Unhappy w/ purchase :( Do you think the store purposely hid these 'blemishes'?

[s2y]

Agree that bear claw is fine.

Also, almost every guitar on the planet will need a setup, especially after international shipping.

[LakewoodM32Fan]

Lots to unpack/address, so allow me to give my opinion (which is worth what I charge for it: nothing ).

Regarding possible seller deception vs. "it's clearly visible in the original pics"

For the first part (seller deception), I don't think there's enough proof to claim deception. The seller may have intentionally taken the picture in that manner to minimize the visual impact of the bearclaw striations. Or they could be just not great with a camera. I know my iPhone 12 Max, which had a highly respected camera at the time it was released, tends to overexpose pictures. I can only imagine lesser quality cameras may do worse, and most people don't do anything but "point and shoot". Some stores have employees with amazing camera skills. Some don't. We just don't know enough about that seller.

For the second part (it's clearly visible). I disagree. Yes if you know what you're looking for, and look closely, they are there in the original picture. But due to the vastly different exposure of the shot, coupled with the lighter background wood paneling, the bearclaw striations are much less pronounced than in the OP's pictures (heck, the soundboard color is so different I'd almost thought they were different guitars).

Re: possible benefits of bearclaw (e.g. some find it desirable, and some makers upcharge for it)

Both are true-ish. The seller upcharge is true, just look at some boutique builder websites that allow you to choose woods, and many of them have upcharges for bearclaw. There are studies that show bearclaw variants of wood tend to be (but aren't always) stiffer. And the jury is still out as to whether it's the bearclaw itself that results in the stiffer wood, or if it's the fact that older trees--which tend to exhibit more bearclaw--are the reason why the wood tends to be stiffer. Regardless, in general, it seems bearclaw variants give you a higher chance of a stiffer piece of wood, which in general is viewed as a positive thing for guitars, especially for soundboards and those seeking increased volume/projection.

That said, whether one likes the visible aesthetics of bearclaw is totally up to the beholder. And it's not a Yes/No proposition either. I've seen some bearclaw that, due to its patterns, make me just want to buy that guitar on looks. And I've seen other bearclaw patterns that make me think "aw heck no".

So ultimately it's your prerogative to feel how you want about the bearclaw.

Regarding the action and "buttery smooth" comment by the seller

I understand why you may think they were misleading, as you asked for setup and playability, and action height is integral to both. However without knowing where the guitar came from (temperature and RH) and the same measurements where the OP lives/stores their guitar, it is entirely feasible that the action was much lower at the shop than the final overseas destination. As others have said, you can do the standard "easy" method of turning the truss rod on a Taylor, which will lower the action but may introduce buzzing due to it changing relief. You can do the "full setup" method of checking nut slot height, relief, then lower the saddle (the last point, Taylor advises against) . The preferred Taylor method is changing out the neck shims, which any Taylor authorized repair person can do, and many non-authorized as well. It's a much less invasive process due to their neck join method.

In the future, rather than ask about playability and setup, ask for specifics like "what's relief set at when you fret the first and 12th and measure under the 6th fret in hundredths of an inch", and "what's action like at the low and high E at the 12th fret in playing position in fractions of an inch". That lets them know you're serious about it and know what you're talking about. Of course for a more modestly priced guitar they may not go through the trouble, which will tell you all you need to know about the reseller. But once you ascend up the price scale, you'll find many reputable resellers who will absolutely go through the trouble and may even send pics as proof (when I resold my guitars in the past I'd often post those specs up front and provide pics with the measuring tools).

Ultimately we are not you, and it's up to you to decide how you want to feel about it.

My personal opinion: I don't think the bearclaw looks unattractive, and action can be easily adjusted, especially on a Taylor. If I liked the way it sounded, I'd just get the adjustments done and consider this a lesson learned in the road of life of a guitarist.

[KevinH]

Sorry to hear you were disappointed by the guitar, especially after the effort that went into getting it.

But take heart. Perhaps you can come to like Bearclaw in the top. I paid extra for it on my Bourgeois . Admittedly, not everyone is a fan of it, but the seller may have thought it a good thing. Those features may or may not show up depending on the lighting conditions.

And action is different for everyone. A bluegrass or rhythm player might like 8/64, though that's quite high for a finger style player like me. As others have said, a neck reset on a Taylor is much less expensive than on other guitars. I've heard it takes around 15 min.

