All Maple guitar?

[Twang Gang]

Got an email from Taylor last week introducing a new guitar.  It has a maple back and sides, and a maple top.  I don't recall seeing other acoustics with maple tops and I certainly don't think I ever played one.  It is their AD size model which is a slope shoulder dread.  I heard some demos of it and while it does sound different than most Taylors which have spruce tops it wasn't hugely different.  Sort of reminded me of an all mahogany guitar, but a little brighter.

Just wondering if others have heard or played a guitar that was all maple, body and top.  Perhaps they are a lot more common than I realize?

Here is a link to the one I'm talking about.  Unlike most other manufacturers, this guitar is actually in stock at some dealers:

Taylor American Dream AD27e Flametop Acoustic-electric Guitar - Woodsmoke | Sweetwater

Edited February 8, 2022 by Twang Gang

[rct]

No idea whatsoever.  But now, I want that.  Dam you.

rct

[Sgt. Pepper]

I'll bet that thing will be snappier than a hooker taking a pee.

To me Taylors are nice to look at. Every time I play one they are just to trebly for me. There is another acoustic describing word.

Edited February 8, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper

[Twang Gang]

12 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

I'll bet that thing will be snappier than a hooker taking a pee.

To me Taylors are nice to look at. Every time I play one they are just to trebly for me. There is another acoustic describing word.

Well from what I can hear on crappy little computer speakers, it is not bright and trebly which sort of surprised me.  Maple bodies can be pretty mellow sounding (think J200s) and with the maple top it seemed less bright than a spruce top would be.  

[sbpark]

32 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

I'll bet that thing will be snappier than a hooker taking a pee.

To me Taylors are nice to look at. Every time I play one they are just to trebly for me. There is another acoustic describing word.

You'd think so, but not necessarily. I remember watching a video of the all-maple Taylor in question (back, sides and top) from Alamo Music and it sounded really nice (for a Taylor). It was warm and defined. Snappy, strident or harsh it was not. 

Edited February 8, 2022 by sbpark

[Sgt. Pepper]

1 minute ago, sbpark said:

You'd think so, but not necessarily. I remember watching a video of an all maple Taylor (back, sides and top) and it sounded really nice )for a Taylor) but was warm and defined. Snappy, strident or harsh it was not. 

I don't judge guitars by how they sound on lap top speakers on a video.

[sbpark]

2 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

I don't judge guitars by how they sound on lap top speakers on a video.

You do you, but there's two of us now what have said it's not harsh and bright or snappy. But we're not stopping you from being stubborn. You are free to believe and think whatever you want!

Oh, and I'm listening through a set of Kali monitors, not crappy laptop speakers. 

Edited February 8, 2022 by sbpark

[Sgt. Pepper]

21 minutes ago, Twang Gang said:

Well from what I can hear on crappy little computer speakers, it is not bright and trebly which sort of surprised me.  Maple bodies can be pretty mellow sounding (think J200s) and with the maple top it seemed less bright than a spruce top would be.  

I had a Guild  JF-30. Maple back and sides and a spruce top. Didn't dig the tone. Built like a tank though.

[Sgt. Pepper]

3 minutes ago, sbpark said:

You do you, but there's two of us now what have said it's not harsh and bright or snappy. But we're not stopping you from being stubborn. You are free to believe and think whatever you want!

Oh, and I'm listening through a set of Kali monitors, not crappy laptop speakers. 

I got Let It Be on through my Polk Audio RTA-11T's on vinyl. Not harsh either.

[sbpark]

1 minute ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

I got Let It Be on through my Polk Audio RTA-11T's on vinyl. Not harsh either.

What does that have to do with the Taylor in question? Nothing. 

You were moaning about "crappy laptop speakers" because two people said the all-maple Taylor sounded nice. 

Maybe shut off the record and listen to the demos of the guitar. 

Edited February 8, 2022 by sbpark

[Sgt. Pepper]

4 minutes ago, sbpark said:

What does that have to do with the Taylor in question? Nothing. 

You were moaning about "crappy laptop speakers" because two people said the all-maple Taylor sounded nice. 

Nothing, just me doing me. I have played many a Taylor and they are damn nice no doubt, but not my cup of tea. Are we gonna do the Neil Young thing where if I don't align with what you veiw, I'm a d-ick?

Okay so you are not listening though lousy speakers, but many do when online.

Edited February 8, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper

[sbpark]

3 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Nothing, just me doing me. I have played many a Taylor and they are damn nice no doubt, but not my cup of tea. Are we gonna do the Neil Young thing where if I don't align with what you veiw, I'm a d-ick?

You should change your name from Sgt. Pepper to Straw Man. 

Edited February 8, 2022 by sbpark

[Sgt. Pepper]

6 minutes ago, sbpark said:

What does that have to do with the Taylor in question? Nothing. 

You were moaning about "crappy laptop speakers" because two people said the all-maple Taylor sounded nice. 

Maybe shut off the record and listen to the demos of the guitar. 

Go read my post I said lap top speakers and the word crappy is not in my post. Don't put words in my mouth. You guys love to pick fights. I'm trying to be nice and you guys make it hard.

