Why I won't be able to buy a V-Brace Taylor or the Tyranny of Taylor String Spacing

[Racerbob]

It's nice that Taylor continues to innovate in many areas and the possible benefits of the new bracing sounds very attractive to me. But there seems to be one area where they are just locked into the past.

The Taylor Tyranny of the Saddle String Spacing.

For some reason Taylor seems to "know best" that the only valid string spacing at the saddle is 2 3/16. I know for many players it's not a problem but for many others of us it's just too small. Other builders do now and have had over the years, the ability to offer other spacing. Imagine that. Taylor, no way. Not even on custom shop orders.

I once asked Richard Hoover why on most models they used 2 3/16 as standard and his answer was when he started the range was 2 1/8 to 2 1/4 so he figured the middle was a good starting point. But they offer other widths, heck even Martin manages to "production line" different widths.

So, as much as I find the new configuration interesting and I could hop down to Gryphon today to check them out, no point as I'm just not willing to spend that much money on a forced compromise.

[Pitar]

Interesting. Never a fan of the product line, generally speaking, the fixed string spacing was something I never knew of. That's very odd. The 2-3/16" is also odd to me. Common to me are 2-1/8, 2-1/4, and wider. It's almost as if Taylor outsources bridges and saddles on a contract basis and enjoys a fixed-price. For customs, though, one would think that they would render them in-house on demand.

[ManyMartinMan]

I guess you could just change your title to "why I won't buy a ..." There is not can't except that you choose not to. It's only a 21st Century issue where people stress about all these little numbers. 30 years ago you just played a guitar and bought it if you liked it. 30 years ago I knew no one who knew the nut size, string spacing, nut/saddle material.......... we didn't care (and I still don't). Either the instrument speaks to you and you want it or not. When not, I move along quickly to the next one.

[lodi_55]

Originally Posted by Pitar

Interesting. Never a fan of the product line, generally speaking, the fixed string spacing was something I never knew of. That's very odd. The 2-3/16" is also odd to me. Common to me are 2-1/8, 2-1/4, and wider. It's almost as if Taylor outsources bridges and saddles on a contract basis and enjoys a fixed-price. For customs, though, one would think that they would render them in-house on demand.

Ah, so they outsource from a bridge and saddle maker who makes only one size? They must have only one mill and lathe.

[Seagull S6]

What does the V-Bracing have to do with string spacing? Shouldn't your post read "Why I'm not able to able to buy any Taylor Guitar?"

[wooglins]

Originally Posted by lodi_55

Ah, so they outsource from a bridge and saddle maker who makes only one size? They must have only one mill and lathe.

Taylor makes every bridge they use. You could get custom spacing on the R. Taylor line. They are now selling such a huge volume of guitars (more than Martin and Gibson combined) that they do not want to give up production time for a relatively small number of bridge and nut sets.

On the plus side my Uber luthier setup guy has altered my spacing at just the nut end on some of my Taylor’s with very good luck.

[ManyMartinMan]

Originally Posted by wooglins

...On the plus side my Uber luthier setup guy has altered my spacing at just the nut end on some of my Taylor’s with very good luck.

That's all anyone would have to do (and has done forever) on a guitar they otherwise loved. Thanks for posting that.

[mercy]

Why I wont buy a V braced Taylor, not a fan of the product line.

[Racerbob]

Originally Posted by ManyMartinMan

It's only a 21st Century issue where people stress about all these little numbers. 30 years ago you just played a guitar and bought it if you liked it. 30 years ago I knew no one who knew the nut size, string spacing, nut/saddle material.......... we didn't care (and I still don't).

Ya, back in them days there weren't no "artesian" water or micro brews, we just got on with it. LOL

[rmoretti49]

Originally Posted by Racerbob

It's nice that Taylor continues to innovate in many areas and the possible benefits of the new bracing sounds very attractive to me. But there seems to be one area where they are just locked into the past.

The Taylor Tyranny of the Saddle String Spacing.

