Ever buy one you think is special only to return it?

[muscmp]

it takes a while to bond with a guitar but i've never had a situation where i took one back.

play music!

[Steadfastly]

Never have done that. It is likely that I do a lot of checking before I buy anything. Also, I rarely buy from a store.

[packmule]

Never happened to me, though on a few occasions I have played a guitar at a shop, thought it was fantastic, then gone back the next day and been underwhelmed by it. When I found my 00-18 I played it for several hours at the shop and then told myself that I should go home and sleep on it and come back the next day to see if it still stood up to my initial impressions. That was until I noticed two other customers looming nearby waiting for me to put it down so I decided to take the plunge and buy it then and there - best decision I could've made as I'm super happy with it!

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by jklotz

Friday I picked up a Taylor 322ce 12 fret...Very cool guitar...

Unfortunately, I got it home, and it's just not what I was expecting. The string tension feels really high, and it's difficult to play above the 5th fret. I'm also not loving the sound as much as I thought I would. It is bright when you hit it hard, but softer notes just seem too muted and seem like they die off before they should. It just feels lifeless...

...I went back to the luthier at the shop, who put on a new set of light gauge Elixir's (80/20's), slightly filed the nut slots a little lower and did a truss rod adjustment. It was a big improvement, but for the life of me, I just can't figure out why the string tension is so high...

Had similar problems with my LE 320e Baritone, took it to an authorized Taylor repairman who told me the proper solution was a neck reset (performed/covered under factory warranty, BTW); no problems since, and I'd do the same before writing it off - I just hope the nut work doesn't void your warranty...

[PiousDevil]

I can't imagine why the tension would feel higher if it actually has a shorter scale, that doesn't make sense. Can I suggest that you try a set of light gauge Martin Retros on it before sending it back? They always feel a bit softer to me, and should play well with the mahogany top.

[DesertTwang]

Originally Posted by vindibona1

There is something about the way a guitar feels and sounds in a store, only to feel and sound different when you get it home. Have you ever noticed that the walls of many guitar stores' acoustic room are paneled with wood (many of them Cedar, I think). Does they create an acoustic environment to make instruments sound better than they might when you get them home?

Exactly, and that's why I don't sweat it. I have never wanted to return a guitar that really spoke to me when I played it in a store, partially because I expect exactly this to happen - my carpeted living room is bound to absorb much of that vibrancy that caught my attention in the store. Still, if a guitar sounds above and beyond all others hanging on the store wall, I take it home for that reason.

Case in point: Three months ago, I bought the Martin America 1, which blew my socks off in the store. At home, as expected, it sounded a bit more muted.

Yesterday, I took it out of the house for the first time, to a friend's house with high ceilings and tile floor. And bang! There it was again: that guitar just rang like a bell. It was wonderful.

[beyeond]

Originally Posted by PiousDevil

I can't imagine why the tension would feel higher if it actually has a shorter scale, that doesn't make sense. Can I suggest that you try a set of light gauge Martin Retros on it before sending it back? They always feel a bit softer to me, and should play well with the mahogany top.

Yeah I've always read about the great playability of those guitars. I would definitely try a few different sets of strings.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by jklotz

Friday I picked up a Taylor 322ce 12 fret. I really liked it in the store, actually went back 3 different times to play it before making a deal. It's a perfect little gigging setup, love the small, comfortable body shape, slotted peghead, pickup system, etc. Very cool guitar.

Unfortunately, I got it home, and it's just not what I was expecting. The string tension feels really high, and it's difficult to play above the 5th fret. I'm also not loving the sound as much as I thought I would. It is bright when you hit it hard, but softer notes just seem too muted and seem like they die off before they should. It just feels lifeless.

The difficult to play part is a bit of a quandary though. When I bought it, I went back to the luthier at the shop, who put on a new set of light gauge elixer's (80/20's), slightly filed the nut slots a little lower and did a truss rod adjustment. It was a big improvement, but for the life of me, I just can't figure out why the string tension is so high. I thought shorter scale was supposed to be less tension? It feels like medium gauge strings, but I personally picked out the light gauge strings. Go figure.

Either way, it's going back. Guess I'm just disappointed and venting a little.

One of the things I've found that evens the playing field is that when you are playing a guitar at a shop with an eye on buying it, don't play songs on it too much. Partial barre and full barre the strings and play this up the neck to see how it sounds as you go up. Play different inversions of chords up and down the neck listening closely. Play those single notes up high to test the water and while doing all of this note how much adjustment the setup may need.

[jazzguy]

I fear you may have returned it too early. Taylor strings their guitars now with Elixir HD Lights which is actually higher tension than normal lights. So depending on what you are used to, it could have felt more like the tension of a standard scale guitar. I would have experimented with different strings before I returned.

[Pitar]

No. Can't claim to have done that yet. I test drive pretty thoroughly at the store and know the guitar before I decide. The only time I've ever had buyer's remorse was the day I swore an oath to the US military at the induction center in Chicago umpty-many years ago. But, Lady Luck was with me and I managed to make a go of it despite my sudden hesitancy.

