#16
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We need to remember that dreadnoughts are not for young (or very young) people what they are to us. Many of us have years of experience, some of us even professionally , and we can recognize what a good guitar should be and the utility of guitars like a dreadnought. We don't know if the kid just plays at home (maybe that was his first guitar) or (and I strongly believe THIS might be this case) at church, where the modern trend (although it applies to other people) is to play smaller guitars than a dreadnought. In fact, like I wrote before, it's been a long time since the last time I saw someone with a dread on the street, at a cafe or at church. And if it's a dreadnought, almost all of the time is a cheapo.
With kids and young people, trying to sell them a better guitar than one with better looks it's almost useless, especially if they're not gigging musicians. Many of them don't have enough experience with music or guitars to have a good ear to know how a good guitar sounds like.
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-2017 Gibson J-45 Standard -2019 Gibson J-15 -2019 Gibson Les Paul Junior -2020 Gibson Les Paul Special -2019 Gibson Les Paul Studio -2021 Fender Aerodyne Special Telecaster -2022 Fender Telecaster 50s (Vintera) -1994 Fender Telecaster Deluxe 70 (Vintera) -Sire V5 5-string |
#17
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For the kid, it's probably more new guitar versus used guitar.
I'd go for the 7 series too. Unless it's beat to death, that was a good deal. |
#18
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When I was a teenager, I just dreamed of a cutaway Taylor. I knew that all Taylors sounded awesome compared to the cheapo guitars I had learned on. I had no idea about woods and body shapes and my ear wasn’t developed like it gets when you’ve matured and played for a long time. I didn’t know that some models could sound better than others. 214ce’s are nice but the DN7 is a better guitar generally speaking.
While I would 100% take the DN7, teenage me might think like this kid and pick the 214ce because the curvy body and cutaway.
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Taylor- DN8, GS Mini, XXX- KE Gibson - Gospel Reissue Takamine- GB7C |
#19
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It does make one wonder though...
Taylor & Martin have been making some pretty high end laminate guitars these last few years. The tops are solid wood like Koa or Spruce, and the laminates are starting to behave like solid wood over time. Amazing things with bracing these days too. There might be a day when you pick up a laminate guitar and are blown away by it. |
#20
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That's actually really interesting if the kid's opinion is at all representative of other kids. So dreadnoughts are nowadays seen as "Grandpa Guitars"? I have noticed that popular acoustic guitars nowadays are Taylor cutaways, Martin 000/OM style, and Gibson slope shoulders.
Also I'm in the camp of letting the kid choose what he wants. When I was a kid I wanted a strat and only a strat when starting out. I was over the moon when my parents got me a Squier Strat and thought it was the coolest guitar ever. I definitely would not have been as happy with a higher quality guitar such as an Epiphone Les Paul or Ibanez. It's all about letting the kid get into guitar at this point, they couldn't care less about specs. They just want whatever they think looks cool or whatever their guitar hero is playing. |
#21
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Taylors...
I really think Taylor's biggest problem is that they compete so much with their self. Their cheaper guitars are really good...and many times..I like the sound of them just as much as their higher end models...
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Collings, Martins, Gibsons, Taylor, Fenders, PRS's, a Takamine and MORGAN amps..love them all!!! |
#22
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Glad you posted this....I'm a Martin guy and just bought a road series GPCRSG a few weeks ago. Great guitar. It beat out a 214 at the time. Fast forward and at Panama City Beach at Leich's music yesterday and they had the 214 dlx. Wow! I had the Martin back at the condo but if I'd a had it with me and could have traded even I'd been awful tempted plus I thought the 214 sounded better than some of the higher end Taylors. The volume and balance was something else.
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#23
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Since then ... well in addition to the DM, I now have two Taylor laminates: 210e DLX and 214ce-QM-DLX. Their stable companions are an 810e, a 914ce, and a Martin HD28V. Every one of these guitars can, and frequently does, blow me away. I've never played any of the laminates and thought, hmmm, this is inferior to the solids. It just isn't relevant.
