Taylor 314ce and my old Yamaha

nickcorey28 · #1 11-10-2021, 01:44 PM

Hello all,

I am a beginner guitarist that has only been playing for about 18 months now. Right before the pandemic started last year, I went to my local Guitar Center and bought a new Yamaha FG800 and have been playing it as my only guitar until recently. I enjoyed and still enjoy it greatly; more on that shortly.

A few months ago, I decided it was time to upgrade. I walked into GC again and started playing around on any and all guitars I could. I fell in love with their demo 314ce v-clasS. I liked some others, but I loved the way the 314 felt and played and sounded (in that perfect room they have there for the acoustics)

I however ended up ordering a New one from Sweetwater a few weeks ago to treat myself for my birthday. It arrived in a timely manner and looks and feels great to play, just as the demo ones did at GC.

After numerous playing sessions though, I can't ignore my true thoughts: my beaten up FG800 sounds "better". And not because it's louder (which it is because it's a Dreadnought vs a Grand Auditorium) but the 314ce sounds a bit dull and "muddy" compared to the big booming old Yamaha. For instance, a normal Am, F, C, G chord progression sounds more pleasant and defined on the Yamaha than it does on my 314.

I'm not sure if the allure of how the guitar looks is what made me love it at Guitar Center, or if I maybe got a bad guitar, or what. Maybe it's because the Yamaha is "broken in" and the Taylor isn't? But $200 vs $2000, to say the least, I'm a bit surprised.

Has anyone themselves had or know anyone with a similar situation as this with the new Taylors?

lowrider · #2 11-10-2021, 01:55 PM

Taylors are very consistent, so the chance of your's being a ''bad one'' is pretty slim. If it's not what you like, it's probably not going to change. If you can, send it back.

Since you like your Yamaha, how about a Yamaha LL16? To me that's one of the great guitar bargains these days.

nickcorey28 · #3 11-10-2021, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowrider

Taylors are very consistent, so the chance of your's being a ''bad one'' is pretty slim. If it's not what you like, it's probably not going to change. If you can, send it back.

Since you like your Yamaha, how about a Yamaha LL16? To me that's one of the great guitar bargains these days.

Yeah I mean I don't think I did either, but I am also more of a strummer compared to a finger picker, so maybe that's why I still am liking my Yamaha dread a bit more. I need to expand to finger picking and more lead stuff though, so I'll probably keep it regardless.

Just was curious if I'm the only crazy person with this sort of situation lol

Retired1 · #4 11-10-2021, 02:32 PM

I have a Yamaha ll6 (have owned ll16 - prefer the 6) fg830 and an fg800 - the 800 is my favorite - more so than my prior ll16M - no lie.

jdinco · #5 11-10-2021, 02:32 PM

I suspect it's happened to a lot of us. Our ears get used to a certain tone too, don't mess around, return it and keep searching until you find one that really rings your bell. The Yamahas are highly rated here for a reason.

musicman1951 · #6 11-10-2021, 02:44 PM

I have to admit this is the first time I've read about a muddy Taylor. They tend to run very clear and most seem a little on the bright side. It's unusual to run into a dud Taylor, but it could happen.

It's very possible that as a strummer you just like dreads - which would seem pretty logical to me.

It's possible your ear prefers Yamaha to Taylor.

I would send it back and then try and figure out what I really like (or why I'm trying to spend a lot of money when I love the guitar I have).

Jim Comeaux · #7 11-10-2021, 02:55 PM

I know exactly how you feel. I also bought my “guitar to learn on” about the same time you bought yours. The only difference is that I bought the FG-830. I have just taken delivery of my second Yamaha, an LL-16 ARE. In between these two acquisitions, I bought two Recording King guitars, both solid Mahogany with solid Spruce tops. Until I got the LL-16 I still didn’t own a guitar that sounded “better” than my FG-830. I had two that sounded DIFFERENT, but not necessarily BETTER. The LL-16 cured that and did it by a big margin. So I am pretty well fixed up. I have a solid Rosewood dread that sounds fantastic and two solid Mahogany dreads that sure are no slouches either, along with the FG-830 that I don’t get all nervous about when taking out of the house. The main point here is that I had to upgrade to a nearly $1,000 guitar to outshine the $239 (I got it as an open box) Yamaha.

nickcorey28 · #8 11-10-2021, 03:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by musicman1951

I have to admit this is the first time I've read about a muddy Taylor. They tend to run very clear and most seem a little on the bright side. It's unusual to run into a dud Taylor, but it could happen.

