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  #16  
Old 01-05-2017, 01:32 PM
kaos kaos is offline
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Originally Posted by Mick's Goat Whiskey Picks View Post
I've had this one for 22 years. My wife got it for me when she was pregnant with our daughter Taylor. I originally went in looking for a Martin, but this one just sounded amazing.

Besides, Martin would have been a terrible name for your daughter

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  #17  
Old 01-05-2017, 01:52 PM
ChrisE ChrisE is offline
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Originally Posted by kaos View Post
Besides, Martin would have been a terrible name for your daughter

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You beat me to it.
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  #18  
Old 01-05-2017, 02:03 PM
ataylor ataylor is offline
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This is my first and only Taylor -- a 210 from late 2005 back when they were made in California from all-solid tonewoods (spruce/sapele). It has a really nice, crisp sound, and records really nicely.

The local guitar shop where I got my first guitar -- a laminate Art & Lutherie dreadnought -- carried Seagull and the other Godin brands and Taylors. Since the Taylors were the most expensive guitars in the little shop, they became the holy grail of guitars to me as a beginner. I'd go look at them when stopping by to get strings, I'd pour over the Taylor catalogs, and I'd dream of one day being able to buy one.

Money was tight over the next 4-5 years as a college student, and any extra money I had saved up went towards a couple years of volunteer service in Eastern Europe and a summer study abroad art program in London. Finally in early 2006 I found that I had enough extra money to buy a Taylor.

Taylor had just come out with the 100 and 200 series. I had set my sights on either the 210 or the 310. My local shop had a couple of both. I found the 210 to feel a little lighter, sound a little louder and crisper, and it was cheaper. So that's what I walked out with. I couldn't wait to show my friends and family my new treasure. It was like I had finally "made it" as a guitarist when I got home and opened the case up.

I used to play acoustic shows and open mics and open for local bands and such, and the Taylor was fantastic. Whether unplugged or using the pickup I had the shop install when I bought the guitar, it always sounded great and I would regularly get compliments on the sound. People who knew guitars would be floored when I told them how much I paid (or didn't pay!) for the guitar.

Once, in a moment of stupidity, I sold the 210 to a friend. I had found a deal on a Taylor 410 at a different guitar shop about 45 minutes away and had convinced myself it was the next step up for me. I knew my friend wanted to buy a Taylor and liked my guitar so I sold it to him and went and bought the 410.

I instantly regretted it. So I called up the shop I bought from, who kindly took the guitar back minus a small fee, and I called my friend to beg him to sell me my guitar back. He told me he figured I might regret it and we traded back. I gave him a little extra money back for being so understanding. (He later found a great deal on a really nice 310.)

It's got its fair share of wear and tear, dings and scratches (several courtesy of the kiddos it now shares a home with these days), and I've grown to embrace it as a player's guitar. It has been in its case more than usual over the last few years since I got a Fairbanks slope dreadnought, but I have found myself getting it out more often in recent weeks -- and it doesn't take long to rediscover my affinity for its tone and playability. It's a fantastic guitar that I intend to keep forever.
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  #19  
Old 01-05-2017, 02:09 PM
ChrisE ChrisE is offline
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I just have to tell a story about another Taylor. It's not mine, but the irony of it just kills me.

I have a friend who got a brand new 414ce from one of the big box stores. It's a beautiful guitar with really neat looking figure on the ovankol. He proudly paid full price AND he also bragged about adding on the "extended warranty." My first bit of amusement is that he paid way too much.

Then, he took it to "a guy" to have some work done on it. In addition to a "setup" (which consisted of shaving the saddle down almost level with the bridge, he had another end pin installed and moved the cable jack. So now he has 3 holes in the guitar. In the process of moving the jack, something got messed up so it caused him to lose signal about half of the time he played. I played it a few times, and it was impossible to play without buzzing, and had very little volume acoustically.

I wouldn't normally take joy in someone else's problems, except this guy, whenever we would play together, would grab my 314ce, strum a few chords and comment "When are you gonna get a real guitar?" or "I hope you didn't pay a lot for this clunker" or "You need to get this thing set up." Still that never stopped him from picking it up and playing it whenever I set it down and turned my back.

