Grand Pacific Showdown...517 Vs 717

[btaylor]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

If you are primarily a fingerstyle player, I can't say that I would recommend the Grand Pacific. My impressions of these guitars is that they are more heavily braced similar to a D-28. They are definitely more aimed at heavy handed blue grass flat pickers and strummers. I have a difficult time really getting a lot of volume and clarity out of these guitars with my fingers alone.

It's just my opinion, and as much as I LOVE my 517 and 717, I definitely think they are better suited for flat picking/strumming. I would look at something more lightly braced.

Same here with my 717

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

If you are primarily a fingerstyle player, I can't say that I would recommend the Grand Pacific. My impressions of these guitars is that they are more heavily braced similar to a D-28. They are definitely more aimed at heavy handed blue grass flat pickers and strummers. I have a difficult time really getting a lot of volume and clarity out of these guitars with my fingers alone.

It's just my opinion, and as much as I LOVE my 517 and 717, I definitely think they are better suited for flat picking/strumming. I would look at something more lightly braced.

I respectfully disagree in that I think the projection makes the Grand Pacifics excellent and more adept at fingerstyle compared to dreads, which ChasingChet was commenting on. I find the Grand Pacific projection exceptional and rather percussive. I am not however saying they are not great for bluegrass flat picking. They do that well too.

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by Groberts

I respectfully disagree in that I think the projection makes the Grand Pacifics excellent and more adept at fingerstyle compared to dreads, which ChasingChet was commenting on. I find the Grand Pacific projection exceptional and rather percussive. I am not however saying they are not great for bluegrass flat picking. They do that well too.

Good comment. I didn't think about projection. Projection is wonderful on these guitar. I just personally feel that it take a lot to get the tops moving, and for someone with a light touch, perhaps scalloped X bracing would get moving faster.

[noledog]

Originally Posted by Groberts

I respectfully disagree in that I think the projection makes the Grand Pacifics excellent and more adept at fingerstyle compared to dreads, which ChasingChet was commenting on. I find the Grand Pacific projection exceptional and rather percussive. I am not however saying they are not great for bluegrass flat picking. They do that well too.

+1 Gary, I totally agree... While I don't own one or have spent the time that you and Jonathan have on these two GP's, I found the GP's just fine playing finger style and I do a lot of fingerstyle stuff. I think I leaned a bit towards the 717 for f/s due to the greater presence and reverb of the rosewood, yet both were satisfying for me. You know I hinted at this in my thread, but I find myself finding tonal similarities of these two GP's to the two Lowdens I owned, one of which I kept tuned in DADGAD. The Lowdens had great fundamentals, punch, yet with jus' the right amount of overtones, reverb and resonance > Dolphin bracing The Lowdens are not over the top like the Goodall I had. If the Taylor had a pinless bridge, I'd be tempted more!

I had the stage cutaway version of the Lowden F32, but check out the similar body shapes...

[boneuphtoner]

Originally Posted by Groberts

I respectfully disagree in that I think the projection makes the Grand Pacifics excellent and more adept at fingerstyle compared to dreads, which ChasingChet was commenting on. I find the Grand Pacific projection exceptional and rather percussive. I am not however saying they are not great for bluegrass flat picking. They do that well too.

+1 on the Grand Pacifics being great for fingerstyle. What led me to them was I wanted more volume than I could get out of my mahogany 324ce while maintaining that thick rich dark tone, and I had played all of the grand auditoriums save for the 514 and 914. All of the Grand Pacific models deliver in that regard.

[Shades of Blue]

Some noodling on both guitars. Felt like playing (attempting) some Julian Lage for some reason.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xo5479c3xn...20Age.m4a?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mqwuixdxux...20Age.m4a?dl=0

[drplayer]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

Some noodling on both guitars. Felt like playing (attempting) some Julian Lage for some reason.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xo5479c3xn...20Age.m4a?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mqwuixdxux...20Age.m4a?dl=0

Very Nice! They both sounded great, and though distinctly different, I couldn't decide (after multiple listens) which I preferred on this particular piece. I liked the punch and sweetness of the 517, but equally liked the depth & overtones of the 717. Let's call it a tie!

