Lots of Taylor threads ...

[JohnW63]

Admittedly, until recently, I was out of the loop on guitar makers. My last acoustic purchase, before this month, was 30+ years ago. The brands in the catalogs were all the "name brands". Martin, Guild, Gibson, Alverez, Takamine, etc.

Once I started visiting here, I see more threads about Taylor brand instruments that just about anything else. There is a "Taylor sound" and a "Taylor neck" and other adjectives. I went to two of my local GCs and the more expensive room is Taylors and Martins, with a few others thrown in.

So, what is it about Taylor guitars that makes them so popular, 'round these parts ? There also seems to be a lot of buying and SELLING of these guitars too. It's like some acoustic currency.

I am not in the market, but I want to understand what it's all about.

[♏artin]

Originally Posted by JohnW63

Admittedly, until recently, I was out of the loop on guitar makers. My last acoustic purchase, before this month, was 30+ years ago. The brands in the catalogs were all the "name brands". Martin, Guild, Gibson, Alverez, Takamine, etc.

Once I started visiting here, I see more threads about Taylor brand instruments that just about anything else. There is a "Taylor sound" and a "Taylor neck" and other adjectives. I went to two of my local GCs and the more expensive room is Taylors and Martins, with a few others thrown in.

So, what is it about Taylor guitars that makes them so popular, 'round these parts ? There also seems to be a lot of buying and SELLING of these guitars too. It's like some acoustic currency.

I am not in the market, but I want to understand what it's all about.

Well Taylor's are known most for their modern sound and design. They have excellent playability, a lush percussive sound, and a significant and effective advertising model.

Many people will claim that they have a light and tin-like sound to them, their biggest flaw, and perhaps in some cases they are right. However, Taylor's are a product that just keeps getting better and better. I would go as far to say that they are excellent sounding guitars and that most allegations against them are over exaggerated.

They also have a strong connection with worship music around these forums which I have never fully understood, but it's quite obvious.

[GibbyPrague]

Might be because this was orginally the Taylor Guitar Forum ...

[Dominus]

A lot of players here have a Taylor in their possession. Taylor makes one of the largest varieties of guitars of any manufacturer, with a large gamut of sounds and shapes. Their products are very consistent and are good at retaining a respectable resale value - so if you buy one and have to sell it, you're not taking a total bath on the resale.

A lot of threads on the Internet (not so much here because people here generally know better) call the Taylor bright and tinny. However, that rep generally seems to be based on Taylor's lowest end products such as the Baby, Big Baby and to a lesser extent the 1xx and 2xx series. Their all wood guitars don't sound tinny at all. They are impressively balanced and have plenty of bass. Their GS and Jumbo series have very deep and resonant bass. You get a variety of choices of top woods from Sitka, Englemann, Koa, Cedar or Mahogany and even more back/side wood choices. This gives the buyer a large variety of sonic choices from the various Taylor guitars. Also for this quality, these guitars are very reasonably priced.

[AZLiberty]

Originally Posted by Dominus

Their all wood guitars don't sound tinny at all. They are impressively balanced and have plenty of bass.

When Taylors were first becoming popular in the late 90's I thought they were terribly thin and tinny sounding. (with the exception of the cedar topped models)

Newer ones sound much more balanced to me. I understand Taylor may have re-voiced their design a few years back. (maybe my perceptions have changed)

[Black Beauty]

At the end of the day I think it comes down to marketing. They are definitely overpriced and tinny-sounding - the Fall 2011 LTD Koa being the prime example of style (its aesthetics) over substance (the sound).

I do however own two myself (410ce LTD and 814ce) and the reason I don't mind the brighter sound is because I feel that if I am to play in a band, I want the guitar to shine through brightly and clearly, and most other brands lean toward the Martin tone. Martins sound great on their own, but when strummed with a bass player can come across as muddy at times.

Regarding worship music (which I can't stand) - it is dominated by the adult contemporary / power pop genre and suitable for Taylors. From my own observations, many teenagers who attend mega-Churches are musicians and have wealthy parents, and America has a lot of Christians.

[tnvol]

Taylor is a popular brand and Taylor players are very loyal. There are going to be lot's of Taylor specific threads.

[Maynard9089]

Besides marketing, wood selection and size choices, Taylor seems (from what can be garnered here) to go above and beyond to help the customer be it through choosing the right guitar to promptly correcting any problems. People want to know that the company is there to help should the need arise. Especially when you are paying a premium to own their product.

[wcap]

I used to think I did not like Taylors at all (based on the ones I had played in shops). They just seemed to have a wimpy sound to me (I tend to really like good Martins and Santa Cruz especially, and I also play a nice classical guitar). But then I played a Taylor that I really liked (and it was not a particularly expensive model), and I have heard some very nice recordings of Taylors by some members here. So now I'm wondering whether I should give Taylors in general another look (not that I'm in a position to be buying another guitar any time soon.... and if I was buying another guitar there are a few Martins really calling out to me).

[Maynard9089]

One thing about Taylors is that regardless if it is a Baby, has laminate sides and backs or a really blinged out 9xx it still gets branded Taylor. Unlike say Gibson who has Epiphone for their less "expensive" models. Taylor makes it so virtually everyone can own a genuine Taylor and that helps build their brand loyalty.
The BTO program also helps because you can tweak the guitar for relatively little cost and have something unique for a fraction of the cost of a custom Luthier built.

