For Entertainment Purposes Only - Pick my Taylor

[Bob from Brooklyn]

Ok, let's keep it light and have some fun.

I already have a Gibson J200 (spruce on maple) and a new D18. I'm in my early 60's (to shed some light on the types of things I might like to play).

If I were to complete the circle with a Taylor what would I be looking at?

Just to narrow it down a tad I might want a smaller body type and something that would be finger-picking friendly.

Hit me up.

Originally Posted by Brooklyn Bob

Ok, let's keep it light and have some fun.

I already have a Gibson J200 (spruce on maple) and a new D18. I'm in my early 60's (to shed some light on the types of things I might like to play).

If I were to complete the circle with a Taylor what would I be looking at?

Just to narrow it down a tad I might want a smaller body type and something that would be finger-picking friendly.

Hit me up.

Taylor 812ce 12-fret new voicing: The most comfortable guitar on the planet, really, it just sits in your lap and your hand like Bob came over to your house and measured you like a finicky tailor (get it? tailor, Taylor). It's one of the best finger picking guitars I've played and takes to strumming just as naturally. It will also sound vastly different than your SJ200 and D-18. You've got the jumbo and dread categories filled, time now for a smaller guitar that thinks it's a bigger guitar. Your significant other will think it's cute and your shoulder will thank you for choosing something with such joint-friendly ergonomics.

[Bob from Brooklyn]

Originally Posted by Frozen Rat

Taylor 812ce 12-fret new voicing: The most comfortable guitar on the planet, really, it just sits in your lap and your hand like Bob came over to your house and measured you like a finicky tailor (get it? tailor, Taylor). It's one of the best finger picking guitars I've played and takes to strumming just as naturally. It will also sound vastly different than your SJ200 and D-18. You've got the jumbo and dread categories filled, time now for a smaller guitar that thinks it's a bigger guitar. Your significant other will think it's cute and your shoulder will thank you for choosing something with such joint-friendly ergonomics.

You're checking a lot of boxes buddy. Thanks!

[fazool]

Well, I'm in your general demographic and my favorite Taylor is a cedar-topped EIR bodied 700 series Grand Concert. This guitar is the most magical fingerstyle guitar I've ever owned.

[guitar george]

As recommended in the previous posts, a grand concert model is the one to get. These guitars are Taylor's smallest regular series guitars, but they are not what I would call small guitars. They are very nice. The grand concerts can be identified by the last digit being a "2". Eg. 512, 712, 812 etc. Then you can add a cutaway (c) and electronics (e). Eg. model 812 ce

[DukeX]

80%-100% fingerstyle = GC.
40%-60% strumming = GA.

Anything in-between = toss up.

[3notes]

On the less expensive side would be a 214ce in a beautiful burst, high gloss rosewood back and sides.

But honestly, you need a Larrivee.

[troggg]

Originally Posted by 3notes

On the less expensive side would be a 214ce in a beautiful burst, high gloss rosewood back and sides.

And their $5,000 offerings don't play any better or sound any better plugged in than that. And sometimes they sound better unplugged, too.

However, my answer to the original question would be the 612CE. There's a lot of used ones out there, they can be had sometimes for the low to mid teens which isn't a whole lot more than the 214CE ... and they say, "I'm small, fingerpick me" more. They have another virtue that doesn't get talked about a lot ... they mix with just about any kind of recorded musical arrangement (the more complicated the better cause the maple really cuts through and the small body has an absence of unwanted low mids) with minimal EQ. Boomers they're not, but sounds like that's already covered.

[pjroberts]

I would go for a 12-fret GC (x12), choosing between Rosewood (812), Hog (512) or Maple (612) based on the exact tonal properties (I would be on the fence between the hog and rosewood). The 12-fret provides a bit more thump and joy to play.

[Greg Ballantyne]

I'll show my bias - but you're a little late in getting a 514ce-LTD - it was a 2016 LTD. It's cedar over granadillo. The 700 series guitar fazool speaks of might be similar. I'm finding to this point that granadillo is a better tonewood than EIR - quite similar, but everything better.
I was playing a 714ce-SB I've been jonesing over in the shop in town the other day - left thinking that my 514 is the better of the two.

[Bob from Brooklyn]

To be honest I was thinking about the Grand Concert 12-fretters.

Thank you for reinforcing that thought.

I need to go find some to play and see which tonewood talks to me.

Gracias!

[lt20dbl]

Originally Posted by Brooklyn Bob

To be honest I was thinking about the Grand Concert 12-fretters.

Thank you for reinforcing that thought.

I need to go find some to play and see which tonewood talks to me.

Gracias!

Just don't try a 00-28VS. It may interrupt your plan!

[boombox]

Another vote for a Taylor GC 12 fret. My 712e has dominated my playing time for the year or so I've owned it. Contrasts well with my other guitars which are dread/jumbo sized.

[Lauren710]

Originally Posted by 3notes

On the less expensive side would be a 214ce in a beautiful burst, high gloss rosewood back and sides.

But honestly, you need a Larrivee.

Lol I came here to say that. L body is a nice compromise in terms of the projection of a larger guitar and comfort of something smaller, 1.75" nut width.

Alternatively: why not both??

[robj144]

Why would we pick your Taylor? You're the one playing it.

It's a pet peeve of mine when someone means choose something in this forum, they put choose, not pick. Pick has another meaning here.