Ah. Thanks.

Well, the issue of the 000-28ec is settled. I went back to play it one more time and took along the finest guitar player I know. We played that one and about every other top end guitar they had in the store, and we each sat and listened to the other guy play them, and shared our opinions.

000-28ec : Very nice guitar, quite a good sound, nice feel...but...

There was a rosewood & spruce Taylor GS-8 that blew it right out of the water. And several other Taylors that were markedly superior to it, and cost less.

And there was a Martin D-41 that blew it out of the water as well.

The 2 best guitars in the store were definitely the Martin D-41, and the Taylor GS-8. We both sort of preferred the Taylor over the D-41, by the narrowest of margins, but they were both absolutely great.

The 000-28ec was definitely nice, but not in their league at all.

The least expensive of the three by far was the Taylor GS-8 with rosewood back and sides, and I'd say it was the best one too. Congratulations to Taylor.

Interestingly enough, my buddy used to dislike Taylors on principle, saying they didn't have enough volume or bottom end. That certainly was not the case with this one today...or with several of its near cousins. He has changed his opinion about Taylor guitars of late.