Just got a new 710

[Sergio]

This is my first post on this site. I've really enjoyed reading all the thoughts and experiences found here.

I just traded in my six year old Martin D35 for a 2001 Taylor 710. Just a few thoughts and observations on my decision and recent purchase.

Initially, my primary reason for trading in my D35 was the 1 11/16" nut width on the Martin. I had always liked Taylors, and had been impressed with the various -10 models I'd played. When I saw the new 1 3/4" nut width being offered on all new Taylor dreads I decided to check them out.

I have large hands and after years of struggling and trying to come to grips (literally) with the 1 11/16" nut width on the Martin, I decided enough was enough. I've also been trying to do more and more fingerstyle playing in recent years and wanted a guitar that would be more versatile without going to a smaller body style with the wider neck. I cannot say enough good things about the decision to fit wider necks on all the new Taylor dreads, it really makes all the difference in the world.

So, I spent several months looking at and trying out hundreds of guitars. I went to every guitar superstore and smaller music store in three counties (South Florida area--Miami, FtLa, WPBch), and pretty much tried them all, including older (pre-1 3/4") Taylor models and the latest versions, from the 300 all the way to the 900 series and some Koa and presentation models. I also visited every music store I could find during several business trips out of state. I played tons of Martins of all sizes and prices, Guilds, Larrivees, Gibsons, Tacomas, and even a few Goodalls, Collings, Breedloves and Bourgeois, new and used.

I wanted to stay with the traditional rosewood/spruce sound. So, in the Taylor line, I narrowed it down to the 710 and 810. I also liked the -14 body style, with the cutaway, but every one I tried, with the exception of some high end models, was electrified. I did not want amplification.

When I saw the new 710 I was knocked out. The Engleman spruce top on this 710 was perfect, absolutely flawless and with a creamy white color that contrasted beautifully with the equally flawless dark rosewood back and sides. The grain and figure on this Engleman top is superb. I've seen guitars costing twice as much with tops that could not compare.

I was very impresed by the 710's appointments. The Koa rosette is extremely tasteful, I liked it much more than the usual abalone inlay found on most guitars.

The new 710's dark rosewood body binding, with just a bit of lighter contrasting stripe inlay on the sides and back, and the tiny bit of white in the purfling along the top was also perfectly understated.

I also liked the 710's plain neck, with no neck binding and ith its small position dots. The ebony fingerboard was perfectly dark and uniform without any blonde streaking whatsoever. A very nice piece of wood. The wider neck also seemed a bit deeper, which felt better than the narrow, shallow neck profile on my old D35.

In comparison, the 810's (as well as my old D35's) white body and neck binding seemed a little much. As I grow older I don't seem to be too impressed by gaudy abalone or pearl inlay work. The 710 looked just right to me. BTW, these same appointments also looked great on the new 510 model I saw, and the mahogany sound was really sweet.

The 710's gold tuners are a nice touch as well. However, in my opinion the only thing that would improve the looks of this 710 might be some ebony knobs for the tuners. Now that would be a truly elegant, understated look. Anyone know where I can get these ebony knobs?

I believe the 710's Engleman spruce top sounds a little warmer than the Sitka spruce tops I tried. This could just be my imagination. In comparison to my D35, which had a very loud boomy, bassy sound, overall the 710 sounds more controlled and focussed, with a clearer, cleaner more distinct mid and high range. Individual notes stand out more distinctly and sound more balanced. Maybe my tastes are changing, but I'm starting to value a more balanced, controlled sound and think that too much value has been placed Martin's traditional boomy bass response. After a while this boominess becomes annoying, and the total experience begins to suffer.

As usual, the overall fit and finish and setup of Taylors is in a league by itself, and this 710 was particularly outstanding. Even high end guitars like Breedloves, Collings and Goodalls don't have much, if any, advantage here. At the opposite end, some of the Gibsons I tried were incredibly inconsistent and sloppy (I'm sorry Gibson lovers).

