Quote:
Originally Posted by donlyn
How many of you actually truly believe you have a "for life" guitar? Not possible?
It's a bit easier to imagine if most of your life is behind you. As a practicing septuagenarian, as long as I can play, I will always have some guitars around.
My top tier are all spruce over rosewood, unless noted otherwise.
My bought-new in 1985 Gibson J-200 Jumbo with the fancy inlaid headstock done only for that year.
- Not only is it a great guitar, but also has a sentimental tie.
My bought-new 2014 Taylor 818e Grand Orchestra.
My bought used 2016 Taylor 458e-R Grand Orchestra 12 string.
My bought used 2016 Taylor 412e-R short-scale Grand Concert.
And,
My bought-new in 1999 Taylor 355 spruce over sapele Jumbo 12 string, which I usually have in DADGAD tuning, is one I would certainly miss.
I also kept one electric, a cherry sunburst Les Paul standard, with a great flamed maple top and an incredible sound.
So that would be six.
Be well and play well.
Don
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cip
Why did you switch to Taylor between 1985 and 2014?
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The simple version is that I stopped playing electric in the 80s, which was punctuated by getting my bought-new Gibson J-200 Jumbo. I had also been looking for a good 12 string for some years. Found a really nice one just by walking into a guitar shop one 1999 day and trying out a new Taylor 355 spruce over sapele Jumbo. Lovely to look at and even better to play. So it followed me home.
Only having one good acoustic six string and really liking the Taylor, I got a Taylor catalog and decided I had to try out an 815 spruce over rosewood Jumbo. Never found one I liked enough to buy, mostly because nothing came close to my J-200 guitar's sound. Then I attended a Taylor RoadShow which featured a re-design of the 800 series guitars. Gone was the Jumbo, being replaced by a deeper and fatter-waisted Grand Orchestra. Played it extensively and bought it right then and there. A very serendipitous RoadShow that was.
So not really being able to justify or afford another Gibson J-200, this new lighter build 818e Grand Orchestra more than filled exactly what I wanted. I had a lot more patience then. And found the Taylors had a standard nut/neck width of 1+3/4" for their six strings and they felt good in my hands. And they were well built. And I started exploring the Taylor line-up, mostly looking at used instruments, and culminated in getting a spruce over rosewood 458e-R Grand Orchestra 12 string from a forum member. Used it was and still is. A lot.
Sorry if this ran long, but it is a part of my guitar journey. Last (maybe literally) guitar I got was a tremendous all-solid wood spruce over rosewood Guild F-1512 Jumbo 12 string. And I am done looking, but still keep my guitar-fishing line handy. Never say never, but I thought I was done about six years ago. Still think I am done.
I fingerpick all my instruments using my nails as picks.
And I tune my 12 strings down a semi-tone to D#.
And about the "for life" aspect of the thread, I've owned my Gibson J-200 for about half my life. And used it playing out. Like me it is now retired from work and is now just for sport. The last two in my "Heard" are my current playing-out guitars. Especially the F-1512.
Be well and play well,
Don
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