Eyecon Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 A friend of mine states that a Taylor is what I should be playing. I confess that I have not played but a handful at the local big box store. Which leads me to my question. Curious to know something about current (and past) Gibson owners. with Gibson having it's own unique, growling, balanced, sounds great with vocal tone....Would or have you ever considered or bought a Taylor? If so, what did you like about a Taylor that made you buy? If not, what did you not like about a Taylor that made you walk away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 In my opinion, no one makes a 12 string as well balanced and easy to play as Taylor. I've played a number of Taylor six strings, some better than others, but none of them have thrilled me as much as my Gibsons. But for 12 strings, I've yet to play one that beats my Taylor. The other thing about Taylor that is different than Gibson; Taylors are consistently excellent quality of sound and workmanship. Gibsons are hit and miss, and that is both a flaw and a bonus... because a Gibson has more human hands on in its creation than a Taylor. Again, that is my opinion. I know that I've played a LOT of Gibsons that were duds and almost no dud Taylors if any. However, very very few Taylors blow you away like a that special Gibson SWD, J45 or SJ200 (or many other models) that you may happen to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 I've owned two Taylors. Sold them both. Nothing wrong with them. They're just were not what I really wanted as far as sound and looks are concerned. Maybe just a bit too modern. I didn't feel they were "me." I'm not trying to make it sound dramatic, but I've got to feel the instrument is part of me. Not a thing in the world wrong with the quality of the Taylors. Very nice guitars. The high dollar Taylors I find in stores are pretty-damn nice. Sweet setups right from the factory. Good quality. It's more a personal thing than whither or not a guitar is high quality or not. I think they are high quality. Come to think of it, I wasn't fond of the on-board pickup in the 714ce I had. It used to crackle alot. That said, I believe Taylor has remedied most of the problems with that system.....Nice, nice guitars, but again, not me. I certainly wouldn't bash them. I simply find the traditional looks and sounds of Gibsons and Martins more appealing. Others think differently, and it's all good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 I had a mid-70s Lemon Grove 510 with Robert Taylors signature on the label. The second hand guitar was really broken in and sounded good. A little peculiar though. Pretty loud and in fact rough. It wasn't a clerk at all. Strange thing was the short sustain. It died down very fast compared to the impressive tone. Neck'n'action was superb – played like a warm knife through butter. Why did I sell it. . . It was beaten by my 45, both new at the time. Did I regret it. . . No. The buyer was a pro bass-player and he bought it long distance. Had a little Taylor club with his son and wanted to bring the 510 along. I phoned him after he received the guitar. He was satisfied – "I'll get something out of this," he said. It was as if he planned to alter the voice by heavy playing. Would I like to try it again. . . Oouuh Yes - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 Odd that you should mention this.....Tuesday, my friend and I went to Guitar Showcase in San Jose....I hadn't played a Taylor in years, finding them (at that time) thin and very bright...offensive to my ears as I remember......We tried two OM sized cut-aways, one in Rosewood and one with Walnut B&S......We were BOTH very impressed with the sound of these two guitars. Full with lots of Bass, very much in the Martin camp of sounds....AND one of the most comfortable necks I've ever played. I checked them both....NO RELIEF at all!!! Dead flat....and I played each string from first fret to the sound hole...absolutely no buzzing....VERY comfortable neck....lol....SOOOOO Taylor has come a long way in the past few years....My friend, who ONLY has vintage guitars (Martins and Gibsons) said, "Well it's good to know, that if my house burns down, I could still come here and get a Taylor and have a pretty good sounding guitar!" nuff said... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponty Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 I have thought about this many times. I nearly pulled the trigger on a 714 712 and a 512. They are great guitars, superbly made and look good...but I just couldn't do it. May be because I have been so taken with Gibson and Martin, which have long and glorious histories. Taylors are modern and innovative, and I suppose I am not so modern. Also, for me, way too many Taylor s are made with cut outs as standard. For me, this is an unnecessary feature. However, it will appeal to a lot of players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroAussie Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 I bought and sold a 214ce about three years ago, before i bought any of the Gibsons. It was the first half decent guitar I bought after a 10 year break from playing. I was attracted by the design, the simple pickup and tone controls, the cut away. But after some 10 month i realised the tone was not for me and the Gibson sound is really what rocks my boat. These days, a few years on I doubt I would own a Taylor as I just dont think it would get enough play time, but the Taylors that I quite like are the 414ce, 812e (smaller bodied, very