612c "Cotten Special"

[dt414-kce]

I was just reading the 612c thread that was posted by gianluca. I noticed that Cotten had a link to his 612c "Cotten Special". Wow!!!! I wish Taylor still made guitars like that. Don't get me wrong, I like what Taylor is doing now but I have a Taylor catalog from the early 1990's ('91 or '92) and every guitar on the cover looks like a special order. The '80's and '90's Taylors are more desirable to me than the new stock. I just love the florentine cutaway and one piece mahogany neck on this maple guitar. I know the different cutways are still optional but good luck trying to get a one piece neck. That to me is a real Taylor limited. For the people by the people.

Did all of the "Cotten Specials" look the same? Are there any other limited runs that may not be as known to the general public? Does anyone else have any great pics of their "Cotten Special" or other rare non-catalog Taylor?

[Folkstrum]

Yeah-a nice guitar. Kinda like what Martin does with a few stores who order in "custom" Martins (like the glossed D16R-at "Music 123-" or was it "Musician's Friend"?). Anyway.

Found it interesting you mentioned the catelogs from Taylor in the early 90's era-and the "special-ness" of those guitars. A recent thread talked about the older versus newer Taylors, Lemon Grove (old) vs. El Cajon (new)-even the cases-once all made by Taylor in the U.S.-now many "subbed out" to Mexico, etc. Basically, that Taylor is too young a company to have an older, higher quality era, etc.-and that the new Taylors are every bit as good, or maybe better (?) than some older ones. I dunno...Frankly, I wish there had been a "GS" model in the early 90's!

I'm beginning to see more posts about the older, El Cajon Taylors-the smaller factory production lines, less electronics-more models without the "C&E"-a bit more individual attention and a bit less "robotics" or CNC processes (although CNC was certainly in the pic in 90, 91, 92 etc). In any case, anyone else starting to pick up on a drift here-or is it just me? Doesn't *seem* the older models are fetching more when "for sale" or on Ebay. Certainly NO comparison to a pre-war Martin, or 50's Gibson flatops. Dunno, as I said...

[dt414-kce]

I agree that it's hard to call a guitar that's only 20 years old, old. I also think there is group of Taylor players that would like to see the company change a few things and go back to the attention to detail of players want. They seemed to have had that earlier in their success. Time will tell. In 50 years from now if the pre-2000 solid mahogany neck non E models are the in demand "older" Taylors, we'll know what the people wanted. I don't mean to put Taylor down, but I feel in the last few years they have bowed down the cookie cutter pop rock market and gotten away from those of us that play the acoustic beacuse of our love for it.

[tim farney]

I dunno guys. I've got a '93 812c (no e) that I've owned since '94. I dearly love that little guitar. I've played every OM and GA I could get my hands on in the last several years, from Martins to Santa Cruz to Grevens to, well, lots of stuff including other Taylors. I still haven't found the guitar I'd sell that little Taylor to acquire.

With that said, it really opened up in the first few years I owned it, and I remember what it didn't have before that happened, and when I compare the new Taylors I've played to what I remember my "magic" 812 sounding like when she was new, well, the new ones hold up just fine. I sat in a GC a few months back and played a new 712 - the deeper bodied one? It was a terrific little guitar.

As far as attention to detail is concerned, I'm not even sure what that means. The quality control of fit and finish on the new Taylors is extraordinary. You can like the way they sound or not, and some people don't, but you really can't criticize the QC. I can't remember the last time I saw a flaw in one. And, if anything, I think the quality of the woods from the 5 series up has actually gotten better. My old 812 has a streaky sitka top with pretty noticable runnout -- I can't imagine seeing that top on a new 8-series Taylor. I don't care, mind you. She sounds great. She looks great to me. Streaks in the top are a non-issue.

Now the finger-jointed neck is something else. A lot of people don't like to see it. I'm one of them. But it sure wouldn't stop me from buying a guitar that spoke to me.

Tim

[dt414-kce]

Originally Posted by tim farney

As far as attention to detail is concerned, I'm not even sure what that means.

Tim,

I agree with you that their QC is top notch. I don't mean their fit and finish as much as I do the appointments on certain models. I think most people would like to see the wood binding with red purfling back on the 900 series. And what about the Cindy inlay vs. the new 900 series inlays. I would love to see the moustache bridge and florentine cutaway back on the 815c. The new Taylor tuners look cheapy. The NT neck !! It seems like all of these changes were done with $'s in mind and not the costumer's wants. I agree the sound of an off the shelf Taylor will improve 10 fold over just first few years. When I bought mine new, I thought it was the greatest sounding guitar in the world. Seven years later, I can't believe the sound. It's amazing. I looked at Tom Doerr's guitars last week online. The appointments of his guitars are amazing. In my opinion that's what Taylors of 15 - 20 years ago were. A guitar players guitar. As for me when I go guitar shopping again... it's going to be for a Tom Doerr or a used "older" Taylor and not a new one. But don't let me talk anyone out of buying a new Taylor... they are great guitars! This is only my 2 cents.

[tim farney]

I guess I don't pay much attention to that kind of stuff DT. I actually prefer them pretty simple these days, and while a couple of my guitars, a Larrivee and a Thompson, have wood binding and it's nice, it's just not a priority. I'd love my little 812c if it didn't have a bit of adornement.

Tim

[cotten]

You guys are just jealous that Taylor hasn't made your own signature model!

We kick around the idea that some of us prefer the guitars Taylor was building prior to 2000 or so. But then someone will comment about the steady innovations that have been added. We end up as friends with lots of differing opinions.

Are there other relatively unknown Taylors out there? Sure! I helped buy my niece a great JKSM, with satinwood back and sides and a sitka top. Very nice! http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...highlight=JKSM

Others will, no doubt, be happy to point you to other signature, limited or "special" Taylors. Are they better than today's? That's a different subject. It's hard to really mix the two.

cotten

[dt414-kce]

My last name is Dent. With a name like that my signature model would have to have a HUGE factory installed dent right in the middle of the top.

[gianluca]

Originally Posted by dt414-kce

For the people by the people.

To me the reason is that Taylor guitars "follow" the demand of people and must do this, since building guitars can be also a "passion" but, in the end, guitars have to be sold.
If B. Taylor builds different guitars probably the reason is that players want different guitars now. I mean, it's just an opinion, probably the "most wanted" guitar nowadays is an amplified one, with an easy "neck reset" (as on taylor new necks) and so on...
I don't think anyway that new solutions are bad; just different.
Cheers.