Thinking of purchasing a Taylor

lonewolfe276 · #1 06-30-2002, 12:36 PM

Ladies and Gentlemen,

lonewolfe276 · #2 06-30-2002, 12:40 PM

How's that. . . a double post in my first post. My time on this forum has gotten off to a poor beginning.

Anyway, I've played for about 14 years, and I'm considering purchaing a Taylor guitar. I'm thinking about the 314, 714, and 914 models. Money isn' t much of an issue between the models because I've been saving for a while and I'm going to keep the guitar forever.

I set out thinking that I was going to get a Martin D28 or Gibson J45, but when I played the Taylor models I just loved the way they played.

What sorts of Taylor specific things should I be thinking about? Has anyone had good or bad experiences with the pick-ups? How do the Taylor's age? Finally, is anything that I'm not anticipating? Thank you very much!!

#3 06-30-2002, 01:57 PM

Just the fact that you are considering a 314 and a 914 in the same breath means that you have probably already discovered the BIG secret!

What is the BIG secret? That all Taylors are made on the same line by the same folks to the same standards. OK, so it isn't a secret.

Anyway the 314 and the 914 will have a whole lot in common, NT neck, ebony fretboad, Grover tuners and similar electronics.

Big diffs are going to be in tone and appearance.

I recently spent more bucks for a W65CE that played identically to a 355 BECAUSE I wanted, finally, at 51 years of age, to own a pretty guitar. Yes the W65 has a subtly different (and IMO) sweeter tone than the 355 did, but on strictly musical grounds, the 355 was killer. I paid twice the price for a work of musical art that pleases my eye as much as my ear. Most of my other guitars are handsome, but plain.

Personally of the three you mentioned, my fave is the 714, because I think the cedar/rosewood combination is wonderful. And I already have a pretty guitar!

Have fun deciding!

Bob Womack · #4 06-30-2002, 02:29 PM

lonewolfe276,

Welcome to the forum! I agree with Meridian and add: If you are wondering what to get for a particular application, consider your top woods. They are built like this: 300 - sitka, 700 - cedar, 900 - Engelmann. Sitka is the most robust of the three for heavy strumming but takes lots of force to drive while you play fingerstyle. Cedar is the most responsive, for fingerstyle but doesn't handle heavy strumming and flatpicking as well as the others. Engelmann is responsive for fingerstyle and holds up well to strumming. You can order a 700 series with an Engelmann top (for little or no upgrade fee) if you don't want to pay for a 900.

So, of the guitars you listed, the 314 is best for pure strumming and flatpicking. The 714 is the best for pure fingerstyle but can be strummed lightly. The 914 is the most flexible, doing well in either flatpicking or strumming.

The Taylor/Fishman onboard pickup/preamp systems are excellent. I wouldn't hesitate to put one in a 300. I'd think about it, but probably do it in a 700. I'd probably just get a Fishman Matrix pickup without the side panel in the 900 series, if anything at all. The bottom line is, what is the application for the guitar? Are you playing out often? You'll need something. Is this going to be a home/studio guitar? You really won't need anything and you could have a local luthier add a Fishman Matrix later for occasional use.

By the way, if you are playing mostly fingerstyle, you might try out a K14c. They have a very intimate sound.

Hope this helps!

Bob

lonewolfe276 · #5 07-01-2002, 07:23 PM

Thank you very much!! I'm looking for versatility, so perhaps the 914 is what I want.

I've been doing open mic nights around town this summer. I'll have a band up at school next semester, and I'll probably do a bit of lead and rhythm. Also, my own stuff is a little bit of strumming and a little bit of fingerpicking.

Again, thanks for the advice!!

virtuoso · #6 07-02-2002, 01:25 AM

yo Lonewolfe, wait till this fall for the 914 limiteds.

You'll get a much prettier guitar, maybe better sounding too 'cause you get Brazilian Rosewood usually on the 900 limiteds, for like couple hundered more.

My 3 cents, that's one more than your 2.

#7 07-05-2002, 09:13 PM

You might also want to review this thread

http://209.197.232.179/forums/showth...&threadid=7212

regarding our collective forum wisdom on which is the most verstatile Taylor (the joke is that everything except Koa gets a mention!)

Actually, I really do hope this helps.

Good luck!

cotten · #8 07-06-2002, 06:34 PM

For moderate strumming and responsive fingerpicking the 914's rosewood/Englemann is hard to beat. For me, it's perfect! My wife wondered about the slight 2-tone effect of the Englemann top - mine's not perfectly book matched. I told her it's a common characteristic of the wood, something I gladly accept in order to get that great sound on everything I play. She has a great ear, and she's happy with it. So am I!

cotten

Les Regala · #9 07-07-2002, 03:08 AM

What about the 800s!?

Taylor007 · #10 07-07-2002, 11:48 PM

I think you will be VERY happy w/ a 914 if $ is no object.
If I bought a 314 instead of a 9, I think I would be a major TAS attack and end up w/ them both. Don't get me wrong, 314's are great guitars. But go w/ the 9 if your pocket book doesn't mind.

beatlenut · #11 07-08-2002, 11:46 AM

Here is a vote for the 414. Kind of a swiss army knife guitar. Love mine by the way. Wouldn't trade for any other in the local Taylor dealers inventory.