[bluesfreek]

Originally Posted by Dominus

A lot of players here have a Taylor in their possession. Taylor makes one of the largest varieties of guitars of any manufacturer, with a large gamut of sounds and shapes. Their products are very consistent and are good at retaining a respectable resale value - so if you buy one and have to sell it, you're not taking a total bath on the resale.

A lot of threads on the Internet (not so much here because people here generally know better) call the Taylor bright and tinny. However, that rep generally seems to be based on Taylor's lowest end products such as the Baby, Big Baby and to a lesser extent the 1xx and 2xx series. Their all wood guitars don't sound tinny at all. They are impressively balanced and have plenty of bass. Their GS and Jumbo series have very deep and resonant bass. You get a variety of choices of top woods from Sitka, Englemann, Koa, Cedar or Mahogany and even more back/side wood choices. This gives the buyer a large variety of sonic choices from the various Taylor guitars. Also for this quality, these guitars are very reasonably priced.

Taylor guitars were getting the they sound "too bright" or "tinny" description long before they came out with the Baby, Big Baby, 1xx and 2xx series. That being said I did own a Taylor 114 (USA Made) for a couple of years and found that it lacked sustain. I sold it for this reason. I prefer Gibson style acoustics now, especially the Advanced Jumbo body shape.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by GibbyPrague

Might be because this was orginally the Taylor Guitar Forum ...

Hi GP...

I doubt that is why all the talk is still going on. Taylor Forum is old news, and about 3 times a year someone brings it up (who have been here 8 years ago and came back to discover it's changed).

21st Century guitarists don't run on the past (unless they are stuck in the 1950s with their vintage Martin and Gibson guitars).

Taylor builds great guitars for players of all levels, and the guitar-world has taken appropriate notice, and that's why lots of chatter goes on about them. They are generally better setup and easier to play in the store, and strung with Elixirs which makes them sound less 'dead' (brilliant move).

And despite the small percentage of owners who want that boomy bass back from the Martin world, most Taylor players love their instruments, and often buy a second to compliment it (or upgrade to).

Yes, this used to be the Taylor forum, but that is so last-century, we don't even have a Taylor sub-section any more.

[GibbyPrague]

Yes, thank you Larry. Not sure that there is a 'small percentage' of owners who want the Martin sound given that in a recent poll around 50% of AGF folk state Martin as their preferred guitar.

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi GP...

I doubt that is why all the talk is still going on. Taylor Forum is old news, and about 3 times a year someone brings it up (who have been here 8 years ago and came back to discover it's changed).

21st Century guitarists don't run on the past (unless they are stuck in the 1950s with their vintage Martin and Gibson guitars).

Taylor builds great guitars for players of all levels, and the guitar-world has taken appropriate notice, and that's why lots of chatter goes on about them. They are generally better setup and easier to play in the store, and strung with Elixirs which makes them sound less 'dead' (brilliant move).

And despite the small percentage of owners who want that boomy bass back from the Martin world, most Taylor players love their instruments, and often buy a second to compliment it (or upgrade to).

Yes, this used to be the Taylor forum, but that is so last-century, we don't even have a Taylor sub-section any more.

[M19]

Originally Posted by wcap

I used to think I did not like Taylors at all (based on the ones I had played in shops). They just seemed to have a wimpy sound to me (I tend to really like good Martins and Santa Cruz especially, and I also play a nice classical guitar). But then I played a Taylor that I really liked (and it was not a particularly expensive model), and I have heard some very nice recordings of Taylors by some members here. So now I'm wondering whether I should give Taylors in general another look (not that I'm in a position to be buying another guitar any time soon.... and if I was buying another guitar there are a few Martins really calling out to me).

Take a run down to Jim's Guitar Rodeo shop, 41st and Minnehaha for a thorough Taylor fix! http://www.guitarrodeo.com/index.php

[00Buck]

I have quite a few Taylor guitars (but also Martins and Larrivees). In my view they have several things going for them.

1. Playability. Taylors are really comfortable to play. Straight from the factory action is pretty good. Elixir strings add to the comfort. Most of the have 1 3/4 necks and 2 3/16 bridge string spacing. (Lots of folks say you can achieve playability with a good set up. True, but when I've had my last 4 Martins set up to play like Taylors, there wasn't a lot of saddle left.)

2. The Neck. Taylors have a bolt-on neck. Some traditionalists are repelled by anything other than a dove tail. But . . . Adjustments and repairs are a lot easier and cheaper with the bolt-on.

3. Fit and finish. Taylors have a polyester/polyurethane finish. In my experience it stands up to normal wear and tear better than nitro finishes. They're built like tanks. That's a plus and a minus because they're pretty heavy compared to Martins as an example. I've bought nine Taylors and tried scores of them. I've yet to stumble upon a dog (but I'm sure they're out there). It seems that Taylor has pretty tight manufacturing processes/good quality control.

4. Sound. I put it near the end because it's so subjective. It's well balanced. You won't find the distinctive bass that many Martins have. I've bought all of mine within the past few years. If they were ever tinny, it must have been a while back.

There's other stuff like company leadership and marketing, but I don't want to start sounding like a fan boy. In that regard, yeah I have a lot of Taylors but also quite a few Martins & my favorite guitar remains the OM-28V.