700's vs. 800's

[prusaw]

What are the advantages to having an 800 series taylor over a 700 series? Is it mostly upgrades in cosmetic details, or are there serious "sound opportunities" that the 700's can't provide? (I've had 300's, 400's, 500's, 600's, and 700's- guess I just need an excuse to start looking at the higher numbers :-))

[Roman]

Well, my 714 and 814 are a few years old. The 714 is cedar/rosewood and the 814 is spruce/rosewood. The 714 is a mellower sound compared to the 814. The 814 has a very balanced tone from low E to high E. It's a matter of preference in sound I guess, I think neither has an advantage when it comes to looking good.

[KMHaynes]

Most knowledgable Taylor players will say there's probably not much wood quality difference between the 700 and 800 series -- mostly appointments. All the 800s are almost identical in their appointments.

The most noticable difference will be if you get a 700 with a cedar (714/GA) or englemann (712/GC or 710/dread) top. The 800's almost always, even on LTD's I think, have a sitka spruce top. The cedar or englemann top will give the 700 a fingerpicking edge (esp. the cedar).

[Markr]

For identical wood guitars (EIR/Sitka vs. EIR/Sitka for example) the only difference is cosmetics.

[Jeff M]

Cedar and Sitka tend to have slightly different tonal qualities...both are excellent and have been used for decades in guitars.
Cedar tends to be warmer, more responsive to lighter touch. Sitka tends to be a bit brighter, able to retain it's clarity if strummed hard. (These are generalizaitions. LOTS of variations exist out there.)

Other than that, the differences between the guitars is just bling.

[wthurman]

Slightly off topic, but I think sitka is likely the most underrated wood in use on guitars today. I find good sitka to be as responsive as any other variety of spruce and most times prefer it to *gasp* even Adirondack, and have always found, in the end, to prefer it to Englemann (and I've played great Englemann, too).

[Singing Fool]

Considering current trends in taste, you'd think that the 700 series would be more expensive by virtue of its wood bindings alone (versus the plastic bindings on the 800 and 900 series). After all, R.Taylor features only wood bindings on its boutique-style guitars. I'm actually surprised that Taylor doesn't offer wood bindings on more of its standard series; Larrivee even uses flamed maple bindings on its lower end guitars.

Other than that, I prefer the Engelmann spruce and cedar of the 700 series to the Sitka spruce of the 800 series. As far as the comparative grade of the rosewood, it's been said before that grading has more to do with cosmetics than sound quality, so at the end of the day, I'd pick a 700 over an 800.

[Markr]

I know we're kinda going "down a rabbit trail" here but....
I have a '95 and '00 810B.
The '95 is a Sitka top, the '00 LOTF is an Englemann.
I can honestly say I enjoy them both, for different reasons.
The Sitka top is remarkably responsive, bright and projects very well (but it is an older guitar and has opened up more). The Englemann has a more balanced, warm, rounded tone. Less shimmer and pop than the Sitka, but perhaps a little more natural sounding with bit less bite.
Just MHO.

[couchpicker]

I'll throw in my two cents. I fell in love with the spruce topped 714ce a few weeks ago, and actually bought it after playing it at a few different places. Then I took it home started playing it in my living room, and I just couldn't believe it but after one hour I was falling out of love with this thing. It sounded so good in the local store, small room great acoustic environment. But in my living room with high ceilings the 714ce did not content me, I was sorely missing 'sparkle', it was hard to produce a bright treble for all of my repertoire. I had to go back to the store the next day and upgraded ;-) to the 814CE-LTD. Fortunately there is no white plastic binding on this model the maple binding, madagascar rosewood and fretboard inlay which has actually visually helped me direct the fingers to a quicker landing are all plusses. The neck seems smoother as well.

Anyway it is just one of those things were you look for that perfect sound but not unless you play your new beauty in your common environment is where you can truly decide that this is the sound you love and come back to.

For more practicing in my case... I am a 'late' beginner both literally and figuratively.

Rob

[zooropamofo]

Just my own personal tastes, but I'd take a 700 over an 800 series any day. The less bling the better for me!

[Nelson]

Originally Posted by Markr

For identical wood guitars (EIR/Sitka vs. EIR/Sitka for example) the only difference is cosmetics.

That be the same for the 800 and 900 series? They're both spruce and EIR though I think the 900's are Engleman Spuce.

My thoughts are like many already. It's all cosmetics and wood combinations. What's the difference between the 500's, 600's, 700,s and 800,s? It's the wood and the bling. Bracings are the same. Necks are the same. They've all been revoiced to the same specs. Same guitars, different options.

[MattM]

The advantage is the tone if you prefer spruce, aforementioned bling (not a fan of the wood rosette), and higher graded wood. Disadvantage is the white plastic binding. For me the tone is the biggy.