nice) and also one outstanding all Koa model which I cant remember the name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 Btw. I subscribe to M-pickers post and way of saying it. Before I went Gibson, I steered through a serious Taylor research. Had free access to a long ray of high-end models in a shop and even attended a road-show*. Must say the guitars impressed me, but I got turned off by the fact they all had Elexir strings. Maybe my mistake, I can't evaluate an instrument with those on - feel they steal from the wood. *A pure circus. After the good working sales-guy had ended, everyone started to play the somewhat 75 Taylors around. It made the room sound like a beehive. You couldn't judge a thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 . I can't say much about the builds in the last couple of years. I've had a couple purchased in the previous decade - 414 and a NS74. When I bought the 414 I thought it was great, but I eventually sold it off. I really liked the amped sound of the guitar, but I eventually lost interest in its unplugged acoustic sound compared to my Gibson and Martin. My cousin has an 814 and that is a very nice guitar - sounds great unplugged and amped. I think their orchestral body types are better than their dreds. I've still got the nylon string 74 which I really like. They do make some top notch guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayville Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 My first truly great guitar was a 1995 Gibson J-100 Extra (mahogany back/sides) that just has a warmth and depth that I love. It inspired me to play a heck of lot more, but it's a big beastie. So I decided there wasn't enough room on the couch for me, it, and my wife... and rather than ditch the J-100, the couch or the wife I went out and bought a '00 Taylor 812ce. Those two guitars couldn't be more different but I love them both and each has it's virtues. The Gibson is a warm, rich clydesdale that can fill a room. The Taylor, with it's much smaller body size, is more of a polite, refined filly - I absolutely love the neck on it (something about that satin finish sits really well in the meat of my fretting hand), and it records really well when miked: clear, brite highs and just (barely) enough oomph when I dig in a little thanks to the rosewood. It's a very useful guitar, fun for leads and fingerpicking, a great couch guitar (which was it's "special purpose" after all. But if the house was on fire, I'm pretty sure I'd grab the kids, the wife and the Gibson first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyecon Posted October 7, 2011 Author Share Posted October 7, 2011 Good to hear from Gibson owners on this. I have always loathed the term "FANBOY". My thought has always been get the right tool (in this case instrument) for what you want to accomplish, no matter the Brand Name. However, to be forthright, I think I am a FAN BOY. When I hold a Gibson and strum the 6 strings (always a G chord first) I hear magic. Also to know that I'm playing the same style guitar that created Rock-n-Roll (If you can credit the Beatles for that) and used by the musicians that have moved our souls, made us dance or made us cry. So I guess if I am going to spend $3000 plus on a guitar and my choices were a High end Taylor or a SJ-200. I just don't see that as a choice at all. I'm a total FAN BOY! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morkolo Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 I can only make a judgement based on their past few years of manufacturing but I was all ready to buy one before they came to the local shop I usually buy off of. When they came in I was disappointed though, great guitars with a high quality build... just not "that sound" in my head to justify the cost. The one's I played were rather quiet and leaned more towards the treble side of the eq, mind you I only try them unplugged as I have no interest in an acoustic electric. Although I did play a 714ce at Long & McQuade a while back that had a real nice bluegrass/flatpicked tone but lacked when it came to fingerstyle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 I had a couple at 1 time... a Brazilian Presentation and a 614 Cutaway. They sure had a Nice tone... But for some reason for where I live.. I had bad problems with the tops sinking about 2 weeks after buying.... the tops caved far in.. They were always in a Humidified , Warm room with all the Gibsons and Martins.. It was almost like they were still wet after being Shipped.. they just dried right out and beyond.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RASHARU Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 A friend of mine states that a Taylor is what I should be playing. I confess that I have not played but a handful at the local big box store. Which leads me to my question. Curious to know something about current (and past) Gibson owners. with Gibson having it's own unique, growling, balanced, sounds great with vocal tone....Would or have you ever considered or bought a Taylor? .... Taylor's have the very best neck in the bizz, hands down. I have a GS6 (Grand Symphony/Flamed Maple) & it's one of the very best overall guitars I've ever owned. Gibsons are just really, REALLY cool. While they're not necessarily known for their stellar "fit & finish" or consistent playability, finding a super nice Gibby is well worth the effort in the end. Sorry, don't mean to offend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rambler Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 "A