I have had many guitars in my hands and can say that there's a certain spell they can cast that has a whole lot to do with infatuation fogging judgement. It happens as soon as one passes into the acoustic room. I think it's sprayed into the ducting every morning before the stores open. Probably a Stew-Mac catalog item.

[jklotz]

Originally Posted by jazzguy

I fear you may have returned it too early. Taylor strings their guitars now with Elixir HD Lights which is actually higher tension than normal lights. So depending on what you are used to, it could have felt more like the tension of a standard scale guitar. I would have experimented with different strings before I returned.

No, haven't returned it yet. I planned on doing it on Monday, however, I will try some new strings before I make a final decision. I have a little time. It was at Sam Ash, so I'm guessing I have 30 days.

[v32 finish]

Aww, man, sorry to hear that. Especially since you're disappointed; that really sucks. I've been fortunate that I haven't ever really been disappointed with a purchase or situation (knock on wood) but I can see how very easily it can happen. Agree w. others that return policy is pretty important. After really thinking about it, I've only returned One guitar in my entire life. Come to think of it, I've returned one guitar, one amp, and one looper pedal. All on separate occasions.

Sometime last year (early this year maybe? it's been maybe a year tops) I went in to GC and I was really just there to get strings. But I'd had an itch for an electric since it's been.. jeez, maybe close to 10 years at this point since I've owned one. I played a few that were OK, a couple teles, a strat, nothing huge, and then I picked up a PRS SE Tremonti signature model. Plugged it up to an Acoustic brand, cheap $150 amp. Considering it was a cheap amp, this guitar sounded *amazing*. Couldn't believe it. Best electric in the store out of everything except the Les Pauls; they had them hanging in the highest spot and I didn't bother with them.

Similar experience to someone else who just posted, after I put the PRS down and went in the acoustic room, I came back out and noticed it was gone -- one of the other customers who had been kind of watching me play nearby was trying it out. I took it halfway as a compliment and confirmation that it sounded as good as I thought it did. After said customer left, I promptly bought it with no hesitation.



Anyway, I didn't use the whole 45 days, but .. I agonized over the decision. At first, I loved it. I played it 2 days straight, took pics, downloaded new tab for electric I wanted to learn. I was feeling it. But in the back of my mind, I knew that I just basically knocked out about 70% of my new-guitar fund. Usually, if I do this, it's because I bought the new guitar I was specifically saving for, and I have no regrets, and I start saving again. This time was different, IDK if because it was electric, or more likely, that I hadn't been specifically planning for it.

At any rate, it truly was a great guitar.. one of the *very* best electrics I've ever played coming in at right at $1k, but I just couldn't shake the feeling. I'm an acoustic player at heart, and I really wanted to keep it, but I ended up taking it back after a while. Maybe 10 days or 2 weeks or so. After recouping that money, I added a bit longer, and that PRS was indirectly converted into the J-45 that I would order from CME a little later down the road. Definitely no regrets. Funny thing is, I actually own another PRS SE now, also great, but nothing like that Tremonti.

I think it's normal. I think sometimes things sound different in the store. In your case, it's a bummer you just flat out don't like it. I liked mine, but I knew that I would rather have something else, and I did. It would've taken me probably 6 months to a year to get back to where I was, savings-wise.

At the end of the day, you don't want any regrets, so ... if you aren't 100% happy with it, I'd take it back. New strings can't hurt.. but to me, it sounds like you're pretty certain that you just don't care for it, so I feel like it may be a waste of $15 to put another set on there, just to return it, but.. at the end of the day, that's not alot of money just to be totally sure. I can relate to how you feel ; there have been a few Taylors that I've *really* liked, (my 710 among them) but they are few and far between. The playability is always second to none, but the tone sometimes just isn't for me. But not always! The gems that they do have, I would put against just about anything (almost), but.. like I said, no regrets.

Best of luck!! Sorry this post got kind of long. Hope it works out for you; take that thing back and add a little more cash to the pot and get something that'll knock your socks off!

Scott

[stringjunky]

Could some guitars have higher torque at the bridge making the strings seem higher tension?

[Orfeas]

Yes, I have and I paid a hefty price for it. I ordered a custom Martin without knowing what I am doing simply because I had the money. Did not like the guitar at all (my fault), plus I was disappointed about the unglued bindings within 6-7 months. I gladly sold it for half price. I just wanted that guitar out of my house asap.

[DanleyJ]

My favorite way to test a guitar is put a strap on it and stand facing a solid wall a few inches away. The sound of the guitar will bounce back at you similar to what you might hear if you were in front of the guitar with someone else playing it.

My music room at home is pretty open with carpet floors and makes my guitars sound big and open, too. I take those same guitars into a bedroom with a bed, chest of drawers, curtains and other furniture and the sound becomes more compressed and almost muffled by comparison. The room makes big difference in the sound of your guitar. That's why God made bathrooms and their wonderful natural reverb.