My favorite Taylor was a 2007 814CE that I sold, of course. I have a brand new 412CE and it is nice, but can't hold a candle to the 814CE I SOLD! :rolleyes:

I think I have the oldest one listed so far...
 

In 1985 I moved to Oakland, California after living on the Marin coast for a few years. At the age of 30 I had spent almost a decade trying to make a living as a musician. I was ready to let that go and as a result had sold the 2 acoustic instruments I owned (deep regrets!) and held on to an early 70's Strat.

I got married a few years later and was really missing having an acoustic guitar. I convinced my wife that life would be better for all concerned if I was able to use some of the gift money we received for our wedding and got an acoustic guitar. She agreed and I set off down to the South Bay about an hour away to check out Gryphon, I had heard it was an excellent guitar store. I told the person on the floor that I was looking for a Dread and what my price range was. He put me in a room with 2 guitars: a mid 70's Martin D18 and a 1979-80 Taylor 710.
It was a tough choice but I did walk out with the Taylor.

Almost 40 years later I still have it, the top finish has mucho check marks and lines and few gouges here and there. I had to have the neck reset a few years ago and had it done by Bob Brown at Axis guitars in Oakland (impeccable work!). Also added a K&K. It came back better than it ever was with close to perfect intonation.

I've had a bit of a musical awakening the last few years since the nest was emptied and have indulged my GAS tendencies a bit but I always spend time every week with this Taylor. It is like an old friend.
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Your Favorite TAYLOR and the Story Behind It...
 

My favorite Taylor up until 3 weeks ago was my 2002 W10ce. Then I purchased a 2008 Fall Limited GS Koa and it has quickly taken over the spot of my favorite guitar that I've ever played. Big sound that's super clean and shimmery! Rubbing your finger around the top of a crystal glass while it's wet is what came to my mind as a way to describe the tone of this guitar. I've always been a dread fan and thought that was the best body style ever made. Now I would give that title to the GS! Big huge sound with that smaller waist that fits so much better when I'm playing while sitting down! The story behind it is pretty simple. I made the mistake of going into guitar center a few weeks back and played a 916ce. I immediately fell in love with it and had to have one. My problem was the $5k price. I don't play music on a regular gigging schedule anymore and just couldn't justify that price. I figured I'd just start looking for used ones and then this GS popped up in the classifieds! I've always drooled over the Koa Series Taylors and when I saw this one, I thought it was the most beautiful guitar I'd ever seen. I had to have it and the seller offered it to me at a great price and now it's mine FOREVER!!https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...6bebaf90ec.pnghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...277bdd1ba2.pnghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...c1f905384a.pnghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e7f042ec43.png

I went in to my local Boutique Guitar Emporium, with my mind set on a Martin 000 and after I played it, and was ready to take it up to the register, I saw a 2011 Taylor BTO Custom Grand Auditorium in her full-Mahogany glory.

I asked if I could play it, strummed an E chord, and hung the Martin back up.

Called Taylor, they sent me the order sheet and builder's sheet, Abalone Mini-Diamond inlays, Tortoise Binding, super-depthy Abalone Rosette, and just a Mahogany growl that sends out minor chords with a husky snarl that i have fallen in love with.

This one is with me forever.

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~syf

Had a 114e I didn't connect with but sold it to someone that loves it. Still got a fancy for as GS Mini Hog and think it's a design classic.

Gazza

GARS
 

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My first!

Some gold or antique gold Gotoh 510’s would look awesome on that beauty! My own opinion of course and YMMV.

I've lost count of the Taylors that have come and go my way... my current favorites are along the lines of the 900 and PS series.

But for purely sentimental reasons, the 314ce tops my list. It's the one that opened my eyes and ears to the wonderful world of high end acoustics and I have been moving up the food chain ever since...

Very cool thread . I haven't read through the whole thing, but .. after the first page and a half, or so, I decided I had to post my reply too. My first Taylor was also*kind of* my first "really good" guitar. I had a very, very nice Epiphone PR350SM, solid woods, that punched wayyy above its weight, but it still wasn't an American acoustic as we know quality acoustics. I might give that title to my Washburn, too, but.. I think my Taylor went to that next level.

