Not exactly the dark side, but…

[AnneS]

Today, I pulled the trigger on a used (mint, they say) 2021 Taylor 412ec. After lugging the jumbo around in Nashville last weekend, I came to realize how much I really want a small-sized strummer for stage stuff. It didn’t hurt that I heard a few nice Taylors whilst there, either.

In fact, I paid a visit to Carters and played an older Taylor 614, which felt quite good…and got me to thinking—and researching.

So today I went to GC to test out what I could, but they only had the next-size up-grand auditorium, in rosewood. Loved it, really, and now feel confident that the 14-fret grand concert size RW will be the ticket.

I will be selling (insert sad face) my 2015 Ebony L-00, which is a lovely finger-picker (and beautiful guitar) but a too-tight-sounding strummer for what I want now. 

My jumbo is, of course, not going anywhere, and I think a maple and a rosewood are a good combo for me. We shall see! Stay tuned… (And being the kind folk you are, I know you won’t hate. 😅)

[Remmuts]

Sounds like it fits your needs!

Enjoy that guitar!

[MorrisrownSal]

Ahhhhh. I think that’s great! You will demo it for us I’m sure.

[Jinder]

I’m a Taylor fan, always have been. I’ve never owned one but have enjoyed the heck out of every one I’ve played. The 555 in particular blew my socks off, an astonishing 12 string!

I’m sure you’ll be very happy with the 412. Some of the best live acoustic tones I’ve heard have come from Sam Beam, Suzanne Vega and Ron Sexsmith’s Taylors. They don’t suit every player but those who connect with them can really make them sing.

[slimt]

Taylors are Nice guitars.  Congrats   But I would be keeping the Gibson.    You might miss it. 

[Dave F]

Taylor definitely makes some nice guitars and I think their burst rival Gibson's.

I've been through a few Taylors. The last one I moved was an 818E. I've also had a 314CE, 815CE and Custom Koa T5

One thing I learned is if you buy a used one, go on their site and register it. It will not make the warranty active but will give you some privileges.

I bought the one shown below used and it needed a neck reset. They sent me a shim set to take care of it free of charge. They're all bolt on necks and changing the neck angle is fairly easy if you're into that kind of stuff.

Great customer service.

I currently only have one, an NS72-CE. Rosewood B&S with a Cedar top. It satisfied my nylon string itch.

[BluesKing777]

2 hours ago, AnneS said:

Today, I pulled the trigger on a used (mint, they say) 2021 Taylor 412ec. After lugging the jumbo around in Nashville last weekend, I came to realize how much I really want a small-sized strummer for stage stuff. It didn’t hurt that I heard a few nice Taylors whilst there, either.

In fact, I paid a visit to Carters and played an older Taylor 614, which felt quite good…and got me to thinking—and researching.

So today I went to GC to test out what I could, but they only had the next-size up-grand auditorium, in rosewood. Loved it, really, and now feel confident that the 14-fret grand concert size RW will be the ticket.

I will be selling (insert sad face) my 2015 Ebony L-00, which is a lovely finger-picker (and beautiful guitar) but a too-tight-sounding strummer for what I want now. 

My jumbo is, of course, not going anywhere, and I think a maple and a rosewood are a good combo for me. We shall see! Stay tuned… (And being the kind folk you are, I know you won’t hate. 😅)

 

Actually that is the dark side! Taylor....😁

The only darker is my little collection of 4 different woodage Maton 808s, best live factory acoustic pickup/guitar you can get.

So pickup......ES2......I have the Taylor 717e and I am probably wasting my breath, but my guess is you intend to plug direct to the PA wherever you play. Even though the ES2 pickup is a great pickup, the PA you plug to will give HUGE variations in sound...probably leading to disappointment some gigs.....

I experiment running mine to various nice preamps and you want that extra flex with a DI/EQ/Vol and various help.

Mine is truly sensational in my Tonedexter run to my little mixer....with the Tonedexter biz on bypass! ......like I said - extras = DI, EQ/Vol....plus for flex, I have a wonderful Tonedexter file I recorded with a Neumann mix! Sounds like I am recording in a studio! But I don't really need it - the Taylor ES2 is great through the pre.

But yeah, also experiment with the Taylor EQ/vol controls - they do work.

Congrats!

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

 

Edited March 26, 2023 by BluesKing777

[Murph]

We're not nearly the brand racist that some idiot who used to frequent here thought we were.

I own Fenders, Washburn, Sigma, Recording King, Lira, alongside my Gibsons.

Post your Taylor anytime you like, Anne.

 

 

[fortyearspickn]

Yeah.   I'm pretty sure if you go to a website for  Brand X parachutes - no one there would say they'd rather go without one rather that use a  Brand Y.     Would be like:  "If you don't like me, you hate Chevys.  If you hate Chevys, your a miso-gymnist !  " 

Anyone who looks at the Taylor catalogue and doesn't get GAS  - isn't human !  

[generaldreedle]

I have a Guild, a Martin and two Gibsons but I've lusted after the new Taylor 614, they sound fantastic

[MissouriPicker]

Congrats, Anne!  Not a damn thing wrong with a Taylor.  High quality guitars.  We play what feels like us.  I’ll likely stick with my Gibbys and my Martin D35 Johnny Cash, but who knows what I might see at a guitar store somewhere?  Play it in good health for many years my friend.  God bless!

 

BTW—-serious question———When you buy a used Taylor, do they still give you a free toga, or is that just with the new ones?🤣

[Lars68]

Looking forward to your first song post with the new Taylor!

