GO Models

[Guitarsan]

I'm not suggesting that Taylor reintroduce the jumbo they used to manufacture (although I did own a 12 string version years back that was pretty impressive). If Taylor intends to keep the GO (and increase its sales), my point is that they could alter its shape by narrowing the waist thereby broadening its appeal by making it a bit more comfortable to players of smaller stature. That would also remove some of the bass that some have complained about and give it more of a "Tayloresque" look. Add a 12 string version, and they might actually have a winner. I personally don't care whether you call it a jumbo or grand orchestra.

Yeah, that was the Jumbo -> GO move in a nutshell.

http://www.taylorguitars.com/media/grand-orchestra-legacy-shape

I just think a lot of folks don't like the larger size. I've noticed as one gets older (moi and others I've seen comment online) you tend to like it less, and sitting down it's just too big. (Me speaking, I'm 5' 10", so not so little....). GS is tops for me, and while you miss some of the piano like tonality of a GO or Jumbo, if it's all about the bass, it can be had for much less size these days......

[Guitarsan]

What Edward said!

Times two!

[Moosedog]

I also love my  '13 528 FE GO both unplugged or plugged in with the Lyric p/u (though I do wish it had the ES).

Moosedog - Taylor will retrofit your guitar with an expression system, albeit at a steep price. Wonder if it's an ES2? Doubt it....

http://www.taylorguitars.com/support/service-packages

Yeah I know they can retrofit it, but $500 plus shipping both ways would be a very steep price.  I don't know why they couldn't do the ES-2 but the Lyric does a good job.

[donlyn]

Not counting hype, there seems to be two issues here. Taste and size. Here's my 2 cents.

As far as taste goes, there's no accounting for it. "De gustibus non disputandem" as I remember it. I listened to, played, and purchased my 818e on the same day 3 months ago. Kind of an impulse buy, but I have been open for a new guitar for a few years. My new 818e is simply a great sounding guitar. Rosewood and spruce are my choice of woods. I play fingerstyle using my nails as picks, so I Iike the extra volume you can produce on demand. I am firmly in the 'yea' column for this guitar, at least the one I own.

Now about the size. In addition to the 818e, I own a Taylor 355 12 string jumbo and a Gibson J 200 jumbo (rosewood and spruce). Here is the tale of the tape, measured externally at the widest and deepest points of the body.
818 is 16 3/4", 4 3/4".
355 is 17", 4 3/8".
J 200 is 17", 4 7/8".
While these numbers are all in the same ballpark, the 818 is not really bigger than these jumbo guitars. If anything it is a bit smaller. But it is a big guitar.
By the way, I am 5'9" tall and shrinking.
 

[guitarsrsoawesome]

Not counting hype, there seems to be two issues here. Taste and size. Here's my 2 cents.

As far as taste goes, there's no accounting for it. "De gustibus non disputandem" as I remember it. I listened to, played, and purchased my 818e on the same day 3 months ago. Kind of an impulse buy, but I have been open for a new guitar for a few years. My new 818e is simply a great sounding guitar. Rosewood and spruce are my choice of woods. I play fingerstyle using my nails as picks, so I Iike the extra volume you can produce on demand. I am firmly in the 'yea' column for this guitar, at least the one I own.

Now about the size. In addition to the 818e, I own a Taylor 355 12 string jumbo and a Gibson J 200 jumbo (rosewood and spruce). Here is the tale of the tape, measured externally at the widest and deepest points of the body.
818 is 16 3/4", 4 3/4".
355 is 17", 4 3/8".
J 200 is 17", 4 7/8".
While these numbers are all in the same ballpark, the 818 is not really bigger than these jumbo guitars. If anything it is a bit smaller. But it is a big guitar.
By the way, I am 5'9" tall and shrinking.
 

I love how you brought the data, because that is interesting.  The J200 is honking big!  I wonder what the width is at the narrowest point between the lower and upper bouts...the inside of the curve as it were...where the guitar would rest on your knee.  That would have an impact on comfort, at least when sitting.   Playing standing it wouldn't matter, though.

[Strumming Fool]

I've never worked in a guitar factory, but I do have some extensive experience in manufacturing and tooling. Retooling is an expensive proposition, and would require input from more than just "some" people. We would do some pretty extensive market research before we geared up to change anything. It usually ended up being a far more sound business decision to simply cut a product than to try to reinvent it.

That's a valid approach. I also have extensive manufacturing experience, but that's besides the point. If you explore Taylor's manufacturing history, you'll discover that they have been and continue to be all about retooling and improving what in many cases is a successful product to begin with. The GC, the DN and the GA have each gone through several iterations of refinement, which includes the body's outline and depth, not to mention several bracing changes. Based on this, I would leave it to Taylor to make the appropriate decision as to whether to retool or to discontinue the GO. By the way, I happen to like the sound of the GOs very much. They're simply too "portly" for me.

[donlyn]

guitarsrsoawesome,

Per request, I measured the waists and a couple more dimensions, all measured externally.
Here are length, upper bout, waist, lower bout, and depth.

818 is    20 1/2",    11 3/4", 10 7/16", 16 3/4", 4 3/4".
355 is   20 7/8",     12 1/8",   9 7/8",    17",      4 7/16".
J 200 is 20 15/16", 12 1/2", 10 1/4",   17",      4 7/8".

Couple of notes. Depth of 355 was re-measured to 4 7/16".
Taylor catalog shows 818 length at 20 5/8" and depth at 5". Mine measured differently.
818e is still a big guitar, but slightly smaller than the jumbos. If I had to guess, it would appear that the J 200 has the largest internal volume. I don't have the capability to calculate that however. One of my sons might be able to.