Fast forward a couple of years and he left his case open and I saw a receipt in there. I took a look and it was a receipt from a a legitimate guitar shop where he had taken it to get all the stuff fixed the first guy messed up. He never said anything to me about it, but he still grabs my 314ce whenever I put it down.
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  #20  
Old 01-05-2017, 03:32 PM
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Chris, I think that there are some people that you just can't save from themselves. They just can't avoid getting in their own way....
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  #21  
Old 01-05-2017, 03:37 PM
kaos kaos is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisE View Post
I just have to tell a story about another Taylor. It's not mine, but the irony of it just kills me.

I have a friend who got a brand new 414ce from one of the big box stores. It's a beautiful guitar with really neat looking figure on the ovankol. He proudly paid full price AND he also bragged about adding on the "extended warranty." My first bit of amusement is that he paid way too much.

Then, he took it to "a guy" to have some work done on it. In addition to a "setup" (which consisted of shaving the saddle down almost level with the bridge, he had another end pin installed and moved the cable jack. So now he has 3 holes in the guitar. In the process of moving the jack, something got messed up so it caused him to lose signal about half of the time he played. I played it a few times, and it was impossible to play without buzzing, and had very little volume acoustically.

I wouldn't normally take joy in someone else's problems, except this guy, whenever we would play together, would grab my 314ce, strum a few chords and comment "When are you gonna get a real guitar?" or "I hope you didn't pay a lot for this clunker" or "You need to get this thing set up." Still that never stopped him from picking it up and playing it whenever I set it down and turned my back.

Fast forward a couple of years and he left his case open and I saw a receipt in there. I took a look and it was a receipt from a a legitimate guitar shop where he had taken it to get all the stuff fixed the first guy messed up. He never said anything to me about it, but he still grabs my 314ce whenever I put it down.
He won't admit it ... but his favorite Taylor is yours
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  #22  
Old 01-05-2017, 03:47 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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The NOS 320e Baritone LE my wife generously bought for me (for a ridiculously low price) on Valentine's Day 2015, during our last visit to the ruins of what was once MandoBros (she asked, "Is there anything here worth buying?" - uh, yeah... ); even though a choral instructor once classified me as a "Renaissance dramatic tenor" (I could explain, but why...) the low register and hog-top construction seem to complement my voice when I get into the upper reaches - as do my other (Martin) all-hog guitars BTW, but that's another thread...
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  #23  
Old 01-05-2017, 04:07 PM
drumstrummer drumstrummer is offline
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My 90's 714ce belonged to my good friend Jeremy, who was a pro musician and a mentor to me. Shortly before he passed away of cancer, he inscribed on the label:

KRIS: YOURS NOW. GO PLAY.
LOVE YOU BROTHER -JER


The guitar is a symbol of our friendship. It also happens to be one of the best playing and sounding instruments I've ever played.
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  #24  
Old 01-05-2017, 04:25 PM
s2y s2y is offline
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Walnut LTD 12 fret.

I don't know if I have much of a story. I was looking at the 618e and decided to A/B it with....what's that? Picked it up and was very impressed. Picked it up on the spot because I figured I could always get a 618e later.

For whatever reason, the guitar gets me and I instantly felt at home. I usually keep it tuned to dropped D and I might even post some clips on this site as soon as I get some decent recording equipment. I neglected getting much since I had been in bands with studio equipment.
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  #25  
Old 01-05-2017, 04:30 PM
zmf zmf is offline
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Guess my favorite Taylor was a used BTO red spruce/Madagascar -- a x15 shape, IIRC -- that I played a guitar shop, but didn't buy. The price was high but reasonable. Very deep, sweet, rich tones, incredibly responsive and easy to play. It certainly didn't sound like any Taylor I'd ever played. In fact, I couldn't think of a guitar brand that it reminded me of.

My wife really wanted me to buy it, but I couldn't think of what I'd do with it. Too luscious a tone for my style of play.

