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Old 01-05-2017, 11:18 AM
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Default Your Favorite TAYLOR and the Story Behind It...

This is, of course, an obvious ripoff of Toby Walker's OP, but we Taylor owners were feeling a little left out of his favorite Martin thread. I've owned a bunch of Taylors over the past ten years but my 524 First Edition (#64 of 100) is very special to me. It's not just the amazing tone and playability of this great guitar; but believe it or not I've foolishly sold it twice and was able to get it back both times. My ladyfriend gave me some holiday $$$ to help buy it back the second time making it extra special. I think that coming home to papa twice makes it a definite keeper....

[IMG][/IMG]
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Old 01-05-2017, 11:27 AM
Nick84 Nick84 is offline
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Mine is my 320. My mum gave me some money shortly before she died and asked me to buy a guitar with some of it and take that guitar to my gigs.

I knew I wanted a hog top and this Taylor came out on top for me! I've got a Baggs M80 to go in it and I'll permanently install it when I do my next string change.
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Old 01-05-2017, 11:33 AM
ChrisE ChrisE is offline
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I had an old 1980's Sigma that I got as a teenager and it was my only guitar for many, many years. Then a few years ago I got into playing in the church band, then some weddings, then some solo gigs, then playing in a cover band. So then I figured since I was "professional" musician I should get a pro-level guitar.

I almost pulled the trigger on a 210ce in a pawn shop, but my wife said "Is that what you really want? If not, why don't you just wait and get the one you really want?"

So I ended up waiting another year and found a great deal on a never-used 314ce on ebay. I bought it on "make an offer" and got a great deal. It really was like brand new. I think the reason I got such a great deal was because the pics on ebay were terrible and I took a chance on it.

Anyway, I've had it a couple of years and I play it all the time--at home, at church, at solo gigs, band gigs. I seem to like it more and more all the time.

I've noticed the top starting to darken and the tone just gets better and better. And, being such a great playing guitar has made me want to play more which has improved my playing which in turn helps me to appreciate it that much more.

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Old 01-05-2017, 11:45 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RP View Post
...but we Taylor owners were feeling a little left out of his favorite Martin thread....
Ha ! but some of us have both a "favorite Martin story" and a "favorite Taylor story"
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Old 01-05-2017, 12:08 PM
tbeltrans tbeltrans is offline
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Those who have met Martin Taylor (the jazz guitarist) will have their favorite Martin Taylor story.

Tony
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Old 01-05-2017, 12:13 PM
kaos kaos is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisE View Post
The only time I use that chord is for ABB Sweet Melissa.
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Old 01-05-2017, 12:16 PM
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I've had this one for 22 years. My wife got it for me when she was pregnant with our daughter Taylor. I originally went in looking for a Martin, but this one just sounded amazing.

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Old 01-05-2017, 12:26 PM
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Sorry. No guitar stories. I buy them. I play them. Simple story. Nick's story is nice though.
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Old 01-05-2017, 12:39 PM
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I've told this before so stop me if I'm boring you. No?

My favorite Taylor came to me as probably my first really nice acoustic. My wife and I were approaching twenty years of marriage and were looking for nice gifts for each other. I found a diamond "wrap" for her. A wrap is a ring with two rows of diamonds with a space in the center. It is designed to allow you to wear the wrap and your solitaire engagement ring together and it looks like one ring with several stones. My wife decided to get me a nice acoustic guitar.

A few months before I'd had a national recording artist in my studio and she had brought along her Taylor 912ce with the Cindy inlay. I had never seen a Taylor before and I was absolutely blown away by the quality of the guitar's fit and finish. Then she played it, and it filled the room. The Cindy was a bit much for me (that has changed) but I was impressed with this guitar. The next time I had a day off I ran down to a dealer who had literally the entire Taylor line on the wall in their upper-end room. I played from the bottom to the top of the line and back down again, several times, and one guitar kept sicking out as really coming alive to my playing style. Eventually I went home, grabbed my wife, took her back, and had her listen through the line, without showing the hang tags to suggesting any preference. Every time I played this particular model it just jumped out.

