Introducing a new K14c

[buddiesorg]

Yes, I have done it again ... I have added another koa ... I promised I wouldn't, but if you saw this instrument, you'd understand why <sigh> ... that is, if you like koa ...

J.R. ... in some ways I wish you would have went to Buffalo Brothers after your Taylor tour on Friday ... then this little beauty may not have been here to tempt me.

Anyway, it's an all Koa ... wonderfully flamed koa on top and back ... sides are a bit weak (compared to the top and back). I haven't done a sound comparison to other guitars in my fold yet as I've just caught some bug and have been drugged out (even the non-drowsy cold meds tend to knock me out).

I now have a dilemma, though ... I didn't have a guitar that I could trade in ... and my guitar closet was already full before ... so now I have to keep one out ... or figure out a new configuration that will fit all the guitars ...

[toekneepark]

PICTURES PICTURES PICTURES!!!

[J.R. Rogers]

Hey, Mary!!! I was there on Friday, and saw your guitar! I even gently picked it up out of it's case and looked it over. What a beauty! Bob spoke very highly of you - you're obviously a faithful customer of his. While I was there, I picked through the "Taylor room" in the back, and was blown away by all the awesome Taylor guitars he had. I handled a 2001 Presentation, JCSM, RSSM, 814BCE, new W14CE, etc.. etc... What a trip!

Anyway, I must have just missed you by minutes or so. I'm really sorry about that, but congratulations on your new instrument! Please send me pictures when you get the chance.

BTW: Did you notice the label in your guitar says K-14CE? You should call Taylor and ask them where your electronics are.

Regards,
J.R. Rogers

[buddiesorg]

Hi J.R. Bob said you got there before Friday's shipment and didn't see the koa. How in the world did you leave the store without it? You're a more restrained person than I thought ... or are you not into koa? I didn't go to BB until Saturday ... my normal day.

I wasn't very impressed with the look of the PS-14 ... it played well, though ... but I wasn't willing to part with any of my beauties for it.

I'm glad you had fun playing all of my "rejects" (hee hee hee) ... you do realize that I've played or at least seen the majority of the guitars in the back ... I've whittled away hours back there, oblivious to the outside world ... it's guitar heaven ... a guitar for every player back there. It's so nice to have such a collection in one place to decide which guitar is the one you really want. I have to admit that I haven't been paying much attention to the Taylor wall lately, though ... I'm sort of hooked on Goodalls at the moment.

I suppose you can call me a faithful customer ... or at least one that laughs at his jokes ... I've set foot inside the guitar chain store that shall not be named on occasion to pick up strings and sometimes play (it's on the way home from the Taylor Factory), but I haven't bought a guitar from them since 1996 when I found out about Traditional Music in my quest for a 420K (I wanted to find a store that had both a 420K and 422K to compare and Traditional was the only one).

And yes, I know it says it has electronics. They often do not change the label on "custom"orders ... I'm glad it doesn't have the OBB ... that was the main reason I didn't get the RSSM.

[J.R. Rogers]

Hey, Mary! Bob is mistaken. I got there in the afternoon, and was talking to Bob as he tagged your guitar. It was sitting open on the counter and I just couldn't help but check it out. I just picked it up very gently to look it over. What an awesome piece!!

I fell in love with the Ehlers, Omega, and Froggy Bottom (love the name) guitars in the back room. They're just incredible. I can see how you can spend hours back there. I was in Taylor heaven in the Taylor room, though. He has all the good Taylors in cases in the back.

That RSSM is really heavy - unusually heavy. A very solid guitar. Did you notice?

J.R.

[J.R. Rogers]

Oh yeah... I do really love Koa. I would have bought that beauty, if I didn't currently have others on order. And, I think I'd order mine with the Fishman Natural electronics like my last K14C. But probably my luck... I wouldn't get one as pretty as yours. They really did a good job on it.

...Now that Legend Koa guitar in the back room on the other hand...

J.R.

[buddiesorg]

I'm glad you saw it, JR ... did you play it at all? It sounds sweet ... though after playing it at home last night, I may be giving it up ... but I'm going to take it to Taylor to have them look at it before I make a decision. The last time I was disenchanted with a guitar, it was because it wasn't set up to Taylor's standard specs. I'll probably put a Matrix in it after I decide to keep it.

Most of the OBB Taylors seem quite heavy to me. It's been awhile since I played the RSSM ... that must have been around six months ago, so I don't recall it being heavier than others.

Actually, the room I call the back room is the one with all the ones in cases ... not the ones hanging in the room to the left. Since I usually visit every week, most of the new arrivals for me to look at are in the back room and not hung on a wall. And the back room doesn't just have Taylors ... it has lots of others (though I suppose there are more Taylors back there than others, with the exception of possibly Martins).

