NGD (Warning: NOT a Gibson...)

[kidblast]

I know, it's often heresy to post anything other than a Gibson here,  but this arrived on Wednesday.    Took me a few days to get around to getting the DSLR out.  

814CE DLX V Class.   Indian Rosewood back and sides, Sitka Spruce top. 

This thing is amazing!  The setup out of the box was great, needs nothing really.  It's effortless to play anywhere on the neck. 

The V Class bracing really seems to be a game changer.   This is the most musical and "alive" guitar I've ever owned.   Great intonation and sustain too.   For a small body (Grand Auditorium sized) there is lots of volume and well balanced, very "full" sounding with plenty of low end.   Fit and finish, absolutely flawless.  

Comparing this to my 2006 Grand Symphony which is a great sounding guitar, it just lacks an element of depth and focus that I'm hearing from the 814.

The DLX models has the arm bevel,  I definitely notice the absence of the "edge" where the forearm rests on a long session.

Pickup is the standard Taylor ES2 system.   It really does a good job of faithfully reproducing the primary tone of the guitar.  it's not an under saddle pickup, there's no quack anywhere in ear shot.

She's pretty photogenic too!

[BoSoxBiker]

Congrats! It sure is a stunner to look at. I'm glad you got one that sounds as nice as it looks. I imagine the ES2 system behaves quite well with the evenness of the V-bracing. 

I've test driven a few of these dating back to when they first arrived on the scene and never passed the opportunity up to do so. One or two stood out very nicely. Sound like you got yourself a gem. My last visit to test drive was with the intention of purchasing a guitar with this one headlining a short list. They sold the one I had been test-driving, though, and it's replacement was not as nice. Funny how that works.

Yours is a beaut. Congrats again.

[RBSinTo]

Taylor makes excellent guitars, and based on playing a few at a local music store, know they hold their own against the Martins, Gibsons, Waterloos et al., very nicely.

Oh. And about the heresy business, while I don't believe the guitar gods are a vindictive bunch, please be sure to let us know if lightning strikes your house, or your transmission falls out.

RBSinTo

[zombywoof]

A big hearty congrats  All in all though, I still would not want to be standing too close to you when the lightning bolts unleashed from the heavens above start being hurled in your direction.  

[BluesKing777]

 

Congrats, KB!

And put on your raincoat...😎

My Taylor 717e Builder’s Edition slope shoulder dread in rosewood and terrified top is just outstanding - the V bracing gives the guitar sound what I think if as ‘high definition’. Build, setup, straight out of the box were superb. Very, very clever!

Small complaint -the ‘Silent Satin Finish it slips off my leg! If I play it while wearing my track pants, the guitar becomes a bar of soap!

The ES2 pickup system is handy, but I run it though my Tonedexter - fab!

Enjoy the guitar and the lightning, KB.

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

[Lars68]

Beautiful guitar! 

It appears the lamp on top of the speaker is indeed worried about bad things coming your way for this not being a Gibson. It is on its knees deep into prayer. 😳

Lars

[kidblast]

ha! Thanks lads!

It really is a fantastic instrument.   I'm kind over the moon with it all. 

Skies have been mostly clear today, so the chance of lightning seems remote at the moment.  I hadn't considered the transmission in my truck however,  so that's got me a little worried. 

Lars, speaking of moons.... that's a moon lamp..  it's actually pretty cool,  when lit, it looks like a wee little moon, very detailed.  (Like right out of  the first Despicable Me when Gru  stole the moon)

Hey BK, look up this "Neck Up Strap"   it will solve the "slip" problem with your Taylor Slope, offers a very comfortable way to play sitting down.  I love the one I picked up a week or so ago.

 

Edited July 31, 2020 by kidblast

[BluesKing777]

24 minutes ago, kidblast said:

Hey BK, look up this "Neck Up Strap"   it will solve the "slip" problem with your Taylor Slope, offers a very comfortable way to play sitting down.  I love the one I picked up a week or so ago.

 

 

That is a contraption, isn’t it? It could confirm a few fears the Better Half has about sanity.

I put a long strip of Velcro tape on the guitar side that sits on my leg.....(my resos have this too).

Back to the V bracing....words don’t describe it very well. What about ‘terrific’? A lot of people don’t like it, probably because it can highlight mistakes a lot.

I am hoping Taylor bring out their new budget AD series in a Grand Concert (00) - give me that Urban Ash recycled! Paint it black.

 

BluesKing777.

 

Edited July 31, 2020 by BluesKing777

[kidblast]

37 minutes ago, BluesKing777 said:

Back to the V bracing....words don’t describe it very well. What about ‘terrific’? A lot of people don’t like it, probably because it can highlight mistakes a lot.

There's something there that words really can't define. but you know it when you play it.   I think the word "alive" would kind of work.  like I mentioned it's a very "musical" instrument,  if you can follow that thought..  I mean of course it's musical, right but..  something beyond that.  more responsive???

There also seems to be a bit going on in regard to the intonation up and down the neck.  I don't know how the V Bracing would change or help that, but that is one thing I noticed immediately.  everything note kind of rings in perfect harmony no matter where you're playing on the neck or what kind of chord voicing you are using.  Noting "out of place" anywhere.

it's a thing of beauty.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Congrats.

