Taylor Guitars

Subject: RE: Taylor Guitars
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 11:03 PM

Well said, Mooh. Actually, if we had made it up to the festival, I would have been visiting you and not being tempted to buy the newest one.

Subject: RE: Taylor Guitars
From: GUEST,sorefingers
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 11:27 PM

Have to say Taylors - like Martins etc - differ greatly one to the next.

I think of Guitar spotting at stores, in the US, somewhat similar to trying Hamburgers or Hot-Dog meals. None are ever the same and what's more, how you feel before you go in the store is going to determine what you think later. A hungry customer always likes the pudding the best!

My 10 cents, some $1400 Taylors I tried were enormous boxes, no doubt about it! One which I tried out several times - went back there over a couple of weeks full of GAS and nearly lost my savings - I would have killed to get, but nobody was interested in volunteering their body. Oh well.

This has to be kick in the ear to those who say Taylors don't have character, because I am a reformed Fender/Gibson thumper, and owner of a Martin.

I think you can't diss any brand out of hand, because you had a bad time with one of their instruments. After you play on a dozen, the general opinion is that you'll have a better idea what is good or bad about the maker.

Taylor makes some boxes that are without equal, and just like Martin you have to dig real deep in your pockets to own one.

Don't buy the label, try out first, then buy the best selection you can find. I did, and I have the meanest loudest sweetest Martin I ever heard anywhere -- took me years to chose, but when I found it I knew I just could not go home without.

Subject: RE: Taylor Guitars
From: Mooh
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 11:44 PM

Phil...Glad to be of service. That's right, don't visit, buy a new axe. Pretty good consolation, LOL! (Give the girls a hug for us all, will you?)

I think guitarists tend to have an eye out for the elusive holy grail, they also get opinionated about it but change their opinions often. When I discovered my favourite guitar, I was shopping for either a Taylor or a Martin with a cutaway and maybe pickups. Instead I ended up with a noncutaway, no pickup Beneteau. I love that thing, and even 10 years later it's still the one I take take out the most. Chance plays into these things alot.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Taylor Guitars
From: GUEST,Strollin' Johnny at the Mill
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 07:21 AM

Mooh, Dougie MacLean's given up using his Taylor (at least in public!) - he's got a Moon now!
S:0)

Subject: RE: Taylor Guitars
From: GUEST,Strollin' Johnny at the Mill
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 07:22 AM

Al - I'll get back to you when I get my home 'pooter back from Dell (soon, I hope!)
S:0)

Subject: RE: Taylor Guitars
From: Mooh
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 08:44 AM

Johnny...Yeah I heard Dougie had switched guitars. As for the Moon, I've heard a few and they were all pretty nice...I've used a Moon mandolin for years now.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: Taylor Guitars
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 04:11 PM

I just know that the one time I specifically went looking for a brand guitar, I didn't find one. I had matched five out of six numbers in the Illinois lottery and won about $2500. I thought I'd splurge and look for a Larivee. I had heard a couple nice ones and one of the local shops was carrying them. I did not tell the owner that I was specifically looking, I just dropped in and played all the ones in the shop. None of them really spoke to me, so I didn't buy one. A month or so later Margaret was checking out bodhran cases and I looked at a Santa Cruz model H. Next thing I knew, I bought that one. I used it for about 11 years.

Hoping to make it up next August, Mooh. Will pass on your greetings to all and sundry.

Subject: RE: Taylor Guitars
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 18 Nov 06 - 07:59 PM

I saw one today at the Avalon but was put off buying it by the price, which I had been told would be cheaper at the Avalon, and was in fact more expensive that Sound Control down the road apiece.

Does this guitar have a compartment for the pre-amp battery. i suddennly can't remeber seeing one, and I don't want to have to try to thrust my fat hands through the sound hole - been through that movie with an early Ovation!

In fact the prices this year at Avalon were more expensive than I could get stuff most places. I was looking at a Yamaha cpx900 - which was about twenty quid more than I had seen it. all in all a wasted journey. I have a G7 capo, but I was thinking of getting one for a birthday present. they wanted over £23 which was more than I have seen it for.

Subject: RE: Taylor Guitars
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 04:15 AM

It's the unacceptable face of Capitalism Al. Get a load of people with a common interest into a big room, thrust desirables under their noses, and jack the prices up to maximise the take.

Better to go to a good local dealer and haggle. IMNSHO!
S:0)

PS - played two Sobells, a Traugott and an Olsen yesterday. Great guitars, huge prices. I feel a GAS attack coming on.............

Subject: RE: Taylor Guitars
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 04:33 AM

I wouldn't contemplate buying a good guitar in the UK. I bought my Collings from Mandolin Brothers (Staten Island) and saved a load of money, even counting the airfare (though I was over there for other reasons anyway).

Or you could try ebay - at least have a look at ebay and see what an array of stuff you could have. And if it's only available to the USA, get one of these nice Mudcat people to receive it for you and send it on.

Subject: RE: Taylor Guitars
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 05:57 AM

Well , I've got no real gripe with capitalism Johnny.

I'm just annoyed. I had seen this one in Sound Control in Derby and phoned up Sheehans, quoting the street price - and was told it would be significantly cheaper at Avalon, which I believed - having got a good deal on a Yamaha last year.

Actually -its made me look around and realise there are alternatives - the Steve Vai Ibanez, the Faith, the Crafter - all solid wood electro acoustics - fairly new to the market. all well below the price of the Taylor.

Sheehan's must be out of their tree though. Surely they realise that a large percentage of us are folk accompanists - intent on playing three chords with a certain amount of grace We are not there to gaze awestruck at those twiddling diddling fools up on stage. we only go there to buy things.

Although obviously Eric Roche, Steve Hicks and Ralph McTell made honourable exceptions to the above grossly unfair comment.

Subject: RE: Taylor Guitars
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 19 Nov 06 - 11:50 AM

Glad you saw sense and didn't buy one at Leicester - it's not the best environment to make a major purchase. Must say that I was particularly disapointed with the musical presentations this year - the pre-show blurb suggested that Clive Caroll would be playing during the day but he wasn't. The best sounding guitar I found balanced against price was a £175 Yamaha. That said, I quite fancied the baby Collings but I really can't justify an 8'th guitar! ...... perhaps a 6th mandolin but the Breedloves on show had nowhere to hang a strap.

Subject: RE: Taylor Guitars
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Nov 06 - 11:07 AM

Taylors are the quintessential point-of-sale instrument: easy to play and responsive, producing a lively sound. Live with it awhile, or hear it beside another guitar very often, and it begins to reveal a lack of depth.

I was sold one, a 710, for a good price a few years ago, and thought myself lucky. But I've played a number of others now, Lowdens, Eastmans, and of course, Martins, which are ubiquitous. I have to admit I tired of the sound of the Taylor, and went looking for more.

A plain-jane Martin D-18 did the trick,

Subject: RE: Taylor Guitars
From: GUEST,Ray
Date: 20 Nov 06 - 01:29 PM

Now if you want a D18, I've got one for sale and I'm only just north of Buxton - why? I've got two. Give me a shout and I'll put some new strings on it if you want to talk - no obligation, I don't actually need to sell it.

Subject: RE: Taylor Guitars
From: kendall
Date: 20 Nov 06 - 04:13 PM

GUEST, I had the same experience with my D 28 Martin, and my J45 Gibson. Neither could compare with the Taylor 810.
It even cured my G.A.S.