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  #1  
Old 12-23-2007, 04:17 AM
epelba01 epelba01 is offline
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Question Help me decide

I am trying to decide between several guitars. I know that it is a personal preference, but nontheless, I would love an opinion on this from someone who is a lot more expreienced than me.

Takamine EF508KC - All koa wood (laminated) sells for about 1299

Takamine ESF48C - Solid spruce top with rosewood bakc and sides. Sells for about 1400.

Taylor 414CE - Solid spruce top, abongol back and sides. I could probably get it for about 1600

I am an intermideate player. I like to do some strumming and sometimes fingerpicking. I like to play things by America, Eagles, Van Morrison, James Taylor.

Please let me know what you think.
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  #2  
Old 12-23-2007, 11:39 AM
epelba01 epelba01 is offline
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Question

Anyone out there?
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Old 12-23-2007, 11:41 AM
MattJohnPaul MattJohnPaul is offline
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414ce hands down...
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  #4  
Old 12-23-2007, 11:44 AM
johbren johbren is offline
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Ill second the Taylor 414
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  #5  
Old 12-23-2007, 04:51 PM
epelba01 epelba01 is offline
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Default Follow up question

I see that you have a Taylor KC20 which is a Koa guitar. Is there any advantage to getting the koa? The Takamine EF508kc is an all koa, beautiful guitar, it sounds great, but I am not sure what to think about the laminate.

Also is 1600 a good price for the Taylor 414ce? I can get the Takamine EF508KC for about 1050.

I would really appreciate your input.

Thanks again.
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  #6  
Old 12-23-2007, 05:11 PM
Chicken Chicken is offline
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Never played or seen the other two, but I have a 414ce (just got it, very nice). It would surprise me if someone really disliked it. Very smooth and even sounding across the board. You might be able to get it for slightly less, but yes good price.
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Old 12-23-2007, 05:44 PM
Ed422 Ed422 is offline
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Of those 3 my preference would be the 414.

In that vein, I'd suggest trying a Larrivee L-03 or 05 if you can. (LV-0xe gets you the comparable cutaway (V prefix) and electronics (e suffix).

Ed
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Old 12-23-2007, 05:51 PM
Ed422 Ed422 is offline
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I just popped into the classified section. I have no affiliation with the seller (other than seeing his name here). There is a GA4 (darned similar to the 414) minus the cutaway and factory electronics (but with a K&K) for a good price. If you can live without the cutaway, it's worth looking at (IMO).
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Old 12-23-2007, 07:46 PM
3rd_harmonic 3rd_harmonic is offline
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I absolutely loved the 414 I played.
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  #10  
Old 12-23-2007, 08:58 PM
vti814ce vti814ce is offline
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Like the consensus say's, the Taylor 414. The others are OK, but with a Taylor 414, my feeling is you'll be happier today and alot happy down the road. Very much a high end sounding and playing well built acoustic at a middle of the road price. Those are really good guitars IMO.

Sammy
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  #11  
Old 12-23-2007, 09:10 PM
djam djam is offline
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Which ever one sounds best to you. I know I have a Taylor 410 and it's a fine guitar. I have been using it in small bluegrass jams (something pretty new to me and I'm falling in love) and it does ok. I aint no D28 but it's not as soft in the mix as I was expecting. But all in all it's your gut feeling after you play them all. Use the force, you'll do fine with any of them.
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  #12  
Old 12-23-2007, 09:34 PM
epelba01 epelba01 is offline
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Default What about Takamine?

Does anyone have any experience with the two Takamine's that I mentioned above Takamine EF508KC and ESF48C.

Love your input guys.
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  #13  
Old 12-23-2007, 10:47 PM
prusaw prusaw is offline
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I'd go with the Taylor-- I think you could save about half a G. if you went with a used one a couple of years old...
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  #14  
Old 12-23-2007, 11:28 PM
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I owned a Takamine EAN45c which is very similar to a Taylor 714ce. A very nice playing guitar and something I thought I would keep. Then I came across a Taylor 414ce with srpuce and rosewood. Sold the Takamine in a hearbeat. The Taylor played so much better and sounded heads above the Tak (which I thought sounded pretty dog-gone good).

The Taylor is only $200 more than what you would be paying for a comparable Tak (according to your quoted prices). In all truth, which ever sounds best to you and plays the best is the one you should go with. I'm partial to the Taylor since currently I own two of them. I've owned a Takamine and liked it but my Taylors are heads and shoulders above what my Tak was.

You wanted an oipinion and there's mine.
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