Any Grand Pacific Owners Around Here???

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by DesertTwang

Yet, you still played 10? Kudos to you and your patience. I probably would have stopped at 2, LOL

Seriously, though, I'm reading these posts with great interest, as I have not had a chance to see or play a GP in person yet.

I REALLY wanted to like it. :-)

[Shades of Blue]

This is what I'm seeing, and the dealers that do have them don't seem to discount quite as much as they would on a Martin. I'm seeing roughly 15% off list, which is ok, but not nearly enough to make me interested right now.

I am going to wait around and see how I feel about this in a few weeks. I'd have to sell my 000-18 or J-45 to get one, and I really feel like I'm letting the comfort/playability drive my desire vs strictly sound.

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

This is what I'm seeing, and the dealers that do have them don't seem to discount quite as much as they would on a Martin. I'm seeing roughly 15% off list, which is ok, but not nearly enough to make me interested right now.

I am going to wait around and see how I feel about this in a few weeks. I'd have to sell my 000-18 or J-45 to get one, and I really feel like I'm letting the comfort/playability drive my desire vs strictly sound.

They will be available on the used market if you're patient. I think a few have already gone up here.

[brencat]

Originally Posted by BT55

As I warned in another topic don’t try a 717 because you’ll bring it home. The 717 has the ability to convert Martin owners to buy a Taylor!

Not even close, sorry.

[bluetweed]

I played a new one last week and it was the best Taylor I ever heard. Finger picked or picked lightly I loved it. Pushing it harder with a pick playing chords it became a little brash. Gotta tell you its one the best neck profiles I ever played. My CEO-7 has the Custom Shop Profile #1 which is a full profile C that stays somewhat the same all the way up. I also love Full C Tele and Strat profiles as well. The Martin Mod Low Oval has stopped me from buying a few Martins that where killer. The new Taylor Neck is almost perfect!
I am going to go back in about 3 weeks and see if The Taylor has opened up at all.

[chistrummer]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

This is what I'm seeing, and the dealers that do have them don't seem to discount quite as much as they would on a Martin. I'm seeing roughly 15% off list, which is ok, but not nearly enough to make me interested right now.

I am going to wait around and see how I feel about this in a few weeks. I'd have to sell my 000-18 or J-45 to get one, and I really feel like I'm letting the comfort/playability drive my desire vs strictly sound.

Well since Taylor no longer uses msrp it's impossible to know how Taylor discounts compare to Martins but why would you expect the same discount? Would you expect a Tesla to be discounted the same as a Ford?

[BT55]

The 717 has a torrified top so in theory it has pretty much opened up already when delivered. The 317 and 517 are another case. Either way the Grand Pacific’s are awesome guitars. Don’t believe me? What other Taylor model has Martin owners giving positive reviews?

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by chistrummer

Well since Taylor no longer uses msrp it's impossible to know how Taylor discounts compare to Martins but why would you expect the same discount? Would you expect a Tesla to be discounted the same as a Ford?

I’m not going to get into this discussion too deeply, but if I see a Martin and a Taylor priced the same, then it makes a huge difference if I can get a better discount on the Martin...

[Rev Roy]

Originally Posted by chistrummer

Well since Taylor no longer uses msrp it's impossible to know how Taylor discounts compare to Martins...

40% off MSRP equals +/- 23% off MAP...so if you want the equivalent of the standard 40% off MSRP offered on Martins (and was commonly offered on Taylors when they still listed MSRP) you should expect to get about 23% off MAP. Pretty simple calculation.

[RP]

I get it. Some people are pretty wild about the Taylor Grand Pacific models and others not so much. I haven't tried one so don't have any feeling on the matter at this point. However, despite having owned (and subsequently sold) several very nice non-Taylor guitars, I'm a Taylor fanboy. So chances are that I'll like the GPs more than I don't like them. However, at this stage in my guitar buying and selling, I doubt that I'll like a guitar any more or less or be more or less inclined to buy one guitar over another based on the discount I can get...

[BluesKing777]

The new 717e, my opinion, is like this 52, but with some kind of newturbo electric rockets that run on dog doo or something...!

And when the new parts come in....(new pickup system?) it could possible fly.



Edit: what I mean is it has a couple of tips of the hat to the old, but......only a bit....similar shape!


BluesKing777.

[hoosfoos]

Originally Posted by BT55

The 717 has a torrified top so in theory it has pretty much opened up already when delivered. The 317 and 517 are another case. Either way the Grand Pacific’s are awesome guitars. Don’t believe me? What other Taylor model has Martin owners giving positive reviews?

The 517 also has a torrefied spruce top, same as the 717. The 317 top, however, is not torrefied.

[chistrummer]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

I’m not going to get into this discussion too deeply, but if I see a Martin and a Taylor priced the same, then it makes a huge difference if I can get a better discount on the Martin...

So you prefer the product with the better perceived value, no harm in that, you like to feel you got a good deal.

Originally Posted by Rev Roy

40% off MSRP equals +/- 23% off MAP...so if you want the equivalent of the standard 40% off MSRP offered on Martins (and was commonly offered on Taylors when they still listed MSRP) you should expect to get about 23% off MAP. Pretty simple calculation.

That may be true for some Martin models but it's definitely not true for all the other brands. I've seen map anywhere from 5% to 30% below msrp so your calculation is an exercise in futility. In the subject 717 Taylor is offering a mahogany, torrified spruce dreadnought with fully rounded edges including the bridge with reduced heel and figured maple binding at 2899 map. Can you calculate what would be the map for a Martin with those features?

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by chistrummer

So you prefer the cheaper product, the one with the better perceived value, no harm in that, you like to feel you got a good deal.







That may be true for some Martin models but it's definitely not true for all brands. I've seen map anywhere from 5% to 30% below msrp so your calculation is an exercise in futility. In the subject 717 Taylor is offering a mahogany, torrified spruce dreadnought with fully rounded edges including the bridge with reduced heel and figured maple binding at 2899 map. Can you calculate what would be the map for a Martin with those features?

It doesn’t really have to do with price as much as what I feel like I’m getting for the price. A simple D-18 has features that the 717 doesn’t have like a gloss finish (nitro no less), a dovetail neck joint, and scalloped X Bracing. It’s all in what you want. I think that after playing a couple Grand Pacifics, they are cool guitars but the lowest price I can find is $2400 after discount, and I just don’t feel that the 717 is worth it to me when J-45s and HD-28s are less expensive. Plus, I know that I’ll have a hard time ever selling a Taylor because I’ve been down that road.

I’ll stick with my guitars for now and try to buy one used when Taylor releases the next hot iteration...

[chistrummer]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

It doesn’t really have to do with price as much as what I feel like I’m getting for the price. A simple D-18 has features that the 717 doesn’t have like a gloss finish (nitro no less), a dovetail neck joint, and scalloped X Bracing. It’s all in what you want. I think that after playing a couple Grand Pacifics, they are cool guitars but the lowest price I can find is $2400 after discount, and I just don’t feel that the 717 is worth it to me when J-45s and HD-28s are less expensive. Plus, I know that I’ll have a hard time ever selling a Taylor because I’ve been down that road.

I’ll stick with my guitars for now and try to buy one used when Taylor releases the next hot iteration...

You're comparing apples to oranges. Bracing style aside the features on the 717 put it closer in value to the Martin D-28 modern deluxe which has an msrp of $5200. The md does have adi bracing but it does not have the builder edition rounded features. BTW, I don't think your D-18 has nitro finish.

Hey, I think I'm starting to talk myself in to one of these grand pacific builders models.