What makes the Taylor 900 series so expensive?

[Deputy289]

Hey guys! I checked out a K14CE Builder's Edition the other day at my music store and it was absolutely gorgeous. Wasn't a huge fan of the sound initially, but was also told it can take a bit for the koa to open up. I went back to the store this morning and played it again when I had more time, and felt completely different on the sound. It was night and day better. I know the price tag on these are 5,000, which is certainly fair for a high end series. I'm not complaining in the least bit.

My simple question is, what gives it that price tag? Is the wood that much more quality? Is it cosmetically based? Again, this isn't a Taylor bashing thread as Martin's high end guitars are up there as well. I just want to know prior to buying what exactly I'm getting that is considered "premium" for a Taylor purchase.

Thanks,

Roger

[HodgdonExtreme]

You're mainly paying for fancy appointments. The K14CE also has some "ergonomic enhancements" - the bevel between the side and top where the lower bout fits up against your picking arm, the roundier corner where top meets sides all the way around the guitar, and the swoopier arrangement to the cutaway that's supposed to make it easier to play up high on the neck.

Those features certainly make the guitar a bit more complicated to build and fit together nicely - which Taylor does a superb job of, by the way...

[BluesBelly]

The high price tag is because it says TAYLOR on the headstock.

Much the same as if it would say Gibson or Martin.

If you like a guitar for its sound and playability buy it. But not for its pedigree.

Blues

[Rockysdad]

Originally Posted by BluesBelly

The high price tag is because it says TAYLOR on the headstock.

Much the same as if it would say Gibson or Martin.

If you like a guitar for its sound and playability buy it. But not for its pedigree.

Blues

Agreed, quality of sound, and playability for the purchaser, should be the determining factors.

[leew3]

Or, the purchaser should use whatever criteria they choose as it's their money. If they wish to pay $5K because they like the hinges on the case, it's America so have at it!

[Tnfiddler]

At one time I was a die-hard Taylor only person and still think they make fantastic guitars. A 916ce with the Florentine cutaway was my dream guitar. Then I picked up my Bourgeois and while it doesn’t have the fancy appointments, it kills any Taylor I ever owned or played volume and tone wise! When you get into the $5k price range, you can get some killer “small shop” guitars that are in a different league than Taylors. The 900 series are GREAT guitars though If that’s what you’re wanting. I played an 816ce DLX and a 916ce back to back for awhile one day and the 916 was by far the better sounding guitar.

[Christian Reno]

The koa alone is not a huge factor, although koa is getting more and more expensive to get. An amateur builder would pay $300 to $600 for a rough back and sides set of koa, depending on the figure etc. Taylor obviously cuts their koa to size and thickness themselves as well as having huge buying power in the quantity they can buy, so the back and sides wood alone is a relatively small percentage of the selling price.

It’s no different than trying to understand what makes a Martin D41 worth $6000 MSRP. Someone is willing to pay that price for the name and model, for the look, for the sound, whatever the beholder sees and hears, but it does take longer to build guitars with features and appointments that go beyond the standard.

There is some very nice workmanship on that Taylor model combined with high-end appointments, so build time and the skill set of workers who make the higher-end instruments, even in a production setting, comes into play.

[lt20dbl]

The bling on a 900 series, doubles the price over a 700 series. They may be a bit more consistent but a good 900 series probably won't sound noticeably better than a good 700 series.

[L20A]

What makes the Taylor 900 series so expensive?

The 9

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by L20A

What makes the Taylor 900 series so expensive?

The 9

If you take the 9 and multiply it by 5 you get the same thing in Martin-speak.

[Boozehound]

Not to knock anyone, but I would have a hard time with $5K for a Taylor. You could get a used Goodall for that and are close to used Froggy Bottom territory. I guess that not everybody knows about those brands though.

Every time I try to buy a guitar with bling (most recently a D-41) I end up putting the money against upgrades woods or craftsmanship.

[BluesBelly]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

If you take the 9 and multiply it by 5 you get the same thing in Martin-speak.

Conversely,
If you divide by 5 you still end up with Taylor Speak which equals 1/5 of a Martin.

Blues

[Deputy289]

Thanks so much for all the answers guys!

Think I'm gonna take it home with me tomorrow.

[cliff_the_stiff]

Originally Posted by Boozehound

Not to knock anyone, but I would have a hard time with $5K for a Taylor. You could get a used Goodall for that and are close to used Froggy Bottom territory. I guess that not everybody knows about those brands though.

Every time I try to buy a guitar with bling (most recently a D-41) I end up putting the money against upgrades woods or craftsmanship.

I bought a 914, got buyers remorse playing next to my Martin J-35- Returned it for the K14 BE with all the bevelled edged and too slick silent finish that slides off your lap- got worse buyers remorse because I’m pretty sure that I got the dog of the line because it’s tone was super thin sounding- returned it for a Martin J-40.

I am now of the opinion that you won’t get significantly better quality sounding wood on a 900 series as compared to say, a 400 series- but you don’t get the MOP wallpapering you get with a 900 or a BE.

[musicman1951]

I'm not really conversant on Taylor models, but - assuming you have the ears to hear the difference - most builders save their best materials for their high end models (along with being fancier).