And I also noticed than the Taylor bolt-on neck design, sometimes maligned by traditionalists, is also being used by Goodall, Collings, and other high end makers.

Well, this 710 seemed to speak to me in a very good way. In truth, there was one Goodall rosewood standard cutaway that also cried out to me, but it cost nearly twice as much as the 710. And this one Collings OM I tried was a real sweet guitar, but definitely too rich for my blood and I'm not really a fan of this body style.

This 710 seems to be getting better the more I play it. As I settled in with it I noticed that the string height at the nut was perfect, no buzzing at all when playing open strings aggressively and nice and easy to the touch as well. Saddle height was a touch high for my taste; I like about about 3/32" at the low E and 2/32" at the high E. A tiny bit of sanding of the saddle brought it down to my taste. Neck relief at the sixth or seventh fret was perfect, have not had to fool with it. This sure beats all the action work I had to do on my Martin to get it where I wanted it.

The only thing I've changed so far are the Elixirs. I know it's a matter of taste, but I don't like them that much. I feel that the Martin SP mediums I had around and put on the 710 sound more alive and responsive to my ear.

For what it's worth, the new 310 I tried was superb, and for the money has to be the best buy around for those on a budget. And the 510 is the best mahogany drednought I tried.

I really like this new 710, and think it will be with me for a long time.

-Sergio

[tbondo]

Wow, well said!

As a newby (2001 510) Taylor owner, I am impressed by your search and results. I was just plain lucky, as I had only played one 510 and it was a 99 with trashed strings. But, my satisfaction is equal to yours, as the sound is excellent and my Taylor dealer teched the guitar before shipping on to me.

[Bill Nichols (CaptBill)]

Hi SO,
Welcome to the Forum. Thats a realy great guitar that you decided on.
The ebony tuner knobs should be available at www.fqms.com (fine Quality Music Supplies) for about $20.00. I have ordered the knobs from them in the past.
Are you sure that there is not a dark rosewood binding on the fingerboard of the 710? I was looking at a 2001 714 and I could swear I remember a dark rosewood binding on the fingerboard.

[RK]

I think all Taylor necks are bound aren't they? It's just a bit difficult to make out if it's dark binding.

[Sergio]

Re: the neck binding on the 710...

You know, I looked at it as closely as I could, in the best light possible, and I still cannot tell if it is bound in rosewood or if it's just the plain ebony fingerboard. If it is--and I'll take your word on this--the seam is so tight and the woods are so similar as to be undetectable. Live and learn; I stand corrected.

Thanks for the tip on the knobs, I'll follow up on it. SO.

[PaulLePine]

The neck on my infant 714 does appear to be bound in rosewood, but it's satin like the neck, rather than gloss like the body binding. So it's not as striking, but clearly more functional than if it were glossy. The treble edge is barely perceptible, about half the thickness of the binding on the bass edge.

Speaking of fit & finish... After having lived with it a few days now, the nut doesn't seem so perfect to me; a little sharp, and the lower slots aren't that consistent. No big deal, nothing that can't wait for some future set-up.

~ Paul

[rambo]

There is not a neck that compares with Taylors.

[JayGon]

The binding used to be black plastic on previous models 7xx's, but now I believe it is rosewood on the 2001 models. But even the new black bindings on the 2001 models (3xx's?) are now a fiber, so it doesn't look as harsh. Now for some fiber or ivoroid on the 8xx's.......

Jay

[Sergio]

Yes, after wiping down the ebony fingerboard a couple of times, and also polishing the neck/binding repeatedly, I can definitely see the rosewood binding. The rosewood binding seems to be lightening in color a bit, showing its grain and figure, or perhaps the ebony is getting a bit darker with use, creating a distinct contrast between the two woods.

I really like the idea that no plastic (other than the pickguard) was used; it's all wood...no ivoroid, faux-tortoise shell, genuine plastic, and so on.

I apologize...it also should have dawned on me that if the frets' ends were hidden the guitar must have a bound neck, otherwise you'd clearly see the cross-sections of the frets' ends up and down the neck, embedded in the ebony.

SO.