I just love looking across the rows of tags to find that one that Bob forgot to tell me about Bob just lets me play to my heart's content back there ... and occasionally steps in to tell me about another guitar. Actually, I was enjoying the PS-14 Brazilian when he came in to tell me about another little beauty that was sitting right behind me (the K-14). I think I only spent an hour back there on Saturday, but I usually am back there much longer. Of course, sometimes there's no way to sit back there because he has so many guitars piled up in the middle of the room that you can't get a chair back there ... but lately he's only had a handful (around 10) in the middle, so it's only a little crowded.

I actually wasn't impressed by the Legend all koa ... I played it a bit last month, but it didn't grab me.

[J.R. Rogers]

No, unfortunately I didn't play your Koa guitar. One thing you have to remember about Koa topped guitars, is that they aren't going to have the strength and projection that the spruce or cedar ones do. Remember the W65? That was the same way. The 655CE would completely drown the W65 when comparing volume and projection. But the Koa top does lend a fairly mellow sound that really does sound nice - a little better than the Walnut top in my opinion. Visually, Koa makes a huge impact, though.

Bob has a K12 w/ Engelmann top hanging on the wall that really stole my heart, tone-wise. Have you played that one?

Regarding the Legends Koa guitar.... That's got to be the most extreme piece of flamed Koa I've ever seen. Tonally, it didn't grab me, either. All of the Froggy Bottom guitars were impressive, though... and the Ehlers and Omega guitars were equally as nice.

Most of my guitars have the OBB, and I don't notice any weight addition over the non-OBB versions. But that particular RSSM was heavy! I sure wish Bob has a KLSM in stock. I really want to try one of those. Personally, I think they're some of the most beautiful guitars that Taylor has ever done. I love the wood-floral inlay in the neck.

J.R.

[buddiesorg]

Well, JR, I'm partial to all koa guitars ... I've had 3 that I parted with (420K, K22, and a Larrivee), 2 that I wouldn't give up (Goodall KJCK and KLSM), and now 1 that may or may not be staying. No, they don't have the projection of others (I also have a PS-14c w/Engelmann and Goodall GC w/Cedar), but I really like the all koa tone for some reason. The reason it may or may not be going is just because the neck doesn't feel right and it rattles a bit when played a little hard, but not really hard (still fingerpicking ... I almost never use a pick on GAs, especially on ones without pick guards).

I've probably played the K-12 at some time ... don't remember it specifically ... I see so much koa that I sometimes forget about specific ones until I'm reintroduced to them. One that I did like in the back room was the K-55 ... that has a nice Engelmann top, if I remember correctly.

The thing about the Legend's look that turned me off was it's light hue ... I generally like rich reds/browns. Of course, sound is more important ... and that didn't grab me either.

BTW, Bob told me that he told you you should take a trip to my house to see some Taylors ... if you had taken him up on that suggestion, you could have played a KLSM ... I had the opportunity to play three of them (yes, Bob got three out of the 100), and chose the one I liked best. It certainly is a favorite of mine.

[J.R. Rogers]

Mary, I'm jealous about the KLSM! I'd really love to play one of those. I hope I make it down to Southern California again one of these days. I'd love to spend some more time at Buffalo Brothers checking out guitars. I was really short on time, this trip. Next time I'll be sure to e-mail you when I'll be down and maybe we can hook up. It sounds like you have a fabulous collection!

Let me know if you get to play that K12 Engelmann next time. I thought it really sounded and played great. I may just have to pick one up one of these days... I'd probably go with a K14C Engelmann w/ Fishman Natural pickup.

J.R.

[Warblade]

Hah, dunno when's the next time I'll be down in San Diego ish area (seems only like a half-year trek for me), but invite me over =P We can jam and record some worship stuff, hehe.
Randall

[buddiesorg]

JR, I'd love meeting you ... and I can bring my KLSM to BB since Bob won't have one the next time either (that is one guitar I won't ever trade in ... or at least I can't see myself doing it). I spend way too much time there, but it's kind of fun meeting with all the regulars ... even though I can't play anything like them.

I'll make it a point to look for the K12 this Saturday or next ... I usually go every week, sometimes missing a week when I'm feeling sick and he hasn't gotten in anything new. I probably have played it ... I make it a point to play all koas ... perhaps it didn't jump out at me since I already have a PS-14.

Randall ... come by sometime ... bring your Brazilian

[J.R. Rogers]

Sounds great, Mary! The K12 Engelmann is hanging on the wall - not in the back room.

J.R.

[buddiesorg]

Oops ... I got so excited about the Gray Whale that I didn't post here ... pictures of my new K14 can be seen by clicking on the New Guitar link at Tribute to the Luthier. I'm still working on getting great pics from my new camera ... so I haven't updated my guitar site, yet.

[J.R. Rogers]

Wow! That K14C is such a beauty...
http://buddies.org/hsguitar/newguitar.html

J.R.