Have you checked the neck angle by laying a straight edge over the frets to see if it lands about at the top of the bridge?

The suggestion by Guitars44me is good. Let it sit at the right humidity for a few days to see if that helps. If its been in high humidity the strings would rise up causing high action.

[warfrat73]

Originally Posted by warfrat73

The bear claw is clearly visible in those shop photos. Yes, the shots are more straight on so they don't pop as much, but they're clearly visible.

Plus, as others have said, they're not "flaws."

As some folks seem to have taken exception to my comment that it is "clearly visible," it might help to contextualize the fact that I'm looking at it on a 27" monitor, not on a phone.

And I will concede that the claim "clearly" might be slightly overstated, or at least confusing... but, in that middle picture in particular, on my monitor, I can see it quite clearly. Not to suggest that it's necessarily obvious or pops out, but can clearly see that it's there.

Also conceded that I know what bearclaw looks like, and I'm assuming a certain due diligence to look carefully at the pics. But, I would say that even someone that doesn't know what bearclaw is could clearly see that there's something going on on that top (particularly in the middle pic) upon careful inspection.

[jdinco]

Did you message or call the seller? THere's some good dealers out there that will go out of their way to make sure you are happy.

[usb_chord]

Perfectly normal top for an entry-level Taylor.

Often times when you take photos of spruce tops head on with bright lights it makes things like "bear claw" harder to see. It's easier to see in lower-light situations, though (like the photos you took).

I dont think this was malicious.

[rule18]

It's interesting, I can see the bear claw when zooming in on the middle listing pic. Are they great images, no.

[Osage]

Originally Posted by theblues88

Unfortunately it would require a neck reset since I cannot lower 2/64 and have enough saddle showing

It's a bolt on neck with shims. It takes about half an hour to reset it. It's one of the advantages that Taylors have.

As for the bearclaw, I like it. Looks unique and cool. A lot of people would pay extra for it

[Dru Edwards]

I think the seller should have done a better job with the pic of the top to show the bearclaw. I think it was intentionally hidden because they thought it was a detriment to the guitar. If it had a beautiful maple flame top I wonder if the seller would have hid that as well.

As mentioned, some people love bearclaw, some hate it. The seller's pics do show a hint of bearclaw so I guess perhaps the OP (buyer) could have asked for more pics to highlight that.

Regardless, I say get your guitar setup and enjoy it. It's a beautiful Taylor that will last you a lifetime. It's unique... you can tell them the story how your guitar was made from a Sitka Spruce top from British Columbia that was scarred by a Grizzly Bear.

[Dotneck]

Originally Posted by warfrat73

Plus, as others have said, they're not "flaws."

They're not a flaw (anymore). There was a time when those would certainly have been considered flaws and not used in a guitar top. But times change and what used to be considered a flaw is now (somewhat) coveted.

[Br1ck]

Look, I understand your pain, but what to you might be a lot of money really buys you one of Taylor's more modest guitars. Most Taylor minis have wood that would not be tolerated on a $3,000 guitar. That is one of the reasons they can buiid and sell at an attractive price.

I own a Guild D 35 from 1970. It is riddled with bearclaw and the top would not have been used on even the D 40 at the time. But you got a cheaper guitar that sounded great.

I listened to a guy in a store rant about bearclaw in a GS mini. The store manager said many came like that. Taylor just won't toss usable wood. Then there are the many online stores using just the same pictures over and over. Dubious at best.

Action could very well be climate change. Wait a while and see if it settles in. I had a guitar sent from Florida to California once that was all out of wack. It took six weeks to return to normal.

[rllink]

Different lighting, one accentuates the character of the top and one doesn't. Whether either one is purposeful, I can't see how he seller would gain anything by hiding the uniqueness of the top

[lfoo6952]

The OP lives in Brazil, which has a tropical to sub-tropical climate. I don't think that letting the guitar settle in will improve the action. If anything, it would raise the action higher.

[fpuhan]

In my opinion, the first word of your title says it all: UNHAPPY.

After that, it really doesn't matter. I feel for you, as your distance and circumstances make it doubly hard on you, but in my mind, the fix is to return/sell the guitar.

[phavriluk]

Folks who reflexively say 'return', please note that the OP is in Brazil with the guitar and the guitar was purchased in the US. I doubt 'returning' the guitar is a valid option.