Taylor 912ce Builders Edition Neck

PlayerSTill · #1 10-27-2021, 09:52 PM

Hi All, Thanks for reading this.

Thinking of getting a Taylor 912ce Builders Edition Neck, anyone have this guitar?

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...ld-honey-burst

I keep hearing the neck is so much easier to play and more like an electric guitar. I have a martin and I love the sound , but it's hard for me to play, thought Id get used to it but it hurts my hand. Have a great setup and all done on it.

Can someone please tell me their thoughts on this neck? Is like a strat neck kinda or another?, C or D shape?

Love to get your thoughts on this, is it really much easier to play then a Martin 00028ec Eric Clapton?

I know it will be brighter than my Martin , but playability getting important as I get older.

Thank you!!

LakewoodM32Fan · #2 10-27-2021, 10:17 PM

To help us help you, can you tell us what about your Martin makes it difficult/hurtful to play? You mention you have a great setup so I assume that means nut slot depth, relief and action are all set properly and to your liking.

Usually once action is dialed in correctly that solve most pain related to having to press down strings from a greater height, but of course there are other sources of pain. Where does your hand/finger hurt to play? Do you think it could be related to string spacing? Neck carve, thickness or shape?

Taylors are in general pretty comfortable but so much of that is personal preference. I used to think that they were the most comfortable for me, and then I discovered the v-neck with volute shape that SCGC uses in their OMs, and my 1934 D has a v-neck and low profile from SCGC and both of those far surpass my Taylor in comfort. But again that's for my hands, not yours.

PlayerSTill · #3 10-27-2021, 10:24 PM

Thank you for your reply. Appreciate it!

I had Sweetwater do a setup for me, low action without buzzing etc. (nut slot depth, relief and action are all setup)

Im thinking it's the V neck that causes me pain. It seems to be on the upper back top of hand, and sometimes a bit above the thumb. I'm not pressing down hard.

On my electric Godin, which is easier to play of course,, with a sort of D neck I get no pain t all.

Thanks again for taking the time, appreciate it!!

PlayerSTill · #4 10-27-2021, 10:46 PM

Thank you for your reply. Appreciate it!

I had Sweetwater do a setup for me, low action without buzzing etc. (nut slot depth, relief and action are all setup)

Im thinking it's the V neck that causes me pain. It seems to be on the upper back top of hand, and sometimes a bit above the thumb. I'm not pressing down hard.

On my electric Godin, which is easier to play of course,, with a sort of D neck I get no pain t all.

Thanks again for taking the time, appreciate it!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by LakewoodM32Fan

To help us help you, can you tell us what about your Martin makes it difficult/hurtful to play? You mention you have a great setup so I assume that means nut slot depth, relief and action are all set properly and to your liking.

Usually once action is dialed in correctly that solve most pain related to having to press down strings from a greater height, but of course there are other sources of pain. Where does your hand/finger hurt to play? Do you think it could be related to string spacing? Neck carve, thickness or shape?

Taylors are in general pretty comfortable but so much of that is personal preference. I used to think that they were the most comfortable for me, and then I discovered the v-neck with volute shape that SCGC uses in their OMs, and my 1934 D has a v-neck and low profile from SCGC and both of those far surpass my Taylor in comfort. But again that's for my hands, not yours.

sinistral · #5 10-28-2021, 06:57 AM

You bought the 000-28EC over a year ago and found it uncomfortable:

Soft V ok with small hands Martin OOO 28ec Eric Clapton

Earlier this year you asked about the 912ce BE in addition to the 000-28EC:

Get a Taylor 912ce builders if have Martin 00028 ec?

The first thing I would suggest is that you figure out what neck profile or profiles work best for you. People can offer all sorts of suggestions, but ultimately they are your hands, and only you can tell if a V, modified V, C, D, low oval, etc. neck (and don’t forget nut width/string spacing) will be comfortable. Go to a store and try different guitars. Some stores have generous return policies—from one week to 30 days—so you don’t have to decide in 30 minutes.

After that, figure out the sound or sounds you are looking for. If you like the sound of the 000-28EC but not the feel of the neck, there are plenty of guitars in the $5k range—and even well below—that will give you that sound but with a neck shape that agrees with you. The 912ce BE is a beautiful guitar, but it’s apples-and-oranges tonally with a 000-28. And as others noted in the thread from February, there are lots of guitars in the $5k range to consider as an alternative to the Taylor.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, so is playing a guitar. Luckily for you, there is no song you have to be able to play or test you have to pass before you can buy a $5k guitar. But I would suggest that it helps having an idea of what size, neck shape, sound, etc. you are looking for before buying (unless you can return it if you don’t like it).

s2y · #6 10-28-2021, 07:36 AM

A lot depends on your hands and how you play the neck. I personally love the Taylor neck profile and razor thin Ibanez guitar necks. I have small hands and use a mostly classical left hand technique. I once owned a Taylor with a hard V neck and could only play it for about 20 minutes before my left hand was angry. On the flipside, a lot of people who want to grip the neck like a baseball bat will really dislike my favorite necks.

leew3 · #7 10-28-2021, 07:39 AM

You'll have to play it and see for yourself. I doubt that we can fully answer your question. Ideally play one in a store from which you can buy it. Failing that, choose a retailer that has a liberal return policy. Worst case, you're out shipping costs for having tried out a stellar guitar!

LakewoodM32Fan · #8 10-28-2021, 09:16 AM

I looked at the spec page for the 912 series. It has a shorter scale than normal Taylors (meaning the xx4 GA line), so I'm going to guess the neck carve and dimensions are likely difference, meaning in more ways than just simply being shorter.

However Taylor is known for economies of scale, so I'd wager that just about all of their currently built Grand Concert lines are going to share the same neck carve and shape. I assume you live near a Guitar Center, Sam Ash or other similar large music chain store. Or maybe have a local shop that is a Taylor dealer with decent stock. Find anything that is a current build (2019 and later) and whose model number ends in "2" (e.g. 312, 412, 512) and you're likely going to be in the ballpark of a close, if not identical, neck to the 912.

The thing to keep an eye out for in looking for xx2 models nearby, first make sure it isn't a nylon string model as those scale lengths may be longer (don't worry, Taylor doesn't make/sell too many of these so chances are low you'll come across one), and also try to make sure you find a 14 fret model, which most seem to be. The 12 fret model has the same 24 7/8 scale length, so chances are good that it will have the same neck carve and they simply swap out the fretboard, but you want to minimize the chance of variance. Since the 912ce BE is a 14-fret, you should look for the same 14 fret 24 7/8 scale on another xx2 series.