For some reason Taylor seems to "know best" that the only valid string spacing at the saddle is 2 3/16. I know for many players it's not a problem but for many others of us it's just too small. Other builders do now and have had over the years, the ability to offer other spacing. Imagine that. Taylor, no way. Not even on custom shop orders.

I once asked Richard Hoover why on most models they used 2 3/16 as standard and his answer was when he started the range was 2 1/8 to 2 1/4 so he figured the middle was a good starting point. But they offer other widths, heck even Martin manages to "production line" different widths.

So, as much as I find the new configuration interesting and I could hop down to Gryphon today to check them out, no point as I'm just not willing to spend that much money on a forced compromise.

I agree that this is rather annoying. Not many of us want to purchase a guitar knowing we will have to take it in to have a new nut made.

[Stevien]

Originally Posted by Pitar

Interesting. Never a fan of the product line, generally speaking, the fixed string spacing was something I never knew of. That's very odd. The 2-3/16" is also odd to me. Common to me are 2-1/8, 2-1/4, and wider. It's almost as if Taylor outsources bridges and saddles on a contract basis and enjoys a fixed-price. For customs, though, one would think that they would render them in-house on demand.

This post I find odd. 2 3/16" is pretty much the industry standard now. Taylor, Santa Cruz, Collings, & now Martin, all use this spacing as default, except for custom orders. I agree with many here, that is too narrow. That limits me to the choices out there to buy. 2 1/4 to 2 5/16 is perfect for me. As far as Taylors are concerned, they are mass produced cookie-cutter guitars. You can expect one to be exactly like the next, & limited options available.
Steve

[tippy5]

I really like 2 3/16". I also just got a 2.2" Dana Bourgeois guitar in.
My Gibson's and Martin are 2 3/16". Really- all around - fast.

My two boutique guitars are 2 1/4". Nice to have room with fingers. Although I can fingerstyle while sitting in a controlled posture on 2 1/8 and 2 3/16" saddle spread.
With a strap standing and moving about I like the wider for finger style with resonant guits needed for more dramatic genres.
I will look for this spread on an future order for boutique (deep) tone.
Yet 2 5/16" I will not touch.

What I would really love to try is H&D's 2 7/32". That sounds perfect anyway.
I can't believe Martin went to 2 5/32" saddle recently but I guess strummers are happier?
My 1959 Gibson 2 1/8" is pretty fun with a plectrum.

Maybe Taylor can have both narrow and wider saddle spacing models due to demand?

I can deal with 2 3/16 but prefer 2 1/4. All my guitars are 2 1/4, except the Eastman which is 2 5/16 and feels a bit cavernous at times. I do like 2 3/16 when strumming, gotta admit, but for fingerstyle it's not as convenient. I played a guitar the other day with 2 1/8 and said, nope, that's not working at all for anything.

You can find 2 1/4 readily. Some of the standard SCGC guitars have that spacing, such as the 00 Skye. You can custom order it too. My Martin came with that spacing, but I'm not sure if that was a custom change or normal. The 00-28VS has something like 2 5/16th standard.

[Athens]

I wonder if it has to do with a technical issue having to do with ES two system.

[Earl49]

It mostly comes down to having one standard dimension for CNC machines, fixtures, and parts commonality in a high production environment (and now a possible concern for the ES2 pickup as well). For different spacings, you would need special CNC programs and special jigs for each product line or special order. Taylor is not the only company who only makes just one string spacing at the bridge. If it doesn't work for you, sorry but there's your answer. They build more guitars than anyone else these days, and don't seem to have trouble getting by without your purchase.

Just try calling up Ford and telling them you want seven lug nuts on an F-150 pickup truck instead of six (for example). Remember Henry Ford's famous comment about the Model T: "You can get it in any color you want, as long as you want black". That was based on production considerations -- not needing multiple paint lines, which kept prices down.

I get that this is a sensitive dimension for many players, but I own a bunch of acoustic guitars of different brands. And I honestly could not tell you the string spacing at the bridge on any of them without measuring. Maybe they are all the same -- or maybe not.