Lars

[Twang Gang]

Taylor makes some great guitars, and I've owned quite a few different ones over the years.  I don't own any now as I've really gotten away from long scale, although the 412 is 24 7/8s.  If it is a new one with the V-class bracing I'm sure you will love it.  If it is an older one (pre V-class) it might be a little quite unplugged and will certainly sound different than your maple jumbo.  Should be a good compliment to what you have now.

Let us know how it works out once you get it. 

[dhanners623]

I hope it inspires you!

[AnneS]

Thanks, everyone—it’ll be NGD tomorrow.

Good notes above, esp Dave’s advice to register and BK’s thoughts about the ES2 (I always go thru a DI at my local open mic, and never have had to go directly into a PA.)

And, yes, it has the V brace. I think the only differences between the 2021 412ce  and the 2022/2023 iterations are cosmetic only. (Though I will say the sunburst on the the 414ce I played the other day was impressive.) 

As always, I sure do appreciate the support and good humor. I’ll report back soon! 🤩

[slimt]

I actually bought a Mossman Great plains to see what was offered when Gibson and Martin were not at there full potential.  

[BluesKing777]

 

When these came out, I thought they might be worth a look see - mahogany top Grand Concert size (Taylor AD22E) - no binding! ...looks a bit like an old Martin 0-17 I have except it has the ES2 pickup system.....someone else thought the same 'cos the only one they got at the music shop near me was gone about 5 seconds after it landed! And they haven't had another since!

Needs a few thousand gigs to break in the mahogany top, I suppose - it sounds too 'new' on this video:

 

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

Edited March 28, 2023 by BluesKing777

[zombywoof]

I find it impossible to " hate" a guitar.  If it has strings and is even close to playable I can have a blast with it.  That said I do have a pecking order.  But Taylors might just be the only guitar I would feel comfortable buying sight unseen as there are not about to be any surprises.  In a way though that takes some of the fun out of it.    

[AnneS]

Alrighty, then—NGD is fun, though it didn’t arrive until early evening and I haven’t had a chance for a good try-out yet. But… so far, so good. It’s roughly the same size as the L-00, and heavier (b/c RW), but it definitely as a more open, ringing tone.

I hope to record a couple of A/B clips tomorrow, for posterity, and I’ll post them if they turn out okay and if anyone is interested. 

You know what was unexpectedly weird when I opened the case?  No whiff of nitro. My brain is apparently hard-wired to expect it once the last latch snaps. I am having feelings on that score, to be honest…

[fortyearspickn]

Mine lost their scent, to my nose, after a year or so:  It might just be that yours is used, and was kept out of the case.    Conversely,  you might have lost some of your sense of smell temporarily due to a cold or sinus infection.    Hamlet said -  "The plays the thing..."    .  

[AnneS]

19 minutes ago, fortyearspickn said:

Mine lost their scent, to my nose, after a year or so:  It might just be that yours is used, and was kept out of the case.    Conversely,  you might have lost some of your sense of smell temporarily due to a cold or sinus infection.    Hamlet said -  "The plays the thing..."    .  

I believe Taylor doesn’t use nitro, which is what the nose knows. No sweet vanilla-ish scents here—no scent at all, really. 

[BluesKing777]

8 hours ago, AnneS said:

I believe Taylor doesn’t use nitro, which is what the nose knows. No sweet vanilla-ish scents here—no scent at all, really. 

The good news is I think you can use plain old car polish on the poly finish! From the local shop!

Please check on that!

Also I looked to find some worn looking recent Taylors online - zip! The finish may stay like it is new ......forever.

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

[jricc]

Congrats on your new Taylor Grand Concert Anne.  The GC is my favorite size, so comfortable.  Love my Taylor AD22e mahogany grand concert. 

Hope yours is great for you.

[AnneS]

So I did 4 sets of quick A/B comparisons between the 2021 Taylor 412ec and the 2015 Custom Gibson L-00. 
If you’re interested, you’ll have navigate around this Dropbox folder:

412ec v L-00

A= Taylor; B= Gibson

(Recorded to Voice Memos via iPhone, so headphones/earbuds recommended.)

As we all would expect, the differences are subtle but evident. This wasn’t an endeavor setting out to prove a point and isn’t meant to be a contest of better/worse, etc.  I just wanted a snapshot of what I thought I was hearing, and it accomplished that for me.

Took the Taylor out to open mic this week and was very happy with it. So far, so good.

[BluesKing777]

Did you plug direct with the Taylor at the open mic? Wow, brave you are! (that is what Taylors are actually famous for though but I like gadgets to make sure the sound is close to the same every time).

Not sure how many of the local crusties are going to negotiate the vagaries of  dropbox, we will see! You may need to join Soundcloud and have a link that plays live on the page or they are going to be lost in Digita?

Sennie headphones > my opinion > Gibson is way fuller, no capo but flops with capo higher than 2.

The Taylor has V bracing and if you try the old plain D Minor test, it should be in tune up to the end of the neck where the L-00, hmm, love 'em but that is getting to slide territory - depends on the guitar setup. So grab both, tune up, play cowboy D Minor (High E string - 1st fret, B string - 3rd fret, G string - 2nd fret, D string open).....play the chord then single note to test the V brace theory....move the chord up a fret at a time to the 14th fret and check the tuning visually and by ear! Poor old Gibsons.!😁

But the tone, poor new Taylor! OK but L-00 has it.

 

BluesKing777.