Bob Taylor checks out Classical Guitar construction

[drjond56]

I play both steel string and classical and I play all sorts of music on each guitar--sometimes I like the sound of a classical piece on the Collings; other times I like to play fingerstyle rock on the Hernandez. I have played several of the NS series, but they did not have the sound I was looking for. I am not sure what niche Bob Taylor is looking for, but if he can pull off (1) true classical sound (2) usual Taylor playability--perhaps a more forgiving neck, narrower nut, shorter scale than the usual classical (3) add whatever electronics he wants to develop and (4) do this for a reasonable price, then I would definitely be interested. I suppose I am looking for hybrid playability with classical sound. I have not had the opportunity to play a Cervantes, but Breedlove, LaPatrie, and Cordoba have not been quite what I was looking for.

Jon

[Brent Hutto]

Originally Posted by drjond56

...if he can pull off (1) true classical sound...

I would very surprised if your item (1) is among his goals. It's not something easily accomplished in the sort of production setting Taylor uses and it's not a market space in which he's like to achieve the kind of success required for a company his size. Assuming that by "true" you mean "acoustic" sound.

I think a more likely goal is to match the sound of a good classical guitar being played through a pickup and PA system, which is quite doable for Bob Taylor. Partly because the demands on the construction and fine-tuning of the soundboard are less and partly because he is very, very good at matching pickup systems to intended applications.

[drjond56]

Brent, you may well be correct that Taylor is going to look primarily at amplified sound, and perhaps that is his real niche. Frankly I think that some of the "authentic" classical luthiers have a weak point in matching the electronics to the instrument. I think that many of the folk interested in a "hybrid" or "crossover" have in mind to play amplified. I would include myself in that group. Sure, I play a fair amount of pure classical, but I also like the nylon string for jazz, sacred, and other applications where I amplify. That said, even amplified, the NS series has not been exactly what I wanted, and I remain interested to see what Bob Taylor can come up with.

Jon

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by drjond56

Brent, you may well be correct that Taylor is going to look primarily at amplified sound, and perhaps that is his real niche. Frankly I think that some of the "authentic" classical luthiers have a weak point in matching the electronics to the instrument. I think that many of the folk interested in a "hybrid" or "crossover" have in mind to play amplified. I would include myself in that group. Sure, I play a fair amount of pure classical, but I also like the nylon string for jazz, sacred, and other applications where I amplify. That said, even amplified, the NS series has not been exactly what I wanted, and I remain interested to see what Bob Taylor can come up with.

Jon

I'm one of those folk. While I love the sound of nylon, the classical neck and nut width don't fit my playing style and my requirements for feel. I think you're right to an extent about us wanting to plug in at some point; however, in my case, the amount of time I play unplugged far exceeds the time I play plugged. For that reason, I need something that sounds good acoustically and Taylor NS's were just too weak in that area for me. After a lot of searching, I bought an Ovation 2073LX, which I really like because while it may not have a true classical sound acoustically, the sound it does produce has body and is appealing. Plus it has fabulous electronics!

[green614]

I have stated before that RTaylor should build a high end classical/crossover that is unique to the brand. If I were Bob, this would not be about being profitable, at least not at first. If you make an excellent competitive guitar, it will likely sell. I love the RTaylor sound. I feel RTaylor is the best Bob has to offer acoustically. I'd like to see the same attention to design and build for a classical/crossover. I'm holding off on my crossover purchase for that reason. I fear I might be waiting a while longer.