It's very possible that as a strummer you just like dreads - which would seem pretty logical to me.

It's possible your ear prefers Yamaha to Taylor.

I would send it back and then try and figure out what I really like (or why I'm trying to spend a lot of money when I love the guitar I have).

I didn't realize how much I loved it until I had the 314! Bittersweet moment lol.

kmtyb · #9 11-10-2021, 04:22 PM

I'm mostly a strummer as well and had 714, 814, Custom GA, ETC.... Now I only have Dreads and GS. Try 310,510, 710 or GS. I personally never had a taylor that sounded dull. Maybe change strings?

619TF · #10 11-10-2021, 04:37 PM

Give it some time. Guitars need to open up. Your Yamaha likely didn't sound exactly like it does now at the time you bought it either. Taylors are highly consistent as has been said and all the new ones need some strumming time before they come into their own AFAIC.

B. Adams · #11 11-10-2021, 05:11 PM

I'm a Taylor fan. I have several, and I've played hundreds over the years. I have the ones I have because I played them and liked them enough to take home. My 914 might be the best sounding guitar I've ever heard. Is every 914 like that? I can tell you from experience, no. Mine is better than all the other 914's I've played. Of course that's just my opinion, but mine is the one that matters most to me.

Taylor prides themselves on consistent build quality, and their guitars are very well built. They look and feel great. But not every piece of wood is created equal, and because of that, every guitar is going to be different from the next. Even Taylor guitars. If you played a dozen brand new 314's side by side, you'll get 12 subtly different sounds (maybe not so subtle). Are they all good? Maybe, in their own way, but probably only one or two are going to make you want to pull the trigger. At least that's how it is for me.

If you liked the one in Guitar Center, you should have bought the one in Guitar Center. Or found one somewhere else that you liked. You know how a lot of experienced players say not to buy a guitar, especially an acoustic, without playing it first? This is exactly why.

That said, it wouldn't hurt to try different strings, and the guitar is going to open up a bit over time, so it should get better with age. I wouldn't judge it too harshly quite yet. And how does it sound plugged in? That might make a difference as time goes on.

Next time you're in a shop and play a guitar that you love, buy that guitar, not another one that you've never heard. But that's just my opinion, which is worth everything you paid for it or your money back.

Italuke · #12 11-10-2021, 05:32 PM

All good comments above, but really you should try different strings. As a beginner, respectfully, you don't yet know what you really like. Could be the Yamaha is overly bright to the point of what an experienced player would consider abrasive, but your ear hears it as being "responsive" and "alive." It could also have bright strings on it.

That sound, over time, may end up NOT being what you actually like as an experienced player. I'd say first try different strings on the Taylor, and PLAY them in for a couple weeks, don't just judge when they are new. Then decide if you need to swap it out.

D-utim · #13 11-10-2021, 06:08 PM

Congrats on 18 months in. If your Yamaha sounds right try others up or down the Yamaha family.

Bob from Brooklyn · #14 11-10-2021, 06:10 PM

Maybe you're not a Taylor guy. Have you tried other guitars?

ctvolfan · #15 11-10-2021, 06:41 PM

I completely get what you’re saying. I was a huge Taylor fan. I’ve had several Taylors in that same grand auditorium shape. Then I bought a used Yamaha FG800 dreadnaught just for the heck of it. I was shocked at how good that inexpensive guitar sounded. I loved the fullness and bassy sound of that bigger body. I then realized how thin sounding my Taylor’s were. I’ve still got my first Taylor 214 which now called a 314. But I have four dreadnaughts now and prefer to play them. I’m just a dreadnaught guy now. If you can send it back, I’d be looking for a better quality dread like an Eastman E10 or E20 or a Yamaha LL16 or FGX5. I don’t think you’ll ever be satisfied with that Taylor now.