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  #46  
Old 08-16-2022, 02:03 PM
TennesseeWalker TennesseeWalker is offline
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Bearclaw - one usually either likes it or not.

I'd call Taylor customer service, they may be able to provide a solution for you or put you in the right direction.

800 943 6782
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  #47  
Old 08-16-2022, 02:03 PM
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Bear claw is highly responsive to different lighting conditions. In bright lights, it can be harder to see. I don’t think the seller intentionally disguised the bear claw. I’ve had unusual figure like this in some of my custom built instruments. It had a pretty irregular pattern, too. I thought it looked cool. Look behind the bridge on my Baranik.



As for the action, it’s never fun to find out you have to adjust action, but it may be helpful for you to learn the actual numbers that you like for action and relief so you can be more quantitative in your questions.

That being said, taking the saddle down is easy enough. If you need a neck reset, also not a big deal. Why not reach out to the seller and ask them to pay for a neck reset? But before you do, what is the height of the saddle above the bridge?
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  #48  
Old 08-16-2022, 02:45 PM
czgunner czgunner is offline
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Like others have shared, the bear claw is considered "cool" now. I do like it regardless of how trendy it is. It makes it look more organic. I sure hope the seller will compensate you to have the neck adjusted.
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  #49  
Old 08-16-2022, 03:14 PM
Conomor Conomor is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by warfrat73 View Post
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.
The bearclaw marks are just about visible if you look at the original listing images on a larger screen, but the lighting definitely helps to mask them. However, I don't think that the seller was being deliberately deceptive as their other listings appear use the same lighting, angles etc. Yes, the store could have done more to draw attention to the markings, but they might have reasoned that an unhappy seller would simply return the guitar. Furthermore, it sounds like the guitar was purchased in person (on the OP's behalf).

I can understand the OP's disappointment. I've been in a similar situation or more than one occasion with purchases from overseas. Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do when the return costs are prohibitive other than to sell it or learn to live with it.
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  #50  
Old 08-16-2022, 03:34 PM
mhw48 mhw48 is online now
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You stated that the Guitar is new -- so I assume it comes with the Taylor Warranty. Why don't you contact their Brazilian representative and see if they will deal with the neck for you under the terms of the Warranty? From the Taylor website:
https://www.taylorguitars.com/intern...cations/brazil

Brazil
WMS NEGOCIOS INTERNACIONAIS
Rua Catequese, 1171 cj 24
Santo André, SP

Phone: +55 11 2832 7800

Fax: + 55 11 2832 7808

E-mail: [email protected]


There’s no reason you should pay for the neck adjustment on a new guitar.

Last edited by mhw48; 08-16-2022 at 04:17 PM.
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  #51  
Old 08-16-2022, 05:19 PM
klavalk klavalk is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by theblues88 View Post
Hi!
My mom was traveling to the US for work and being from Brazil I took the opportunity to ask her to bring a guitar to me. After much research I decided to get a Taylor Academy... and I found one at reverb.

However when the guitar arrived here I had a bad surprise

The spruce top is one of the ugliest I've ever seen!

Also I was told the setup was flawless and it played like butter.
BUT action at 12th fret is 8/64.



This was the worst purchase experience I've done, I paid so much for this guitar...

I know to most of you this purchase and money will seem like it's nothing. But please, keep in mind that where I live this guitar is super expensive. To give a bit of perspective, even purchasing it in the US and not paying taxes (as it's tax free under usd1000) it costs 3months of local minimum wage. Fortunately I make a bit more than minimum wage but even though it was a significant purchase (one that I had to give plenty of thought if I could afford it). And now I have a guitar that is hard to play and I don't like how it looks.

PICTURES:


I purchased a original taylor pickguard to try to draw attention away from the marks, but still...

The worst part: I have no way of returning it... I'm honestly depressed at this moment
I sent you a pm.
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  #52  
Old 08-16-2022, 05:28 PM
jim1960 jim1960 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by phavriluk View Post
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.
Not to mention the fact that he has attached a pick guard to the top.
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  #53  
Old 08-16-2022, 05:30 PM
Bluenose Bluenose is offline
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Were you playing on playing it or will it be wall art? Wood is an imperfect material, perhaps you should have gone the carbon fiber route.
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  #54  
Old 08-16-2022, 08:05 PM
HogsNRoses HogsNRoses is offline
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I’m a bear claw fan also, and I think the OP’s guitar is fabulous.

Whenever I see bear claw, I look to see how symmetrical it is on the book matched top. It is rarely symmetrical. I think the reason is the kerf. 1) only a rare and lucky cut goes through the middle of the figures in the wood all the way across the top, and 2) most of one side of the bear claw ends up as saw dust (the width of the saw blade plus sanding).

Even the beautiful guitar a couple posts above doesn’t look symmetrical, at least at first glance.
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  #55  
Old 08-16-2022, 08:29 PM
phavriluk phavriluk is offline
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I concur. I hpe someday to bump into a bearclaw soundboard I can afford. That stuff goes for a premium, near as I can tell bearclaw doubles the price of a soundboard. I think OP's got himself a desirable rarity. A premium soundboard snuck into the shipment to Mexico.
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  #56  
Old 08-16-2022, 08:57 PM
juststarted juststarted is offline
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Default It looks very nice.

There was one recent thread regarding a custom built martin and it had a bear claw top. And it looked great.

https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=649636

Also reagarding action, first thing I will do is to keep it in a hard case at right humidity. As you are in Brazil it might be possible that humidity is on higher side. Get a Humidity meter and some dessicant silica beads. Put the guitar in hard case with the humidity meter. Put the dessicant beads in a cloth and tie it. Leave it in the guitar. One pouch dangling in the soundhole and one near the headstock. You might have to check few times to zero on the amount of dessicant beads needed to maintain 45% humidity.

You might be surprised how much humidity effects the guitar.
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  #57  
Old 08-16-2022, 10:57 PM
Flgatorgirl Flgatorgirl is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by s2y View Post
I recommend you send that to me for your safety. Can never be too careful.
I concur with this!
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  #58  
Old 08-16-2022, 11:34 PM
PatrickMadsen PatrickMadsen is offline
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For we Lakota Sioux, Bearclaw Spruce came as a result of Mother bear being born from the sacred tree. She left her bearclaw mark on the tree to let all know this is a sacred tree.

In my fathers time and before, they would never cut down a spruce with bearclaw and would give ceremony before carrying out and using one that fell down on its own.

I suggest you consider the silking and bearclaw as a good sign for the instrument you received and get the neck adjusted by the Taylor dealer in you vicinity as recommended in earlier posts.
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  #59  
Old 08-16-2022, 11:59 PM
hifivic hifivic is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PatrickMadsen View Post
For we Lakota Sioux, Bearclaw Spruce came as a result of Mother bear being born from the sacred tree. She left her bearclaw mark on the tree to let all know this is a sacred tree.

In my fathers time and before, they would never cut down a spruce with bearclaw and would give ceremony before carrying out and using one that fell down on its own.

I suggest you consider the silking and bearclaw as a good sign for the instrument you received and get the neck adjusted by the Taylor dealer in you vicinity as recommended in earlier posts.
All the more reason to keep the bearclaw OP!
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  #60  
Old 10-15-2022, 07:55 AM
Dotneck Dotneck is offline
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Duplicate post…
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Last edited by Dotneck; 10-15-2022 at 08:02 AM.
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