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#24
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Like I said before, millennials and younger people don't like dreanoughts. Look at the big stars of music industry right now. When they use acoustics, they go for anything smaller than a dreadnought. And their fans see this trend and follow it. Besides, many of their music don't use the boominess of an acoustic; they prefer brighter tones, guitars that can be stage-friendly in terms of mobility and space and that can look cute. I'm not a millennial and even I'm following. The GS Mini, over time, has been my go-to guitar for many gigs. And even if my dread has a place in my heart, the music right now doesn't really need the big dread sound as much as before.
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-2017 Gibson J-45 Standard -2019 Gibson J-15 -2019 Gibson Les Paul Junior -2020 Gibson Les Paul Special -2019 Gibson Les Paul Studio -2021 Fender Aerodyne Special Telecaster -2022 Fender Telecaster 50s (Vintera) -1994 Fender Telecaster Deluxe 70 (Vintera) -Sire V5 5-string |
#25
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Yeah, we'd love to preach on why such and such is better at what price point, but it really doesn't matter much to most. The important thing is that he'll put in the time and advance as a player, with a guitar he enjoys playing.
From experience, when I leave the Taylor 814ce, a Martin HD-28, and Collings CJ out and I have visitors over- guess which one gets picked up the most? |
#26
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Education is important! Guitar is importanter!! 2019 Bourgeois “Banjo Killer” Aged Tone Vintage Deluxe D 2018 Martin D41 Ambertone (2018 Reimagined) 2016 Taylor GS Mini Koa ES2 |
#27
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My grandson has a 1990's Alvarez Dread and Taylor 114e.
He has played my OM's when I had them and my Eastman 00. He loves my D18. To him, it makes no difference what any particular guitar is size-wise, he likes to play anything that sounds good and is fun. Speaking for me as an old-timer, I was conditioned to hear Dreads and they suit the music I play. Once again, I believe the bulk of those who comment on here regularly are finger style folks and smaller bodied guitars are what they use.
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Nothing bothers me unless I let it. Martin D18 Gibson J45 Gibson J15 Fender Copperburst Telecaster Squier CV 50 Stratocaster Squier CV 50 Telecaster |
#28
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This is an interesting thread, though I agree, maybe not the best title. So many factors go into the purchase of most things, an as I've learned in sales, people may listen to the logic, but buy on emotion. He connected with the 214, for whatever reason(s). We weren't there, we didn't hear what he heard, didn't experience what his hands experienced, we didn't feel the comfort of the body style...a guitar is pretty personal, at least to me. I'm 5' 5" tall, and while I can play a dread (still have my 1979-80 Takamine), I really like my curvier, more comfy guitars. I have an 814CE, that's more enjoyable to play than the dread.
But, when I sit with my Rainsong OM, I realize just how absolutely comfortable and playable that guitar is. Consequently when I play that guitar, I find I play longer, squirm around less and enjoy myself immensely. Is the DN7 "better"? Better for what? Better for whom? I think "better" is the guitar that inspires you to play it for the most time, and have the most fun, probably learning more in the process. And who knows, maybe the 214 really did sound better. Regardless, at that moment, the 214 was better for him.
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--------------------------------------- 2013 Joel Stehr Dreadnought - Carpathian/Malaysian BW 2014 RainSong H-OM1000N2 2017 Rainsong BI-WS1000N2 2013 Chris Ensor Concert - Port Orford Cedar/Wenge 1980ish Takamine EF363 complete with irreplaceable memories A bunch of electrics (too many!!) |
#29
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I think I'd need a plane and several Ubers to reach out! I use all my guitars at church (Dreadnought, Grand Auditorium and GS Mini); but the Mini, lately, is carrying much of the work. Since its tone is narrower and warmer (koa, thank you!), somehow cuts as good as the dread and the GA, but having a natural compressed tone is a pleasing experience.
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-2017 Gibson J-45 Standard -2019 Gibson J-15 -2019 Gibson Les Paul Junior -2020 Gibson Les Paul Special -2019 Gibson Les Paul Studio -2021 Fender Aerodyne Special Telecaster -2022 Fender Telecaster 50s (Vintera) -1994 Fender Telecaster Deluxe 70 (Vintera) -Sire V5 5-string |
#30
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Quote:
__________________
Education is important! Guitar is importanter!! 2019 Bourgeois “Banjo Killer” Aged Tone Vintage Deluxe D 2018 Martin D41 Ambertone (2018 Reimagined) 2016 Taylor GS Mini Koa ES2 |