friend of mine states that a Taylor is what I should be playing" First thing to consider is whether or not said friend has an appreciation of your playing style and what would fit, or if they are just expressing their own preferences. Now about those Taylors. In their favor: consistency of build,fluid necks. I'd imagine that they record well: no booming bass (Martin D), lush sustain (Martin OM) or honking mids (Gibson). Of course, those "flaws" also give those guitars their particular character (Lester Flatt G-runs, Neil Young clang, Beatles ching, Stones honk, Pete T's ring. So it really comes back to what'cha want out of your guitar. Rambler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Once over on The AGF, during one of the epic "which Taylor is the closet in sound to a Martin" discussions, people were going round-and-round....I'm sure you folks know what I mean.......Anyway, I made the comment that Taylors are simply Martins without testicals. I got a flock of rude emails...lol...Some folks take this stuff real seriously and it don't take much to get them all worked-up. Sometimes it's alot of fun to pull their chain...lol..........Still, not a damn thing wrong with Taylors. I can't rule one out for the future. Wouldn't bet the house on it, but you never know...they are nice instruments... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The G Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 A friend of mine states that a Taylor is what I should be playing. I confess that I have not played but a handful at the local big box store. Which leads me to my question. Curious to know something about current (and past) Gibson owners. with Gibson having it's own unique, growling, balanced, sounds great with vocal tone....Would or have you ever considered or bought a Taylor? If so, what did you like about a Taylor that made you buy? If not, what did you not like about a Taylor that made you walk away? My stable has had a Taylor in it on three different ocasions. I keep wanting so much to fall in love but for some reason they just don't float my boat. Well made, great necks, cosmetically wonderful,but none in my present stable. To answer your question I would probably say they are just too "cosmetic" sounding.If I only had one acoustic and it was a Taylor I'd probably be ok,but I have a wonderful Southern Jumbo and a OM Martin both of which I just adore , so the Taylor's I've owned always kinda lost out in the character department. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brannon67 Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 I know that this is a Gibson forum, but I know we all have some other brands other then Gibson. Its called variety, the spice of life. Sure, If you want a Taylor, get a Taylor. Its not a SIN. Taylors are nice guitars. I played a Breed love copy of a HD28 herringbone the other day and feel in love with the tone and feel, and I love Gibsons, but this Breedlove was GREAT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 . Possibly the best comment ever on Taylor guitars quoted below (apologies to EA) . B) Its human nature to want to categorise and compartmentalise things, also with guitars and styles. Hence you have .. Martin: Bluegrass Gibson: Blues, Country Taylor: Sensitive metrosexual type, thingie music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 . Possibly the best comment ever on Taylor guitars quoted below (apologies to EA) . B) Amen, brothers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morkolo Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 . Possibly the best comment ever on Taylor guitars quoted below (apologies to EA) . B) That's exactly what I was thinking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RASHARU Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 I know that this is a Gibson forum ... but this Breedlove was GREAT. Of course it was! When has anyone ever expected anything less from a Breedlove? My Pro Series C25 is my 95%'er. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 . Possibly the best comment ever on Taylor guitars quoted below (apologies to EA) . B) Its human nature to want to categorise and compartmentalise things, also with guitars and styles. Hence you have .. Martin: Bluegrass Gibson: Blues, Country Taylor: Sensitive metrosexual type, thingie music Oh man..... as I read this thread that's all I was thinking..... I just played a Taylor at a book signing for a few minutes and it was a perfectly fine guitar....I couldn't help but think....."nice...but it just ain't got any soul" It's like comparing vanilla ice cream to Black Walnut Double-Fudge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RASHARU Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 I just played a Taylor at a book signing... "nice...but it just ain't got any soul" It's like comparing vanilla ice cream to Black Walnut Double-Fudge. Oh, c'mon now! You must be comparing custom level Gibbys to a 314. That just ain't fair. I can guarantee you that a 616ce in tobacco burst can hold it's own against ANY other guitar brand out there. Just sayin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParlourMan Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 From the affordable to the considerably less affordable, I've simply never played one that I would have bought. Nice well made guitars, yes. Just not for me.... I've really tried to like them, especially when owned by friends, but I just can't get into them at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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