The Mom and Pop store  I go to sells Taylor's and I play all the high end stuff when I go in. They are beautiful instruments.

[kidblast]

46 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Congrats.

The Mom and Pop store  I go to sells Taylor's and I play all the high end stuff when I go in. They are beautiful instruments.

Thx Sarge.,.

I really wish there was a store like that near me.  None of them have anything but imports from Mexico Korea and China. (Not that there are not nice guitars available, but not what I want ya know)  these guys just can't do the volume to satisfy those dealer requirements.  

I called Music Emporium, about 25 miles from me.   They are the closest,  store around that would stock something like this.   They did not have any 800 series v class, and I won't go GC, not even to window shop.  They always find a way to be a huge let down.  Waste of time to even try.  But  I digress..

[uncle fester]

You and your Taylors KB, aren't you a rascal :)! 

Regardless, very nice acquisition, interested to hear how it makes it into the rotation, not so much as it being a Taylor, but more being a cutaway.  I long for that reach up the neck, but anytime you say cut away to an acoustic guy they say, 'well that's nice but it's got that cut away...  '  

[zombywoof]

I have a music store about 20 minutes down the road which I know at the moment has a couple of Taylor 800 Series V class guitars in stock.   My wife bought her Martin D12-28 from them.  

Thing about Taylors is I have had more than a few folks tell me if you don't own one you will.  That, however, remains an unfulfilled prophecy.   I swear I have a phobia about those guitars.

Edited July 31, 2020 by zombywoof

[kidblast]

12 minutes ago, uncle fester said:

You and your Taylors KB, aren't you a rascal :)! 

Regardless, very nice acquisition, interested to hear how it makes it into the rotation, not so much as it being a Taylor, but more being a cutaway.  I long for that reach up the neck, but anytime you say cut away to an acoustic guy they say, 'well that's nice but it's got that cut away...  '  

ha! yep  rebel without a clue, that'd be me.

It does make some of the stuff a bit easier to reach,  This guitar is so easy to play that I find myself going everywhere on it.  So for that  2 thumbs up!!

 

[kidblast]

1 minute ago, zombywoof said:

I have a music store about 20 minutes down the road which I know at the moment has a couple of Taylor 800 Series V class guitars in stock.   My wife bought her Martin D12-28 from them.  

Thing about Taylors is I have had more than a few folks tell me if you don't own one you will.  That, however, remains an unfulfilled prophecy.   I swear I have a phobia about those guitars.

The V Class ones might change your thinking.   to my ears, and senses, there's def. something there.

[TomG76]

Good looking guitar. The saddle makes it look like the guitar is smiling.

[Twang Gang]

Congrats KB on a solid purchase.  I bought the same model about 18 months ago, but after a year I just hadn't bonded with it.  The V-class bracing is  wonderful.  I think why some players might not care for it is the almost overabundance of sustain.  Notes will just ring forever and can almost get in the way of the next note your going to play.  Andy Powers says the better tuning up the neck has to do with a more orderly top vibration and that also might be a contributing factor to some not caring for it.  For years and years we were used to certain notes up the neck always being out of tune to the point where when recording we had to go back after laying down a track, retune the guitar, and punch in those notes so they would be in tune.  Now that those notes are in tune, it doesn't sound like what we've become accustomed to.

As I said I didn't bond with my 814 DLX and traded it toward a SJ-200.  After about 6 months I hadn't really bonded with that either, the tone was really great, but for a super jumbo it just didn't have any volume.  I guess some are like that and some are canons?  So I bought a Taylor 816 with the extra sound port and V-class bracing.  It's quite different in that it has a grand symphony body size, but a short scale and uses light gauge strings.  Cool guitar, but I ended up trading the SJ-200 toward a Collings.  And while I have been a Taylor advocate for a long time (got my first in 2003) and played Gibsons since 1966, nothing compares to the tone of the Collings.  All this talk about bracing, and my Collings has an optional feature where they took some bracing out!  Most guitars have a "tongue" brace that runs vertically (if you have the guitar in playing position) under the end of the neck.  It is there to add strength to support the tension of the strings pulling on the body.  If you want, Collings will leave that brace out, allowing the top to move more, especially north of the sound hole.  So different approaches from different builders.

Enjoy that 814 DLX, it is a beauty 👍    

[BluesKing777]

 

A shop I frequented in better times is selling online only, so we can’t waddle in to try a few guitars and buy some strings and have a gossip. The place has been skun by online buys - they must really regret offering free delivery!

They are down to ONE Gibson acoustic, a Sheryl. They even sold the poor old Blues King or Standard or whatever name it was after it sat there since 2017! The promised re-supply in mid-July from Gibson hasn’t happened. The ‘Maton wall’ is also empty, so not just Gibsons missing.

But regular shipments of new Taylors have kept coming all these months and the shop currently has a shedful!

