New Taylor Braceing Method

[xriddler]

The bracing is only for high end models looking like 900series and up. I'm only looking for a 414ce-r so probably won't affect me.

[Guitarsan]

Looks like the cat is out of the bag, Taylor just posted this:

https://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/acoustic/v-class-bracing/story

And here is an article from Music Radar:

http://www.musicradar.com/news/namm-2018-taylor-flips-the-v-at-x-bracing-with-innovative-new-acoustic-design

Will have my hands on them tomorrow at NAMM.

Told y’all 

[edocon]

I wonder how this will impact current sales? Will those who were planning on purchasing hold off until the series they were planning on buying gets the new bracing? Will Taylor reduce pricing on the models with the old bracing?

And how will it impact pricing? For example, will the 800 series be roughly the same price as today's models once the new bracing is introduced into the line? Maybe the new bracing will be an upgrade option (early on) with the current bracing maintained as stock/standard build?

[TLAW]

Looks like the cat is out of the bag, Taylor just posted this:

https://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/acoustic/v-class-bracing/story

And here is an article from Music Radar:

http://www.musicradar.com/news/namm-2018-taylor-flips-the-v-at-x-bracing-with-innovative-new-acoustic-design

Will have my hands on them tomorrow at NAMM.

Told y’all 

Let us know your thoughts and perceptions if u get ahold of one Ted!

[Jersey tuning]

Can't imagine the new bracing will be restricted to the high end models only.  And wonder if other parameters such as top thicknesses will be modified because of the bracing change.

[mgap]

Andy Powers has said the new bracing will be introduced through out the line of GAs this year. 

[jrporter]

Looks like the cat is out of the bag, Taylor just posted this:

https://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/acoustic/v-class-bracing/story

And here is an article from Music Radar:

http://www.musicradar.com/news/namm-2018-taylor-flips-the-v-at-x-bracing-with-innovative-new-acoustic-design

Will have my hands on them tomorrow at NAMM.

When do you anticipate having the new V-braced models in stock or available for order, Ted?

[Knuckle47]

Actually, with regards to new sales, I got wind of something back in October when I was about to order a custom Koa grand symphony and put off that purchase waiting to hear.  Thankfully, the holidays came and stalled my purchase.  Now there is an event next week at my local dealer to see these new guitars.  Might have just saved me a few bucks. If the K14ce sounds good, it could just take the customs place instead

[Sprintbob]

In the marketing hype Taylor is presenting for the V bracing, Andy Powers touts better sustain and more overtones in terms of the tonal improvement the V-bracing offers. Some acoustic music may not benefit from that so I would think it will be very important to play before buying early on. Once there are a number of V braced Taylors out there, the acoustic guitar forums will be filled with opinions on if it is better (its full on at the AGF right now!). I do like the improved intonation benefit if it is accurate.

[SoCalSurf]

In the marketing hype Taylor is presenting for the V bracing, Andy Powers touts better sustain and more overtones in terms of the tonal improvement the V-bracing offers. Some acoustic music may not benefit from that...

I was thinking the same thing about whether "too much" sustain could negatively impact some types of playing.

But the new models look awesome and I can't wait to try one some day.

[Ted @ LA Guitar Sales]

Looks like the cat is out of the bag, Taylor just posted this:

https://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/acoustic/v-class-bracing/story

And here is an article from Music Radar:

http://www.musicradar.com/news/namm-2018-taylor-flips-the-v-at-x-bracing-with-innovative-new-acoustic-design

Will have my hands on them tomorrow at NAMM.

Told y’all 

Let us know your thoughts and perceptions if u get ahold of one Ted!

Helene and I had some time with the new models featuring the V-Class bracing at NAMM, and although tonal testing at NAMM is quite limited, I think most folks will be well pleased. I'll know more once the new models arrive, and I have a chance to a/b them alongside the previous versions in our showroom.

Randy, Taylor is planning to ship the four new models to dealers in the coming weeks. These will be the K24ce, 914ce, PS14ce, and the super cool, fully beveled Builders Edition K14ce.

[TLAW]

Thanks Ted! I was told by my local dealer they would be getting something w/ V Bracing in the 800 series soon....maybe misinformation we'll see.

[Edward]

Quasi-manifesto alert, and all IMHO:

1.  When the Grand Orch model came out: I was excited (though bummed about the demise of the Jumbo), and looked forward to it, even ready to buy, which is rare for me, but the GO-concept was too cool!  Tried all 4 models, for well over an hour in a good room ..."good" but not great.  And now today, I am even less impressed with the GO guitars as opposed to an otherwise stellar line of Taylors.

2. Revoiced 800s came out.  Cool, I thought: this is their flagship and they're gonna kill it!  Well some loved it, others ended up lukewarm; I found it just "meh."  I do, however, think the 600 maple guitars benefitted quite well from the "800-revoicing," more so than did the 800s.

3. ES-2 came out.  I love the ES version 1.3 (model year 2010ff.).  So feeling the 1.3 was at the pinnacle of the ES development, I was jazzed to see another incarnation as each was better than its predecessor.  Utter disappointment.  Tried other guitars and definitely not enamored with this system.  This recent ES2 (2016) is better than the opening version, though.  Sure it's "good," and totally usable, but not at all what I consider to be an upgrade over the ES1.3 

Again, all the aforementioned clearly IMHO and wrought with my own biases.  But I always went in hoping for the best for this company that I continually have the utmost regard for, but likewise always maintain critical objectivity whenever judging tone.  So the chips always fall where they do for me, however it ends up. 

