Taylor V vs X Bracing Questions and Observations

[kriso77]

As the OP, I'll chime in with some follow up for those that are interested. I've been hydrating the guitar for about 6 days now. The action isn't quite as low and the sound has "filled out" a bit more. This tells me it was definitely a bit on the dry side. That being said the X braced and V braced models, both with the same strings and same tone woods still sound significantly different.

Keeping in mind each model has a mahogany top with blackwood back and sides with an ebony board. All of my adjectives below are subjective of course, so I'll do my best:

X Bracing:
More Bass
Warmer tone
Woodier sound
Compared to the V bracing, less attack and more bloom...almost like cedar vs spruce

V Class
Louder
More balanced across the tonal spectrum
Much less low end
Highs were much ...higher
Did not have the "thump" that the X bracing has
More sustain up the neck

I've never experienced two exact models that were braced differently. It's pretty interesting how much it impacts the overall sound of the guitar. It was an educational experiment.

[PaulieDC]

Originally Posted by jjrpilot

I don't think your ears are deceiving you.

I have a non cutaway 2016 324 no electronics. I love it. I took it over to a buddy's house who loved it so much he ordered the exact same thing BUT his came with V bracing whereas mine was X braced.

To my ears...the sustain on his is better...but the bass on mine is a smidgen more pronounced. It seems a smidgen warmer too.

Hope this helps.

There's the best summary on the whole X and V brace issue. I even heard it when the first videos were released, the V braced sustained forever but was noticeably brighter.

I'll stick with my 2015 v2 618e maple Taylor, the new V class just got released and if it's brighter, that won't really work.

[Jimi2]

Yeah. Your observations are spot on. I brought home an 812ce v class this summer and it was very articulate with a sweet high end. But ultimately the combination of the bracing and the small body size left it really lacking in bass, more so than I could justify for my main guitar. So I exchanged it for the same model in an x braced version from 2016. That guitar has WAY more bass, though the high end isn’t quite as smooth. It’s actually very full sounding for such a small guitar.

[BoneNut74]

My experience with v-class bracing is with a 517 BE that I've had since March 2019. The guitar was quiet and muted when I got it, much like my custom straight-braced D-28 was when I first got it. So I took a chance and kept it, hoping that the sound would improve. Boy has it! As a poster above said, there is just something about the tone of this guitar that just gets me. It doesn't have the big loud bass notes of the D-28, but instead has a really nice thump that still carries a lot of warmth. Bottom line is that both offer something different, and are near equally enjoyable and inspiring. While I may still be in the honeymoon phase, if I were forced at gunpoint tomorrow to give away all my acoustics except one, I would keep the 517 because of its tone (and play-ability).

The other thing you should know is the dramatic impact a bone saddle made in my guitar. I decided to try a MacNichol bone saddle only because I run bone saddles in all my other acoustics. When I first put it in, I immediately started to miss that warm, rounded sweet and clear voice that the micarta saddle gave. I panicked and put the micarta back in. My sound was back. But after a couple days, I decided I should give the bone a real listen before dismissing it. When I did, my ears heard something "extra". I heard a noticibly more prominent bass note and more mids as well. What little I gave up in the roundness and warmth in the trebles was compensated with greater note articulation and volume. The guitar is still vintage sounding to my ear, but it sounds more hi-fidelity now. The bone is staying in. I understand a player may want to keep the micarta if they get the undersaddle pickup. But if you get a pure acoustic instrument, I would certainly recommend trying a bone saddle upgrade.

[Goodallboy]

So, he didn't hear a difference from his guitars, he felt it.

I enjoy all the ways someone can be told they didn't hear what they claim to hear.

[pima1234]

I have a feeling that these new v-braced Taylors will open up a bit. I've played plenty of older model Taylor guitar that were overly bright, and felt really tight. My 814 CE Dlx V-brace feels and sounds great, and I firmly believe it has much room to open. It has good volume.

[Shades of Blue]

I was listening to some recordings last night that I made mid last year between my 517, 717, J-45, and D-18 when I had all of them together before I sold the J-45 and D-18.

I'll start off and say that hands down, the 717 is the winner. Not much to be said. It was just full, and sounds amazingly woody and balanced. The next best was the J-45 by a slim margin over the 517. The J-45 has an old sound that isn't as woody as the 717 (I prefer woody), but it didn't give that huge muffled sound like the D-18 did. The D-18 was almost unlistenable in my recording. Probably my fault, but I wanted them all recorded exactly the same. The D-18 was all highs and lows and it made me think, "do I really want another D-18?"

I think that my 717 is the perfect guitar for me. It combines just enough Martin and Taylor to make it unbeatable for what I do. The 517 is more fun to play, however. I can't explain it. The action is lower on the 517, but the saddle is higher whereas I don't have as much room to lower it on the 717 so I've left the action higher for capo playing. Both the 517 and 717 sound like old guitars, and have a rich midrange, thumpy low end and a chimey top end.

If I had to describe a V Braced Grand Pacific, I would say that it has Gibson low end, Martin woodiness, with Taylor top end...

[SprintBob]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

I will be the first to tell you that I think that Martins are the best guitars out there tonally, but I just really enjoy playing the Grand Pacifics and there is something really satisfying about them.

Martin’s could be the best tonally to your ears and your style of playing but not necessarily for everyone else is probably the more accurate observation. Glad you are enjoying the GP’s.

Regarding the differences the OP hears, it could be safe to say that in the GA and GC series, the V-Braced guitars might be better for fingerstyle (not as much bass, better trebles and mids) while the X-Braced might be better for strumming and flatpicking. Right tool for the right job.

[Monts]

I've had a 317 GP for 3 months and played it daily.

So I just got a 310 (serial # dated 2001). I dug into it for about an hour this morning. I'm pretty blown away in the difference compared to my 317 GP. I feel like the 317 has this awesome natural compression, that I can't get from any other guitar. On the other hand, the 310 is lively, popping bass notes, super responsive and sounds great, but almost the exact opposite of the 317!

Not 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure the X brace 310 is louder, unless it's the compression of the V brace 317 playing a trick on my ears?

I'm going to change strings on my 317 and play them back to back soon, but this is just a quick observation. I'll chime in again. If i have time to record them back to back I'll post up.

Overall, both of these Taylors are superb sounding! But to me, the differences are worth owning both of them, I will definitely be doing some songs on the 317 and some songs on the 310!

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by Monts

I've had a 317 GP for 3 months and played it daily.



So I just got a 310 (serial # dated 2001). I dug into it for about an hour this morning. I'm pretty blown away in the difference compared to my 317 GP. I feel like the 317 has this awesome natural compression, that I can't get from any other guitar. On the other hand, the 310 is lively, popping bass notes, super responsive and sounds great, but almost the exact opposite of the 317!



Not 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure the X brace 310 is louder, unless it's the compression of the V brace 317 playing a trick on my ears?



I'm going to change strings on my 317 and play them back to back soon, but this is just a quick observation. I'll chime in again. If i have time to record them back to back I'll post up.



Overall, both of these Taylors are superb sounding! But to me, the differences are worth owning both of them, I will definitely be doing some songs on the 317 and some songs on the 310!

Very cool observation. I’ve been playing with my daughters violin class, and I took my 517 this time. I felt like my sound was hollow and thin this week. I couldn’t really hear myself. It makes me really question if I need a Martin dread for “jam” settings where I’ll be unamplified. Granted, there are about 8-15 violinists depending on the class size, but I feel like I should be able to hear myself...maybe not.