Taylor Neck/Body Mate: Is this normal?

[glowrocks]

I was taking some photos of my Taylor 312 and noticed some sloppiness where the neck is attached to the body.

Is this normal/typical fit and finish? I wish I had seen it earlier, so I could have looked at some others.

Does it present any potential future problems?

Thanks!

This shows the issue the best:

taylor-312-sep15-41

Another view:

taylor-312-sep15-39

Full front view, not quite in focus:

taylor-312-sep15-40

[drtedtan]

Taylor necks bolt on to the body, and this sometimes leaves a bit of a gap between the two. Sometimes you'll find some filler between them to fill in the gap, and it looks like what this is. The only filler I recall seeing directly from Taylor is where the heel joins the body on the back of the guitar, so if I were guessing, I'd say that was done by a tech after a setup or something similar. It's probably easily removable, but have a tech look at it if it bothers you.

[SFCRetired]

That is pretty sloppy. Is it a second? I have only played a handful of Taylors and don't own one, but that looks sloppy to me. If it is normal. It shouldn't be for the price they ask.

[SFCRetired]

Originally Posted by drtedtan

Taylor necks bolt on to the body, and this sometimes leaves a bit of a gap between the two. Sometimes you'll find some filler between them to fill in the gap, and it looks like what this is. The only filler I recall seeing directly from Taylor is where the heel joins the body on the back of the guitar, so if I were guessing, I'd say that was done by a tech after a setup or something similar. It's probably easily removable, but have a tech look at it if it bothers you.

I agree, after looking at it, it does look like wood filler. dang, who would do that?

[ifret]

Did you buy it new or used? No, it doesn't look normal to me (like it would come from Taylor like that).

[fazool]

As stated, this is a removable bolt-on NT neck (in which the fretboard extension also bolts on and is removed with the neck). As a bolted assembly there is always some amount of clearance. Taylor dresses up this gap with a miniscule bead of flexible (never hardening) color putty. Actually they use their own recipe but its essentially Color Putty.

There is a video on Youtube (discussed elsewhere here on AGF showing this at Taylor).

There is another discussion here on AGF (elsewhere) where I show how I made my own by blending color putty and lemon mineral oil and stain to color match.

Most people, I think, just leave this tiny gap and don't care during post-factory neck adjustments. I prefer a factory look so add a syringe bead of my putty-blend.

What your pictures show is a horrible mess and I imagine nothing leaves the Taylor factory looking like that. If that material is dry and hard then I would have a serious discussion with the seller or return the guitar. If its soft and non-curing then they did the right thing but with poor skills. If its hardnened wood putty, they are a hack who didn't know anything about the guitars they are working on.

[glowrocks]

Thanks for all the responses.

I bought it new, from Sweetwater.

I own one other Taylor, an 18 year old original baby Taylor.

This did not seem up to the quality standards I expected.

I'm going to make another post showing the neck (is it really streaked, or ??) along with another neck question.

The guitar does sound good, but most do, and depending on the verdict on the other issues, it may be going back.

[Earl49]

To my knowledge, Taylor does not do "factory seconds". This looks like a rather poorly done filler job after re-shimming the neck, and I would be somewhat surprised if it left the factory that way. This is mostly cosmetic, so if it bothers you enough to take the trouble to send it back to Sweetwater and you still can, then do it. If you can live with it as-is and like the guitar otherwise, don't fixate on this. Only you can decide that. A Taylor tech might be able to remove the neck and clean it up.

[fazool]

Again, is that filler dry and hardened or soft, flexible and uncured?

If the former, send it back.

If the latter, wipe it clean with Q-tips and enjoy your new guitar.

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

Is this normal?

I honestly can't say based on those pics, but if you are not happy with the guitar than return it and get another one.

[gilleyc]

Is this visible with the naked eye from more than 6 inches away? These pics look extremely close and extremely high quality.....

[vintageom]

I recommend you talk with Sweetwater and get a swap. This is not normal as a new, one-owner Taylor 300-series guitar.

The 300 series are very consistent in their tone and I would not hesitate a second to get another example.

[sbeirnes]

To me that looks like some of the putty has oozed out of the gap.

Take off the strings and wipe it up with a cloth or kleenex or simething and it will probably be fine.

[DanPanther]

Forward your photos to Taylor, and ask them.
Dan

[sled]

Checked every one of my Taylors and none of them look like that. You can't see putty on any of them.