Maybe I should have bought it anyway.
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  #26  
Old 01-05-2017, 04:38 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zmf View Post
Guess my favorite Taylor was a used BTO red spruce/Madagascar -- a x15 shape, IIRC -- that I played a guitar shop, but didn't buy. The price was high but reasonable. Very deep, sweet, rich tones, incredibly responsive and easy to play. It certainly didn't sound like any Taylor I'd ever played. In fact, I couldn't think of a guitar brand that it reminded me of.

My wife really wanted me to buy it, but I couldn't think of what I'd do with it. Too luscious a tone for my style of play.

Maybe I should have bought it anyway.
Just what do you play - outside of Freddie Green-style jazz comping I can't think of too much that guitar couldn't handle, and if I ever went the BTO route a Madi/Adi jumbo would've been my dream Taylor...
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  #27  
Old 01-05-2017, 04:45 PM
zmf zmf is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve DeRosa View Post
Just what do you play - outside of Freddie Green-style jazz comping I can't think of too much that guitar couldn't handle, and if I ever went the BTO route a Madi/Adi jumbo would've been my dream Taylor...
Well Steve -- I'll try to track it down for you -- how 'bout that?
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  #28  
Old 01-05-2017, 04:48 PM
Goat Mick Goat Mick is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kaos View Post
Besides, Martin would have been a terrible name for your daughter

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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChrisE View Post
You beat me to it.
Yeah yeah yeah - jerks!!

There are a couple of good stories. My wife had decided from well before we were married that if she had a daughter her name would be Taylor Elizabeth after her grandparents Taylor and Elizabeth. Well I always wanted to name my kid after the songwriter that started me on this journey Bob Dylan but she would have no part of that. What she didn't take in account was that they always ask the Dad to fill out the birth certificate so her name is Taylor Elizabeth Dylan Kyte. LOL

The other story involving my Taylor 710 in the pic is pretty cool too. Our 2nd date ever was her accompanying me to a solo gig I was playing. Glenda has big deep brown eyes so I learned Brown Eyed Girl to sing for her that night and it became our song. Well the day I was trying out guitars to pick the high end (to me especially back in those days) guitar I kept playing other guitars and just going back to the 710. I didn't realize it but the progression I was playing while listening intently to the guitar was Brown Eyed Girl. One time when I switched from another guitar back to the Taylor she turned around with big tears in her eyes and said "buy that one". LOL
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  #29  
Old 01-05-2017, 06:13 PM
Truckjohn Truckjohn is offline
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My favorite was one that got away.

You will have to bear with me as I really don't know all that much about their models, designations, and such....

The owner of a local music shop was a serious Taylor fan. He had made many pilgrimages to the factory, had met Bob several times, had an autographed pic taken with Bob... Not to mention that he sold a LOT of Taylor guitars.

He also sold Taylor Custom Shop and R Taylor guitars. The irony is that the expensive ones generally moved pretty fast where the cheap ones tended to sit around.

Well - he decided to make a pilgrimage and commission himself and his father their own full on customs. He hand picked all the wood himself at the factory, model/serial number had his name, Etc. His was whatever Taylor calls their 000.... His dad's was a dread. His Dad's guitar was pretty good but his was a monster.

And then he put them both up for sale.... When I asked why - he said something about everything has a price.... But he wasn't asking some stupid price for it... It was maybe $3,800 or so...

It was a weird horizontal bearclaw top and a beautiful quartersawn Ovankol back and sides... And weirdest of all - Adirondack bracing... And it was an absolute cannon. But it had an amazing tone to boot. It would play loud and it would play soft, it would play dry and it would play lush, and everything in between.....

I kept going back to play it... It was only in the shop a few weeks and somebody bought it and it disappeared.... And I have NEVER played another Taylor that could touch that one... If I do - it will come home with me - I won't make that mistake again.

Thanks
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  #30  
Old 01-05-2017, 06:34 PM
The Old Anglo The Old Anglo is offline
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Walked into GC way back in 2004 and they had two Taylors on sale,a 314ce and a 414ce either one for $1500 w/HSC. I played them both,called some player friends to come over and help me decide. The 314ce won out Bigtime and has opened up to be a warm sensitive sounding guitar even if I`m fingerpicking softly or banging the snot out of it. This puppy Plays!. No issues with it ever,Thanks to Taylor!!!.
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