[BluesKing777]

Originally Posted by noledog

+1 Gary, I totally agree... While I don't own one or have spent the time that you and Jonathan have on these two GP's, I found the GP's just fine playing finger style and I do a lot of fingerstyle stuff. I think I leaned a bit towards the 717 for f/s due to the greater presence and reverb of the rosewood, yet both were satisfying for me. You know I hinted at this in my thread, but I find myself finding tonal similarities of these two GP's to the two Lowdens I owned, one of which I kept tuned in DADGAD. The Lowdens had great fundamentals, punch, yet with jus' the right amount of overtones, reverb and resonance > Dolphin bracing The Lowdens are not over the top like the Goodall I had. If the Taylor had a pinless bridge, I'd be tempted more!

I had the stage cutaway version of the Lowden F32, but check out the similar body shapes...

I’m with Eric on this....

When I bought my 717e at Easter, one of my first comments was something like it was, to me, very Lowden. A balanced sound across the strings, but louder than a small fingerpicker, and this is what made some very famous Lowdens.

People should state their guitar playing ‘status’ a bit more on forums before we take their advice.....you know..’fingerpicker 50 years’, ‘flatpicker 15 years’, ‘guitar player 2 weeks’, ‘drummer 3 months’... I mention this because Eric has been fingerpicking and playing a long time and I have been fingerpicking a long time, so I have some strength and calluses in the ole digits and can trundle along on my 717e with Medium strings quite happily while a newer fingerpicker’s fingers would possibly be bleeding after a tune or 2......

So to me, the Lowdens are a great guitar for an experienced fingerpicker who wants a bigger, louder but balanced sound. That is also my approach to my Taylor 717e, but it is a very versatile guitar open to lots of styles from country to jazz to blues to pop, where MY Lowdens are not. And my Taylor came with electricity!


BluesKing777.

[Shades of Blue]

So the finish issue is a masking line. It runs about 10” along the binding on the lower bout. Barely visible but you can certainly see it. My gut is telling me to return it because I can feel it. Technically shouldn’t be this way, but doesn’t bother me other than the fact that it is there.

[Groberts]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

So the finish issue is a masking line. It runs about 10” along the binding on the lower bout. Barely visible but you can certainly see it. My gut is telling me to return it because I can feel it. Technically shouldn’t be this way, but doesn’t bother me other than the fact that it is there.

Don't know what to tell you. What is the time frame upon which you can have it replaced? Guess you have a decision to make.

[jklotz]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

So the finish issue is a masking line. It runs about 10” along the binding on the lower bout. Barely visible but you can certainly see it. My gut is telling me to return it because I can feel it. Technically shouldn’t be this way, but doesn’t bother me other than the fact that it is there.

Didn't you say before that the guitar was not "special" compared to other 517's? If it were mine, it would come to how I bonded with the guitar. If I truly bonded with a guitar, I could take a lot of so called "finish flaws" and not give it a second thought. If it felt like just another one off the rack and it had finish flaws, I'd probably do the swap.

[Tnfiddler]

I finally played the 717 and 517 at NAMM today. Great looking, feeling and sounding guitars. If I were going to buy, the 717 would be the one for me. The rosewood just seemed to have more life to it than the 517 I played. Really nice guitars and blow away the other V-braced models I’ve played. I thought they both had lots of bottom end and were extremely balanced sounding. Taylor has done it right with the GP model.

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by jklotz

Didn't you say before that the guitar was not "special" compared to other 517's? If it were mine, it would come to how I bonded with the guitar. If I truly bonded with a guitar, I could take a lot of so called "finish flaws" and not give it a second thought. If it felt like just another one off the rack and it had finish flaws, I'd probably do the swap.

Compared to the 717, I would say that the 517 isn’t necessarily a special one. I played a lot of 717s before taking the plunge and the one I own what’s like WHOA. The 517 just sounds pretty close to the 2 others.

For me it’s that I love the wood grain on this one, but if I can get a pic of the replacement first, that might be the way to go.

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by Groberts

Don't know what to tell you. What is the time frame upon which you can have it replaced? Guess you have a decision to make.

I have to let them know Monday. I’m going to see if I can get a pic of the new one. If I can’t see it before I get it, then I won’t take the risk. This one looks great which is why I chose it from the dealer.

[rabbuhl]

Nice guitars!!

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

The Elixirs came off IMMEDIATELY. I once again validated that I hate them. I put on Santa Cruz Mid Tension strings, and slapped in a Taylor Bone saddle and it just put the volume, low end, and character right into the guitar.

Best thing I learned so far this year about my Taylor acoustic guitar. I have some non-Elixirs on the way.