[sbpark]

1 minute ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Go read my post I said lap top speakers and the word crappy is not in my post. Don't put words in my mouth. You guys love to pick fights. I'm trying to be nice and you guys make it hard.

Please. Pot calling the kettle black much?

[Sgt. Pepper]

Just now, sbpark said:

Please. Pot calling the kettle black much?

Hey I have been a good boy as of late since Bobouz asked to squash the M Vs G thing, and me saying I don't like to judge how a guitar sounds on lap top speakers and you immediately go to Panic and get your pannies in a bunch.

[zombywoof]

Gibson made Starbursts with maple tops.  Years ago I told a friend who owned a small shop to call me if he should happen to get a used Star or Starburst in.  My interest was admittedly due to the fact that Jorma played them.   He did get one in and as promised called me.  This one had a quilted maple top.  Despite him offering it to me at a really nice price, I was less than enamored with the sound so passed preferring to wait on a spruce top guitar which never did materialize.  If I played plugged in more, perhaps I might have gone for it.   

 I have never been able to make peace with Taylors though.  But should I run across a maple top guitar I am thinking I would give the tires a kick.    

Edited February 8, 2022 by zombywoof

[Twang Gang]

There's another different about this guitar other than the Maple top.  On the link I posted from Sweetwater there are canned specs that say it comes with Elixir strings (like all Taylors have for years).  On Taylor's website they make a specific point of advising that they ship it with D'Addario nickel bronze strings:

"The AD27e Flametop brings a new sonic flavor with an earthy, broken-in character. This dreadnought-style guitar boasts back, sides and top of solid Big Leaf maple, with our V-Class bracing under the hood. Combined with nickel bronze strings from D'Addario, the maple construction results in an appealingly rustic sound that's totally distinct from the pristine, vibrant quality that many players associate with Taylor"

It seems to me that Taylor is trying to produce a guitar that doesn't have the typical Taylor tone although I'd like to hear it in person.

Edited February 10, 2022 by Twang Gang

[Sevendaymelee]

Maple is an extremely hard wood, so it would be shocking to me if an all-maple guitar could compete with guitars made with sitka, or other types of spruce--especially in certain aspects like projection and volume etc. But who knows.

Edited February 11, 2022 by Sevendaymelee

[Sevendaymelee]

On 2/8/2022 at 1:12 PM, Sgt. Pepper said:

I'll bet that thing will be snappier than a hooker taking a pee.

To me Taylors are nice to look at. Every time I play one they are just to trebly for me. There is another acoustic describing word.

If guitar companies were caffeinated drinks, Taylor's would be the frappe of the guitar world. Martin would be black coffee, and Gibson would be black coffee with a healthy dose of whiskey.

Also, there are some universal truths when it comes to acoustic lovers: Gibson fans don't mind Martin guitars, but prefer Gibson. Martin fans pretty much only like Martins. But both of them absolutely detest Taylor's. 

😂

[Sgt. Pepper]

2 minutes ago, Sevendaymelee said:

If guitar companies were caffeinated drinks, Taylor's would be the frappe of the guitar world. Martin would be black coffee, and Gibson would be black coffee with a healthy dose of whiskey.

Also, there are some universal truths when it comes to acoustic lovers: Gibson fans don't mind Martin guitars, but prefer Gibson. Martin fans pretty much only like Martins. But both of them absolutely detest Taylor's. 

😂

Best acoustic I ever played was a Preston Thompson. I would sell my first born for one.

[gossmanster]

Gibson Starburst anyone? Never seen one but they have a decent reputation. Ren Ferguson design

[Kwlsky]

On 2/10/2022 at 10:08 PM, Sevendaymelee said:

Gibson fans don't mind Martin guitars, but prefer Gibson. Martin fans pretty much only like Martins. But both of them absolutely detest Taylor's. 

I find this to be very true. I love my Gibsons, and look forward to buying a Martin rosewood Dread, but I have never played a Taylor that I wanted to take home.

Edited February 13, 2022 by Kwlsky
misspelling

[Leonard McCoy]

Just like Gibson, Taylor is into making maple guitars as well. How well? I couldn't say since I have never owned a Taylor. But I was just looking at a maple back and sides classical guitar, which is a rare unicorn in and of itself, from Taylor as a potential purchase:

Edited February 15, 2022 by Leonard McCoy

[Dave F]

57 minutes ago, Leonard McCoy said:

Just like Gibson, Taylor is into making maple guitars as well. How well? I couldn't say since I have never owned a Taylor. But I was just looking at a maple back and sides classical guitar, which is a rare unicorn in and of itself, from Taylor as a potential purchase:

I have a Taylor NS72-CE Cedar top RW B&S that I'm happy with.

[j45nick]

50 minutes ago, Dave F said:

I have a Taylor NS72-CE Cedar top RW B&S that I'm happy with.

Spanish cedar top and rosewood B&S is the primary wood combination on my Spanish-built Prisloe classical as well. It's a sweet-sounding and great-looking guitar, for its type.