So, eventually it was January of 2000. The bottom of the Taylor line had been converted to the NT (New Technology) neck but the upper lines hadn't, and I wanted to get one of the pre-NT guitars. The manager of my dealer and I went back to his office and called Taylor. Taylor only had two of this model made up and both had been started on the last day of production of 1999 before the crew took the holiday recess so this is a guitar "from the last century." The sales rep compared the two and we chose the best one.

It was delivered in four days and it turned out to be a really nice guitar. It is a really personal guitar that is really responsive to quiet fingerstyle. It is a K14c (no E) with a western red cedar top and koa sides and back. The guitar is very light and resonant.



It is the acoustic that I most like to play on the couch or when I'm playing just for me.

Bob
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Old 01-05-2017, 12:52 PM
Texsunburst59 Texsunburst59 is offline
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I'd always wanted a high end Taylor or Martin for as long as I can remember.

I just could never justify paying 1K+ for them.

So I'd patiently waited for many years till the right
deal presented itself.

Two years ago I stopped by one of my regular pawnshops
to see if the had anything of interest.

I asked my regular sales guy if anything interesting was coming out.

He said there was a pretty nice guitar he could bring out
now.

He brought it to the front and it turned out to be an '03 515-CE Jumbo Custom.

I looked over to find any faults in the guitar.

It has a few small scuffs, scratches, and dents here and
there

I asked the price, and he said $350.

I couldn't believe what I heard.

Well, I NEVER EVER pay full asking price for any guitar.

I showed him all the issues with the guitar, and told him I'd give him $270 out the door right now.

He agreed, and that's how I got my 1st quality Taylor.
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Old 01-05-2017, 01:02 PM
Shades of Blue Shades of Blue is offline
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My favorite Taylor is my 814ce. I've always loved Taylor guitars, and have owned a 110, 210, 214, and 414ce. There really isn't a special story. I ordered it after playing a few Taylors in a local shop after I sold my 414ce.

There is nothing like it....

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Old 01-05-2017, 01:08 PM
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Oh boy, where to start?

I'd been playing low-mid level acoustics for decades. Much later in life I knew I wanted to get back into playing guitar and was able to step up in quality. I did a lot of research and had never played a Taylor before. I heard the name a lot and a lot of accolades but I didn't know what the "big deal" could be.

About 6-7 (?) years ago I was playing around with sub-$1K Takamines, Breedloves, Yamahas, etc.

I wandered into the GC room and saw a Taylor on the wall. OK I'll try it.
I picked it up and played it and it was an almost religious experience for me.

At that moment every fiber of my being knew that the die was cast and the decision made - I was going to own a Taylor guitar. I left the store a literally changed man. It had a big impact on me. Since then I've bought eight Taylors and tried/tested/trialed every one I could find.

And my favorite was the first one I bought which, through providence not planning, had every feature I love.

My GC7 is a bling free 712 with a short scale, slot head 14 fret cedar topped EIR bodied fingerstyle crystal ball of perfection.

I customized it by upgrading the tuner screws, the TRC and adding a JP armrest.
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File Type: jpg taylor christmas tree 1.jpg (29.7 KB, 651 views)
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Old 01-05-2017, 01:11 PM
Ted @ LA Guitar Sales Ted @ LA Guitar Sales is offline
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Another easy one, and another gift from Helene, my 90's Rosewood Cedar 714ce.

In the 90's, most of my guitars were still electrics, but I decided I "needed" a really good acoustic, so I hit the Hollywood GC thinking I would end up with a D-28. I got lucky and got a salesman that knew his stuff, and after watching me play some Martins, he handed me a Taylor 714ce. It was love at first strum, but as it was a few weeks before Christmas, I was under strict orders not to buy anything. Helene is a very clever woman, so that Christmas Eve, I received a small box with instructions where to find my new Taylor 714ce. That guitar started me on a path to collecting acoustics, and might be the reason I am in the guitar business today. And although I have owned hundreds of guitars since receiving that Taylor, that 714ce is still my favorite acoustic.

Here's a terrible photo.


Last edited by Ted @ LA Guitar Sales; 01-05-2017 at 01:37 PM.
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Old 01-05-2017, 01:18 PM
ChrisE ChrisE is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kaos View Post
The only time I use that chord is for ABB Sweet Melissa.
Me too! That's what I was playing when the photo was taken!
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Old 01-05-2017, 01:31 PM
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My first, because it introduced me to the world of Taylor.....my 2002 414.
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