I bought a 2003 710 Ltd. (cocobolo and beautifully darkened sitka, with gorgeous full maple binding) on Craigslist, ironically enough, from a really cool guy at a church here in Houston. He loved the guitar and had owned it for nearly 15 years, but hadn't been playing it much lately.. I took it out of the case and was really blown away. After this, I got pretty into Taylors myself, but I found out relatively quickly after playing a literal horde of them, that I had something very special. I still find one that I like here and there, but that 710 is not at all* the typical Taylor sound, it has a much, much deeper bottom end and wayyy more complex/clarity. I don't know if it's the cocobolo, I don't know if it's just a great sitka top, I don't know what it is, but it's an absolutely fantastic guitar. Even though I've been relatively underwhelmed with the past few Taylors that I played in consideration of buying (614 at one point at Fullers, followed by a few of the new 700 series and most recently an 814.. none of which really rang my bell, although the 814 was nice enough) .. I will always have a soft spot for Taylor because of how much I love that guitar.

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Picking a Winner
 

I’m mostly lurking at AGF, but sometimes a story is too juicy not to share. Consider this story under the context of, “haven’t we alll experienced buyer’s remorse once or twice?” I have. But this is a happy story!
A couple of months ago I went to an estate sale hoping to find a deal on hand tools or fishing gear. In the basement, tucked in a corner, I spot a dusty guitar case with a Taylor badge on it. You know where this is going.
I opened the case to discover a cedar-topped 14 series - tuners were pitted and it was in desperate need of a good set-up. I asked if the guitar was for sale. “Yes, everything is for sale.”
There wasn’t any documentation, the sellers asked for $500, I countered with $250 not knowing the history nor the structural “soundness” of the guitar. Even with old strings, it sounded warm with rich, chiming overtones. We settled on $330 and I was out the door to see my guitar tech. Thankfully, everything checked out. New tuners, new Elixirs, added bone, nut, saddle, and pins from Bob Colosi made this 514ce “better than new”.
Fast forward several weeks and several research calls to Taylor, my favorite Taylor and best purchase to date, a 2016 Taylor 514ce Fall LTD, cedar over granadillo.
You know the reputation of Taylor necks, the playability is 2nd to none! I am a flesh-only fingerstyle player - the warmth and responsiveness are indescribable - rings like a piano with endless sustain. One of my kids will get this fine instrument when I buy the farm.
Someone smarter than me in this forum said, “You don’t find the perfect guitar, the perfect guitar finds you!” In this incredible instance, very true!

I had always favored the Martin tone, having played for more than 50 years. I also love Gibson J 45s and I have had a few of those. Lately I had been growing a little tired of the traditional sound of these fine brands and looking for a new flavor.
My experience with Taylor had been limited to a DN3 that I had several years ago. It was a great sounding guitar, but I sold it for something else. .??

I wandered into my local independent dealer not long ago during a sale they were having, and came across a NOS 510e. I favor mahogany so I picked it off the wall and spent 30 minutes playing it. It started to warm up 20 minutes in and really came to life. I brought it home and have been playing it a LOT since then. I’m loving the short scale, the V shaped neck, and the slotted headstock. It has such a warm, crisp, responsive voice...great for singing and for fingerpicking.

I had always discounted Taylors as being sort of cold and without vibe and soul. Well, this one has perfect vibe for what I need it to do. Happy to be in the Taylor clan now.

Rb

I always wanted a Martin but could never justify the $. About 20 years ago my wife and kids gave me a good grub-stake on one And told me to start shopping. So I set out to buy a D-28. However most of the stores that sold Martin also had Taylors, which I found better for finger picking. So I finally settled on a 414, and
My only regret is that I have not played it more. It’s a wonderful guitar.

My favorite Taylor? That's easy, UW's RB Jonathan Taylor. Because this is the year they'll finally beat Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game.
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Read more here: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.jso...amp/2156977001