after receiving the Taylor, the bass side tuning keys had a problem: the A string barrell cracked and busted. I called Taylor CS at 4 pm on a Friday and within 3 minutes I had the new part on the way. Recieved it three days later (counting Sunday), put it on and was back in business. Customer Service is incredibly important!

As to your question about 'Overpriced or not'. For a new Taylor - maybe. But I think all new main brand guitars are overpriced. I purchased mine off of Ebay for a little more than half of retail and am quite sure I can get my money back out of it if I wanted to.

vtg

Exactly right (on both counts -- this is something to consider, and we shouldn't assume that's what happened). That was my first thought.

Are Taylors overpriced? I don't think so. Someone who REALLY loves a Martin HD-28V might think that I overpaid for my Taylor, since I could have gotten the Martin instead, and for the same money. Someone who thinks their Breedlove or Crafter is "as good as a Taylor" for less money might think so. But -- here's the issue -- *I* don't think so. I tried a ton of guitars, and I bought a Taylor, considering the tone, playability, looks, feel, and yes, price.

"Overpriced" is really something only the buyer can decide. If you have a guitar that costs $1000 less than a comparable Taylor and you prefer that guitar, then for you, the Taylor is OBVIOUSLY overpriced. The problem is when SOMEONE ELSE (ex: a guitar seller) tries to pawn their OPINION about the relative value of a given guitar off onto YOU.

The seller may think they are overpriced. But in the end, it's your money and it will be your guitar. Only you can decide that. And I wouldn't let the opinion of someone who probably has a financial interest in the transaction affect my decision, even if that person may have the best of intentions. In the end, their opinion is subjective. It's not their money.

Hey, it's all relative. And, Taylor has a huge range of guitars, from the babys on up. Buying used (from the web) can take away the edge of the new prices for whatever model you're looking for... [caveat, buying from folks on the web is a risk you have to decide if you're willing to take]

Good luck in the hunt.

My roommate's "beater" tuba is still around 11 grand. So yea, I feel better when I whine about a 10th of that.