All good, except BK777 loves 00 size guitars generally, and they have ONE GC model, maple. I truly live in dreadlover heaven. But watching some promo videos, the top shelf 912 Builder’s Edition Grand Concert took my eye..... I mean, I love my old worn guitars like old shoes but phew, that 912 BE sure looks a fancy unit! I have never seen or heard one and there is not one here...anywhere. Anyway, not buying anything, just want to try one on a Saturday morning for a minute........ they do have that maple 612 though.......

 

BluesKing777.

[nodehopper]

Why does everyone feel the need to apologize when they get a great new guitar that makes them happy, but .... oh no.... it's not a Gibson? I love my Gibson Acoustics... and my Martins! It is just the guitar that speaks to you right now... and for a long time that earns a place in your heart. Love them all! In the end.... it is what, how, where, and with who you play and make memories with that matters. (By the way... beautiful guitar) please make many, many memories with it!

Edited August 1, 2020 by nodehopper

[kelly campbell]

Congrattulations it sure looks nice...Enjoy yourself.

[Brucebubs]

4 hours ago, BluesKing777 said:

 

They are down to ONE Gibson acoustic, a Sheryl. They even sold the poor old Blues King or Standard or whatever name it was after it sat there since 2017! The promised re-supply in mid-July from Gibson hasn’t happened. The ‘Maton wall’ is also empty, so not just Gibsons missing.

BluesKing777.

The new Custom Shop 1957 SJ-200 I ordered back Feb 6th with South Coast Music, Nowra, NSW is scheduled for delivery late September/early October.

p.s. That may not be a Gibson .... but it's one very nice Taylor!

[BluesKing777]

 

Deliveries here are taking so long with everybody ordering online stuff - I am waiting for a K&K Trinity Upgrade pack.....almost 4 weeks now. Last year, a gadget from the same place took 4 days. My sister sent me cool home made face masks (masks compulsory here) and the ‘overnight express’ package took 10 days.....log jam plus!

The Trinity adds an internal mic and external miniature mixer preamp to the plain K&K pickup, to give it some ‘air’ and more realism......hopefully sound like my sensational Maton pickups with internal mics. That is what, my opinion, is missing from the Taylor ES2 - a little internal mic mixed with the pickup. Only need a few percent mic to give some air. But too many twits stand with the mic facing the wedges and........ Apart from that, the ES2 is a very ‘nice’ sound for a factory setup guitar pickup. I have tortured mine to get all I can out of it...and actually get a sensational mic type sound through Tonedexter using my old Shure SM57 to make the file. Many Tonedexterers frown on SM57s, but I think it could be a great live sound as it trims the fat while a condenser mic grabs everything.

All a moot point if we can’t go anywhere to play...and it sure will be hard to sing with a face mask on! Or drink beer or play harmonica!🤠

 

BluesKing777.

 

[kidblast]

Thanks for all the encouraging comments kids.  I don't regret the purchase.  Well not yet anyway..!

re: Twang Gang, that is a good explanation of what I am noticing.  I do a lot of finger style solo playing, using alternate tunings etc, so the sustain and improved intonation is a welcomed attribute.  It's the one thing about the guitar that amazes me still.

re: nodehopper, part of that comment was tongue in cheek, but after all it's a Gibson forum, so it's only natural that most of the players here are more loyal to the brand.  I love Gibson's, I have 6 of them.   Most folks don't get on too well with the voicing most Taylors have.   Everyone likes what they like... so there's that.

bk: You're lucky to at least have a shop that CAN stock them.  I like the store in town, and I respect the owner and ppl that work there.  I taught there back about 15 years ago, they are good folks and the store is well laid out.  They just don't sell a lot of USA made guitars.  They are a USA Fender dealer, but no Taylors, Martins, Gibsons in sight.   Plenty of Asian imports which make up the vast majority if not all of their acoustic offerings.  they do what they do but not what I'd be looking for.

I have not created a map yet with my tonedexter, I've been kind of just getting off on playing it unplugged for a few days.  And that I put a wee slice in my fretting hand ring finger yesterday morning has put a bit of a damper on things.  (Ugh!)  go figure right?  But anyway, I like the ES2 so far.  It seems very neutral and does a good job of reproducing without any mid range/top end nastiness. I will try to get a bit more on with that today.

 

[RBSinTo]

Kidblast.

Glad you're happy with he guitar.

Just wondering about the truck's transmission? Still working ok?

RBSinTo

[BoSoxBiker]

2 hours ago, kidblast said:

But anyway, I like the ES2 so far.  It seems very neutral and does a good job of reproducing without any mid range/top end nastiness. I will try to get a bit more on with that today.

I'm very curious to hear how that works out for you. That system was a good one for me on any non strumming passage. Anything I had to do some picking on was nice. I imagine the v-series somewhat calmer nature would be a real plus using this. My old 614CE had some impressive high volume sustain in the mids that could be tough to tame. The low end through the ES2 had it's moments as well, but could overload the Piezo in a hurry, far before the guitar ever showed signs of it happening. The only other real issue I had was modal ringing (room modes - acoustics). Sliding 2 feet helped until treating my room made it better.   

btw - The little set screws are adjustable to strengthen/lessen the pressure on the three piezo elements. It's like a truss rod adjustment in that a little bit goes a long ways.