As to the other question, all of these fit comfortably on my thigh playing in a sitting position. I am of average height and weight and mostly play seated. 

[guitarsrsoawesome]

guitarsrsoawesome,

Per request, I measured the waists and a couple more dimensions, all measured externally.
Here are length, upper bout, waist, lower bout, and depth.

818 is    20 1/2",    11 3/4", 10 7/16", 16 3/4", 4 3/4".
355 is   20 7/8",     12 1/8",   9 7/8",    17",      4 7/16".
J 200 is 20 15/16", 12 1/2", 10 1/4",   17",      4 7/8".

Couple of notes. Depth of 355 was re-measured to 4 7/16".
Taylor catalog shows 818 length at 20 5/8" and depth at 5". Mine measured differently.
818e is still a big guitar, but slightly smaller than the jumbos. If I had to guess, it would appear that the J 200 has the largest internal volume. I don't have the capability to calculate that however. One of my sons might be able to.

As to the other question, all of these fit comfortably on my thigh playing in a sitting position. I am of average height and weight and mostly play seated.

Wow! That is so awesome you did all the measurements by hand.  Thanks so much! 

Very interesting how the Gibson and the Taylor Jumbo had "synched"/slightly more narrow waists as compared to the 818.  Whether or not that translates to sitting lower on one's knee in a readily observable way, you've answered in that they are all pretty much the same comfort wise, which answers my question because I wondered if the others would sit perceptibly lower.  All three are wonderful guitars and I would love to have any of them in my house at the ready!  Thanks again for taking all the trouble.  It was interesting, too, how your measurements showed a divergence from Taylor's...by nearly a quarter inch!

[donlyn]

guitarsrsoawesome,

You got me thinking about low on the knee, so I did a little more measuring. Just as baseball has WAR (wins above replacement), I now have SAW (strings above waist). This would be the distance measured from the treble e string perpendicularly to the nearest point on the waist. Turns out that distance is a hair over 4 1/8" on both my 818e and J200. This means that my seating posture/position is the same for each guitar. I've had the J200 for 30 years. No wonder that the 818e felt right at home to me when I first played it.   

I mentioned I mostly play seated. Because of back issues, I have to sit straight. No slouching allowed. I also rest my upper arm on the lower bout and my forearm/hand is naturally at about a 40 degree angle to the strings. I hold the neck level and forward, often anchoring my little finger on the pickguard just under the treble e string near the bridge side of the soundhole. I did mention earlier that I play fingerstyle. Don't know if this is 'correct' positioning, but it works for me.

[guitarsrsoawesome]

donlyn, i love your scientific approach to everything!  Very interesting how the 818e has the same SAW measure.  (You've coined a new phrase, that's for sure!)  I would venture to say that you must love the 818 for fingerstyle because the bracing design allows for a lighter touch to get the top going. 

You know, I bet having taller lower bouted guitars like yours would actually help you to sit up straight, as opposed to a much smaller GC or parlor guitar where it would be easy to just fold yourself over the guitar and maintain bad back posture while playing.  Not to mention, if you want to make some loud guitar noises without an amp, if three people strummed hard on your jumbos/GO at once, you could rattle the windows of your house!

[donlyn]

guitarsrsoawesome,

yeah, getting the 818e has totally rejuvinated my guitar playing. play it pretty much every day, sometimes for hours. absolutely love the tone, and the treble notes seem like they're on steroids even with the lightest touch. the bass sounds (and feels) like bass without much work. the idea behind the SAW was to find out how high the strings are in relation to your leg, something which you implied in your previous post. seemed like something i wanted to know. was trying to figure it out from the guitar stats when i realized just measure it.
 
i think you are correct that the large lower bout helps my back and allows me to play as much as i want. and if three guitars won't do the trick, there's still the 'e' in 818e,

don

[Jersey tuning]

Tried out an 818 yesterday. Found it to be loud but colorless, as if the volume just wiped out any overtones and nuances. Just me.

[krugjr]

Jersey.....the 2013 818e First Edition is the only 818 with Adirondack Bracing and , IMO, is far from colorless.....I play it side by side with my 2012 810e Proto (awesome sound) and sometimes I forget which of the two I'm playing....I also played the '13 818 FE side by side with the '14 818 and much preferred the '13....I'm one that has not warmed to the new 800 makeover.....curious which 818 you played...

[timfitz63]

Tried out an 818 yesterday. Found it to be loud but colorless, as if the volume just wiped out any overtones and nuances. Just me.

Jersey.....the 2013 818e First Edition is the only 818 with Adirondack Bracing and , IMO, is far from colorless...

Like you, "Jersey," I was not impressed with the 818 -- frankly in any iteration -- although "colorless" wouldn't be the word I'd apply to it either.  To my ears, it was very 'boomy,' bordering on unbalanced.  The GO body was adding bass to a tonal range where the the wood was already strong; then the wood was 'scooping' the midranges, and with everything else going on there sonically, it seemed that the highs just got overwhelmed.

But as I mentioned earlier in this thread, I strongly prefer Maple to any other 'standard-line' wood on the GO, so that should give everybody a clue where my ears are coming from...

[krugjr]

timfitz.....I'm a rhythm player. like you, so when you write, I "listen".....when you write "unbalanced", I believe I know exactly what you're saying.....I own, and love, a 2013 520e FE, a 2013 514e FLTD and a 2012 810e Proto.....along with their individual tones, "perfectly balanced" describes them all....we all have guitars not only for what they are but also for how we use them.....all things considered, there is a reason my 818 is the one for sale, while the others..........not so!