All to say I really do hope this V-bracing is what they claim to be ...but therein lays the problem: Taylor claimed a lot!  The claim more than they did with the GO body, the Revoicing, the ES2; this "biggest" of all changes has been "heavily sold" in marketing terms, which if they fail to deliver (and I respectfully believe these three examples failed to fully deliver), they expend the precious cache of respect and diminish the brand in the long run.  Hyperbole in the marketplace is rampant.  And because we see it, we respect those who don't employ it.  Here's to hoping Taylor delivers, and delivers big!

Edward

[TLAW]

Quasi-manifesto alert, and all IMHO:

1.  When the Grand Orch model came out: I was excited (though bummed about the demise of the Jumbo), and looked forward to it, even ready to buy, which is rare for me, but the GO-concept was too cool!  Tried all 4 models, for well over an hour in a good room ..."good" but not great.  And now today, I am even less impressed with the GO guitars as opposed to an otherwise stellar line of Taylors.

2. Revoiced 800s came out.  Cool, I thought: this is their flagship and they're gonna kill it!  Well some loved it, others ended up lukewarm; I found it just "meh."  I do, however, think the 600 maple guitars benefitted quite well from the "800-revoicing," more so than did the 800s.

3. ES-2 came out.  I love the ES version 1.3 (model year 2010ff.).  So feeling the 1.3 was at the pinnacle of the ES development, I was jazzed to see another incarnation as each was better than its predecessor.  Utter disappointment.  Tried other guitars and definitely not enamored with this system.  This recent ES2 (2016) is better than the opening version, though.  Sure it's "good," and totally usable, but not at all what I consider to be an upgrade over the ES1.3 

Again, all the aforementioned clearly IMHO and wrought with my own biases.  But I always went in hoping for the best for this company that I continually have the utmost regard for, but likewise always maintain critical objectivity whenever judging tone.  So the chips always fall where they do for me, however it ends up. 

All to say I really do hope this V-bracing is what they claim to be ...but therein lays the problem: Taylor claimed a lot!  The claim more than they did with the GO body, the Revoicing, the ES2; this "biggest" of all changes has been "heavily sold" in marketing terms, which if they fail to deliver (and I respectfully believe these three examples failed to fully deliver), they expend the precious cache of respect and diminish the brand in the long run.  Hyperbole in the marketplace is rampant.  And because we see it, we respect those who don't employ it.  Here's to hoping Taylor delivers, and delivers big!

Edward

A very sober minded eloquent synopsis Edward..it wont be long til we have our hands on them.....I'm going to call it a "situation" and not a "problem" until playing it tells me otherwise

[Strumming Fool]

Quasi-manifesto alert, and all IMHO:

1.  When the Grand Orch model came out: I was excited (though bummed about the demise of the Jumbo), and looked forward to it, even ready to buy, which is rare for me, but the GO-concept was too cool!  Tried all 4 models, for well over an hour in a good room ..."good" but not great.  And now today, I am even less impressed with the GO guitars as opposed to an otherwise stellar line of Taylors.

2. Revoiced 800s came out.  Cool, I thought: this is their flagship and they're gonna kill it!  Well some loved it, others ended up lukewarm; I found it just "meh."  I do, however, think the 600 maple guitars benefitted quite well from the "800-revoicing," more so than did the 800s.

3. ES-2 came out.  I love the ES version 1.3 (model year 2010ff.).  So feeling the 1.3 was at the pinnacle of the ES development, I was jazzed to see another incarnation as each was better than its predecessor.  Utter disappointment.  Tried other guitars and definitely not enamored with this system.  This recent ES2 (2016) is better than the opening version, though.  Sure it's "good," and totally usable, but not at all what I consider to be an upgrade over the ES1.3 

Again, all the aforementioned clearly IMHO and wrought with my own biases.  But I always went in hoping for the best for this company that I continually have the utmost regard for, but likewise always maintain critical objectivity whenever judging tone.  So the chips always fall where they do for me, however it ends up. 

All to say I really do hope this V-bracing is what they claim to be ...but therein lays the problem: Taylor claimed a lot!  The claim more than they did with the GO body, the Revoicing, the ES2; this "biggest" of all changes has been "heavily sold" in marketing terms, which if they fail to deliver (and I respectfully believe these three examples failed to fully deliver), they expend the precious cache of respect and diminish the brand in the long run.  Hyperbole in the marketplace is rampant.  And because we see it, we respect those who don't employ it.  Here's to hoping Taylor delivers, and delivers big!

Edward

Edward, you spoke well. FWIW, I agree with you on all counts. I still believe that the GA, the GS mini, the NT neck and the ES1.3 are the true Taylor game changers for me. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I'm still drawn to the Taylor signature sound I came to know in the 90s. Prior bracing changes  (CV, AP) have been okay with me, but not better than older Taylors - just different. I have a deep-seated concern that Taylor's (Andy's) newer guitars will lose some of the personality of their original attraction for me (sparkle and balance), and become similar to other more traditional builders' guitars. That would really be a shame if it were to happen. But I too will keep an open mind and give the new bracing a fair test drive.